1 week Diving Holiday - Choosing between Bali or Mabul/Sipadan

[imkeshav]

Hi,

Me and wife are planning a week long diving holiday in SE Asia in Mid June and we need advice. Maldives is pretty expensive and so we are down to these 2 options.
Time Period: 9 days including Travel (so 6d/7n stay +-)

Here is our Background
I'm a (advanced OWA) certified Diver with 21 dives experience (not much)
My wife is not certified, but she does DSDs and snorkeling

My diving goals are to see large fish like Mantas, Sharks AND/OR large schools AND/OR beautiful corals with teaming sea life. Both of us are not fans of muck diving or wreck diving (although we never did them so can't really judge my preference)

We live in India and travel costs to Bali or Mabul is the same. I understand that stay in Bali will be more economical. I chose Mabul primarily because of Sipadan. Now I'm hearing that Bali has some awesome diving with Mantas, Sun Fish, Sharks etc

These are my questions, please answer Bali or Mabul/Sipadan
Your overall diving preference?
Your overall holiday preference with a wife/GF/SO (DSDs snorkeling only)?
Chances of seeing Mantas, Sharks and anything big?
Chances of seeing large schools?
Ease (accessibility) and quality of house reef?
Chances of logging more dives (maybe unlimited)?
Cheaper destination?
Value for money for diving?
Travel/boat time to best/world famous dive sites (for example Sipadan is close to mabul)?
Travel/boat time to the usual dive sites?
Preferred destination for non-diving activities (we are not into Sight seeing, temples, cultural stuff)?

Your final choice (Cost of dives + Visibility/sea life = value for money)
Bali or Mabul Or something else in the similar budget


Thanks
Keshav

p.s - Sorry if I'm asking a lot

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi Keshav

Both Bali and Sipadan are great dive destinations but for different reasons

The top spots in Bali are Tulamben (lovely wreck in shallow water - covered in life. The kind of wreck everyone loves, even people who don't love wrecks) and then off the south coast - Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan - this is where the mantas, mola mola (in season) are. However the conditions here can be quite a challenge (current, surge). If you want to avoid long minibus journeys in Bali you might want to think about splitting it into 2 locations (I would recommend Tulamben and Lembongan). If you stay in Kuta/Legian be prepared for high density tourism, traffic jams and lots of loud party-goers - not the stuff of Bali postcards.

Going to Sipadan is very different. Here you would stay on Mabul an island where almost every tourist is there to dive. There are quite a few small low key resorts. A concrete jungle it is not. As for the diving Sipadan can deliver lots of good big stuff: Sharks and turtles galore, bumphgead parrotfish, barracuda, massive school of jacks etc. However your number of days at Suipadan cannot be guaranteed because of permit restrictions. Some of your dive days will be around Mabul which is more macro (not strictly muck) diving. It might surprise you how enjoyable this can be since there is also a huge school of jacks, some big groupers and lots of life on Mabul's artificial reef.

These are my questions, please answer Bali or Mabul/Sipadan

Your overall diving preference?
For what sounds best for you two - Mabul/Sipadan

Your overall holiday preference with a wife/GF/SO (DSDs snorkeling only)?
Similar to the above - Mabul/Sipadan

Chances of seeing Mantas, Sharks and anything big?
As mentioned above. Some big stuff (not mantas) guaranteed at Sipadan
Bali you need to be in luck (mantas) or there at the right time of year (molas)

Chances of seeing large schools?
Mabul/Sipadan - guaranteed
Bali - need to be in luck

Ease (accessibility) and quality of house reef?
Depends where you are. Tulamben the amazing wreck is just off the shore. A brilliant dive. In Lembongan some of the Mola sites are v close.
Mabul dive sites re v handy. Mabul house reefs just step off the resort platform. Sipadan dive sites 20 minutes away.

Chances of logging more dives (maybe unlimited)?
Tulamben and Sipadan good.
Lembongan, Nusa Penida - not good.

Cheaper destination?
Depends where you stay. Prob Bali overall a bit cheaper but factor in additional travel costs to go from a to b

Value for money for diving?
Both good.

Travel/boat time to best/world famous dive sites (for example Sipadan is close to mabul)?
Again depends where you stay. if you base yourself in 1 place in the south of Bali you are in for a lot of travelling by minibus and boat.
if you based yourself in Tulamben and Lembongan then only a few sites more than 10 mins boat ride away.
Mabul dives sites all within 5 mins of Malbul resorts, Sipadan 20-25 mins.

Travel/boat time to the usual dive sites?
As above

Preferred destination for non-diving activities (we are not into Sight seeing, temples, cultural stuff)?
In Mabul non diving activities mean: swimming pool, massage, visit local village - buy knick knacks, maybe rent sea kayaks
In Tulamben: have massage, climb a volcano, visit waterfall
In Lembongan: rent motorbike and pootle around the island, visit mangroves, surf.
In Kuta/Legian etc: Loads of shops selling tourist tat, get drunk, get a tattoo, get vomitted on by an 18 year old Aussie in a wifebeater slip - I mean ...visit temples, visit Ubud where the artists ply their trade, padi fields, mountains, markets.

 

[imkeshav]

Hi Keshav

Both Bali and Sipadan are great dive destinations but for different reasons

The top spots in Bali are Tulamben (lovely wreck in shallow water - covered in life. The kind of wreck everyone loves, even people who don't love wrecks) and then off the south coast - Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan - this is where the mantas, mola mola (in season) are. However the conditions here can be quite a challenge (current, surge). If you want to avoid long minibus journeys in Bali you might want to think about splitting it into 2 locations (I would recommend Tulamben and Lembongan). If you stay in Kuta/Legian be prepared for high density tourism, traffic jams and lots of loud party-goers - not the stuff of Bali postcards.

Going to Sipadan is very different. Here you would stay on Mabul an island where almost every tourist is there to dive. There are quite a few small low key resorts. A concrete jungle it is not. As for the diving Sipadan can deliver lots of good big stuff: Sharks and turtles galore, bumphgead parrotfish, barracuda, massive school of jacks etc. However your number of days at Suipadan cannot be guaranteed because of permit restrictions. Some of your dive days will be around Mabul which is more macro (not strictly muck) diving. It might surprise you how enjoyable this can be since there is also a huge school of jacks, some big groupers and lots of life on Mabul's artificial reef.

These are my questions, please answer Bali or Mabul/Sipadan

Your overall diving preference?
For what sounds best for you two - Mabul/Sipadan

Your overall holiday preference with a wife/GF/SO (DSDs snorkeling only)?
Similar to the above - Mabul/Sipadan

Chances of seeing Mantas, Sharks and anything big?
As mentioned above. Some big stuff (not mantas) guaranteed at Sipadan
Bali you need to be in luck (mantas) or there at the right time of year (molas)

Chances of seeing large schools?
Mabul/Sipadan - guaranteed
Bali - need to be in luck

Ease (accessibility) and quality of house reef?
Depends where you are. Tulamben the amazing wreck is just off the shore. A brilliant dive. In Lembongan some of the Mola sites are v close.
Mabul dive sites re v handy. Mabul house reefs just step off the resort platform. Sipadan dive sites 20 minutes away.

Chances of logging more dives (maybe unlimited)?
Tulamben and Sipadan good.
Lembongan, Nusa Penida - not good.

Cheaper destination?
Depends where you stay. Prob Bali overall a bit cheaper but factor in additional travel costs to go from a to b

Value for money for diving?
Both good.

Travel/boat time to best/world famous dive sites (for example Sipadan is close to mabul)?
Again depends where you stay. if you base yourself in 1 place in the south of Bali you are in for a lot of travelling by minibus and boat.
if you based yourself in Tulamben and Lembongan then only a few sites more than 10 mins boat ride away.
Mabul dives sites all within 5 mins of Malbul resorts, Sipadan 20-25 mins.

Travel/boat time to the usual dive sites?
As above

Preferred destination for non-diving activities (we are not into Sight seeing, temples, cultural stuff)?
In Mabul non diving activities mean: swimming pool, massage, visit local village - buy knick knacks, maybe rent sea kayaks
In Tulamben: have massage, climb a volcano, visit waterfall
In Lembongan: rent motorbike and pootle around the island, visit mangroves, surf.
In Kuta/Legian etc: Loads of shops selling tourist tat, get drunk, get a tattoo, get vomitted on by an 18 year old Aussie in a wifebeater slip - I mean ...visit temples, visit Ubud where the artists ply their trade, padi fields, mountains, markets.

Thanks a ton with the info. It helps a lot. I won't go out of India for 2-3 years, so no major diving.

If choosing Bali, I agree that stay has to be split between Tulamben and Lembongan Island. Sounds like diving here is very diverse - Wreck, Drift, Muck, Big fish etc. But most diving is limited to 2 dives/day with a possible night dive. I'm also a little concerned about strong currents although I'm not afraid, my experience is limited, there is a possibility that I'm too busy trying to survive to notice the beauty . I do love drift dives. I never did a wreck dive and it would be nice to do one especially the famous Liberty

I want my wife to do DSDs and snorkeling in calm and shallow waters. Is this possible outside Tulamben? Also she loves massages.

But the question if I decide to stay in Tulamben and Lembongan, how much time do I lose shifting base and then finally coming back to denpasar to go home, 1 or more days?

What is my possible itinerary?
Day1: Saturday 8PM: Arrive in Dipansar leave to Tulamben (too late for next day diving?)
Day2-Day4: Diving (Snorkeling if there is still time).
Day 5: Shift to Lembongan and Day-off
Day 6- day 7: Diving, snorkeling
Day 8: Day-Off:Relax, play at the beach and shift to Depansar
Day 9: Fly out of depansar in the Morning or Evening (Evening better?)

I get 5 days diving with 10 dives + any night dives (+time to snorkel as well?)

On the other hand, Mabul looks very simple to plan. Maximum time can be spent diving or snorkeling. Although there is a chance my wife can get bored a little, I'm planning to keep her busy with Snorkeling and DSDs and Kayaking sounds like fun (2 seater). Can snorkelers/non-divers and divers go on the same boat? Although in some sites she will just chill in the boat.

Dive/snorkeling sites are right next door or a short ride to Kapalai or Sipadan. That's great for us

To summarize, Bali and Sipadan both sound great. But for a week's trip and my 20 dives experience, it looks like Mabul/Sipadan is better. I can return back after 2-3 years with 40-60 dives experience and 2-3 weeks holiday to explore more of Bali/Komodo etc. I personally enjoy being at a place for a week to truly relax on a holiday. Bali looks too big for just a week.

What do you think?

 

[Luko]

May I also play :

Your overall diving preference?
Both, really on a par... went 5 times to Sipadan, 6 times to Bali.

Your overall holiday preference with a wife/GF/SO (DSDs snorkeling only)?
Both as well, my non diving wife likes Bali for the mood/ease of going out and Sipadan for relaxing.

Chances of seeing Mantas, Sharks and anything big?
I'd say Bali for mantas, almost guaranteed on Nusa Penida.
Not so much BIG things in Sipadan but schools are guaranteed : within the same day cudas, jacks and humphead parrotfish. Also at least 5-6 whitetip sharks per dive, some sites with grey reef sharks.

Chances of seeing large schools?
Sipadan, def. (see above)

Ease (accessibility) and quality of house reef?
Depends on where you're located. Paradise 2 (borneo divers) is one of the best housereef I have ever dived, esp. at night.
Tulamben USAT Liberty is just awesome, even for snorkeling (but much more crowded).
Forget Nusa Lembongan, only boat dives.

Chances of logging more dives (maybe unlimited)?
Tulamben and Mabul/Sipadan are equal, you could log 6 dives per day if you wanted.

Cheaper destination?
Bali, for sure.

Value for money for diving?
Bali, Bali, Bali... example (expert) private guiding fro free, nitrox for free, 3 dives a day for 85USD

Travel/boat time to best/world famous dive sites (for example Sipadan is close to mabul)?
Bali. USAT Liberty at your doorstep. I take Toyapakeh on Nusa Penida as a great dive also.
Sipadan is only 4 or 5 very good spots (like Barracuda point, South Point, Mid Reef & Hanging garden... that's it) that you do every time. Watch out also, depending on availability a 7 days stay may only allow you to 2 or 3 days diving in Sipadan.

Travel/boat time to the usual dive sites?
Tulamben are almost all shore dives : let's say sometimes 5 minutes ride to go to Seraya.
Otherwise Sipadan is 20 minutes boatride from Mabul, same for Nusa Penida off Lembongan.

Preferred destination for non-diving activities (we are not into Sight seeing, temples, cultural stuff)?
Bali, massage (just about anywhere in Bali, it's the local sport ), spa, volcano trekking, beginner surf/paddle surf in Lembongan, even eating out Babi Guling or Ayam Betutu...

That said for a week diving I'd select Sipadan, if you're on a budget go with Bali.

 

[imkeshav]

Thanks Guys. I decided Bali based on your inputs. I do have more questions though

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/indonesia/483950-dive-operators-choose-bali-safety.html#post7133733