@outofofficebrb , I remember you wrote a mini review on the Raja Ampat Aggressor but I can’t seem to find it. You know where it is? Thanks.
Questions about choosing a Raja Ampat liveaboard
- Thread starter Dogbowl
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Darnold9999
Contributor
I also would recommend a 10 day trip if you can. As you are finding out getting there is a two day adventure from Canada so I prefer to spend as long as possible on the boat. I fly out of Vancouver so a bit closer than Toronto but still very long flight. Mostly I go Vancouver - Somewhere in Asia - Jakarta. Overnight in Jakarta and then a local airline to Sorong. China Air is inexpensive from Vancouver. Do not know re Toronto. Garuda has a good luggage policy for divers so preferred by many. Indonesian Airlines have a well deserved reputation for being late so do not book close connections between the local flight and the international flight on your way back home. If you really want a shorter trip look at the Mermaid boats. They do one week trips. Good boats with nice accommodation and not the most expensive option but still excellent food and accommodation with a good diver to guide ration (1 to 4).
By and large there are three classes of boats in Raja. Expensive Boutique boats, Arinui, Damai, and the like. Then less expensive more middle of the road like Mermaid, and then cheap. Everyone pretty much does the same sites (the cheaper boats don't travel as far as fuel is expensive). The difference is mostly the diver to guide ratio, the accommodation and the food.
I like the Misool area dive sites, however that is a very marginal preference. I would do any itinerary again in Raja. The only trip that was a disappointment was a relocation trip that went between Raja and Lembeh. Once you get out of the marine park you get into areas that have been fished using dynamite. Reefs that are mostly rubble. Very disappointing.
By and large there are three classes of boats in Raja. Expensive Boutique boats, Arinui, Damai, and the like. Then less expensive more middle of the road like Mermaid, and then cheap. Everyone pretty much does the same sites (the cheaper boats don't travel as far as fuel is expensive). The difference is mostly the diver to guide ratio, the accommodation and the food.
I like the Misool area dive sites, however that is a very marginal preference. I would do any itinerary again in Raja. The only trip that was a disappointment was a relocation trip that went between Raja and Lembeh. Once you get out of the marine park you get into areas that have been fished using dynamite. Reefs that are mostly rubble. Very disappointing.
Damselfish
Contributor
I agree about the 10 day trip - or anything longer than a week you can find and manage. Crunch the flights, eliminate possibilities, eventually your head will stop spinning and you'll get a handle on it. You might be able to squeeze the longer itinerary in 2 weeks-ish, though that doesn't leave any margin for error and any length of stay in Hong Kong will make it harder. You should definitely pad things on the arrival end, both to rest and to reduce chances of missing the boat! On the return you could schedule it tighter if you can deal with a delay if something doesn't go quite your way. Perhaps time in Hong Kong on the way can double as rest time if the flights work, or as buffer on the end that you could skip if you are delayed?
After Garuda, which most seem to agree is the most reliable and also has the dive gear allowance, I see a wide range of opinions on other Indonesian carriers. In the second tier, everyone seems to have some they swear by, and some they swear at - some probably based on which airlines screwed them over and which ones they were lucky with, and varies some from person to person. We used Garuda, but I heard a lot of positive things about Batik from the crew. I'd avoid the bottom of the barrel.
We recently did a repositioning trip and it was great to see several different areas since it was our first time there, though we didn't really see enough of any area. I also liked Misool best. We didn't experience any dynamite fished areas on our trip, though they said it does happen that a site that was good the previous trip is toast the next. Maybe we were lucky, or maybe they had good enough intel to not put us on any sites like that. There were a few dives during the transit that weren't quite as good, pretty much a decent place they knew of along the route so we could get in a couple dives before continuing on. Also on the downside were the days with fewer dives and the long crossings (though I kind of like being forced to do nothing but relax, and I don't get seasick so that helps.) All irrelevant to the OP right now since they don't have the time and those trips are booked even further ahead, since there are few of them.
After Garuda, which most seem to agree is the most reliable and also has the dive gear allowance, I see a wide range of opinions on other Indonesian carriers. In the second tier, everyone seems to have some they swear by, and some they swear at - some probably based on which airlines screwed them over and which ones they were lucky with, and varies some from person to person. We used Garuda, but I heard a lot of positive things about Batik from the crew. I'd avoid the bottom of the barrel.
We recently did a repositioning trip and it was great to see several different areas since it was our first time there, though we didn't really see enough of any area. I also liked Misool best. We didn't experience any dynamite fished areas on our trip, though they said it does happen that a site that was good the previous trip is toast the next. Maybe we were lucky, or maybe they had good enough intel to not put us on any sites like that. There were a few dives during the transit that weren't quite as good, pretty much a decent place they knew of along the route so we could get in a couple dives before continuing on. Also on the downside were the days with fewer dives and the long crossings (though I kind of like being forced to do nothing but relax, and I don't get seasick so that helps.) All irrelevant to the OP right now since they don't have the time and those trips are booked even further ahead, since there are few of them.
Another question. Reading through the reviews on undercurrent, for many liveaboards the trend seems to be 5 stars for advanced divers but 3 stars for beginner divers. I’m guessing the reviewers thought the diving might be tougher for beginners due to strong currents and, therefore, that’s why they rated it lower? Any thoughts?
Should I wait until I have more experience to make it more worthwhile?
Should I wait until I have more experience to make it more worthwhile?
Darnold9999
Contributor
I don’t think beginner divers realize quite how amazing the place is. You need to have dived a number of other places to get an idea of what a typical dive destination has to offer. If you go to RA first it will just seem normal. Fish to see, not too many large animals - perhaps a shark or two probably a manta dive, and then just “normal” diving. Except that the “normal” diving is anything but. Way more variety and way more unusual creatures than anywhere else on the planet. If you have never been anywhere else you have nothing to compare it to so it will not feel particularly special.
I couldn't agree more with Darnold9999!
And as much as I love Raja Ampat diving, there's no way I'd make the trip from Calgary for a 7 day boat. When the 11th day comes, I always want to stay for the next trip.
Perhaps you could consider the Philippines to go with Hong Kong? Frankly, it's easier to get to Red Sea from Toronto and with your time frame, I'd consider a few days in Europe on the way.
And as much as I love Raja Ampat diving, there's no way I'd make the trip from Calgary for a 7 day boat. When the 11th day comes, I always want to stay for the next trip.
Perhaps you could consider the Philippines to go with Hong Kong? Frankly, it's easier to get to Red Sea from Toronto and with your time frame, I'd consider a few days in Europe on the way.
@Dogbowl , maybe you mentioned it in a previous thread, but did you encounter a problem with a diver-to-DM ratio that you felt was too high? I have never thought to include this in my criteria--so long as the boat doesn't REQUIRE the divers to stick with the DM. To me, the latter is the more important consideration. Now, a high diver-to-DM ratio AND being required to stick with the DM might indeed be a problem.
As you know, I’m still pretty new. I have 50 dives now but nowhere near what many others have on SB. Also, I’ve almost always dived with a private instructor or DM thus far and prefer it that way due to my lack of confidence. It really is a confidence issue more than a skills issue as I’ve been told. The problem emanates from being a perfectionist, again as I’ve been told.
I know that it is pretty common for Indonesian liveaboards to have a 4:1 diver to DM ratio because of the currents and perhaps the diving culture in SE Asia. That’s why I wanted to make sure I was choosing a boat with a 4:1 ratio. That is important to me until I figure out I can handle SE Asia diving.
The only time that I got a higher than 4:1 ratio was on the Belize Aggressor IV. Some photogs (not all of course) would ram into me or under me or over me. The DM had to pull me in to give me a chance to look at stuff and we would both literally get pushed off the reef! Most of the time my husband and I and maybe 1 or 2 other divers followed the DM on the BAIV but sometimes it was a bigger group and if someone was less than polite, it was annoying.
One more thing. Should I need to surface mid-dive for whatever reason, I will only affect my husband and the other 2 people with me, rather than 6 or 8 other people. I’ve had to surface once mid-dive due to seasickness but luckily we were with a private DM.
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