Where to go in Indonesia, 10 days, budget

[Captain Majestic]

Hi I'm planning on going to Indonesia either solo or with another friend for 10 days of diving. My budget will probably be around $3000 AUD and am looking for the best bang for buck diving. I would really like to see some mantas and whale sharks as well as some macro stuff. I will be travelling some time in January or February, not %100 sure yet. Budget doesn't include airfare but includes gear, hire, accommodation, other fees.

Would appreciate your advice

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[Wingy]

North Sulawesi - Lembeh is great for macro stuff - Bunaken, Bangka and Lembeh is a nice 10 day stop and you may find you have change from your 3K budget..for Whale Sharks you will probably not have much luck unless you get to Cenderawasi but that will squeeze your budget. Mantas - Manta Point Penida is a pretty much odds on. Komodo and Flores may be other options. Pulau Weh in Sumatra is another option. Bunaken and Lembeh are easy diving, you may want a few more dives before some of the other options as you can run into some pretty funky currents.
Are you looking for topside entertainment and activities or is the diving the main factor?

 

[Captain Majestic]

I'm mainly going for diving so everything else is secondary, I prefer bigger stuff like pelagics and whatnot but macro is fine too, and lots of colourful coral for photography.

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[Luko]

I'm mainly going for diving so everything else is secondary, I prefer bigger stuff like pelagics and whatnot but macro is fine too, and lots of colourful coral for photography.

Then I would suggest it's either Komodo or Bali (Nusa Penida/Amuk Bay).

 

[Captain Majestic]

I've heard that komodo can get pretty pricy for people on a budget with the accommodation and boats etc

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[vladimir]

There aren't many pelagics or sharks left in Indonesia. Reconsider your destination if that's a priority. Bali gets molas but you'll be traveling off-season for that. Raja Ampat is pricy. PNG, Palau, or Ningaloo might be better choices, but might also be difficult to do on a budget.

You could get a cheap flight to HK or Shanghai and visit the fins of the sharks in any restaurant that serves soup.

 

[moonypixels]

January and February are actually the completely wrong months for Komodo diving. You could be lucky with the weather but very few liveaboards are around Komodo at that time. February is one of the windiest, rainiest and roughest months around there... The visibilities and water temperatures round South komodo are absolutely sweet though ;-)
Manta's at that time: Raja Ampat and some places around Komodo (needs a bit of luck though).
Whalesharks: Except for Cenderawasih Bay you're looking at the wrong country if you ask me. We've seen a small Whaleshark twice in this 2012/2013 season and I consider ourselves lucky... One in South Raja Ampat and one East of Alor (Wetar Island) coming down from the Banda Sea!
Bali is great in Jan and Feb because there's only half the amount of tourists around. If you want to see Mantas, stay on Penida and dive from there rather than doing expensive and long daytrips from Bali.
On the other hand, with 3'000 AUD in Jan and Feb I would rather go on a cheap (but good) liveaboard around Raja Ampat...

 

[vladimir]

Mike Veitch, a Scubaboard member, can almost guarantee whalesharks in Raja Ampat, if he's still organizing trips. Not on a budget though.

 

[moonypixels]

There aren't many pelagics or sharks left in Indonesia. Reconsider your destination if that's a priority. Bali gets molas but you'll be traveling off-season for that. Raja Ampat is pricy. PNG, Palau, or Ningaloo might be better choices, but might also be difficult to do on a budget.

You could get a cheap flight to HK or Shanghai and visit the fins of the sharks in any restaurant that serves soup.

I tend to agree with you Vladimir but why so negative? Do you eat Fish? If no, I can accept your statement and your negativity. If yes, I would need a lot of space to write down my answer to you because you'd actually be part of the reasons why there is a decline of all of it...
I see you're from/living in Singapore... Start to make a change over there mate. Too many Chinese Restaurants serving Sharkfins there for my liking... Don't talk negative but educate in a good way, kill the demand for it and there won't be any supply needed!!!

 

[boletus1973]

I've heard that komodo can get pretty pricy for people on a budget with the accommodation and boats etc

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hi captain... yes, you can do a very expensive luxury liveaboard... but there are also cheaper options in komodo..
for 200usd a day you can do a nice LOB on a beautiful&clean boat.... also cheaper if you are adaptable...
i do it three times and it was a dream... but there, you can expect colorful coral reefs..good macro.. some pelagics.. many mantas... white tips everywhere, some grey reef shark.. but... opsss.. i never see a whale shark... but also without whale sharks komodo is one of the best place where i dive in indonesia... i've already booked 9 days of LOB the next august but in gen-feb you have to be lucky with the weather... the south is very good
if you need some advice i'm here... go there with your friend.. is easiest to organize
bye
bol.

---------- Post added April 27th, 2013 at 08:03 AM ----------

Bali is great in Jan and Feb because there's only half the amount of tourists around. If you want to see Mantas, stay on Penida and dive from there rather than doing expensive and long daytrips from Bali.

i totally agree.. for diving penida, the best is to stay at lembongan island and diving from there... i do both options and from lembongan is very comfy..