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Dive Review of Grand Komodo, Raja Ampat Dive Lodge/Raja Ampat Dive Lodge in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat Dive Lodge

Grand Komodo, Raja Ampat Dive Lodge/Raja Ampat Dive Lodge, Jul, 2013,

by Terry H Anderson, TX, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 28 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 7082.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 5 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This is our 7th time with Grand Komodo in 11 years, so obviously I think Grand Komodo is outstanding. Each time we return we take new divers, and they are amazed with Grand Komodo and the diving. This year there were 5 of us. This was or our second time to RADL, and we all agreed that it has great facilities, and delicious food. It is located about a 90 to 120 minute high speed boat ride from the port city of Sorong.
At RADL you will see turtles, eels, electric and giant clams, scorpion and crocodile fish, and large schools of fusiliers, barracuda, tang, yellow tail snappers, batfish, and the occasional small schools of hunting mackerel and tuna. Unfortunately, although we saw 6 to 8 white and black-tips on this 6 day trip, there are not as many sharks as last year, and the previous years. We did see a healthy number of Woebegone sharks.
While I love RADL, I have to admit that last year's trip was better; it was the "RADL Combo." That trip is a few days at the Lodge and about a week on the Live-a-board, and that means that you get up farther north in Raja Ampat, and have a better chance of not seeing anyone else and seeing critters like Bamboo sharks.
Nevertheless, and overall, RADL is a fabulous dive lodge, staffed with friendly people, a great cook, superb DMs, and we look forward to returning!
Websites Grand Komodo, Raja Ampat Dive Lodge   Raja Ampat Dive Lodge

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving All over the World
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather cloudy Seas calm
Water Temp 84-86°F / 29-30°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 30-100 Ft/ 9-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Dive your own profile. Some dives were over 100 feet, but most were about 80 and then begin ascent.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities 5 stars
UW Photo Comments We all took cameras and our laptops and viewed our pictures every night.
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Subscriber's Comments

By philip nicozisis in FL, US at Aug 12, 2013 03:03 EST  
How do you get to the port city for the boat transfer and do they offer nitrox ?
By report author: Terry H Anderson in TX, US at Aug 12, 2013 09:43 EST  
Grand Komodo also is a travel agent, so they will arrange all flights inside Indonesia. We flew on Lion Air from Manado to Sorong, the port city in Raja Ampat, but in the past have flown from Bali. Tian, chief of reservations, will set up the flights, and any hotels: chief-resa@gkradl.com I don't use nitrox so ask tian if they have nitrox. All the dives are about 70 minutes, usually with the last 20 minutes under 10 meters. Best, TA
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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