Komodo, Raja or Palau?

[scuba e]

Ok, we have seen the Carribean. We have been to most of it and at least the most talked about. We have had great experiences and seen amazing life. We have also found a dive op (Coco View) that allows us to see all the critters of the area with a 4-6 dive a day agenda. We have been spoiled.

It is now time to move on. We will return to Coco due to its close location and affordable rates. Though it is time to see the Pacific. The warm Pacific to me more exact.

I have read a bit about Palau, Raja Ampant and Komodo. I am very interested in all three. Fiji is in the running. I am going to throw out some criteria. For those worldly travelers I am looking for help and guidance in planning our first trip west of Catalina Island.

We would like the following to work off of.

1) warm water diving (I understand Komodo can have a few cooler dives but as long as it is almost all warm water....)

2) 3-5 dives a day. An average over 10 days 40 dives.

3) Reef and critter quality. Soft corals, macro, big. It will all be new but quality is a must.

4) Liveaboard or land based. (Looks like some doable land based in Raja?)
Quality>
Dive op>
Food>
rooms>

5)Photo freindly. (I recently crossed over to the dark side. I'm using a d90 in a massive housing and really worry about it).

6) Topside activity is pretty low on the list. (Not into trinkets and dont think you can really get to know a culture via land tour.)

So what do you think?

This may be our only venture to the area due to the higher costs. It needs to count. That said, we are looking at 2 weeks including travel and need to keep it less than $15k total, complete. Any input or reports would help out alot.

 

[Woodiver]

My vote is for Indonesia. Komodo is much easier to get to compared to Raja. In either area, liveaboard is the way to go although Raja does have a few land based operations but after travelling that far, a liveaboard will get you to many of the best areas. For Komodo, depending on which liveaboard you’re on, you can either depart from Bali or Bimi which is about an hour flight. The hour flight saves about 24 to 36 hrs of steaming on the boat. With a two week time period, you could fly to Bali, go to Tulamben and spend some time diving and getting over the jet lag before boarding a liveaboard for a week to 10 days. Tulamben has some very good diving and is very inexpensive, you can get a very good meal for $5 to $6 per person.
Komodo has a good mix macro and wide angle. The northern sites are warm and you don’t need to worry about cold water until you get in the far southern sites. After going to Indonesia, you will be spoiled and will want to go back again.

Flickr: woodiver15's Photostream

 

[xcelratr]

I have not done Komodo or Raja.

However, in 2000, we spent 1 week on the Aggressor boat in Truk, followed by 1 week on the Dancer boat in Palau. Unless you count a quick trip into town from the resort, we did no shore activities in Palau.

The diving was fantastic. Macro and pelagics, swimming in an aquarium. Drift dives and night dives. Sharks sharks sharks (including a tiger).

The Dancer boat was terrific, great accomodations, typically stellar service, etc.

I can highly recommend Palau, especially from a quality liveaboard.

Two years ago, we did Fiji from the smaller of the Aggressor boats there (which has been rebranded as a Dancer boat, I think). It was also a great week with awesome diving.

But I still consider Palau the best dive spot I've been to.

Good luck and be safe.

 

[chinacat46]

Well you really can't go wrong with any of your 3 choices but if I had to pick one it would be Raja. You won't see many pelagics there but there are mantas and the fish life and coral are not to be beat. If you do Raja go thru Manado and spend a few days in Lembeh beforehand. If you are into photography Lembeh is a place you will love.

 

[Luko]

Just wondering.. why didn't you throw the Mabul/Kapalai/Sipadan combo in the list?

For fauna diversity, number of dives per day (you can go up to 5 or 6 per day), photo friendliness and landbased resort organization it is a MUST in Asia.

I recently went to Komodo but my experience with the dive operator wasn't top notch although I love the sites there. I also think it is not as photo friendly as Sipadan where the guides know their reef by heart, it's also prone to ripping currents makes you forget a little about photography.

Raja Ampat is too expensive for me. I gather there's better time spent to do with that amount of money, I'll wait till there are less expensive options.

 

[gee13]

Heheh Luko, seems you didnt get a good run with your choice of operators in Bunaken or Komodo, perhaps you should post some questions here before you choose your next destination.

 

[Luko]

Heheh Luko, seems you didnt get a good run with your choice of operators in Bunaken or Komodo, perhaps you should post some questions here before you choose your next destination.

I did. ... but nobody warned me beforehand about the one in Komodo, although when asking questions after what happened, it seems it was quite expected. Blame it on who?

Maybe I am too demanding or maybe I because have seen so many good dive operations that would go out of their way to pls the customer (To name a few : Borneo Divers, Gangga island resort, Savedra Moalboal, Big La Laguna dive center, Mele HideAway island resort, Divers Lodge Hurghada, Fim do Mundo/Bay diving ...) that I can get picky on certain issues.

Also I am consulting in the tourism industry for a living, and probably my business view grows on my appreciation, some minor flaws appear glaring to my eyes :geek:... on the other I find that many divers would be content or would not report on what was just average on their dive trip.

 

[Mossman]

With two Indonesia trips under my belt (Komodo, Wakatobi) and two to Palau, I'm sure you'll be happy with any of the three as they'll all offer what you're looking for. With a two week limit, Palau is an easier trek from L.A. - only around 15 hours of flight time, all on the same (American-based) airline. A week-long liveaboard there plus a few days of land-based diving (or a 10-day liveaboard itinerary if you can find one, or a three-day add-on in Yap) would allow you most of the 40 dives plus travel in your two-week span. Getting to Raja Ampat or Komodo, however, will require more travel time and I think it would be pretty tough to get in 10 days of diving and travel there and back in only two weeks total. Also, Palau is less "adventurous" in terms of language (English is universal), currency (U.S. dollar), and other potential concerns (no malaria there, no scary domestic airlines), which adds up to fewer distractions from your diving. The downside, however, is that it's generally more expensive in Palau. Also, you'll get a bit more fish/coral diversity and healthier reefs IMO in your Indonesia choices, but if all you're used to is the Caribbean, Palau will still blow you away.

If you can afford the extra cost of Palau, you'll have an amazing trip there. If you can afford the extra time (and sense of adventure) it would take to do Komodo or Raja Ampat, you have an amazing trip to either of those places as well. Flip a coin?

 

[xariatay]

Flickr: woodiver15's Photostream

Lovely photos u have there!!!

 

[mjh]

Ok we have done all three and they all great in their way. No trip report up yet for Komodo but the gallery is up at our site. If I had to pick one of the three it would be Raja. It is just the best all around diving we have found anywhere, to date. I am very interested in trying the Arenui but we had a great time on the Paradise Dancer.