Is it possible to dive Indonesia on a budget? What are your recommendations?

[charlier]

I rather not use a dry suit, so B.C. and Puget Sound are not in my future for diving. In the 1980s, I enjoyed diving at the Channel Islands, with departures from Ventura. These dives, plus Socorro/Cocos, and Cabo Pulmo or even Catalina Island will keep us in good spirits until we return to Indonesia.

 

[Seta]

Bali like the say,( I am stay in in Pemuteran right now, Tulamben is closed) but I did love Pulau Weh. I will spend a whole month there next year

 

[xmass-Eve]

If you go to Lembongan, I recommend Two Fish (There is one in Sanur, Bali too) or Dive Concepts. The gilis aren't overly great for experienced divers, unless if you want to see tons of turtles. I recommend Manta gili air/trawangan there. There is a free dive center on Trawangan too.

 

[kyle191]

I just got back from Indonesia and dove in the province of Sumatra...Pulau Weh to be exact. You catch a ferry boat out of Bande Ache. The diving was very good. And the cost was dirt cheap!!!!

On the water bungalows can be had for $20 per night. Meals (breakfast, lunch. dinner) are about $10 per person per day. The diving with Ibioh Dive Center was top notch and if you purchase more than 10 dives the cost is under $20 per dive!! IDC's rental gear is top notch...I rented instead of lugging my rig to Indonesia.

The little beach town of Ibiho isn't much. There isn't a party scene at all. In fact it is about the quietest place I have ever been in my life. You can't legally buy booze but you can bring in your own.

The diving is every bit as good and possibly better than Turneffe Atoll in Belize. We saw tons of critters: Sharks, rays, cuttlefish, barracuda, etc. The reefs were healthy and there are about 25 dive site within a 10 minute boat ride of IDC.

If you like current/drift diving, Ibiho has that too in spades!!!

Fly to Kuala Lumpor and then take a 2 hour $125 flight to Bande Ache. The ferry is about $5 to Pulau Weh.

Per person costs:
Room $10-$15
Eating - $10-$15
2 dives per day - $35-$40

So for $70 per day you can have 2 great dives, eat great local food, and relax in one of the most chill places on the planet.

Hope this helps

 

[Seta]

I saw 30+ schooling devil rays in the Gilis couple of weeks ago, it was fantastic. Great visibility and huge turtles everywhere..I have to say that it was better than I expected

 

[matts1w]

I saw 30+ schooling devil rays in the Gilis couple of weeks ago, it was fantastic. Great visibility and huge turtles everywhere..I have to say that it was better than I expected

I spent ten minutes with a massive whale shark on Deep Turbo just off Gili T. There are times when the bluest water washes over the Gilis and it the dives are as beautiful as anywhere in Indonesia.

 

[billt4sf]

Which is the best Gili for diving?

 

[matts1w]

Which is the best Gili for diving?

They all dive the exact same sites. Gili Trawangan is perfect for drunken, druggy backpackers as the parties go all night. Gili Air is much more chill…kinda a perfect spot for grownup former backpackers. Gili Meno is even more quiet…maybe too much quiet. I am very much a Gili Air guy.

 

[dirtfarmer]

On our last trip to Gilli Air we spent a few nights on Meno to check it out. It was too quiet for our taste. Except on the GT side of Meno, where you could hear the club music from GT.

 

[Tippytoes12]

We are big fans of Gili Air too and it's great value. Last spring I spent a week in the Waterfront Resort and dived with. Manta Dive next door. The room is beautiful with a fridge and outdoor bathroom. This , lots of meals, plus 13 dives and two return private transfers to Lombok Airport cost about 650 pounds sterling. I could easily have knocked 100 plus pounds off by going by boat from Bali and if my hubby had been with me ( he couldn't get away because of work) it would have cost a lot less. We saw several sharks on each morning dive and masses of turtles on all of the dives. Lembongan is also very good, with a very high chance of spotting Mantas. The prices for a package are on Two Fish website, which we liked. We also liked World Diving very much indeed. There are far cheaper accomodation options on both islands.

So yes there is plenty of good value diving in Indonesia.