Sangalaki or Layang Layang in June

[ssra30]

For Nabucco, I believe it is Pak Medi and Rudi.

Rudi has more seniority since he has been longer in Nabucco. BUT Pak Medi has been in Derawan for a much longer time, and used to work for Derawan Dive Resort.

Rudi is quite an entertainer and has some interesting stunts around the channel. He has quite a passion for marine life.

Pak Medi seemed quieter but really knows the place like his own garden since he has been in the Derawan area since the begining of all the resorts.

Unfortunately Medi has left Nabucco not too long ago. As of last week, they have 2 diveguides, Rudi and Salim. Salim has only been there for less than 2 months. Very nice guy but does not know where all the macro stuffs are yet so we were pretty much on our own looking for all the critters.

 

[davidlkh]

Pak Medi left, wondering where he went? Sangalaki? Back to Derawan?

Was there in late Jan 2004 right in the middle of the major monsoon. Bumped into Pak Medi at Sangalaki as the Nabucco dive boat anchored in front of Sangalaki Dive Lodge.

Is Noel still at Nabucco?

 

[davidlkh]

By the way Andy at Derawan Dive Resort (DDR) is also great with the small stuff. Grew up with the resort and tends to the coral reef like his personal garden. If you dive with him, you will know what I mean.

 

[frogfish]

Can't wait ! I will be visiting Sangalaki in June (staying at the Dive Lodge). Wish me luck with the mantas...

 

[davidlkh]

I think if you are serious about the Mantas, the best bet is to dive with Sangalaki Dive Lodge. You can hit the sites at the perfect moment, greatly increases your chance of seeing them. Photographing them is another issue all together.

I was so distracted from all the macro, by the time I looked up, I had no time to prep for the wide angle shot.

 

[JHC]

Just a couple more questions. It's tough deciding between these two places....I'm giving second thoughts to going to Layang Layang again but i have to decide soon. Too many places to go too little time and money :=(.

Other than Manta rays what other Pelagics are found around Sangalaki? Does Sangalaki have any bigger fish like Grouper, Napolean wrasses, tuna etc or have they been fished out. Thats a a plus for Layang Layang since they have large fish as well as good coral growth.

HOw is the trip to Sagalakki from Singapore? This is another reason I'm thinking of going to Layang Layng, only 2 flights vs 2 flights, a bus and a boat.

I also will have a beginner diver with me. Would Layang Layang or Sangalaki be an apporiate dive location for her?

Thanks!

 

[davidlkh]

Sangalaki has other big fish, but I did not notice Tunas. The big stuff typically will appear and literally just hang around the cleaning stations. Big bat fish, surgeons, turtles, snappers are quite common. The odd shark now and again.

Layang Layang has better visibility and a lot of big stuff too. BUT the 50 min dives really bug me.

I think Layang Layang has better coral growth than Sangalaki, but Sangalaki growth pattern is prettier. Large white sand and suddenly a huge clump of coral, great for begineers since you can see the bottom. Layang Layang are mainly wall dives unless you are inside the lagoon.

Layang Layang has to be reached in 2 days, because the connecting flight leaves around 7:30 am. Flight, hotel, flight.

Sangalaki can be reached in one day from Singapore, but you must catch the morning SilkAir flight that can connect to the 11 am flight to Berau. If you go via Kota Kinabalu, you probably will have to stay one night in Tarakan.

I think Sangalaki is better for beginers. BUT big fish I guess Layang Layang would be better.

Besides Sangalaki, they take you out to Kakaban where the Jelly Fish are. Very very nice. Huge schoold of Barracudas and the odd shark. By special request you can also go to Maratua. There you get really powerful tidal flows and super big stuff. Ideally dive the channel close to sunset and on rising tide, you can see the big animals in action.

So when you combine all the different off sites, Sangalaki is more fun than Layang Layang. But Sangalaki by itself cannot compete with Layang Layang in terms of big stuff. In terms of small stuff, Sangalaki is much much richer.

Hope this helps.

 

[davidlkh]

I am embarassed to say that I must be one of the very rare people who spent a week there and did not see a single manta ray :-(

When I was staying at Nabucco and diving at Sangalaki, I think I may have been the only one that spotted the Manta that zoomed by. If I had not noticed the huge shadow... I too would have seen nothing.

There also were Mantas at Maratua, but not frequent. Saw two at the southern end of Maratua.

Pah Bahrun from SDL said that a whale shark was spotted at the Maratau Channel once, but those fellows could be anywhere.

 

[ssra30]

As far as Sangalaki and big fish, Sangalaki itself does not have a lot of big fish beside mantas, however Kakaban about 15-20 minutes away and Maratua about 1 hour away have quite a bit to offer, not to forget kakaban Jellyfish Lake. Again, I have not been to Layang Layang but around Kakaban, you can see some leppard sharks and reef sharks. At Maratua, all the fishes there are pretty big, some very large bumpheads, very big school of barracuda, big tunas, jacks, quite a bit of eagle rays, turtles. Coral reef around Maratua is excellent. I posted a few pictures from my Sangalaki/Maratua/Kakaban trip in the u/w photography section.

 

[JHC]

Saw some of your pictures, very nice. Sounds like Sangalaki is the place to go. I'm booking trip now to the Sangalaki dive lodge in June. Can't wait!