Diving Ambon--operators?

Hi all

Has anybody dived with Dive Bluemotion, Malukku Divers or Blue Rose Divers in Ambon? I'm currently planning our Indonesia-trip for next year and gathering all the information. I tend to stay with Malukku (and sleep in a homestay as our budget is quite thight) as we already had a very informative email-exchange. But I would be glad to get more information about all possible options.

Looking forward to your tips.

Kind regards,
Andreni

There was some question late last year about whether Blue Rose was in business, but I see their web site has been updated, so I'm assuming all is ok.

Spent a couple of weeks there about 2 years back. Their prices are very good, though the accommodations and food were nothing to write home about. Looking at the site, it seems that the food angle has been rethought.

The diving is great. Sites are pretty much the same as Maluku Divers. Blue Rose had the best dive boats I'd ever seen. High powered and fast. I'd certainly go back again. Maluka is more expensive and, as I recall, there is a penalty for solo travelers, which I always am.

Another operation to consider is Cape Paparu, on Saparua, which is an hour or so away by boat. It's a very nice resort run by a European couple, possibly Swiss. Very pristine waters, and lots to see. Depending on time of year, blue ring octopus are commonly found of the boat dock, or so I was told. I like the place a lot, but, alas, it is more expensive.

Dive Bluemotion? That's a new one on me.

I dived with Malukku Divers. They are a very professional and expierenced dive operator. Samuel is a fantastic spotter. The resort is comfortable. What I didn't like was all the rubbish. I know that this is muck diving, but when you can't see the sand on the beach because it is comletely covered with layers of rubbish it makes me sad and I can't forget it even if I see all those wonderful critters.
Bluemotion is a new dive operator. They are german and they have a shop at Laha but also on Banda. They have a website and since your location is Switzerland, I guess you speak german. On taucher@net you can read two reports about Bluemotion in german.

There was some question late last year about whether Blue Rose was in business, but I see their web site has been updated, so I'm assuming all is ok.

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Yes they are, only a change of management happened. The replies are quite reactive.

Another operation to consider is Cape Paparu, on Saparua, which is an hour or so away by boat.

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If only you can get a booking, probably possible a year in advance... tried three times, never got any availabilities, even though it was not peak season.

Dive Bluemotion? That's a new one on me.

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Yep, hope they can arrange other dives further away, otherwise I'll stick with BRD.

Otherwise there's another operator on Saparua called Mahu Dive Lodge, it's both a dive centre and a lodge, I've had some arguments with the owner who somehow didn't deliver what was agreed, but it's nice to know you can dive that area, you can get them on Facebook too or through Daya Patal agency downtown Ambon (Same family).

Thanks for your feedbacks.

I found the two reports on taucher.net about bluemotion but hoped that there are more people to tell their experiences. I don't like to rely on the opinion of just one person. Maybe I will be more adventurous after our long trip in Indonesia .

Cape paparu prices are to high for our budget and as we have to extend our visa on Ambon a stay on Saparu wouldn't make it easier.

Maluku divers seems to be reliable and professional. I really think I will go for this option (affordable in combination with a homestay).

BRD is still in business, I got an email reply recently.

Rubbish is quite everywhere in Indonesia at least where I dived before (Sulawesi & Bali). I know it's not nice but I think people in such poor countries have other priorities. Have you been diving Lembeh strait Maggie? Nice critters but also a lot of rubbish.

I have been to Lembeh three times. Rubbish was bad. The situation was much worse when diving in Ambon. I was diving Ambon february 2011. Even though it was the right season to dive Ambon we were not very lucky with the weather. Skies were always grey, the sea was quite rough, the walls at Malukku resort broke because of the waves and we rarely were able to enter the boats in front of the resort because of the waves, we had to go by car to Laha for diving and most of the time we could only dive the sites near to Laha. I have been to Indonesia many times and I know it is a poor country, but I come from Europe and sometimes it is difficult to ignore the environmental problems in these parts of the world, especially because we visit these places because of their beautiful nature. It's frustrating to see how we destroy this world.

Locals generally have less rubbish disposal options, then say what you have in Rome, though I must say Roma though rustic and charming still throws out more pollution per capita than many of the small villages of indo. The situation is more complex than face value and its easier to judge on this through a european tourists prism than look deeper at root causes and meanings. The irony is rubbish in water, combined with rich black sand proximate to indonesian thorough flow attracts all the wierd critters that most divers come to seek.

gee13:

Locals generally have less rubbish disposal options, then say what you have in Rome, though I must say Roma though rustic and charming still throws out more pollution per capita than many of the small villages of indo. The situation is more complex than face value and its easier to judge on this through a european tourists prism than look deeper at root causes and meanings. The irony is rubbish in water, combined with rich black sand proximate to indonesian thorough flow attracts all the wierd critters that most divers come to seek.

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In short, by divers going, are we putting more pressure on a already weak infrastructure and ignoring the environmental problems in these parts of the world.Just a thought.I have my own thoughts,could we be doing more to help with solutions no matter how small they maybe.

Like a lot of other area's Ambon has serious rubbish and pollution problems and the effects it is having in the sea's in the area.Can't find report i wanted.But here is another one i read before.

Waste, sedimentation endanger Ambon Bay's coral reefs | The Jakarta Post

Maluku Diver's Resort is currently doing a mass clean up of the rubbish in Ambon. Here is a small blurb from their facebook page...

Maluku Divers Making Waves in Ambon, PART 3... (7 photos)
Spot the difference... Amazing what can be achieved if there is some will power, and some communial efforts. Laha village has actively been helping out to clean up the beaches and the village, guest, staff, Maluku Divers would like to THANK... EVERYBODY who has been helping out making this beautiful place a better place to live and dive. Now lets keep the momentum going, we have been making progress, and Maluku divers will continue to fight against the (global) problem on a local scale... To be continued....

Marcel, the resort manager, has been working with the government to help solve this problem as well.

That being said, we have been there 2x and still love the resort and the diving. There is a lot of "stuff" living in that trash! On our last trip, we had a guy on our boat that was staying elsewhere but he came to the Resort to dive every day! Request Semwell or Li Li when you go there. They have been seeing some cool critters! Have fun!

Jake, good to hear about the guy in different homestay and that you liked your stay with Maluku divers.

Luko, I just found your report on your Ambon-trip! It's absolutely great with lovely pictures! Thank you so much (even after all this time )! Now I really want to go there as before I was not sure wether to skip Ambon and go to North-Sulawesi again.

The only thing with Maluku vs. BRD is that the beach in front of BRD looks much nicer than the one near Maluku divers. But we are there for diving, who wants to lie in the sun :blinking:...

By the way, I read in an other board that it should be easy to extend a visa in Ambon. Has anybody done this before?