Oct 2008 Komodo Dancer Trip Report

In Oct of 2008 I spent a week aboard the Peter Hughes Komodo Dancer diving in Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Great diving, probably the highlight was the final two dives with some very up close encounters with the Giant Mantas. We also spent a few days on the island of Bali too. I posted a trip report with photos on my website here

Great Trip report ! I'll be going to Komodo National Park at the end of September and am very excited. In the meantime, I'm reading as much as possible to prepare !

Since I've never dove from a tender, could you pleas comment on that ? Go aboard fully ready or put equipment on in the tender. What about getting back on ?

Thanks
NAIBDiver1

Would you mind commenting on your air transport there ? Whicj airline and what you thought of them. Any luggage problems ? I haven't made arrangements yet - still researching.

I know that I have to get to Bali internationally and then to Bima locally.

Thanks

NAIBdiver1,
We did Cathay Pacific from the United States to Hong Kong, then on to Bali.
From Komodo, the Peter Hughes team booked us on some tiny local flight, I don't recall the name of it. We had to pack pretty light to avoid the luggage weight restrictions. I packed minimal clothes and had the Peter Hughes crew do laundry for me.

Regarding the tenders, the crew puts your tank and regs on board the tenders for you, you just analyze your tank for nitrox on them at some point during the day while they are tied to the main boat. You board the tenders holding your fins, and mask, then put them one once you are seated. It does get pretty crowded on these wooden tenders and they are probably not the best suited for diving (I liked the rubber tenders the Galapagos Aggressor used better). You do a back roll with the group off the tenders, then when you surface you just flag one of the tenders down and they come pick you up. The tender drivers are very quick to find to you. You get back on the tender after handing your weights, tank, and BCD to the driver. There is a portable ladder you use to get back in the tender. Of course you need to be able to do a safety stop without holding on to a guide line for every dive, possibly while drifting in current.

Many thanks for a superb trip report. I found it particularly helpful as we are doing a virtually identical trip in a few weeks time. We are doing the Bali > Komodo route on the Komodo Dancer followed by 6 days at the Alam Shanti (by the Monkey Forest) in Ubud. We will certainly be checking out your walking tours. You mention the weight restrictions on the internal flight. Do you recall what that was and even what the excess charge was?
Thanks again.
Dave.

dave martin:

You mention the weight restrictions on the internal flight. Do you recall what that was and even what the excess charge was?
Thanks again.
Dave.

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Dave, there were not any weight restrictions for our group on the internal flight from Komodo to Bali. Maybe the Peter Hughes team had an "arrangement" with the local airline? That Komodo airport is really tiny and people working there seem really mellow, so maybe they don't care. I think the security guy was talking on his cell phone with his back to the scanner when our luggage was getting scanned there.

The weight restrictions for us were on the return flight from Bali to the States via Cathay Pacific where we had to transfer a lot of gear out of our dive bag into our other suitcases at the airport to get under the limit. It seems to depend on who checks you in as this was not an issue on the flight from the States to Bali, just the return one.

I don't recall what the weight limit was but we really did travel with minimal stuff so I was surprised when we went over.

Yeah, those walking tours in Ubud are really fun and a great way to see some non-touristy culture.
Have fun over there.
LBR

LBR
Many thanks. Good news that there seems not to be a weight restriction. With regard to the international flights we are flying Malaysia Airways to/from the UK and have a 30k allowance so that bit's in the bag. We were just concerned that we might get hit by an unexpected cost in Indonesia.
Can't wait till April when we go.
Dave

iam glad you enjoyed visiting my homeland. I recommend you to go to other parts of Indonesia which also have world class diving sites and pristine reefs and landscape .

In my experience, there are always weight restrictions on Indonesian airlines but application of them seems haphazard. This past summer, leaving Bali for Manado, and later for Bima, we were hit with charges, but returning from Manado, none, not even a question. If your boat arranges the flight or checks you in, they have probably negotiated something. Even if that's not the case, you can negotiate the overage charges. On our way to Manado, I showed my empty wallet and protested I just didn't have the necessary cash. Eventually, I was charged for just a couple of kilos overage rather than the actual weight of all our bags. Incidentally, when you're checking in, if you have oversized or heavy carry-ons, i.e., camera gear. Just keep them away from the sight of the desk agents and security guards by leaving them with another member of your party. None of this is true with Cathay, JAL or any of the international carriers who can be quite strict about both checked and carry-on limits.

Great report..!
I was in Bali in October 2008 also, but for solely diving trip.