Sipadan, Malaysia or Komodo, Indonesia?!

[katiekates]

Hi everyone!!! I joined scuba board to ask a question. I am currently planning an impromptu 5-6 week diving vacation departing early January. I would like to do PADI Dive Master training as part of this trip because
1. It will be the cheapest way for me to get lots of dives in and I have a fairly limited budget for the trip
2. I would like to be challenged to improve my dive skills during this vacation
3. I would like to get comfortable in one place for most of my trip

I have narrowed my choices down, both are diving with the company SCUBA Junkies. One site on Komodo Island in Indonesia staying at the resort near Labuan Bajo, or in Labuan Bajo, or diving with the Malaysian SCUBA Junkies in Borneo (Sipadan Island diving!) while staying in Semporna. I have decided to go with SCUBA Junkies as a company because their DM program works with my time limitations compared to other shops I liked in both the areas, and word of mouth reviews from friend’s of friends. I have limited experience diving in Asia and I would love to hear thoughts and comparisons between these two locations. I am primarily a cold water diver and I have a HUGE desire to see large and colourful healthy coral reefs, cute cuttlefish and sea horses, mega fauna (hammerheads, dugongs, mantas, whale sharks, reef sharks, mola molas, etc. big highlight on sharks and mantas!).

I am also curious on opinions on someone's stay in Semporna and/or Labuan Bajo during their dives at these locations since I will be staying there for 1 month minimum. I would like to feel safe, comfortable, and also have easy access to other fun and affordable activities during dive free days.

Also, if anyone has had positive or negative experiences with SCUBA Junkie or can recommend a superior and AFFORDABLE shop please fill me in as well!

Thank you in advance!


Kate

 

[dirtfarmer]

SJ Komodo is awesome. I've been there 2x and the SJ on mabul once. If you would be staying in semporna it's a pit.
The diving in Komodo is awesome, the diving at Sipadan is awesome too, but as a DMT you'll probably never get there unless you pay for a full booking. The diving around mabul is good also, mostly muck diving.
SJ Komodo will be a more intimate experience ( less DMTs), I've watched them train their DMS and they do an excellent job.
If you end up in Komodo say hi to the whole crew from Matt.

 

[katiekates]

Hi Matt!!

Thanks for your response. I was inquiring about actually diving on Sipadan with SJ in semporna. I don't really like going all that way to not dive it often. I was leaning more towards Komodo for this reason, but they are full in January now!!!! As someone who has been to the area, did you notice any similar companies in Komodo or in the same area? I like the away from the madness feel they have, but I am finding most of the shops are right in Linabuan Bajo...

 

[dirtfarmer]

Yup that will be the case. All the other shops in your budget are in LBJ.

LBJ is hot and dusty, growing madly now.
It has all the classic backpacker infrastructure, and adding more all the time.
It has its charms, there is a coffee shop that has A/C and good WiFi that is great to chill in, plus plenty of other establishments. Lots of backpackers come thru, plus lots of divers from all over the world.

Diving from LBJ means long days on the boat. Then all the other dive master drudgery, damn sounds exausting.
Are you sure you don't want to hit a few of the great diving spots in Indo and forgo the DM course? We could hook you up with some great planning over on the Indo board.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Are you sure you don't want to hit a few of the great diving spots in Indo and forgo the DM course? We could hook you up with some great planning over on the Indo board.

This. You're going to waste 5-6 weeks at one of the world's top diving destinations lugging tanks around for guests and doing training exercises, when you could be a guest yourself, actually seeing the sites that divers come there to see?

As dirtfarmer alludes to, Komodo is best seen from a liveaboard, as the sites are far from Labuanbajo, meaning you will spend a lot of time on a boat and/or you will be doing divemaster exercises at sites closer to Labuanbajo. And as he pointed out about Sipadan island, Scuba Junkies would not be taking you to Sipadan island to do your divemaster exercises. To see Sipadan, you'd probably have to sign up the night before and hope your number comes up just like everyone else diving with them. Otherwise, you're diving at Mabul, which is okay but not nearly as special as Sipadan.

Have you considered Bali? I think there are places with good diving AND fit backpacker-type budgets, which would offer a divemaster course.

 

[Centrals]

Komodo is the answer. But please make sure you have enough money to join a proper liveaboard for a week or two after the course.
Don't waste your time in Sipadan or its surrounding as a trainee DM. It is just no worth the bother, you will be tasked to baby sit all those incompetent divers who came to Sipadan because of its reputation. The permit issue is a BIG joke! I am glad I went there all those yrs ago. There are better choices elsewhere.

 

[katiekates]

OK OK! I am convinced. I am rethinking the whole DMT thing... It would be much nicer to be a guest, although most of the live aboards are sounding very $$$! Also many dive shops in Komodo are closed for the rainy season so doing DMT there doesn’t really sound like an option this last minute and Sipadan Island as a DMT would not actually mean Sipadan Island diving…

I will openly admit that I thought the DMT would be a good idea since I am not a good solo traveler and I would like to have plans in advance.... But after thinking it over I would probably be happier filling my time with visiting several other dive destinations as a guest and do some snorkelling/free diving too. I will be able to take ~4 weeks off from work. Please suggest any Indonesian dive destinations, live aboards etc. that would be good in January for a solo/budget traveller. I am really interested in seeing mega fauna!

Or should I post this on the Indo board? I am new to community discussions, pardon my ignorance

 

[dirtfarmer]

Komodo in Jan is fine to dive. I did a trip on the weta molas in Nov and I'd recommend it for the very budget minded. They have 3 different routes I like the south the best. Their trips are short 3 or 4 days so they aren't a big comittment. You could do a couple back to back. Komodo gonna give you your best shot at mega fauna.

Bali is a great combo with Komodo.
Drift diving off Lembongan, nice muck in Tulamben. And if you want to party and chill and dive at the same time theres the Gillis. The diving isn't the best of all the choices, but the Gillis are the best option for beachs, the beach scene, and and some decent diving.

Ever tried muck? Lembeh is awesome muck and critter diving. I love macro so I'm a huge Lembeh fan.

 

[katiekates]

Thanks I have only ever done 2 warm water dives so anything I see will amaze me. I am not a big partier and prefer diving to be less crowded, for these reasons my one friend who has dove in Indonesia advised against Bali and the Gillis. In your experience, is Lembongan and Tulamben like that at all? He is a big fan of Raja Ampat and Lembeh, I think Raja might be a bit too costly and hard for me to make work during this trip.

I would like to get a good taste of everything, but want to make sure I get a chance to see mega fauna as well as muck diving. I was thinking one or two Komodo charters would satisfy me on the mega fauna, then try some diving in Lembeh and/or Bunaken too?

I'll look into the west molas!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Bali is a big island. The partying is confined to Kuta, perhaps Sanur, and more generally the south part of the island. The rest of Bali is wonderful. Lembongan (in the far northwest corner) and Tulamben are serene places.