Luxury Accommodations and Really Good Diving?

[Darnold9999]

Arenui and Pelagian are two - Wakatobi's pretty upscale for a land based resort also. More of a cruise ship with diving would be the Paul Gauguin cruises.

and Damai makes the Arenui and Peagian seem like second class resorts.


(not a comment on them - just that Damai is over the top)

 

[Thiad]

I'm heading to Wakatobi in March. From what it looks like in the brochure, it's incredible. I cannot wait!

 

[diversteve]

and Damai makes the Arenui and Peagian seem like second class resorts.
(not a comment on them - just that Damai is over the top)

What makes it better than Arenui? Now I'm curious...

 

[Darnold9999]

What makes it better than Arenui? Now I'm curious...

The major difference is the number of divers on the boat. Same size boat, 8 divers max, which means the cabins are HUGE and personal attention is the norm. 4 cabins in the same space as 8 cabins for Arinui. My cabin had two King size beds and portholes on both sides of the ship - and it was the least desireable cabin on the boat. Only 8 divers on the reef maximum. I did dives where I never saw another diver. Not often, as diving without a guide means you miss stuff, but if that is what you want, that is what they will make happen.

Individual rinse tanks, 1 guide for every 2 divers, equipment rental included, Nitrox included, assistance at all domestic air stops within Indonesia. I was met at both Denpasar and Macassar airports and guided to the checkin station - both ways, they dealt with check in and overweight charges (I had to pay but they did the negotiations). Driven from the airport to my hotel in Bali and dropped at the door. Massage at any time included, dive when you want (you want to grab another tank and return to the same dive site they will make it happen) .... etc. etc. You want to do a two hour dive - no problem the panga will be waiting there for you when you surface. We did 4 dives a day - I was using an AL 100 and I don't think any dive was less than 80 min and most were 90 +. Manta Sandy, the longest dive, was just slightly more than two hours.

Over the top, and priced accordingly.

Taking nothing away from Arenui - have not been on that boat, but everything I hear tells me that they are an excellent operation and a luxury option. Damai just takes it one step further.

 

[TSandM]

Yeah, the Paul Gauguin would be almost the ideal vacation for a couple where one liked luxury and pampering, and the other wanted to do some diving. You can look at Leejnd's recent report for the diving . . . I can testify that the boat, the food, the drinks, and the service were absolutely fantastic.

 

[lv2dive]

Personally, i wouldn't want a lot of $$$ put towards true luxury accommodations bc it would be completely wasted on me. If I'm doing the amount of diving I typically do on a vacation, the only aspect of the accommodations I'm paying attention to at night, is the bed. Now, of course, that's once a certain baseline is met, of course.

I have to say, in looking back, that my most fond memory of a land-based dive vacation is KBR in Indonesia. The grounds are just absolutely gorgeous and the staff is great. And there is a spa there, and a nice pool, so a non-diving partner may enjoy it, if they are looking for relaxation. I wouldn't call it 5-star personally, but I *would* go back (in a minute) and that is saying a lot, with all the places I haven't been. What was the question again, I just got caught up in my memories of that resort .

Oh yeah - to answer the specific question - I would guess that luxurious accommodations simply aren't as important to divers bc they aren't spending as much time ON PROPERTY... AND, they get their eye candy thrills by what they see *under water*. Just my guess.

Was going to edit my post but I guess it's been too long... felt bad bc I didn't add the link for KBR: Kungkungan Bay Resort

 

[RJP]

Think about it for a moment. Are the same folks who complain about paying anything more than dealer cost for equipment going to pay $400 to $500 a night for "luxury" accommodations,

Nevermind the fact that "$400-$500 a night" doesn't even get you close to genuine luxury accomodations. That barely gets you a partial ocean-view room at a fairly pedestrian Hyatt or Marriott resort. For context, a 1-Bedroom Suite at the Ritz Carlton on Grand Cayman is $1,000 a night. And even that is relatively low-end from a luxury standpoint - in fact it's only "Garden View"

 

[Hawkwood]

RJP - yup, luxury is all how you define it....and where.

 

[RJP]

I'm not sure that's true. One of the most amazingly luxurious and elegant places I've ever seen is Petit St. Vincent, in the Grenadines. There is virtually no infrastructure, and I'm not sure how they maintain the level of luxury that they do. I would suspect there would be great diving there, but I don't know where the nearest dive op would be.

I was not a diver when I stayed there years ago, but they did offer diving via an op that came over via boat from Union Island, I think.

 

[mathauck0814]

I don't really agree with this at all. Wife and I spent our honeymoon in Fiji in absolutely first class accommodations (1500+ sqft villa, private pool, outdoor shower, feet from the ocean, etc) with spectacular access to some of the best diving I've ever done. You may have to travel a little further to get to it, but I'm certain there is a level of service for every taste within striking distance of all the best diving in the world.