First tropical dive trip ever. Suggestions?

[Jak Crow]

So I'm doing a Raja Ampat dive trip on the Mermaid I in November, and this is my first dive trip to both a tropical location, and another country ever. While I'm an certified advanced diver with 600+ dives under my belt, they're all from the California coast, so I could use some advice and/or suggestions for both a tropical dive and an overseas trip.

Domestic airline is Garuda.
I've got both DAN dive insurance and travel insurance.
For wetsuits, I'm planning to bring a 3mm full suit, and a 3mm shorty so I can swap between them or layer if needed. I've also got a lavacore dive skin that I'm probably going to bring as a rash guard which can also act as a layer. Will these be fine? I've been told everything from t-shirt to a semi-dry, so it's been a little confusing. My wetsuits, fins, masks, clothes and general items are going in my check-in bag.
I'm a major photo-geek, so of course I'm bringing my camera rig and various parts in an awesome Think Tank carry-on bag that's the perfect size for Garuda. Everything is insured.
Batteries: I'm going to be bringing camera batteries, strobe batteries, and light/torch batteries of various li-on sizes. I'm planning to bag all the camera batteries individually in battery sized zip-lock bags, use appropriately sized storage caddies and cases for the 18650 and 26650 li-on batteries, and tape up and bag any other li-on batteries that have no cases. These should be fine in my carry-on if I'm correct. Can any of these batteries, properly stored, go in the check-in bag? Also bringing the appropriate chargers and d travel adapters.
I'm also going to have a laptop backpack. Garuda's website says that's okay from what I can tell.

If anyone has any additional suggestions, I would appreciate it.

I've also got a few days to kill in Sanur before the boat, so I wanted to see about diving while in Bali as well.

 

[dirtfarmer]

For your couple of days either head over to Lembongan ( a short 45 min boat ride from Sanur) and dive from there or it's a short trip to Padang Bai which has some great local diving as well as diving off Lembongan.
Or if you think muck might be your thing head up to Tulamben for some great muck/macro diving. You'll get some really good muck/macro on the Mermaid trip also, besides all the
other fun stuff like current-pelagics-manta's.
Oh and I haven't had any problem with my batteries and such in my carry on. I have also put them in my checked baggage, but when I do I make them easy to get to in case security needs to take a look at them. You wetsuit choices will be fine, you might to bring a hood also, the water in the South of Komodo can get chilly, and when I'm doing muck dives since I'm barely moving I get chilled easily.
I've done Komodo trips the last two years in November with the Mermaid2 they have a great operation, and Komodo will blow your mind, especially since you've never done tropical dives.
Problem is you'll want to keep coming back to the Coral Triangle, it's addicting.

 

[WetPup]

If you decide to pack batteries in your check-in bag, make sure they are not actually in the gadgets and are stored separately. I get hit for this all the time in Indonesia - they ask me whether the batteries are still in my torch etc. at check-in. They never are, but they always ask.

Garuda can be pedantic about carry-on weight. I have had them weigh my carry-on before - albeit only the once, but it may happen again. You're ideally better off travelling with only one carry-on (unless you're flying in business class), as they're less likely to weigh it. I have seen them force people to gate-check their second bag because the combined total was too much. It's a risk to be aware of if you take 2.

 

[chillyinCanada]

When's are you talking Komodo when the OP said he's going to Raja Ampat?

I was quite comfortable in my full 3mm and while I do get cold easily, I was never cold in Raja Ampat.

 

[dirtfarmer]

When's are you talking Komodo when the OP said he's going to Raja Ampat?

I was quite comfortable in my full 3mm and while I do get cold easily, I was never cold in Raja Ampat.

Yikes my bad they mentioned Sanur and Mermaid Komodo trips depart from there.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Nov in Raja should be 79-84F (should being the key word )

i always carry my batteries in a Lipo battery bag these days, even my Eneloops etc. No issues in carry on so far, but they usually ask to look at it

 

[Yoyodyne-88]

Don't get sunburnt the first day! I've seen a lot of tropical newbies suffer badly, and their vacation spoiled.

Even the tops of feet and tips of ears are easy to forget. Snorkelers get their backs burnt even through the water and a T-shirt.

Take some flip flops. Boat decks and docks can be blistering hot.

 

[highdesert]

Worth a read thru ...

Transportation Security Administration

https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/hazmat_safety/more_info/?hazmat=7

 

[Jak Crow]

Any restrictions on sunblock? I've been looking into reef safe brands, but there are very few that are legitimately reef safe.

 

[WetPup]

No restrictions on sunblock. Honestly, I just buy an off the shelf 50+ SPF, as I don't trust those "reef safe" labels to be accurate, and the only reef safe brands I've seen are only 30+. Just buy it before you leave - it's very difficult to purchase in Indonesia because the locals don't tend to use it.