Another help with finding the right resort yet again question...

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RDRINK25

Contributor
Messages
842
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Location
Covington, Ga
# of dives
200 - 499
This will be our first time to Indonesia and it will be just my wife and I. We both are divers and looking for something to get too with out taking 4 different flights from Atlanta GA. We want to go to the best area for diving with a resort like you see in all pictures of Bali. Where there is a hut over water. We have looked at Wakatobi and we are considering that. Any other options would be appreciated.
 
Hut over water? Sounds like Bora Bora, rather than Indo. :)

Wakatobi is a good choice. What about a liveaboard? Misool out in R4?

Bali is beautiful, many alluring options.

It might help to explain what you are really looking for.
 
Wakatobi has great diving with a diverse variety of terrain & critters. Resort is well designed & organized. You can enjoy a nice sunset drink at the end of the jetty. Wakatobi staff takes care of everything once you arrive in Bali. Private charter flight from Bali to resort is part of the package. No worries about overweight baggage - no charge. Diving is a bit regimented for some people. They are pretty strict about the length of the dives which are generally 60 min as I recall. They even had a pastry chef on staff when I was last there. Wakatobi would be a great introduction to Indonesia.
 
Have never seen an overwater bungalow in Bali - if you are after OW bungalows your best choice is French Polynesia or Maldives. In Indonesia the only place ive stayed that has one overwater bungalow is a private island called Cubadak west coast of Padang in Sumatra. Diving there while nice is not RA or Wakatobi standards but you will be assured of not being surrounded by dive boats. The guys who lease the island have the only boat and there is only 6 bungalows with all but one on land.
 
Sipidan has over the water huts. Check out Sipidan Water Village resort and Sipidan Kapalai Dive Resort in Malaysian Borneo. These may break your request on number of planes but ever so worth it.
 
I would second Sipadan advice a requirement combining great diving and huts above water (Prefer Kapalai resort or SWV, while SMART/Sipadan Mabul water bungalows have a lower ratio of permits per diver, so less chances to dive Sipadan) . Sipadan/Mabul combines both blue water diving with large fish schools (one of the few places in South East Asia) and macro critter. Maybe coral would be the weak point although not too bad in that respect.

Sipadan is in Malaysia according to a UN statement, so not strictly Indonesia while it was claimed indonesian some times ago by the indo gvt.
Flightwise, it isn't that difficult to go it only takes one domestic 2,5 hrs flight to Tawau departing either from Kuala Lumpur or from Singapore. Afterwards your resort will take the transfer included in their services car ride to Semporna (1,5hr) and speedboat to the island (45min).

Otherwise if you stick to huts, Misool Eco Resort in Raja Ampat would fit but it's a long way to go.

If huts above water aren't a real requirement then the whole of Indonesia is yours with comfortable accoms and great diving : Gangga island in N/Sulawesi, Villa Markisa or Siddharta dive resort in Bali, Komodo Resort in Komodo NP, Raja Ampat resorts located on Dampier strait (Sorido, Raja4Divers), Alor Eco divers in Alor, Cape Paperu in Maluku, etc.
 
Misool looks amazing! How does this compare to the diving at Wakatobi?
I have not dived Wakatobi BUT Misool has by far the best and most beautiful soft coral in indo and probably the whole world!! I dont think I'm over exagerating too much with that comment. You also have the chance of seeing Manta at Misool, we saw them at a spot called Magic Mountain.

If the per night rate does not scare you then by all means check out Misool Eco Resort. What I would do is then spend a week at Misool and a week up North at Raja4divers or Sordido. That way you get to see the full extent of Raja Ampat.
 
I have not dived Wakatobi BUT Misool has by far the best and most beautiful soft coral in indo and probably the whole world!! I dont think I'm over exagerating too much with that comment. You also have the chance of seeing Manta at Misool, we saw them at a spot called Magic Mountain.

If the per night rate does not scare you then by all means check out Misool Eco Resort. What I would do is then spend a week at Misool and a week up North at Raja4divers or Sordido. That way you get to see the full extent of Raja Ampat.


The rate is about the sama as Wakatobi. Is Misool include meals and such?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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