Affordable Liveaboard for Komodo in April or May?

[Dan]

Any reason to prefer the 7th or the 21st of April?

As I mentioned earlier, later date is getting closer to dry season. However, as you travel to the eastern of Indonesia from Sumbawa, the average rainfall becoming less & less during rainy season. When you are in Komodo, you’ll see less vegetation than in Bali. So it may not make too much of a difference.

In central Indonesia, typical rainy season in from October to April. Dry season is from April to October. So April is right on the border of the 2 seasons.

 

[bballnut90]

Piggybacking off of this--in a similar boat here about going to Komodo year. Any strong preference about diving in late April/early May vs. diving in June? Looking at Dragon and Wicked for budget liveaboards.

 

[Jenny Vannari]

Mermaid is a budget boat at 300€ per day. You recommand Misool at 400$ per night just for the lodging... when someone asks for an affordable operation?
Are you sure you know what you're selling ? Can't you read the OP?

Jeeze, when i say those travel agencies are useless...

Dear Luko,

Hope you're having a great day.
No need to be rude.
I didn't recommend anything to anyone, i simply commented that Misool resort is lovely and Mermaid II is more budget than Mermaid I.

 

[Luko]

I didn't recommend anything to anyone, i simply commented that Misool resort is lovely and Mermaid II is more budget than Mermaid I.

Have I been rude? No I don't think so, on your side you may also be easily upset when someone points at something you don't like, like being caught redhanded nearby the cookie jar...

Your own very words "Mermaid II has great service, but is a budget boat ".
So budget is 300€ per night according to you?

And yes I will agree with you : you're right when you didn't say anything about Misool but it was nice... hence no recommandation, no personal advise, no information, nothing.. in short just some advertisement and baitclick for your operation.

Thank you for proving my own words : "Jeeze, when i say those travel agencies are useless"

 

[Dan]

Piggybacking off of this--in a similar boat here about going to Komodo year. Any strong preference about diving in late April/early May vs. diving in June? Looking at Dragon and Wicked for budget liveaboards.

I think in the northern & central Komodo, there would be the same weather wise. June would be better than May in southern Komodo, as it would be autum season in Australia, bringing cooler weather to southern Komodo through Indian Ocean. Indonesian Throughflow - Wikipedia

I remember seeing quite a few of mantas at Manta Alley (south Komodo) in June 2008 and none in Taka Makassar (central Komodo).

 

[Luko]

I June would be better than May in southern Komodo, as it would be autum season in Australia, bringing cooler weather to southern Komodo through Indian Ocean..

That's in fact the contrary that happens, the cool weather bring waves & bad viz: many operations stop going to South of Komodo from start of June and stay around north and central from June to September, then go back diving the South of Komodo from October to April-May.

 

[Dan]

That's in fact the contrary that happens, the cool weather bring waves & bad viz: many operations stop going to South of Komodo from start of June and stay around north and central from June to September, then go back diving the South of Komodo from October to April-May.

So I must have been lucky to have no such problem in June 2008 & August 2014? Count my blessing LOL. I'll thumb through my photo album & post what I saw there then here later.

 

[Luko]

So I must have been lucky to have no such problem in June 2008 & August 2014? Count my blessing LOL. I'll thumb through my photo album & post what I saw there then here later.

Yes you may have been lucky, Dan. Why do you think there are so few liveaboards going down south from June to September while everybody wants to go? One exprience does not mean it's a general case, check out all liveaboard sites and you'll notice the itineraries change at that time.
You see for example, I was very happy with no downpour at all for a week last christmas time in Bali, however I won't state Christmas time is the dry season and the best season to dive Bali. But well, it's not the first time my opinion is different than yours.

 

[Dan]

Mermaid liveaboards have been doing that for years. Here are some of their itineraries:

"...
Day 6: More world class dives today as we relax in Horseshoe Bay Rinja Island – the Yellow Wall of Texas is absolutely stunning covered with enormous yellow soft corals. Go slowly along the wall looking for unique creatures but don’t forget to look out into the blue to see what’s coming by. Maybe, make a deep dive to check if the tiny yellow pygmy seahorses are on the giant gorgonians at depth. Nusa Kode offers more walls and critter chances coupled with white tip reef sharks etc! Torpedo Alley is famous for its “electric” rays and perhaps one of the best night dives of your life for critter fanciers

Day 7: Today, we’ll head on over to Manta Alley to watch in awe as these magnificent creatures feed, play and get cleaned at the many cleaning stations. In the afternoon, we can check out more big fish dives maybe at Loh Serah, Tatawa Kecil or the infamous “Current City” Batu Bolong – come face to face with reef sharks, turtles and giant Wrasse. Many good night dives around here. Gili Darat is great for sleeping turtles, colourful reef stonefish, Spanish dancers – calm sea – a good place to sleep.
..."

 

[Dan]

In Jan 2013 I specifically asked Tarata CD to go to Manta Alley, but the weather was bad with high wave & current from the south. So, no dice. Luckily we saw some of the mantas in Taka Makassar.