Anggun - Any Feedback - Indonesia or Thailand

[DontLieToMe]

Anyone have current experience with the Angunn in either Indonesia or on their Thailand/Myanmar trips?

[scubashooter]

Nice boat, changed management a year ago(I think it's been a year). Been on it once last high season(04) in thailand. Crew is competent and they know the thai sites well.
Personally think the thai boats have no idea how to dive Komodo and their sites (well this was last year's evaluation. They were going in on the wrong tides on many sites.
I suppose Anggun in Alor, Maumere is better since it's more muck and you really can't screw up muck diving.
I think it's great that the thai boats are invading Indonesia during low season. The boats are better than the schooner/phinisi style boats with more modern amentities and some of them are better maintained.

[ssra30]

I agree that especially for Komodo, you really want a diveguide who is very familiar with the area/current. Current can be very tricky in Komodo.
As far as Thai boat goes, Aqua One has full time Indonesian guides on board who seem to know Komodo quite well (eventhough both of them are from Lembeh initially) but they also have good contact with local dive operator, Grand Komodo. Not sure if Anggun. I dove with Grand Komodo once while their boat is not in the same class as Aqua One/Palegians, they do have excellent guides and good food, some of my more important requirement!

[DontLieToMe]

Thank you both. You are both on point relative to having guides/skipper who is familiar with areas such as Komodo. I dove there several times last year aboard the Pelagian. Do you know who owns the boat and how I can get in direct contact with them?

[scubashooter]

I think Matt Hendricks still runs the pelagian but it was up for sale awhile back. The company is I think Dive Asia Pacific based in Singapore.
As for site knowledge, I don't doubt that Johnny paid top dollar to get the best guides on the Aqua One, but somehow I don't see the people at Grand Komodo being too free with special info (even if bought).

[ssra30]

I don't know much about Pelegian myself as I never used them. I have not dove Komodo with Aqua One yet but from talking to Ali, he seemed to know the area quite well. Aqua One owner just mentioned to me once that when Aqua One goes to Komodo, he has local diveguide from Grand Komodo on board. This coming season, Aqua One will only be in Lembeh but will go back to Komodo next season, I think I might give them a try then.