billt4sf
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Here is what we paid for a few dive vacations in Indo in recent years. I took the total cost, including transfers, alcohol, nitrox, large tanks, pony tank fills, etc. and divided it by the number of diving days (disregarding the first and last day) to get a cost per day for TWO divers sharing. This does not include air fares.
Some trips are longer than others, and costs have gone up a but since we took the Misool and Mermaid trips. All are aircon facilities.
Mermaid Raja Ampat 8 diving days: $963 (we got a big discount because we were Indo residents)
Misool 8 diving days: $1,137
Komodo Resort 8 diving days: $765
Sorido Bay 8 diving days: $1,056
Blue Manta Banda Sea (8 dive days): $1,217 (after discount from Dan T)
Bali (Geko diving, staying at Sea Breeze) 4 dive days: $403
I hope this is useful to somebody, somewhere, because we sure spent a ton of money on diving!!
- Bill & Emily
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So, which is "best"? SUBJECTIVELY, now..
If money were no object, we would choose Mermaid again and again, as we have had the most fun there: the staff is superb, the food is good, and they take us to high-current sites. This might be replaced in our minds by Blue Manta, I'll let you know in a few weeks' time.
Dollar-for-dollar, obviously Geko is the cheapest, although the facilities are not four star (sorry, Cedric), but it is a great group and very good dive sites, safely done (mantas, maybe mola-mola). Also, Bali cultural activities are available an hour or two away. And I love the guide Made -- others I cannot comment on.
Second-best value is Komodo Resort. We enjoyed our time here, and we would come again -- although we enjoyed the Bali-Komodo-Bali trip on Mermaid more (I said it was subjective!) One downside: no Nitrox for the 15L tanks in Komodo Resort.
Best food: Komodo Resort hands-down!
Least attractive for the price: Sorido Bay as they do not dive on Saturdays. Finest lodgings of the bunch, though. Wifi in the nice, large, airconned rooms.
Nicest location: Misool by far. Also great location for snorkeling as they have a large lagoon. Nice dive sites but very placid dives, apart from Magic Mountain. Also: They support the environment like no other on this list. Reserve far in advance!
Overall we liked the diving better in Raja Ampat and Banda Sea than in Komodo - and fewer other divers. Again, subjective.
Enjoy, and be safe on the boat and under water!
- Bill & Emily
Some trips are longer than others, and costs have gone up a but since we took the Misool and Mermaid trips. All are aircon facilities.
Mermaid Raja Ampat 8 diving days: $963 (we got a big discount because we were Indo residents)
Misool 8 diving days: $1,137
Komodo Resort 8 diving days: $765
Sorido Bay 8 diving days: $1,056
Blue Manta Banda Sea (8 dive days): $1,217 (after discount from Dan T)
Bali (Geko diving, staying at Sea Breeze) 4 dive days: $403
I hope this is useful to somebody, somewhere, because we sure spent a ton of money on diving!!
- Bill & Emily
-----
So, which is "best"? SUBJECTIVELY, now..
If money were no object, we would choose Mermaid again and again, as we have had the most fun there: the staff is superb, the food is good, and they take us to high-current sites. This might be replaced in our minds by Blue Manta, I'll let you know in a few weeks' time.
Dollar-for-dollar, obviously Geko is the cheapest, although the facilities are not four star (sorry, Cedric), but it is a great group and very good dive sites, safely done (mantas, maybe mola-mola). Also, Bali cultural activities are available an hour or two away. And I love the guide Made -- others I cannot comment on.
Second-best value is Komodo Resort. We enjoyed our time here, and we would come again -- although we enjoyed the Bali-Komodo-Bali trip on Mermaid more (I said it was subjective!) One downside: no Nitrox for the 15L tanks in Komodo Resort.
Best food: Komodo Resort hands-down!
Least attractive for the price: Sorido Bay as they do not dive on Saturdays. Finest lodgings of the bunch, though. Wifi in the nice, large, airconned rooms.
Nicest location: Misool by far. Also great location for snorkeling as they have a large lagoon. Nice dive sites but very placid dives, apart from Magic Mountain. Also: They support the environment like no other on this list. Reserve far in advance!
Overall we liked the diving better in Raja Ampat and Banda Sea than in Komodo - and fewer other divers. Again, subjective.
Enjoy, and be safe on the boat and under water!
- Bill & Emily