Two weeks Indonesia – one week liveaboard Komodo National Park, one week luxury Bali Villa, October 2023 (sold out)
Trip Report
Happy to report, Bali and Komodo exceeded our expectations!
This was our first (certainly not the last) trip to Indonesia. There is room on the Feb Raja Ampat trip. We have been hearing wonderful things about the culture, food and diving for years and the rumors are all true!
Our trip started in the small seaside town of Amed, Bali. One single lane lined with small hotels and tiny guest houses, restaurants, bars, massage spas and more dive shops that you can imagine. We arrived a few days before our divers so we could get the lay of the land and have the road paved and easy with a local dive shop all set up, figure out the best place to have a ($10 per hour!!) massage and a delicious ($5 or under) lunch. It’s hard work, but someone has to do it.
The 5 room private villa is beautiful, overlooking the ocean. King size canopy beds, ice cold air con, ornately detailed natural outdoor showers, lush tropical outdoor lounge area with an inviting infinity pool. There are several very good restaurants and spas in the immediate area, walking is no problem, or you can give a little notice and the villa’s private driver will be happy to drive you to any place in the Amed area, it’s included with the villa. Breakfast was a treat. Fresh papaya, dragon fruit, watermelon… You could get bacon and eggs, or the local fried noodle or fried rice or banana pancake. Just choose the evening before and your choice appears in the fresh air dining area in the morning.
The local dive shop collects the divers/snorkelers after breakfast. Once you show the dive guides how you like your gear set up, you don’t have to worry about it again! They set it up, carry it to the transport, take it to the beach/boat, take it back after the dives, wash it and store it until the next day. Super service, and so easy for us! They threw us a party at end of week. Video of dive shop “safety dance”.
Diving in Amed was varied, and I don’t mean good/bad. It was so different! We dove the famous Liberty wreck, which lived up to the reputation. There was everything from barracuda and big sweetlips to nudibranch, peacock mantis shrimp and ornate ghost pipefish! What’s not to like? Muck diving sounds gross, but it is really just diving without a big reef structure. We did quite a few muck dives in Amed. There isn’t any muck! lol There was sand, some small sea grass/sponges/rocks/corals and a ton of weird life! From seahorses (pigmy and standard), nudibranch of many colors and sizes, pipefish, hairy shrimp, squat lobsters, ghost pipefish, orangutan crabs, teeny tiny frogfish… So many things! Each dive is like an Easter egg hunt. Stupendous week in Amed! So glad we are going back.
Mermaid II liveaboard was recommended to us by one of our well traveled dive friends. (Thanks V!) The experience was even better than we anticipated. The dive crew was a well oiled machine. Our gear was always ready, tanks full. They even put our fins on for us in the rib boat before dives. Top notch service! The guides really have an eye for the critters. Famous dive sites like Manta Alley(so many mantas, close up and personal!), Shotgun, where the current rips along and literally shoots you out of the narrows are not to be missed. We had the best night dives, with the most diversity. Stargazers, giant eels, bobtail squid, pigmy squid, halimeda pipefish, mini frogfish, so many shrimp, spanish dancers and too many weird and wonderful things to mention! Best night dives we have ever done!
Food above water was out of this world. Every meal was delicious onboard and Desi made sure we were well taken care of. She even found out who likes it spicy and brought up the heat with some delicious house made sauces.
Halloween night, we had a night dive followed by a little party, complete with spooky decorations and costumes. We even brought some extra dress up things and candy for the crew! There was music and a bit of dancing. Fun night!
Mermaid II made life great by offering massages onboard for 25 Euro per hour. Dezi was a very popular lady with our group of divers! Laundry service was also available onboard, which is wonderful.
Sadly, our time aboard the Mermaid II came to an end and we spent the night in Sanur. Arrangements had been made at a nice restaurant very close to our hotel for a farewell dinner party. Dinner and drinks were delicious! Complements of Matt.
Back to Amed for another week at the private villa, just as wonderful the second time around with new dive friends!
Here are a few pics!
Below is the original trip advertisement for posterity sake:
One week liveaboard to Komodo National Park plus a week in a Bali Villa (sold out)
New dates are Oct/Nov 2023
Island Divers Hawaii Dive Travel, private boat, Oct 28th to Nov 4th, 2023 on the MV Mermaid II
This trip is centered around the 20 passenger liveaboard that departs from Bali on Oct 28th and returns on the Nov 4th, 2023. This one week 20 dive itinerary starts in Bali and dives the Indonesian island chain eastward to Komodo National Park, where we will also visit the dragons on a land-based tour. See the full itinerary below. We have also booked the Villa Candi Matahari for the week before and the week after. This decadently luxurious 5 room private resort only accommodates 10 guests, so you will have to pick the week before or the week after for your land-based resort adventure.
So, trip dates are either: Oct 22nd to Nov 4th 2023 or Oct 28th to Nov 12th. 2023
Oct 22nd to Nov 4th 2023
Sunday, Oct 22nd from Bali (DPS) for transportation 2.5 hours north to Villa Candi Matahari. The resort provides transportation from the airport, or from the overnight hotel (I will be at the hotel). Island Divers clients may arrive from just about anywhere in the world. Matt and Sheila will have your arrival information and organize alternative transportation if you arrive separately from the main part of the group. It is also possible to arrive a day early and stay in the resort area near the airport. We can arrange hotel Akaya Bali Sanur at $90 per night for the room ($45 pp dbl occ). One way cars from the airport can be arranged for $30 for 2 people. These were 2020 rates, may be slightly higher now.
On Oct 28th the resort will transport us as a group to the vessel where we will board between 1pm and 3pm.
On Nov 4th we will leave the boat in the morning and transfer as a group to the Akaya Bali Hotel near Sanur beach for an overnight stay before departure on Nov 5th. Of course, if you wish you can schedule your flight out on the 4th, but we are hoping to have a night on the town together as a group that you might not want to miss.
Oct 28th to Nov 12th. 2023 (sold out)
Komodo Indonesia
This half of the group will be going straight to the liveaboard upon arrival. However, boarding is from 1pm to 3pm on the 28th, so you may need and or want to arrive on the 27th and transfer to the Akaya Bali Hotel. I gather that there is some flexibility in boarding time, but the scheduled boat departure time is 4pm, so if you flight gets much after that better plan on a day early prior to boarding the Mermaid. If you need/want an extra night $90 ($45 per person) for a room and a $30 private car transfer puts you on any schedule you like. We can organize this for you. Rates were 2020, may have increased
From Oct 28th to Nov 4th we are going to have a great time on the Komodo National Park Mermaid itinerary. See that below.
On the 4th we depart the boat and transfer to the Akaya Bali Hotel, included. A night on the town near Sanur beach anyone?
On the 5th of Nov, Sunday, the Villa Candi Matahari transportation will collect us for the 2.5 hour trip up to the resort.
Will need to depart on the morning of the 12th so that they can get ready to welcome their next group of guests. Feel free to ask us to arrange a few more days in the resort area at Akaya Bali Hotel if needed.
The Liveaboard
Download the PDF of the itinerary here.
We start and end in Bali, with some incredible dive sites in between. Besides a land tour seeing the dragons, some highlights that I’m looking forward to: manta alley, wild animals along the beach at Cannibal Rock, possible mola mola sightings, Sangeang Volcano, Moryo Island, ghost pipefish, ribbon eels.
Of course, as with anything on the water, the itinerary is subject to change. What is likely true of this operator just like any other: they are going to give us the best they’ve got, weather and safety permitting. That’s what I’d do. Mermaid Liveaboards also have a great reputation in the industry, and some of our trusted local divers have used them and loved them. There is no reason to expect anything but excellence.
Onboard everything is included except nitrox at $7 a tank or $100 for the week, beers are about $3.50, and t shirts $18 and polos $25. Everything is approximate as they bill in Euros and that means to us it can change. A stop at the duty free may be in order.
One question I always get is about tipping. For a liveaboard, you could go as high as $300 or 10%, but I’d say that is quite a bit for a 20 dive trip, $200 is more like $10 a dive. I think the guide to diver ratio is 1:4 though. Got to remember though their tips are going around the whole boat. If you pin me down I’d say $200, then adjust based on exceeding expectations.
You can do further research on the Mermaid liveaboards here.
Villa Candi Matahari
The group is going to split into 2 for visiting this small private resort. It is basically an exclusive high end private property 2.5 hours up the coast from the airport. One group is going to go before the liveaboard, and one group is going to go after. Matt and Sheila are going to spend the first week in the Villa, and the week after the liveaboard we are going to travel up to the Villa with the group and hang out for a couple of days just to make sure everyone is settled and has a handle on the diving.
This is going to be a little different than our usual trip, as the resort is not actually a dive resort. Here’s what’s included:
Diving from the Villa
For food, we are on our own after breakfast, but the staff is willing to cook for us if we want to have lunch and dinner at the house. We’ll probably do this at least a couple of times, but there are some recommended restaurants in the area. I’m sure the ones catering to tourists are more expensive but more expensive is pretty relative if Bali.
Rooms
There are only 5 rooms in the resort. There is one Panoramic Ocean View Penthouse. First come first serve on that in order of deposit received. That one will only be a $60 upgrade per person for the week. The other 4 rooms are Deluxe Ocean View (2) and Ocean View Villas (2). I’ll ask you your preference in order of deposit received, but there is really no bad rooms in this place, it is all ultra deluxe. Those of you that have been traveling with us for a while know that we usually go for above average, but not the highest end. Well, we have made an exception in Bali, because well, everything is cheaper there and it fits in that price range we (and our guests) are comfortable with.
Random Details
Don’t change money at the airport, apparently better deals are had elsewhere, Villa Candi Matahari staff will steer us in the right direction.
Electric at the resort is 230V/50Hz, some adaptors available, but if you want to bring they look like this
The single occupancy rate on this trip is just twice a double occupancy rate. Triple occupancy not available. Non-divers pay the normal rate.
At the time this trip was put together I found a plane fare from IAH (Houston) to DPS (Bali) for $695, and one from HNL to DPS for $764. $687 out of JFK. These are round trip prices!
Sea temp average is 81F or 27C.
Mola mola are in season up the mid October, that’s why we pushed the fall trip earlier, maybe we will get lucky. I hope so. 
While beer in Bali is cheap, spirits are even more than US prices. You are allowed 1L to bring in the country. You should do it. If you don’t drink spirits talk to Sheila, she’d probably ask you to bring another bottle of vodka.
Pricing
$4382.50 per person. Standard 2 person stateroom on Mermaid II and a shared king bed accommodation at Villa Candi Matahari
$3832.50 per person. 2 person accommodation with 4 people shared bath on Mermaid II and shared king bed accommodation at Villa Candi Matahari
$60 per person upgrade to Panoramic Ocean View Presidential Suite at Villa Candi Matahari (1 available per week)
These prices are locked in at 2020 rates. That one was cancelled, so was 2021. 2022 we couldn’t rebook it was so full, so we are going in 2023 at 2020 rates.
Inclusions
- Oct 10th to 17th Bali to Komodo liveaboard on MV Mermaid II (dbl occ)
- full board
- $192.50 USD Komodo National Park Fee
- RT Transfers from airport to liveaboard on sailing dates
- Nov 6th/7th at Akaya Bali Sanur with breakfast (full group)
- Oct 24th to 30th OR Nov 7th to 14th accommodation at Villa Candi Matahari (dbl occ)
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accommodation for 10 people in 5 king bed suites
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Fully staffed with cooks, concierge service, cleaning staff, and driver
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Daily Breakfast for all guests
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Round trip ground transportation from/to DPS airport in Bali
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one hour massage, one each
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Free shuttle service in the Amed area
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1 Special Island Feast Dinner (usually the last evening of each package) with traditional *Balinese food and Dancing performed poolside.
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- RT Transfers to Villa Candi Matahari with group
Exclusions
- Airfare
- Nitrox on MV Mermaid 96 Euro
- Beer on MV Mermaid 3 Euro
- Scuba Gear Rental
- All meals not mentioned
- Diving and Tours at Villa Candi Matahari
- Early Arrival and Late Departure Hotel ($90 USD) and Car Service ($30USD)
- Fuel Surcharge if assessed
- Required Dan Insurance or equivalent
- Trip Cancellation Insurance
Payments
Checks to Dive Travel Services at PO Box 30108 Honolulu HI 96820. $1500 holds a spot and possibly more important allows you to pick before or after the liveaboard for the week at Villa Candi Matahari. There is also the ability to grab the penthouse room if you wanted it. Additionally, there are only 4 spaces for the cheaper liveaboard spot if that is something you wanted.
Payment Schedule
$1500 deposit – holds a space
Balance Due July 1st, 2023
Payments are non-refundable for any reason. That being said we will work with any resort or operator or airline to secure a refund if possible. Don’t count on this though, Dive Travel Services makes commitments based on trip payments, and our payment schedule is based on their non-refundable deadlines, so getting it back is not very likely. Get travel insurance!
Matt and Sheila travel plans
We are going through Manila on Philippine air on 24th Oct to arrive Bali late on the 25th. We’ll actually get 3 nights hotel there and be somewhat fresh for the resort near Amed. We have never been to Bali so we will see what the main town has to offer, and mostly just get acclimated to the time zone. We’ll be staying at the higher end Akaya hotel that the liveaboards recommends if anyone wants to join us early (eventually I will need to know your travel plans to arrange transport). Here is Akaya Bali hotel information if you want to make a reservation
Akaya Bali nfo@akayabali.com
They took my reservation by email and had a pay now button. It was easy.
After the trip we are staying in that area of the world until the Feb 2024 trip out of Raja Ampat. There is a cool all inclusive resort called Alum Batu that we are going to check out near Amed right after the trip (well, not right after, I’m going to spend a couple days working on pictures to share first, probably at a beachside resort with good internet). I hear it is great. We are going to check it out as a possible add on to future Indonesia trips.