Pulau Weh

[ocdiver1]

Thanks. I have dived Komodo and Palau, both a few times now. How does Palau compare to the Maldives ? I really loved some of the diving in Komodo but there are few sharks there. I'm very interested in the Socorros but August is not a good time for them, how do they rate compared to Palau ? Personally my favourites are the Galapagos and Tuamotos in French Ploynesia, both of which where oustanding.

For specifically pelagics I think you'd see more in the Maldives vs Palau...but the coral is in as poor shape as anywhere I've ever been and the diving overall is more varied in Palau. I think Socorros beats both..and I enjoyed it even more than the Galapagos...for roughly half the trip cost you'll get multiple encounters with oceanic mantas and good likelihood of dolphins on scuba, both of which you wouldn't get in the Galapagos...plus easier to get to and warmer water. Haven't made it to French Polynesia yet...definitely on my list though! And you're right about August for Socorros..season is only November-May..go if you get a chance!

---------- Post added May 25th, 2013 at 05:09 PM ----------

Is Pulau Weh the first place you'd go on a dive trip to Indonesia, or one of the best dive spots in Asia? The answer would be "no" to both, but I stand by what I've said, that it's definitely worth a look. I wouldn't say the diving is lacking in variety, and I think most divers appreciate many different dive environments other that what might be their given "favorite." I love macro, for example, but I still absolutely enjoyed the beautiful reef scenes in PW (Canyons, etc.) that favorably compare to anywhere in Asia...and you don't have to go to 40 meters to enjoy them. And yes, you'll be diving with current just like you would be in say, Komodo. I'm also happy to report that Lumba Lumba's house reef was better three weeks ago than Luko found it three years ago. And while I didn't travel during Ramadan, that's one month of the year (and not when Chilly is considering traveling)...despite being a particularly devout Islamic area of Indonesia I found the people there to be just as nice and friendly as anywhere else in the country. Plus, if you prefer not to stay in Banda Aceh for whatever reason, Air Asia's routes at least permit for easy timing with the ferry to PW so one can fly in and go straight there inbound with the same outbound. Accessible and cheap (!), Pulau Weh isn't the top spot in Asia but a place that's worth a visit. Try comparing it on accessibility and price with the Andaman and Nicobar Island which were mentioned!

 

[Luko]

Try comparing it on accessibility and price with the Andaman and Nicobar Island which were mentioned!

I will be happy to illustrate the comparison for both places where I have been diving to.

It also depends on which kind of accessibility you're talking about. If I am taking SJ17 location for instance (ie. Wales), I am not sure it makes a big difference, Flying to Chennai or Jakarta for the main leg, then taking a low cost flight to PortBlair or to Banda Aceh and afterwards taking a ferry ride to Weh or to Havelock.
If I had to stand on my own experience, I was stranded for one day in Penang with Fireflyz (Malaysia airlines' low cost) because they canceled their flight on short notice, while it went seamlessly both ways out/in Chennai.

As for cost of lodging or diving, it may be slightly more expensive than Weh, but in no ways comparable to Maldives. On the other hand, I stand that the diving is much better in the Andamans than Weh, in terms of fish life, especially for mid size schooling fish (snappers, trevallies, barracudas), and for topside there's a world between the two, Radhanagar is probably one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the food is simply awesome with a mix of indian and seafood.

May be I missed something in Weh, but I didn't feel I had as much contact with the indonesian people I am used to in other parts of Indonesia, where I usually travel 3 times a year. On the contrary I felt quite claustrophobic in Weh where due to the island topography it's a kind of a pain in the neck to travel from one place to another, unlike many indonesian flatter island.

 

[Wingy]

Chilly monitor the conditions - read the jakarta globe etc and see what the morality police are up to. There was nothing spectacular at Weh that made my jaw drop diving wise but it was pleasant enough. What the bigger issue was - being a female travelling alone. Out on the island fine, Maybe my timing was bad - post ramadan - with the Morality police on a rampage. I was staying with a local family I met after the Aceh quake in Aceh and went out with them one night and could sense their worry. The morality police were doing a crackdown and any stalls too dimly lit were searched with the usual result being the operator if young being given a few lashes. Around that week a lot of youth were targeted - heads shaved, piercings pulled out with pliers and I dread to think what happened to the girl who was out without her head scalf in a mini skirt. Judge for yourself. Indonesian Police Raid Punk Concert, Shave off Mohawks and Place Fans in Camp - YouTube. It seems to be fine when the Morality Police arent having one of their crackdowns.
Leaving Aceh and going into Padang I had a bit of hissing and snarling from women even though I had my shoulders covered and the men stared with nothing less than what seemed like furious anger that I was alone. Other friends have had no problems, one couple I know where hassled by the morality police for holding hands while walking down the street (both in their 50s) - theres some reasonable/average diving in Cambodia but check out Cubadak Island in Sumatra - its a privately owned island with a really different dive topography. If you like soft corals and feeling like a true castaway I would chose Cubadak over Weh for the sake of seeing Sumatra (its worth it) with less hassles.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks for the extra and very interesting info wingy! I'm already talked out of making that trip.

Perhaps I'll just keep Cambodia about Angkor Wat and spring for diving at Raja Ampat. What about Monado, Komodo or Lembeh at that time year? I'll be sickened if don't get some great SE Asian diving in after going all that way.

 

[Wingy]

For a single female diver who doesnt want the hassles of nightclubbing aussie drunks and assorted back packers - ive always found Manado an easy destination for me personally. All of the Lembeh and Bunaken Ops will pick you up from the airport, take you out in their vehicle, dont mind stopping for KFC (no, no, its not the colonels original recipe!) and deliver you back to the airport. I dive in Bunaken with Froggies - I like Benny, hes become a great help and doesnt mind when I ring him up from Bangka and say..Im in the area, can you pick me up!. Flying into Manado from Singas or Jakata is easy and easy access to LOBs I believe..may be wrong. Spend a couple of days there after Ankhor (and please go to Phnom Penh - its life in your face at its rawest but worth going to - 6 hour bus $12 why not?) so you can chill out and tune up the fins before your RA trip. Oh and no matter what your budget..dont stay at the hotel Celebes on the waterfront at Manado if you choose to drop in there glass is optional in the windows.

 

[chillyinCanada]

LOL "glass is optional" reminds me of the peeping Toms when I was showering in my room on Koh Tao.

I'm also factoring weather patterns and so will be looking for best experience on that side too.

I'm afraid I'm well past taking the 6 hour $12 bus. But thanks for that and please do keep the info coming. Its all helping me decide. Will have friends on east side of Thailand in or near Phuket at that time too, so maybe up that way, dunno.

 

[Bubble Junky]

I'm a big Weh fan !!! I've spent 12 months working there over three spells. The house reef has it's cycles, but there's always something cool macro-wise there. I've also seen cool big stuff on the house reef - mantas, eagle rays and a fair few sharks. Macro-wise there's always something cool, and is a great spot to practice photography. There can be challenging currents on the boat dives, but the corals are spectacular and the fish very plentiful...

This was filmed on the House Reef at Lumba Lumba - Mimic Octopus, House Reef, Lumba Lumba Dive Centre, Pulau Weh - YouTube

 

[8u88les]

chilly, what are your requirements for diving in asia this december? i see you throwing out lots of names.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'm throwing out a lot of names because I am flexible and should have the opportunity to go where ever strikes my fancy. I will be hampered however by the time if year and being a female traveling alone. Why do you ask? Do you have some suggestions for me. I'm all "ears". TIA

 

[8u88les]

well there are lots of options in se asia. depends on ur budget and interests. i have been many great and not so great places, some cheap and some expensive, some easy to reach and some difficult. in december, the west coast of thailand is in season such as koh lanta, krabi, phi phi, phuket, etc.. but the diving there doesnt really compare with east malaysia (on borneo), indonesia, and philippines. i usually want to go a new place every holiday, but if i ever repeat one it would be Amed, Bali. It may not be the best overall diving in the world, but it was quite impressive. its also a little sleepy town, safe, friendly, and nice food. i dived with adventure divers bali. our first dive was from the black sand beach in front and 5 minutes into the dive i was taking photos of pygmy seahorses! another shore muck dive had ghost pipefish and other stuff. boat diving was on an outrigger canoe, just two or three people per boat, great sealife and long dives. no big stuff there though. beautiful place, not expensive, great diving and easy to reach. i have spent much more time and money getting to places that offered less to see underwater. just fly to bali and take a 3-4 hour van ride to Amed.dont bother with the liberty wreck half an hour north due to worse vis and huge crowds unless you're dying to see a big wreck.