Raja Ampat
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The richest and the most diverse part of Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat Archipelago, also known as “4 Kings”, is built of 4 main islands (from North to South: Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool) and hundreds of islets. Countless numbers of endemic species, marine inhabitants and a variety of corals were first discovered in these waters. It is totally worth one time to see it more than a hundred times to hear talking about it!
Raja Ampat is the synonym of diversity in Indonesia, and not only diversity of marine species, but also of local dive sites. You can find perfection of reef diving, inspiring congregations of fishes, while large pelagics will surround you at every corner of this archipelago. With a good reason this is one of the best destinations for liveaboard diving. Divers of all levels and certifications can find in this heaven a place of interest: from shallow shores and reefs to breathtaking drop offs, luring caves, and even black sand bottoms with seagrass islands. You can meet huge numbers of schooling fish, including but not limited to barracuda, horse eye jacks, and marauding sharks, as well as creatures of all sizes from whale sharks to nudibranchs!
Diving and Marine Life
For the first comers to Indonesia, North would be the perfect choice. Here the dive sites are located closer to each other and are full of marine diversity. You can find dive sites with lots of fishes, macro sites, Manta dives, amazing coral gardens, and even shark dives – this is the perfect toolkit for a beginner. Southern itineraries can interest with their amazing sea fans, soft corals, steep pinnacles and submerged reef mounds mobbed by really huge schools of fish. The Nudi Rock and Boo Windows are the most popular dive sites of the South and can offer magnificent coral formations for a more dramatic effect. While the visibility is lower in the South, its plankton attracts an outstanding number of large animals from Napoleon wrasse to reef sharks and Manta rays.
Raja Ampat is a perfect place to see everything and at the same time. There are 31 whale and dolphin species found in all of Indonesia, and more than a half can be spotted here. Large pelagics that you are likely to see here include schools of Dogtooth tuna, Giant trevallies, lots of sharks, including Whitetip, Blacktip, and Wobbegong sharks.
Manta Ridge and Manta Sandy are two dive sites where Manta rays can be seen in abundance. To meet these fabulous creatures for sure, come between October and April. Even such rare creatures as Dugong have been spotted at these dive sites.
Should you be interested in whales, come to Raja Ampat between June and August. The numerous small dolphins will surround you at most dive sites here, while Sperm, Baleen, Bryde’s and other large whales will be at your disposition around Cenderawasih Bay dive site.
Demo-Liveaboards offer 12 nights (11 days) itineraries, yet for shorter trips 6 nights (5 days) tours are available. Marine life is one more reason why this place is called luxury Raja Ampat liveaboard experience.
Program
Best time to go
Indonesia in general is a perfect place with all-year-round good weather, yet here are some of its peculiarities.Traditionally, the season at Raja Ampat is between October and April. This is the time with the least amount of precipitation, wind, and choppy waters. This is also the Manta rays season here, so if you love relaxing and comfortable conditions, welcome to Raja Ampat.
The rainy or wet season comes here twice a year: November-December and July-August. These months collect the biggest amounts of rain, so may not be the most pleasant for liveaboard diving. However, if you cannot change your dates, you can move your itinerary to Cenderawasih Bay to spend time with whale sharks.
Water temperature is more or less constant throughout the year here and varies between 28℃ and 30℃ (82-86℉). In terms of visibility Raja Ampat is always unpredictable, and you cannot fit your itinerary into some precise “best dates”. In case you have never been here before, it is advised to choose round trip within Raja Ampat to ensure that even in the South, for instance, you caught bad visibility, then the next day in the North will compensate it to the full.
Komodo National Park
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Natural Marine Park and World Heritage Site, Komodo has been also rated as a “New 7 Wonders of the World”. Komodo Liveaboard diving is all about diversity! Located in between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans together with the Flores Sea, Komodo National Park features two completely different marine environments. From large pelagics to tiny macro creatures underwater, these islands also represent high interest with their endemic land inhabitants.
Diving and Marine Life
The Komodo National Park is one of the richest and most diverse marine environments not just in Indonesia, but in the whole world. It encompasses over a thousand species of fish and 250 species of corals. The park is divided by divers into its northern and southern parts due to the distinctly different marine environments and their inhabitants. The north is famous for more luxury liveaboard Komodo itineraries due to the warmer water and better visibility, while the south is the home for large pelagic creatures, such as whales sharks, dugongs, and Manta rays.
If you love warm water, then North Komodo itineraries are just what you wanted! The average water temperature here is between 27-28℃ (80-82℉), so a short-sleeved 3 mm suit would be absolutely enough here. The visibility is also better in the north than in the south and reaches 25-35 m (82-115 ft). The sea life is typical here for most tropical seas: colorful combinations of hard and soft corals, large schools of Anthias, the amazing Angel Fish, reef sharks and Giant Trevally.
South Komodo is well-known for its cooler waters; the average temperature here is between 22-24℃ (71-75℉). For itineraries in this region full length suits with hoods are recommended. The visibility here is between 7-18 m (23-60 ft). The waters in the south are rich with plankton coming from the depth of the Indian Ocean. Due to the currents and plankton the underwater life is flourishing here at all times. You can find soft corals, large branching corals, and fans in plenty. The South is famous for its Makassar Reef & Manta Alley where Manta rays and Mola Mola can be spotted with the highest probability. Rinca Island is the best place to meet with the Komodo Dragons.
Most trips here are regularly 7 nights (8 days) long, yet we also offer 12 nights (11 days) tours as well as shorter trips 3-4 nights (4-5 days).
Program
Best time to go
Diving conditions on Komodo Islands depend on the time of the year you get here. Dry season lasts from April and up till November; rainy season starts at the end of November and lasts until March. The highest season for Komodo liveaboard diving is between July and August, so if you’d like to avoid fuss and crowds, choose your dates wisely. In case you are interested in seeing the specialties of Komodo, then you need to be more picky. While Mantas can be seen here all year round, the peak of their activity is between December and February. Don’t be afraid of the wet season because generally even if it rains it happens when you are under the water. Mola Mola fish is mostly seen in August around Nusa Penida dive site. Whales and sharks can also be found all year round, yet September through November are considered the best months for whale sharks and sperm whales. The water temperature in Komodo region is generally between 20-25℃ (68-77℉) in the south and 25-28℃ (77-83℉) in the north. The visibility is also always high, but it gets over 30 m (98 ft) between November and January when the water cools down and the season drops a little.