Where to go Indo/ Micro and then where?

[Ldog]

My first post and looking for some helpful advise from the board.
Wife and I are looking to do our first trip to Indonesia or Micronesia in 2011. Were flexible on month of travel but would prefer March through June, for a 14 to 16 day trip from Los Angeles.
We have heard great things about Palau, looked at Wakatobi (but very pricy, looking for more for the money) PNG, Raja, Komodo? too many choices, are we missing anything?... Which is better & why?
We like the idea of an LOB since we have never done one yet (but for 10 or 12 days on a boat I would like a very nice LOB).
Like warm clear water, currents not a huge deal (we dove the Somosomo straits in Fiji) Love fish life, colorful walls, Coral & wrecks. Would like to see some large Pelagic's too (not just sharks) Mantas, Tuna, ?, etc... Whale Shark (ha would be nice!)
We thought perhaps 3 or 4 days land and 10 or 12 LOB would be the best way for our first experience but again not fixed on anything yet.
Please help us and give us your thoughts and why...

Thank you,
Lance

 

[vladimir]

Palau can deliver the pelagics, mantas, sharks, and at least one wreck, as well as diverse reef populations, nice coral--just about everything, except maybe whale sharks--and it can do so reliably. Indonesia is arguably the best tropical diving in the world, but bigger stuff is getting scarcer every year. A Komodo itinerary would be my first choice, with a few days in Bali to satisfy your wreck want. Rethink the 16 days--if you're flying this far stretch it another week. PNG has lots of large fish as well as incredibly diverse reef life; different itineraries can vary quite a bit though, so do your research. I combined a ten-day liveaboard with a week of day diving in Bootless Bay from Loloata Island. A great hammerhead came within petting distance on one dive, but I also went many dives without seeing any large fish. There are wrecks up in Rabaul, but I didn't dive there. Undercurrent's Seasonal Planner is a good first step in the planning process, although I don't thing the weather should deter you from traveling to any of those destinations during the time you are planning.

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

Which ones are better and why? Wow that is a hard one to answer as all the areas you mentioned are great and deserving of a trip to for different reasons.
Palau has some beautiful diving but out of the other areas mentioned we prefer the areas of Indonesia and PNG a little more for the overall diversity of fish and corals...they are some of the best in the world and the only way to really know which is possibly better than another is to go and see for yourself.
As many will tell you Raja Ampat and its surrounding area has some amazing reefs and corals around it some of the most pristine in the world and though not known as a pelagic dive area you do have have good chance of seeing come Mantas. Raja now has a wide variety of LOBS to choose from including the Tambora, Damai, Paradise Dancer just to name a few.
Komodo is another one of our favorites to dive in the world as it offers stunning corals and adrenaline pumping dives with massive amounts of fish in some very strong currents. Again you have a wide choice of LOBS such as the ones mentioned and the Komodo Dancer for instance.
There are other world class dive areas in Indonesia also such as around Derawan in sothern Borneo and Lembeh for the small macro critters around Manado.
It would be hard to be disappointed by any of these areas but with the criteria you have mentioned you may want to consider PNG which can offer all the corals, walls, pelagics, wrecks and critter diving on your list. It offers some of the most stunning and exotic scenery both above and below the water in the world like Indonesia and also has a wide choice of LOBS and resorts.
One of which is the Febrina which is one of the best known and longest standing. It goes out of the famous Walindi Resort on the isle of New Britain and offers some truly extrodinary diving experiences on a very comfortable boat.
If you are interested we have a trip going the end of next May on the Febrina for 10 nights and can arrange for more diving around Walindi before or after the trip or at another great area in PNG.
If you go to Home and click on our travel page you will see a link to the trip and some info.

 

[mjh]

We love Indonesia, just got back from Komodo, pics, trip report, video in the next couple of weeks. To date have done, Bali, Lembeh, Palau, Yap, Solomons, PNGx2 and Raja Ampat. I would lean to one of the live-aboards in Raja, IMHO the best all around diving we have found to date. There are detailed trip reports, galleries and MultiMedia shows at our site.

 

[jake11]

We love Indonesia! I would go for some land based diving in North Sulawesi and then fly to Sorong to do a liveaboard in Raja A. We have been on the Paradise Dancer and the Arch.Adven.II They are both GREAT boats to dive from and offer the longer trips!
Another idea would be to fly from Jarkarta to Ambon and dive with Maluku Divers then board the Arch.II Explorer from Ambon. You will love Made and the crew and have a fantastic time onboard! Have fun in what ever location you decide on!

 

[Ldog]

Thanks for all the input! really appreciate it...

 

[AlanWald]

Be AWARE of SEASONAL CHANGES in Air Fare

If you are flying from Los Angeles, be sure to look at the fare rules. In the past on Singapore Airlines with Connection to Manado, North Sulawesi on Silk Air (subsidiary of Singapore air, so luggage wise it is like being on one airline and you get are covered under the piece concept, abbreviated PC on your ticket, that gives you two pieces of luggage at 50 lbs each, otherwise most flight limit you to a total of 44 pounds) has been significantly cheaper (in the past US$600 cheaper) if you fly by March 31 than if you went one day later in April. Check the current dates. It goes back down again (at least it did) in early September. I prefer the cheaper one stop flight on Singapore Air to Singapore (one hour in Tokyo) to the direct non-stop as it gives me a chance to get out of the plane and stretch out in Tokyo (the non stop is probably not available at a discount) Three years ago I flew this route for US$1200 by booking directly on Singapore Air web site.

If you fly Singapore Air and connect with Silk Air, you do NOT have to collect and recheck your luggage in Singapore, so keep in your carry on stuff you need for the overnight in Singapore airport (they have rooms that rent in four hour blocks in the transit hotels, located on third level in each terminal, book way in advance if possible)

Not matter where you go. Do as many night dives as you can.

 

[Scuba Dive Asia]

Hello!

Between March and June, I would definitely recommend Komodo. It is right after the rainy season and there hasn't been many divers there for a few months. The area is simply amazing and full of life. Komodo would be LOB; and you could spend a few days in Bali, sightseeing and even doing a little bit of diving to acclimatise before getting on the boat.
If you are interested in land-based diving, I would strongly recommend Misool, Raja Ampat. The resort is set in a fantastic location and the diving is nothing short of extraordinary.

I hope this will help you make your decision.
Best,

 

[chinacat46]

Well here is my 2 psi. If you want sharks go to Palau. If you want anything else then go to Lembeh Strait first and spend 4-5 days doing some mind blowing muck diving. Then fly to Sorong(So Wrong) and get on an LOB for 10 days diving Raja Ampat.

 

[AlanWald]

It may be possible to get from Davao in the southern Philippines to Manado, North Sulawesi by Air.
So you could possibly go to Manado, then to Davao and then Manila and fly to Palau from Manila.
This would only be feasible on a longer trip as many small airlines do not have reliable daily schedules.

Easiest is to go as the previous poster suggested, a few days in Lembeh on the way to or from Raj Ampat.


Anyone based in Manado know if this is still feasible. Lembeh is great fun for night diving. Saw a crab spawning.