Dive Review of
Papua Diving/Sorido Bay Resort in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat

Palau, Maldives, Sipadan, Similan Islands, Red Sea, Cayman, Maui,
Manado/Bunaken/Lembeh/Bali.

Dive Conditions

maximum dive time 70 minutes  

Dive guides very knowldegeable and facilitate showing different sea
creatures at same time so that photographers do not crowd each other out at
the same creature.  

Overall Rating

This was my second time and even better than I remembered it 14 months
earlier. It is a truly unique and exquisite place that is well worth the
time to get there and I am very lucky to have had the chance to experience
diving there. 

Sorido Bay is a totally different experience than its sister resort, Kri
Resort, which was featured in the May 2006 issue of Undercurrent. I was
surprised to hear that subscriber Donald Gard found "damaged reefs
that were not up to par". All my diving was with the divers from Kri
Resort, who were very happy with the service and diving, and the only
complaint I heard was the lack of warm water in the shower from one of the
ladies. If comforts matter to you, then go for Sorido Bay, with large
airconditioned rooms that are tastefully decorated and have a lot of
privacy. Food was generally good, with some fantastic Indonesian dishes
(notablly great soups at dinner and a salad with raw fruits and hot pepper
sauce). But limited fresh salad and fruits, probably reflecting the
transport distance for supplies. In spite of his overwhelming
responsibilties supervising the expansion of the resort and initiating
conservation projects in the area, Max Ammer was the most gracious host and
his company and conversation unmatched by any other on my many travels.  

All the dives were very good to excellent, with schools of fish swimming
harmoniously back and forth. We had no trouble with old boat engines,
although one or two new boats were on order and to have been delivered in
September. 

The service was excellent with everyone going out of their way to
anticipate and accomodate your wishes, and to arrange for you to dive at
the sites you choose or to join the dive group of your choice. I was
especially lucky that I even managed to get some 6am morning dives even
though these are not normally on the schedule (and rare in Indonesia). The
exporatory trip to dive under the mangroves was quite a special treat as
I'd never experienced that or imagined so much coral and sea life to live
write under the mangroves roots.

All in all, my favorite dive destination and I cannot wait to return! 

I hear it is going to be featured in an upcoming National Geographic
article, and hope other divers enjoy it without spoiling its pristine
marine eco-system. 

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