Travelling around Indo and diving, too.

[NickLongfellow]

Pulau Weh: If you are experienced, be sure to dive the sophie rickmers (WW2 wreck lying @ 55-70 meters) also PAntee Pineutung and Shark Plateau on tokong for black tips, loads of fish, and amazing sea fans down below 30 meters.

Komodo: mus dive cannibal rock and yellow wall for colorful crinoid covered reefs, amazing macro, and nice soft coral, dive makassar for mantas and bamboo sharks, Crystal rock for white tips and grey reef sharks.

For Indonesian Boreno be sure to dive the islands of derawan, sangalaki, and kakaban. Kakaban for barracuda schools and sharks, and of course a surface interval on the amazing jellyfish lake. Dive sangalaki for mantas and if you're lucky a leopard shark or two, dive derawan for turtles and stunning macro. All 3 islands can be dived in one day from Derawan island.

 

[Luko]

It's been more than 20 years since I visited. Back then, the island had two "hotels" (attached mandi), one tv, one compressor and 12 tourists. The plane was broken the day we were to leave Ambon so we hitched an overnight ride on a navy boat. Pam Des Alwi himself was our dive and tour guide. I could not have imagined a more remote (and magical) place on earth.

Don't worry, it's still that remote & magical place.

There wasn't more than 20 tourists on the islands one month ago, half of them in Pulau Ai , though Maulana hotel is not any more the only place in town, Delfika, the old rival is here but there are more intimate guest houses like Mutiara or Vita, for the benefit of everyone.

The dive centers I was talking about are indonesian owned, only one guide, maybe 2 in the case of Maulana divers.
It's sad to say but probably after Des Alwi's death last year, some local people may have taken the opportunity to set up small local businesses without having to ask beforehand... hence the tourist are not depending on only one operation. I am not sure it's a bad thing as long as they're not all the 5 star PADI resort style.

 

[burnerking]

Pulau Weh: If you are experienced, be sure to dive the sophie rickmers (WW2 wreck lying @ 55-70 meters) also PAntee Pineutung and Shark Plateau on tokong for black tips, loads of fish, and amazing sea fans down below 30 meters.

Komodo: mus dive cannibal rock and yellow wall for colorful crinoid covered reefs, amazing macro, and nice soft coral, dive makassar for mantas and bamboo sharks, Crystal rock for white tips and grey reef sharks.

For Indonesian Boreno be sure to dive the islands of derawan, sangalaki, and kakaban. Kakaban for barracuda schools and sharks, and of course a surface interval on the amazing jellyfish lake. Dive sangalaki for mantas and if you're lucky a leopard shark or two, dive derawan for turtles and stunning macro. All 3 islands can be dived in one day from Derawan island.

Thanks for the info. All those Komodo sites, are they accessible from Flores as day trips?

Here's our itinerary so far, I plan to try and dive in all places:

Palau Weh
Bali
Lombok
Gili
Flores (Komodo)
Togean Islands
Manado/Bunaken

Derawen sounds like it'll be a great and did plan to go to Borneo at some point later on.

 

[Luko]

Thanks for the info. All those Komodo sites, are they accessible from Flores as day trips?

Not half of them. All southern Komodo sites (Cannibal rock, yellow wall) are only accessible on liveaboards. The most northern sites like Crystal or Castle rock are accessible on day trips when the waves coming from south Sulawesi are not too rough, if not the central Komodo sites like Batu Bolong are mostly fine on daytrips.

Palau Weh
Bali
Lombok
Gili
Flores (Komodo)
Togean Islands
Manado/Bunaken

You wouldn't miss much skipping Lombok and Gili on your dive itinerary.
Togeans... oh well... we've read a so so report lately on this board... and it surpized no one.
Manado/Bunaken... in the same area you forgot Bangka and Lembeh in your list which are a lot better than Bunaken.

 

[burnerking]

Lombok and Gili's are more for just chilling. Was thinking of a dive or two, but maybe best to save money for better dive locations - or put it towards Komodo liveaboard. I read about CN and that it's relatively cheap, it got a rave review by NickLongFellow on here. I don't care much for luxury, just good diving so CN is an option.

Togean again is for sightseeing, I've read mixed reports about the diving. I'll still do some diving there and see.

Isn't Bangka liveaboard only?

 

[tangfish]

Bring your wetsuit. Regardless of temperature you'll want the exposure protection of a full suit. Also, you will get chilly from doing multiple dives.

As far as Mantas, hit up the diving off of Bali if you arrive to DPS. You'll find them pretty easy around Nusa Penida (boat out of Padangbai). If you're there in the right season you might see mola mola too!

Have a great trip and don't forget to post pics and/or updates!

 

[Luko]

Isn't Bangka liveaboard only?

Not at all, it's all daytrips from Bangka/Pulisan area based resorts like Murex Bangka, Mimpi Indah, Blue Bay or even the budget Pulisan resort (which is not a dive but mor eof a eco resort).

Some operators from Lembeh and Manado also propose Bangka daytrips paying a supplément.

 

[BLUESEASONBALI]

Sounds like an amazing trip; hope it all goes to plan for you.
Give me a shout if you are still looking for any help on your stay in Bali and i will be more than happy to PM you with some information.