|
Unparalled
bio-diversity
A macro-photographer's ultimate fantasy
Critters that
simply defy the human imagination
|
A note from
Dom |
|
|
|
Indonesia
. . . . .
If anyone pressed me to name my Number One
favorite destination in the world, Indonesia is probably
the one that would pop out of my mouth first.
Then, of course, I would modify that response by saying
that each destination is special for different reasons
and that Number One is an impossible concept!
However, nothing can alter the fact that I have a
special place in my heart for Indonesia.
I've spent a great deal of time in this vast & exotic
island nation and I love the land, the people, the
culture, the climate . . . and on top of all of
that the diving is as superior as you can find anywhere
- as are the boats & resorts serving the destination.
In short, while it IS possible to find
other destinations with the same complex allure, those
destinations are few.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider first, if
you're thinking about diving Indonesia, is that you
don't just dive Indonesia, you dive a region of
Indonesia - and only part of that! With its
roughly 17,000 islands the number of choices is simply
mind-boggling!
You have Komodo & the Alor Islands in the south - and
the finest of land resorts up north in Sulawesi. Then,
you have the remote rush of Raja Ampat
in the far eastern region and Ambon & the Banda
Sea between.
And one can't forget the wonders of Bali nor the
magic of Kalimantan, the Indonesian side of Borneo,
where you can experience not only lovely diving
but can also add on a visit to an Orangutan
rehabilitation camp.
This island nation offers divers an absolutely complete
spectrum of possibilities and I can't recommend it
highly enough.
Cheers, Dom |
|
|
INDONESIA
An Overview |
|
|
|
Should you be seeking fabulous wall dives, throbbing schools of fish, the captivating colors of diverse reef fish and healthy coral gardens - you can find them in Indonesia.
If you want the world's best “muck” diving - searching for the tiniest & most extravagant of Earth’s creatures - you can find it in Indonesia.
If you want a mix of big animals - mantas,
sharks, dolphins & whales - calm waters
or ripping currents - even a bit of
wreck diving . . . you can find it all in
Indonesia
Not, however, all in one spot. So let's take a look at the regions.
Bali - the cultural capital of Indonesia, is also home to some beautiful diving sites, including great wreck diving right off the beach at Tulamben, Mola Mola diving at Nusa Penida and awesome macro diving all around the island.
Ambon & the Banda Sea - only recently accessible after years of strife, Ambon offers incredible macro diving and is the gateway to Misool and the Banda Sea.
Kalimantan -
the southern part of the island better known as Borneo, Kalimantan is the jumping-off point for diving at Derawan, Sangalaki, and Nabucco Islands. The diving here is known for color, clarity of waters and Sangalaki, in particular, for its Manta population.
Komodo - home to fabulous soft corals & reef fish, plus sharks & mantas enough to make every dive an adventure. In the opinion of many divers Komodo is the pen-ultimate diving experience in Indonesia.
Raja Ampat - The other school of thought is that Raja Ampat is the pinnacle of Indonesian diving. It's sort of the outer limits of diving on our planet, with a vast variety that is hard to equal & there's plenty of room for exploration & the discovery of new site. The bio-diversity is reputed to be the greatest found anywhere.
Sulawesi - host to some of the most fascinating spots in the world for divers. In the south, you have the renowned
Wakatobi Resort, acclaimed for its pristine and protected reefs. In the north, you find the Bunaken National Marine Park, rich with a diversity of corals & the volcanic Sangihe archipelago - plus the undisputed critter capital of the world - the Lembeh Straits.
Details of all boats & resorts coming soon - but for now, see the information below and feel free to contact us directly for further information. |
|
|
|
|
Liveaboards & Resorts |
|
Many divers prefer the live-aboard experience for exploring the vast underwater wonderland in Indonesia but there are several resorts that we highly recommend & which offer equally intoxicating and particularly unique dive adventures.
Let's start with
Komodo
where you'll find a smorgasbord of excellent choices.
Kararu Voyages' beautiful
Phinisi schooner, the
Cheng Ho, offers diving in both Komodo, Raja Ampat and across the Banda Sea from Ambon to Flores. She
will continue to be available only for large charter groups.
For individuals and small groups, she has been replaced by the splendid
Sea Horse,
which has been added to the Kararu Voyages fleet.
Click for the more on the Sea Horse
>>>
or the Cheng Ho
>>>
Another favorite, the
Pindito, also a traditionally-styled Indonesian vessel, offers voyages in all of the richest waters at the best time of year for each region. Click
here for details
>>>
The beautiful
Siren
started operations to Komodo in 2008. In June
2009, she was joined by her new sister ship, the
Philippine Siren,
who has now moved to her own home in the Philippines.
In 2010, a 3rd ship, the Mandarin Siren, begins her
regular route in the Raja Ampat & Banda Sea regions. Check out the
details
here
>>>
In
Raja Ampat, Max Ammer’s two resorts –
Sorido Bay and
Kri Eco Resort
offer some of the region’s best diving on their doorstep, while another stunning new resort which opened to visitors in 2008 is the
Misool Eco Resort.
As of June 2008, the
Ocean Rover has permanently moved from its long-term home in Thailand, to new owners in Indonesia and will operate from
Manado for part of the year and
Raja Ampat at other times
Another new addition to the luxury end of the market is the Peter Hughes
Paradise Dancer which started operation in April 2008, with itineraries in
North Sulawesi &
Raja Ampat.
The following is a list of perhaps our favorite
boats in the Archipelago. We'll be adding
additional information as the work on the website
develops:
|
|
Sea
Horse
& Cheng Ho |
Pelagian |
Ocean Rover |
Tambora |
|
Pindito |
Damai |
Shakti |
Grand Komodo
Fleet |
Komodo Dancer
&
Paradise Dancer |
Siren |
Raja Ampat
Explorer |
Samata |
|
Adelaar |
Ondina
|
Mermaid I |
Mona Lisa &
Charlie |
|
Seven Seas |
Bidadari |
Aurora |
Archipelago
Adventurer |
|
|
|
Indonesia also offers fabulous resorts renowned for their comfort and accessibility to the reefs.
Amongst the best of these are Wakatobi Resort, while in
North Sulawesi it’s hard to beat the lovely
Lembeh Resort
on the fabled
Lembeh Straits.
Kungkungan Bay just across the Straits is also a top-notch choice.
The
Minahasa Lagoon Resort is considered the finest resort on the mainland with a German/Italian owner and fine attention to detail. Many people feel that the house reef at Minahasa rivals Lembeh Straits and we offer a package to stay at both resorts. The island resorts of Gangga and Siladen are right in the national park and offer
unparalleled access to the best sites.
The
Thalassa Dive Center
at the Santika Hotel and
Eco Divers at Tasik Ria, accessible by charter flight, also receive super reviews for their service, hospitality and access to
Bunaken’s finest reefs.
Other great resort options - just off Kalimantan - are
Sangalaki, Derawan, and
Nabucco Island while in the
Alor
Islands, you have
Alor Divers who have a boutique eco resort and Dive Alor, a very professionally run dive center managed by Ecodivers and enjoying superb reviews.
Finally, Bali
offers truly excellent critter diving in places like
Secret Bay and
Tulamben, and pelagic action at
Nusa
Penida – one of the few places in the world where Mola Mola congregate. We know
Bali well and are happy to arrange itineraries depending on your needs and wishes.
For more detailed information on any of these destinations, please don't hesitate to contact us by telephone or by email. We'll respond to your request immediately.
|
|
|
|
|
THIS PAGE IS IN DEVELOPMENT
We invite you to revisit the site frequently for the latest additions.
For further information, while we are working on the site, you can contact:
Dominick Macan
DIVE ADVICE TRAVEL
Phone: +33 492 940 299 (from outside of France)
Phone: 04 92 94 02 99 (from France)
|
|
|
.jpg)
