Frequently Asked Questions
What is a liveaboard diving cruise?
Indonesia liveaboards provide diving facilities and living accommodations for divers. The boat becomes your home and you eat, sleep and dive on it! Liveaboard boats stay at sea for the duration of the cruise and therefore can explore more remote dive sites. This type of diving opens up a whole world of top class diving opportunities that would simply not be available on regular day trip dive boats.
How many dives will I make per day?
Generally you can make four dives a day. A typical Indonesia liveaboard cruise day starts at 07:00 hrs with the first dive, the last dive being either a sunset dive or night dive. You have about three hours between dives, at your leisure.
When is the best time to dive?
The Indonesia liveaboards cruise season runs all year round. The area is so vast that there is always somewhere to dive. The weather over the Indian Ocean and southern Komodo area is at its calmest during the months of late November to January, and this is when visibility is at its best. The weather over the Pacific Ocean and northern Komodo area is at its calmest during the months of late June to September. The Bali area can be dived all year round, but the sites are best dived April to May and October to November. Mola Mola (Sunfish) season is around June to September.
What diving license do I need?
A PADI Open Water Diving license is acceptable for Indonesia and Bali liveaboards provided you have an intermediate level of diving experience. Similar licenses from any other internationally recognised diving association are also acceptable. Although there are some deep and exposed dive sites, there are enough easy dive sites and enough dive guides on board so that you will never need to dive beyond your limits.
To make the most of your adventure and to extend your dive training you may wish to take your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver license on board. Certification is normally discounted to about half price. See the "facilities" information tab of each boat for course prices on board.
Are there any strong currents?
Most of the dive sites visited in Bali and Komodo can have strong currents.
This area of the world is renowned for the strongest oceanic currents
in the world. Current strengths depend on the site, time of month
and time of day. Your Dive Guide will advise you in your dive briefings.
Generally, there is never an occasion when you need to swim against
a strong current.
I don't have my diving license with me, can I still dive?
If you have a PADI certification, we can check your details direct with PADI. Please provide your name as it appears on your card and your date of birth. If you contact the dive centre where you were certified, they can help you obtain a new card before you travel.
Can I dive on my own?
Indonesia liveaboards are recreational diving boats, and as such follow recreational diving guidelines. This means you'll be expected to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 40 metres and observe safe diving time limits. If you prefer to dive without a dive guide, then this is not a problem provided you have all the equipment necessary to conduct dives unassisted i.e. dive computer or timing device, safety balloon, compass and dive knife.
Do I need a wetsuit?
Due to deep oceanic upwellings the seas can be surprising cool. Temperatures vary from 19 to 28°C. We recommend at least a 5mm full length wetsuit, and hood and gloves if you are susceptible to heat loss. A wetsuit also provides protection from jellyfish and poor buoyancy control.
Can I recharge my strobes and batteries?
Usually this is not a problem on board Indonesia and Bali liveaboards. Please review the "specs" information tab for details of the power sources provided on each boat.
What type of tanks and valves are on the boats?
All boats carry 12 litre aluminium tanks with yoke or A-clamp international valves as standard. If you have a DIN regulator, you should bring an adaptor, or you can rent one. 10 or 15 litre tanks are available for rent in advance, and Enriched Air Nitrox is available on some boats. See the "facilities" information tab of each boat for more details.
Can I rent an underwater camera?
Some boats have cameras available for rent. See the "facilities" information tab of each boat for more details. Please request these in advance to ensure availability.
What kind of food is served?
Please review the "food" information tab for details of food served on each of the cruises. Generally, the standard of cuisine is good throughout the industry here.
Can I request vegetarian food?
Please review the "food" information tab for details of dietary requirements that can be met on each Indonesia liveaboard cruise. Please do tell us your requirements at the time you make your booking, so that we can meet your request.
Can I bring alcohol onboard?
You can bring what you like on board all Indonesia and Bali liveaboards. If you have a favourite tipple or taste, feel free to bring it along.
Where can you pick me up from?
We can arrange transfers to your liveaboard from your hotel, or from the airport if you arrive just before your boat departure. Please advise us of your preferred transfer point two weeks before you arrive.
What should I bring on board?
All your personal diving equipment (except tanks, weights and weight belts), a bathing suit, towel, toiletries, T-shirts, shorts, and sun cream. You may also want to bring something a little warmer for the evenings.
Where can I leave my excess baggage when I go on a cruise?
If your hotel can not help you store your baggage, then bring it on board. Our cruises are on large boats with plenty of space. They can accommodate most eventualities!
Will I get sea sick?
Seasickness can be a problem, particularly when travelling over the larger deep water channels between the islands, such as between Bali and Lombok.
However, most of your cruise time is spent close to the islands, sheltered away from any open sea swells.
If you are particularly susceptible to motion sickness, then you should consider joining a Bali liveaboard cruise in June or October, when the seas are calm.
Is dive insurance for customers included in the cruise price?
Some Indonesia liveaboards provide insurance. For details please review the
"safety" information tab for each boat. Bali, Java and
Manado (Sulawesi) have (expensive) re-compression chambers. We recommend
you have your own personal dive insurance, for your own peace of
mind.
Is Malaria a problem?
Bali is generally free of Malaria. Outbreaks occur occasionally in rainy season in the far north west. Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya are malarial areas, and if you spend time in the rural areas here, you will need to consider anti-malarial medication. Please consult your doctor before travelling, however, it is highly unlikely you will contract malaria if you are visiting these areas by liveaboard boat ONLY.
Can a non-diver go on a liveaboard?
Non-divers and snorkellers are welcome on all Indonesia liveaboards. Most of the dive sites visited offer good snorkelling too. Do bear in mind though that the cruises are designed for diving, not snorkelling. Prices for non-divers are usually discounted 10%, sometimes more, but please ask for exact details. Although this sounds quite a small discount, boat operators will tell you that if you are not diving, then you will be on the boat eating all the food! Anyway, you are taking a space that would otherwise be available to a diver.
Do I have to share a cabin?
As space is the ultimate premium on liveaboards, single cabins are extremely rare and expensive. Unless we manage to book you a single cabin, you will be expected to share. It may be, if the boat is not full and there are an odd number of passengers, that you can have your own cabin, but this situation can not be guaranteed. The only way to guarantee a cabin for yourself is to pay for two beds! Please review the "cabins" information tab of each boat for more details on the types of cabin available.
Can I explore the beaches at the islands?
You have three hours surface interval between each dive, so as long as your liveaboard is not travelling between dive sites, you are free to do want you want. Please do advise the tour leader before and each time you disembark from the boat.
What about tipping?
Tipping in Indonesia is entirely a matter of choice. If your Indonesia liveaboard cruise met or exceeded your expectations, you may wish to leave a tip of up to 10% of your cruise price. Smaller tips are welcome too!
Will I see sharks?
We certainly hope so! White-tip Reef Sharks are the most common and seen on all trips. Whale Shark and Manta Ray sightings are possible too, but not frequent — keep your fingers crossed!
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