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Dive Review of Dive Damai in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat

Dive Damai, Mar, 2012,

by David E Reubush, VA, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 68 reports with 35 Helpful votes). Report 6703.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This was my 3rd trip to Raja Ampat and 2nd there with Burt Jones in 3 years. You might get the impression from this that I like the diving there and that would be a correct impression. I'd recommend Raja Ampat to anyone who wants to see the best fish life and corals in the world. (I'll refer you to last year's report to avoid saying the same things again.) Last year I was on the Seven Seas with Burt and Maurine and this year it was the Damai 2 with Burt. Going with Burt (and Maurine) gets you the expertise of the folks who wrote the books on diving this area and the site selection can't be beat. The Seven Seas was a great boat, but the Damai 2 takes live-aboard diving to a whole new level. The cabins are large, the camera room rivals that of a shore-based operation, the crew is outstanding, etc. etc. My only minor complaint is that the food is better on the Damai 1. What I want to focus this report on is the weather. My previous trips were in April and May and the weather was wonderful. This trip was in March and, while the rainy season was supposed to be over, it rained constantly. This resulted in much lower visibility than I was used to and made getting up in the morning and trying to put on a soaking wet wetsuit in the pouring down rain down right unpleasant. So, if you're going to make the investment in time, money, and the ordeal of getting there I'd advise avoiding the rainy season, but definitely go and you won't be disappointed.
Websites Dive Damai   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Australia, Belize, Bimini, Bonaire, Caymans, Curacao, Galapagos, Indonesia (Wakatobi, Raja Ampat, Komodo), Philippines, Red Sea, Southern Bahamas, St. Thomas, Turks & Caicos
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather windy, cloudy Seas calm, currents
Water Temp 82-86°F / 28-30°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 25-60 Ft/ 8-18 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Don't do anything stupid
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 4 stars

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Damai 2 has the largest camera room of any live-aboard I have ever been on. Lots of room, even with everybody being photographers. Individual rinse tanks for everybody's cameras. Crew very careful with camera gear. It doesn't get much better than this, even compared with shore-based operations.
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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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