Advice - Red Sea vs. Raja Rampat Liveaboard trip

[Randy1974]

Thanks guys/gals. It all makes complete sense. I will stick with the awesome Red Sea trip as planned and work an indonesia trip next time.

Regards

 

[Christian]

”The Red Sea” is not one destination, it’s in fact several. Also within the Egyptian Red Sea, that inmo has some great diving if you time it right (but not the best in the Red Sea). For August — Sinai! RasMo and the Straits of Tiran with some of the lushest soft coral to be found (sorry Fiji). The South (St Johns?) ... might not be that interesting in August depending on yearly variations. For off shore Egypt June-July. The South May-June. Never really found the St Johns-area that exciting tho.

 

[bhanish]

First time on this site. Background: Experienced/Adv diver, but first time liveaboard. Done lots of diving in Philippines, USA, Belize.

Trip planned in Aug. I have already booked flight/14 day "simply the best" liveaboard in the Red Sea. I am starting to get nervous about the trip for several reasons, and contiplating cancelling and rebooking to either Raja Rampat or Komodo.

Concerns Red Sea:
1) General Safety: Recent instability in Eqypt/Yemen missles towards Mecca, US/Iran starting to flare up
2) Seems like the Red Sea diving is going to be pretty intense, versus say Raja Rampart where it is much more relaxed coral diving? Or am i wrong.
-The idea of the Red Sea is amazing, all three highlight dives (wrecks, corals, Hammerheads/Ocenanic W tip) vs. Raja Ampat being more Macro driven, with the occassional Reef Sharks? Or am I wrong
3) My concern with diving indonesia is probably around 1) Less chance of big fish, 2) After say day 6 of diving on a liveaboard will it start to feel redundant. 3) Will the diving be similar to a lot of my diving I have done before in Philippines in the sense of what i see generally speaking.

Not sure what I hope to accomplish with this, maybe just confirmation that the Red Sea 14 day liveabaord is that dream scuba trip, or maybe that I am wrong on my generalized assumptions / concerns with Raja Ampat, and that either trip would be a dream, or that first time liveaboard trip maybe the 14 day Red Sea is a bit to bite off, and Raja would be a better decision.

Looking for honest feedback, really interested in folks that have been to either location or even better both locations for comparison.

Thanks Everyone.

I went to Raja Ampat last August, and the Red Sea this August. Raja Ampat is better by far IF you're comfortable with currents.

I've been diving in the Red Sea for two weeks now, and I've seen the following: 1 Leopard shark, 1 white tip shark, 1 manta, 4 eagle rays, 3 turtles, an eel per every three dives, a napoleon per dive in Ras Mohammed, and twice dolphins came near the boat. That's with 18 dives.

With Raja Ampat, I saw 1-4 white tip sharks per dive (although they're smaller than the ones in the red sea). I saw 3-4 mantas during one dive and they didn't get scared off. I saw turtles every other dive. I saw some sort of ray every third dive. Tons of Napoleons and Bumpheads. I saw a couple of nurse sharks. And dolphin sightings are not uncommon.

Raja Ampat is technically "off-season" in August, but I didn't feel I missed out on anything except the manta season (although I saw them at the end of my trip). The waters are pristine. The currents ensure you see schools of fish on every dive. For example, 2/5 dives at Cape Kri, I could barely see the water for the amount of fish there were. And there are an incredible amount of dive sites available (at least 30 main sites).

Here at the Red Sea, August is supposed to be a great season. And even with the reduction of tourism, the boats seem to scare off the wildlife. The coral are incredible and seem very healthy, but you won't see schools of fish unless you dive Yolanda. And the dive sites are limited: there are around 6 at Ras Mohammed and 5 in Tiran.

They're both beautiful and have great coral, but I think Raja Ampat is far more beautiful and exciting.

If you're deciding between Komodo and RA, my RA instructors who worked in Komodo said Komodo is great but that the currents were stronger than RA but the wildlife was the same. In other words, more work for the same result. But I still plan on visiting Komodo because RA was incredible and anything like RA is undoubtably going to be awesome.

 

[outofofficebrb]

If you're deciding between Komodo and RA, my RA instructors who worked in Komodo said Komodo is great but that the currents were stronger than RA but the wildlife was the same. In other words, more work for the same result. But I still plan on visiting Komodo because RA was incredible and anything like RA is undoubtably going to be awesome.

I found RA currents stronger (more dives with current, sustained current, upcurrents and downcurrents) but my sample set for RA is 2 and my sample set for Komodo is 1, so it may have been the luck of the draw or timing that it happened relative to the moon phase for each visit. It will be an even playing field come mid Oct when I return. I also find RA to be more "pretty" when it comes to coral, colors, and density of life.

 

[Dan]

I have been in Raja Ampat 7x, Komodo 3x. Both places have many sites where current could be strong. Good local DM knows when and from which entry point to dive in those sites safely.

If you like to see sharks & pelagic in action, you need to be comfortable to dive in current.

 

[Tippytoes12]

We have done four or five Red Sea LOBs and for UK based divers , we would consider it a fantastic destination just five hours away. We have seen schools of hammerheads , many oceanic , manta rays and lots of white tips. It’s not unusual to dive with dolphins. But while the encounters can be very fleeting the coral in the reefs like Daedalus and Elphinstone and the Brothers is so so good and the visibility nearly always excellent.

Indonesia has IMVHO has it all and the best diving in the world , with fabulous macro , many areas with excellent Manta sites, molas in Bali in season , beautiful food and accomodation at extremely reasonable prices. I marginally preferred Komodo and my husband marginally preferred Raja Ampat.

But as the other posters have said go to Egypt forst, who knows how long it will be stable for and you might well be very pleasantly surprised !

 

[Christian]

I always find these ”best-questions” more or less impossible. It depends.
Bio diversity is measurable, but once you hit a certain level, seldom what makes a particular dive great. It finally boils down to what makes your dive? And what you appreciate (and what happened of course). Is it hammerhead and oceanic whitetip shark action? Silkys? Silvertips? An intact WW2 wreck with loads of penetration? Nudibranches and critters? Lush healthy coral in all kinds of colors? Swarming schools of barracudas that tornadoes around you and your dive buddy? Jacks? Fish soup? Gin clear blue water with 100 feet of visibility? Cleaning stations with grey reef sharks and/or mantas? Personally, I like a combination of everything (well, the critters I can skip) but in most locales, even in Raja, you have loose a few of those.
And back to the original question ... the Red Sea is big.
For the ’best’ of what I have seen in the Red Sea: The Sudanese Red Sea in the period March-May. Not Egypt in general (which has great diving too, especially for OWT:s, great viz and coral but...). Sudan is quite a lot fishier compared to Egypt and has more variety. Big schools of barracudas, jacks etc. are rather common. Stuff you seldom see in Egypt (with the exception of RasMo/Shark-Yolanda in peak). Big hords of bumphead parrotfish (like in Sipadan). And sharks of course, from smaller to bigger, not only a measely whitetip reef shark. Dolphins not uncommon. Eagle rays and torpedo rays. Mantas sometimes in spring, but in late summer/early fall they gather in big numbers in Mesharifa Channel to perform the ”dance” (Hans Hass anyone?). Have even seen a whale shark on sha’ab rumi once, but that was just being ”lucky”. The Sudanese coast is short but sweet—650 km sparesly populated, no river run offs, no fishing fleets and unlike Saudi and Eritrea, the African trench runs close to shore with abyssal depths a stone throw out from shore. Reefs ”jump” up from the blue. Thousands of reefs between Elba and the Levanzo in the North to Dahrat Abid in the south, near the Eritrean border. All in deep water. Some very isolated and practically undived.
For the record (even tho I’m a photographer) ”macro” doesn’t really do it for me (Have given Lembeh and Mabul a shot, Mabul a few times I was in Sipadan regularly when you could stay on the island). THAT was a great location then where you could have pretty much it all, ok not the WW2 wreck. Perhaps ”the best”. I guess Costeau knew a great spot when he saw one.
Ok this got long. Rant off.

 

[Randy1974]

As previously recommended, I stuck with my original Liveaboard to the Red Sea from Aug 10-Aug 24. It was a 14 day liveaboard called simply the best and took us all the way south near sudan to the far north in Dahab for the blue hole. I found the diving to be absolutely amazing. The coral gardens were healthy and full of life. The wreck diving especially the Thistlegorm from WW2 was absolutely amazing. While we hit a few of the major dive spots to see hammerheads and Oceanic white tips, we only saw a few and they were really in passing, can't control when and how much you see, but they are there. I thought the Red Sea provided great diving hitting on all the major elements I enjoy (Coral, Wrecks, and Sharks). I thought the visibility was lacking probably 25-40ft compared to some other locations I have been with water as far as the eye can see, but this could have been a function of the time of year and the spawning / plankton in the water.

Next trip will be to Raja or Komodo, but the Red Sea is absolutely amazing.

 

[Tippytoes12]

As previously recommended, I stuck with my original Liveaboard to the Red Sea from Aug 10-Aug 24. It was a 14 day liveaboard called simply the best and took us all the way south near sudan to the far north in Dahab for the blue hole. I found the diving to be absolutely amazing. The coral gardens were healthy and full of life. The wreck diving especially the Thistlegorm from WW2 was absolutely amazing. While we hit a few of the major dive spots to see hammerheads and Oceanic white tips, we only saw a few and they were really in passing, can't control when and how much you see, but they are there. I thought the Red Sea provided great diving hitting on all the major elements I enjoy (Coral, Wrecks, and Sharks). I thought the visibility was lacking probably 25-40ft compared to some other locations I have been with water as far as the eye can see, but this could have been a function of the time of year and the spawning / plankton in the water.

Next trip will be to Raja or Komodo, but the Red Sea is absolutely amazing.

Oh so pleased that it went so well , thanks for reporting back.

Best fishes x

 

[mcohen1021]

I went on the Red Sea Aggressor I Brothers Itinerary last June and it was out of this world spectacular diving. I have never been to Indonesia, but I feel your thoughts are accurate.

Red Sea was badass to be honest. Soft corals, one site was just gorgeous – all pastel colored and amazing… The wrecks (The Numidia/Thislegorm), if you are into them were good too (it’s just not my thing). When you were deeper on the Numidia, it got cold also. The two brothers islands were the highlight of the trip – Oceanic White Tips, Thresher, big Silkies and a manta… Elphinstone, Daedalus and Anemone City were fantastic. Towards the end of the trip, we were at sites that were accessible by the day boats and that was where it sorta went downhill – still great diving, but just not thrilling like Brothers.

You may not believe this but I was never cold while diving, but was always cold right after the dive when I got out. Luckily, the boat had hot water showers on the back deck and the stewards were waiting to throw hot towels right out of the dryer on our backs. The post dive fresh squeezed juice was a nice bonus.

Regarding safety… I never felt unsafe. My route was DFW-ORD-IST-HRG… Then a private van with a driver and a guide to Marsa Alam. The security is actually higher than what we have in the US. On the return, I believe I counted 8 checkpoints between Marsa Alam and my seat on the plane from HRG-IST, starting on the road. Just to enter a hotel in Hurgada or Marsa Alam, we had to put our bags on an xray. The road between Marsa Alam and Hurgada is barren and desolate – and very well guarded by the military as they aim to protect their tourism.

So if you want are asking for a vote, I’d book a 2nd trip on Red Sea Aggressor I before I booked a 1st trip to Indonesia without a 2nd thought.

MC

PS: After Red Sea, you MUST book Socorro – it will blow Red Sea away as far as animals…