advice on which place to dive

[Dan]

For a trip of a lifetime, first I would recommend a liveaboard in Raja Ampat, and if you have time I highly recommend you add a short stay before or after in Lembeh (Muck /critter diving). I prefer "before" so I can get my dive mojo (weights/gear etc.) before I get on the boat, but if you think you and your buddy might need a few dives to get your buoyancy right you might want to do this at the end. (this would have to be from Oct/Nov- March-ish) This will give you a taste of the best of Indonesia. And I guarantee you will want to come back.

For the other part of the year the second choice would be Bali and then a Komodo Liveaboard. Tons of info on the Indo board so just start searching and you will find lots of great advice. @Dan_T will probably throw in some great videos to entice you!!!

Indo is quite a bit different than the Carib. You don't have that vast see forever visibility. Not to say that you don't have good viz... but with currents and nutrients in the water you have lower viz but incredible amounts of fish. So thick with fish sometimes you can't see the surface. So it is a give and take.... but I would take all the fish any day!!

Since you mentioned it, here is a picture of bump-head parrotfish that I took during diving in Tulamben, Bali. You will see them in school early morning dive (before sun rise), when they are just waking up & searching for breakfast in USS Liberty wreck.

 

[Wingy]

Personally I have to disagree with Oz being written off as just another colony so no cultural difference between OPs home of US. I live on the west coast - dive north at Ningaloo for whale sharks, dugongs, mantas, humpback whales, nemo and bumphead parrotfish and warm water - travel south for orcas, sperm whales, blue whales on charter tour but no diving for obvious reasons as the aggregation which attracts the big stuff is in the southern ocean and GW territory. We also have leafy sea dragons, weedy sea dragons and the newly discovered Ruby sea dragon (too deep for Scuba though).
Two weeks though will not cut it in Oz unless you stick to east coast hotspots - GBR obviously but also the Yongala which often makes the top ten lists of wreck dives.

Thailand - Andaman gulf - Krabi and the very touristy Phuket are popular although the diving is not on par with Phillipines or Indonesia other than doing a LOB to Similans/Richelieu.

Phillipines - Have only done one trip but impressed with macro around Puerto Gallera.

Indonesia - Komodo, Raja Ampat, North Sulawesi would be my diving picks but with two weeks and not wanting currents Bali would be a good fit and is suitably geared up for western tourists expectations. From Bali you can do the Nusa PenidaLembongan day trips or ferry over to the Gili's for lesser quality but very benign diving with lots of turtles and a little more "islands" than Bali itself.

Malaysia - Sipidan is worth while as is Layang Layang.

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

...and see the huge parrot fish with the (blunt)? nose, probably not the right term. Clown fish , all the unique sea life in that area. We would prefer not to do a Liveaboard unless that was the only way to get to something spectacular, and than just a minimum time. We usually rely on our time share to travel .

Indonesia has plenty of Bumphead parrot fish and clownfish, plus 1000 of other gorgeous colorful reef fish.

Does your timeshare have properties in Bali? You may look into splitting the time between Bali and Komodo.

Being an island nation, liveaboards are a really good way to see the remote dive sites and a variety of dive sites. Since they're mobile, they're a little more flexible and can more easily work around currents and crowds. Because they sail between dives you get more dive and relaxation time and less travel time. Plus they're super convenient, surface intervals made easier, come up from the dive shower and have lunch.

Bali has plenty of culture and activities; and Komodo, named One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, has amazing diving and the famed Komodo Dragon. Cruises from Bali included, waterfall tours, volcano lakes and local village tours.

Wherever you end up have a wonderful dive holiday!