Raja Ampat, Komodo, Wakatobi, or elsewhere?

[buiszie]

November is the best for RA. But Alor is amazing too.

 

[charlier]

My personal feeling is that more LoBs will visit Alor - three for sure in 2017. For perspective, during high season @northern Komodo, 8-10 day boats and at least six LoB's. give it some time and Alor will be in the spotlight.

 

[Luko]

For perspective, during high season @northern Komodo, 8-10 day boats

I think you underevaluate a bit the diving pressure on Komodo NP :
1- there are around 15 dive centres in Labuan Bajo/Komodo area, each of them running at least a day boat, some of them up to 2 or 3. I would state in august there are more than 20 day boats in north Komodo NP.
2- As for liveaboards, there is a website that lists 40 liveaboards (forty !!!) plying Komodo.

I don't think Alor will ever experience that dive pressure, God forbids.... knowing the low quality of many Komodo guides, I can't imagine the number of dive casuallties that could occur.

 

[charlier]

I think you underevaluate a bit the diving pressure on Komodo NP :
1- there are around 15 dive centres in Labuan Bajo/Komodo area, each of them running at least a day boat, some of them up to 2 or 3. I would state in august there are more than 20 day boats in north Komodo NP.
2- As for liveaboards, there is a website that lists 40 liveaboards (forty !!!) plying Komodo.

I don't think Alor will ever experience that dive pressure, God forbids.... knowing the low quality of many Komodo guides, I can't imagine the number of dive casuallties that could occur.

Luko, I agree that I understated my case. It's my response to overly confident and officious online postings (not yours). Also, I am in denial regarding Komodo. Over the past 5 years or so, Komodo has seen much change.

I hope you are correct regarding Alor. My feeling is that we will see a plethora of new land based resorts in Alor, given the relative ease of travel and online reviews. Given the low quality of dive guides and the lack of diver skills in current-rich waters, I think that new resorts will focus on marco/photography and diving current-rich sites at slack tide. charlie

 

[Indah]

Monsoon does not mean rainy season but Wind Season. Thus S.E. monsoon means winds are mainly coming from the......indeed S.E. Depending where you are, and more important is from where the winds are coming. These winds bring dry or rainy weather. E.g. at south Sulwasi when the winds come from Australia in July it will be dry. But S.E. monsoon from Papua brings rain in July to East Halmahera.
Anyway, of course my real message is that you should come the Halmahera.

 

[Cali_diver]

Halmahera was really nice too! We really enjoyed our diving there.

 

[billt4sf]

low quality of many Komodo guides, I can't imagine the number of dive casuallties that could occur.

Low quality of *Komodo* guides?

- Bill

 

[Luko]

Low quality of *Komodo* guides?
- Bill

Yeah. I had the kind of young gringo gudes, certified from KoTao, on their way around the world diving Komodo for a season.
The most recent wanker guiding me (I could have said me guiding him) was also very theoretical on "protecting the sea" or not using a muck stick but couldn't even put a name on a nudibranch or guess what was an emperor shrimp,

 

[billt4sf]

Yeah. I had the kind of young gringo gudes, certified from KoTao, on their way around the world diving Komodo for a season.
The most recent wanker guiding me (I could have said me guiding him) was also very theoretical on "protecting the sea" or not using a muck stick but couldn't even put a name on a nudibranch or guess what was an emperor shrimp,

Maybe that was just one diveop?

 

[tsuyoshi]

U guys got me to try Alor in Nov 2016 after reading so many raving discussions. I stayed w Alami Alor; it was a very posh place. Smaller size feeling much like a bed & breakfast resort w very attentive hosts, Max & Lauren.

I never saw another dive boat in any given day at Alor. We were the only ones in water always besides local fisher men.

Mucky mosque site night dive was just epic as advertised in DAN magazine for me, checking off many of my wish list of creatures to see in one dive.

There were however good number of trash in water as many area in Indo. And boy is the air somewhat polluted by coal burning and the ferrier without exhaust. I thought my CO sensor broke when i try to calibrate it on land. CO reading was high!

The many legs of flight to get to Alor can be tiring and tricky. We met w two delayed returning flights on way back. Had to pay premium price by local standard to get on a plane that sounded like it had a few loose bolts to stay on schedule to Bali. But i think the flight schedule is largely affect by the rainy season.

Now c'mon what are some other hidden gems down there? I wish i had more time to explore the Vulcanic lake someone had mentioned in another thread.