Non-stop flights from Bali to other dive spots

[AlliCats]

We'll be flying into Bali (Denpasar) during a trip in February. We've done some okay diving that time of year off Bali but are interested in going somewhere else this time. Do you have any specific suggestions of good February diving that is one flight away from Bali? I'm up for one flight plus a couple of hours in a car or on a boat. I've been trying to search on my own and am getting overwhelmed-hopefully some of you have ideas for me. Malaysia, Philippines?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dan]

Labuan Bajo for Komodo.

 

[SpeckledGrouper]

Wakatobi Resort has a private charter plane from Bali to Wakatobi

 

[Dan]

Wakatobi Resort has a private charter plane from Bali to Wakatobi

I did that back in 2009. It costed me an arm & a leg.

 

[AlliCats]

Wakobi is probably the only one I know of because I've done it and in February (and it was amazing).

Labuan Bajo for Komodo.

Liveaboard or are there decent dive sites accessible by short boat trips and staying on the mainland there?

 

[Dan]

You can fly with 6-passenger charter plane to Moyo Island in Sumbawa, staying in Amanwana - Luxury Resort in Moyo Island, Indonesia - Aman where Princess Diana once stayed there. It costed about $1000/night back in 2011, so I only stayed & dove there for a couple of days.

 

[Dan]

...Liveaboard or are there decent dive sites accessible by short boat trips and staying on the mainland there?

I did liveaboard there for 3 times. The best one was a 11-day roundtrip Bali-Komodo with Mermaid I. So, no flying is needed.

It saved me 2 days of vacation as I dove a few days in Bali before boarding on the boat. Otherwise it’ll take a day to travel (flying to Labuan Bajo & getting on the boat) and degassing in Bali before flying to Labuan Bajo. We actually dove in Nusa Penida & saw 9 Mola Mola that morning before embarking on Mermaid I in Benoa in the afternoon. One of Mola Mola picture became my Avatar

 

[chillyinCanada]

You could try Manado. It's not direct but only one stop. I don't think you get off the plane. From Manado, you can chose to dive either Bunaken or Bangka or Lembeh or all of them. You can do all of them through Murex's Passport to Paradise. Or Bangka by itself or with Lembeh or just Lembeh by itself.

 

[Wisnu]

Lombok (or by fastboat), Maumere, and Kupang
I don't know how good Kupang but there's a dive center in Kupang managed by Donovan whiteford. Short flight from Kupang is Alor, another great diving destination.

 

[Wingy]

I've got some good deals using nusatrip.com on DPS - Maumere and DPS - Alor lately.