Broad question: Going to Singapore for work, want to take a week diving - WHERE?!

[Cav]

Basically, I'm going to Singapore for a conference later this year (Mid-MAY)

I will be heading over EARLY MAY.

I want to take a week of diving somewhere nearby - Phillipines/Thailand/Indonesia/Malaysia etc.


Any recommendations?

The divers are intermediate AOW certed - we recently did Cozumel which was amazing and loved that. We like reef structure (colourful!) and fish. Anywhere with whale sharks/manta rays?

Budgeting $200/night US for accommodation, max $80/USD per dive

Cheers!
Cav

 

[Centrals]

With your allocated budget you can easily stretch it to two wks(except Maldives).
Liveaboard in Maldives
Malapascua in Philippines
Manado in Indonesia
Sipadan in Malaysia

As for your request for whaleshark and manta, that is tough.
Oslob in Philippines can more or less guarantee that but you might not like the circus style. Malapascua + Oslob can be done in few days. Port of entry is Cebu City.

 

[Bubble Junky]

Check out Big Fish in Lembongan and Lumba Lumba in Pulau Weh... Lembongan would be good for the mantas...

 

[Cav]

Thanks guys - Can anyone recommend dive ops or liveaboards in Maldives or Palau or Phuket? Any recommendations on the best place?

 

[Centrals]

Ocean Hunter I or III of Fish 'n Fins in Palau.
May could be a bit late for Phuket.

 

[Bubble Junky]

These guys are great in Palau if you want something a little different - https://www.facebook.com/uniquedivexpeditions?fref=ts. Otherwise, I'd second Centrals' Ocean Hunter recommendation...

 

[jamesdiving]

Palau would be great but it's a pain to get to from Singapore - and v expensive flights.

I would recommend Komodo. Fly to Bali (2 hrs, dozens of airlines), spend as much or as little time there as you like (diving or not) then take a 1 hr flight to Labuan Bajo and pick up a live aboard. Personally I recommend Black Manta (USD 1750 for Thu-Tues, incl Nitrox) but there are loads.

Komodo has incredible coral, incredible marine life (from Pygmy seahorses to basically guaranteed mantas), and a great range of diving - muck, drift, pinnacles, reefs, walls. Oh and it also has dragons.

 

[victor]

Not sure if you are solo or in a group.
Thats a lot of money for this part of the world but not a lot of time.
Sipadan would be a great option with a mix of muck diving at Mabul and Deep sea at Sipadan.
Spend the week in Bali, good diving, easy to keep within the experience range of the divers. One option is a dive safari with multiple location along the north of the island. I cannot remember who provides this but I know I have investigated before.
Maldives are a long way from Singapore, why spend so much money and time flying when there is great diving near by.
North Sulawesi (Lembeh/Manado) might be a good option but direct flights can be difficult) again why spend your life in an airport.

Sorry if I have given you more options than solutions.
Have a great trip

 

[Cav]

Hi everyone
Just me and my partner so no huge group. She (partner) has suggested Komodo so it's nice to have another backing for that. Agree on not enough time but what can you do?

 

[Centrals]

1. Silk Air fly directly(3-4hrs) nearly every morning from Singapore to Manado(Bunakan, Bangga and Lembeh).
2. SQ has direct flight to Male(Maldives).
3. Please check the flight schedule from Singapore to Labuan Bajo.
4. Plenty of flights available from Singapore to Manila for the connection to Palau. But do check the schedule.
If you are into photography then you should consider Lembeh. But I prefer Bunakan!!