Diving with Mantas in August - Where to?

[Dan]

@Dan_T I am so surprised to see such a good rating for Delta. Skytrax gives Delta a 3star rating and EVA a 5star rating

Me too. My preference is Singapore Airlines over all airlines, especially since it can fly straight out from Houston to Singapore via Manchester. Asian airlines in average are better in service & food over the US ones.

 

[tholden1]

Taking the advice of those here regarding Asian airlines, I debated between Eva Air Elite and Singapore Air Economy. I found a good deal on a Singapore Air Economy flying through Singapore. It's DAL -> LAX -> SIN -> SIN (you get off the plane and then back on in 1:30 hours) -> DPS.

The Eva Air Elite was going to be $1800 but required an overnight stay in San Francisco during one of the flights. I got the Singapore Air for $1300 and then added another $200 to put myself on row 41 (exit row) in a middle seat, and a window seat. The only people complaining on that row were ones that were in the isle seat and they said they were bumped all the time. Being in the middle, I hope that doesn't happen.

With this configuration, I saved $300 and hopefully have the same (or better) leg room due to the exit row. And, hopefully there are no screaming babies in the middle section next to me (with the bassinet seats), but then I'll have ear plugs. I leaned towards this configuration since everything I had read said that the service/food/etc. was better on Singapore Air vs Eva Air. So this way, I get the best of both worlds -- better service, and the legroom.

Now I need to decide whether to do a long (10 day) liveaboard in Komodo, or pick a shorter one and spend some time diving Bali and/or other islands. Hopefully this place is as great as everyone says because the flight is going to be worse than when I went to Thailand 11 years ago

 

[outofofficebrb]

Taking the advice of those here regarding Asian airlines, I debated between Eva Air Elite and Singapore Air Economy. I found a good deal on a Singapore Air Economy flying through Singapore. It's DAL -> LAX -> SIN -> SIN (you get off the plane and then back on in 1:30 hours) -> DPS.

The Eva Air Elite was going to be $1800 but required an overnight stay in San Francisco during one of the flights. I got the Singapore Air for $1300 and then added another $200 to put myself on row 41 (exit row) in a middle seat, and a window seat. The only people complaining on that row were ones that were in the isle seat and they said they were bumped all the time. Being in the middle, I hope that doesn't happen.

With this configuration, I saved $300 and hopefully have the same (or better) leg room due to the exit row. And, hopefully there are no screaming babies in the middle section next to me (with the bassinet seats), but then I'll have ear plugs. I leaned towards this configuration since everything I had read said that the service/food/etc. was better on Singapore Air vs Eva Air. So this way, I get the best of both worlds -- better service, and the legroom.

Now I need to decide whether to do a long (10 day) liveaboard in Komodo, or pick a shorter one and spend some time diving Bali and/or other islands. Hopefully this place is as great as everyone says because the flight is going to be worse than when I went to Thailand 11 years ago

Woohoo! I would look at liveaboards immediately. Komodo ranges from 3-4 days to 10+ days. Since you're booking with short notice, you may not find any availability (unfortunately) OR you might find some last minute deals, especially as a single traveler. What you find may determine what you will actually end up doing. If you can't get into a liveaboard because availability or scheduling doesn't work out, some of it can still be done by day boats so try those avenues as well.

Singapore Air was an excellent choice. They are very good and I agree, better than EVA but not by giant strides as with American carriers.

Thanks for the chuckle at the end of your post about the flight vs the one to Thailand back in the day!

 

[Dan]

Taking the advice of those here regarding Asian airlines, I debated between Eva Air Elite and Singapore Air Economy. I found a good deal on a Singapore Air Economy flying through Singapore. It's DAL -> LAX -> SIN -> SIN (you get off the plane and then back on in 1:30 hours) -> DPS.

The Eva Air Elite was going to be $1800 but required an overnight stay in San Francisco during one of the flights. I got the Singapore Air for $1300 and then added another $200 to put myself on row 41 (exit row) in a middle seat, and a window seat. The only people complaining on that row were ones that were in the isle seat and they said they were bumped all the time. Being in the middle, I hope that doesn't happen.

With this configuration, I saved $300 and hopefully have the same (or better) leg room due to the exit row. And, hopefully there are no screaming babies in the middle section next to me (with the bassinet seats), but then I'll have ear plugs. I leaned towards this configuration since everything I had read said that the service/food/etc. was better on Singapore Air vs Eva Air. So this way, I get the best of both worlds -- better service, and the legroom.

Now I need to decide whether to do a long (10 day) liveaboard in Komodo, or pick a shorter one and spend some time diving Bali and/or other islands. Hopefully this place is as great as everyone says because the flight is going to be worse than when I went to Thailand 11 years ago

Good for you!

I like to have their Singapore Sling / beer & peanut for pre dinner snack & the wine with dinner. Of course all of them free (included in the air fare).

I also would pick 7-day Komodo & spend the rest of the time in Bali. You'll have more chance to see mantas that way (in Manta Point in Bali & Manta Alley in Komodo). Say hi to Darth Vader if you see it! ....And it's high season time for Mola Mola!

Good Luck! Dive safely! Bring your SMB! May the unbent force be with you!

 

[Fuzzmex]

Maldives are good for sure.
Keep in mind that it's the monsoon season in August which impacts viz.
The good thing of that is that it pushes prices down considerably.

 

[Dan]

....Palau is a good option for big stuff too, more sharky than Indo, and pretty nice reefs too. I would choose Indo over Palau as flights to Palau are pretty pricey and the cost of diving is less in Indo.

Yep, I'm going there this coming December. Bought the tickets about a year in advance & still got charged for $1600 by United Airlines shortest outbound flights from Houston (IAH) to Koror (ROR), via Los Angeles (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL) and GUAM (GUM) and for the inbound flights through San Francisco (SFO) instead of LAX.

Here are my itinerary automatically selected by United Airlines for me:
Outbound
1. 12/22/17 UA1169 IAH 07:35A - LAX 09:20A
2. 12/22/17 UA1224 LAX 10:00A - HNL 01:45P
3. 12/22/17 UA0201 HNL 02:45P - GUM 06:35P
4. 12/23/17 UA0185 GUM 08:25P - ROR 11:01P
Inbound
1. 01/01/18 UA0158 ROR 01:45A - GUM 04:50A
2. 01/01/18 UA0200 GUM 07:15A - HNL 06:25A
3. 12/31/17 UA0356 HNL 09:55P - SFO 04:53A
4. 01/01/18 UA2405 SFO 06:00A - IAH 11:55A

My buddy will be coming from Fort Lauderdale, Florida end up buying a ticket the day before to meet me in Houston before flying together to Palau.

One of my big corcern is how the heck they transfer my gears in LAX in 40 minutes (see my outbound flight 1 & 2).

Like @scubaNYC16 in this thread Flights to Palau, the interesting think about the flight itinerary is I have a chance to celebrate New Years twice. LOL

 

[tholden1]

Right now, I have a reservation on a Liveaboard for 10 days, and 9 nights. It's the KM Blue Manta. I just have to pay them, via wire transfer. It's rather pricey, as many of the nice liveaboards are (and because it's longer). And, it's a bit longer time than I would have liked. But, it's available so I have it.

Given the statements about the current in Komodo (Cali_diver said "If you do not want currents then please do not go to Komodo. It is not a dive destination for the inexperienced or current avoiders."), should I try to do day boats there instead of the liveaboard? I'm not inexperienced, just out of shape and not really able to fight current that well until I get more fit.

Even with the 10 days on a liveaboard, I'd still have 3 days I could dive in Bali before I have to jump on a plane to get to my Komodo liveaboard (the one you mentioned that left from Bali was full).

Good for you!

I like to have their Singapore Sling / beer & peanut for pre dinner snack & the wine with dinner. Of course all of them free (included in the air fare).

I also would pick 7-day Komodo & spend the rest of the time in Bali. You'll have more chance to see mantas that way (in Manta Point in Bali & Manta Alley in Komodo). Say hi to Darth Vader if you see it! ....And it's high season time for Mola Mola!

Good Luck! Dive safely! Bring your SMB! May the unbent force be with you!

 

[dirtfarmer]

Good choice for LOB. Just remember er your no fly time. Nisa Penida has some good manta and Mola Mola action, it's a zoo though, as in loads of divers. You can dive it from lembongan or padang Bai I don't recommend going from sanur.

 

[Dan]

Right now, I have a reservation on a Liveaboard for 10 days, and 9 nights. It's the KM Blue Manta. I just have to pay them, via wire transfer. It's rather pricey, as many of the nice liveaboards are (and because it's longer). And, it's a bit longer time than I would have liked. But, it's available so I have it.

Given the statements about the current in Komodo (Cali_diver said "If you do not want currents then please do not go to Komodo. It is not a dive destination for the inexperienced or current avoiders."), should I try to do day boats there instead of the liveaboard? I'm not inexperienced, just out of shape and not really able to fight current that well until I get more fit.

Even with the 10 days on a liveaboard, I'd still have 3 days I could dive in Bali before I have to jump on a plane to get to my Komodo liveaboard (the one you mentioned that left from Bali was full).

I saw that 20% off deal by the Blue Manta. Good deal! Lucky you! Blue Manta

You don't need to be fit for diving in the current. You don't fight with the current. You drift & descend quickly to the bottom & hook yourself to the bottom or hide behind rocks. So you just need to be experienced in how to handle current. With experience, you'll be calm, relax, not panicky about it & see many options to anchor yourself in place.

Practice to do negative entry during checkout dive & make sure you equalize your ears every 2-3 feet of descent, regardless you feel the pressure or not, especially in the 1st 30 feet of descent, where the change of pressure is the most.

Like I mentioned before, a good DM knows when the right time to dive in those sights. He / she will check the current contract of the site before will let you go. If you are not comfortable to go diving on that site, then there are other less currenty sites to dive in 10-day trip. I manage to rack up 38 dives on one of the 10-day liveaboard trip without missing a single dive, including night dives.

 

[tholden1]

That makes me feel better. Thank you. I'll definitely practice negative entry. I don't think I have done that in many years, if at all. I imagine I probably did that in the Similan Islands during my first ocean dives, but I don't remember. They had strong cross-currents there and it was definitely very challenging, but I was 11 years younger and working out at the time so I was in pretty good shape then. We never hooked up to anything there, but then the currents came from all over and constantly shifted and there'd really be no way to do that there. I'm looking forward to trying hooking up on the bottom. I have seen video of people doing it and it looked pretty cool as they can just hover there without having to fight the current.

I saw that 20% off deal by the Blue Manta. Good deal! Lucky you! Blue Manta

You don't need to be fit for diving in the current. You don't fight with the current. You drift & descend quickly to the bottom & hook yourself to the bottom or hide behind rocks. So you just need to be experienced in how to handle current. With experience, you'll be calm, relax, not panicky about it & see many obtion to anchor yourself in place. Practice to do negative entry during checkout dive.