Wicked Diving Wicked Diving

The next trip will depart April 1, 2014 – contact us for more details

What makes this expedition so Amazing?

• Visit places in the remotest part of Indonesia
  
• Totally unexplored dive sites
  
• Only 12 Guests on this adventure
  
• Unbelievable Experience on our Sailing Schooner
• Experienced Expedition staff
  
• Great Safety for all our guests
  

Wicked is proud to offer several great tours through Indonesia – but our most adventurous and exciting trips are our 3 week expeditions. These journey takes you through some of the most remote locations on earth. Our Planned trip for April 1st, 2014  starts us in Raja Ampat, the heart of the Coral Triangle where the highest concetration of marine life on earth exsits. From there we head South through some of the most famous sites in the world. Misool, Banda Islands, Alor and Komodo. And we pass dozens of places not yet known and several places yet to be explored. We will visit uninhabited islands, dive in places that no one has ever dived before and see some of the most amazing sites on earth. Join us while we visit one of the last frontiers. Find new dive sites, encounter rare and endangered species and enjoy time on a traditional, hand-built phinisi sailing schooner.

This Trip is not for beginning divers or those seeking luxury!!! This is 3 weeks of remote travels with no phones, no radios and no news. Please understand that we must be selective and cautious in who joins these trips. You must be comfortable spending this much time in remote places, on a sailing schooner with like minded travellers. We ask that our guests be comfortable on boats (not prone to seasickness) as we will pass through many weather patterns. While this trip is not necessarily for hardcore divers – the conditions we encounter are totally unpredictable (did we mention unexplored dive sites?) and each guest should be prepared for such. As such we ask that each guest have 50 dives and feel comfortable in currents.

Dragons, Volcanoes, Forts, Whales…

Departing from the small harbor town of Sorong in the heart of Raja Ampat (a commuter flight from Manado or Bali) to some of the most amazing places on earth. April 1st is our planned departure date for 2014. Then off for more than 1250 nautical miles, 3 weeks of travel and some incredible adventures!

Our first stop – Misool, is home to the most pristine reefs seen on earth. No, that is not hyperbole…this is simply the must amazing reefs on a huge scale, dozens of miles of coastline in perfect shape. Research is still being undertaken to see exactly how rich these reefs are – but Conservation International List this as the second highest concentration of marine species on ony single dive site. And that’s just one…of dozens.

Then we head south towards the Banda Islands. Also known as the Spice Islands, A UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was the center of the world for almost 200 years with massive wars fought across the globe…all fighting over control of the spice trade. Nutmeg, mace, black pepper all found their trading roots here. Empires grew and fell based on thes small islands. Forts still line the coast line and cannons still lie in the streets. AND some incredible diving.

We make our way across the Banda Sea. This route will be dependent on the weather – either heading SSW or SSE. In both cases we encounter erupting volcanoes that spew lava in the night, islands with walls that descend 3000+ meters, where schooling hammerheads are often seen, massive pods of whales and dolphins are frequent visitors are all part of the norm.

Then we turn Westwards. Skirting the coastline of Eastern tip of Indonesia. As through the whole of this amazing expedition, we pass by many, many islands that are brealy explored and islands with limited contact with outsiders. Needless to say we will visit dive sites that are unexplored and we’ll have contests to see what we name these new sites!!! Best dressed pirate? Best at Uno? S/he who helps clean table the best? The costline out this way is unaffected by large scale fishing – or industry of any kind. We pass hundreds of idyllic beaches, stopping at but a few.

Finally, we approach our destination we have a “quick” stop in the Komodo Islands where dragons roam and Manta’s dance. Home to some of the most incredible life on Earth (AGAIN!!!)  – above and below the water. This park is a World Heritage site and one of the 7 wonders of the new world…one glimspe in the water will tell you why! Not only do you experience Dragons on the Islands but you’ll come face to face with Manta Rays, Sharks and turtles. Reknowned for it’s famous currents and wild waters – Komodo is just one of the most memorable places we’ll visit.

Then we head off to our Indonesian base – Labuan Bajo. It all ends here 🙁 With an airport and many daily flights to Bali International Airport sad farewells by all. We plan on arriving here in the evening. Please leave at least 24 hours of no fly time. If you are booking a connection to an international flight – please leave an additional 24 hours of time on Bali (awww…stay on Bali….but someone has to do it).

Please understand that this schedule is only for planning purposes and we will alter it to assure the safety and well-being of our guests. Operating in these areas we must be extremely cognizant of the weather, local diving conditions and many other hazards. For the same reasons – the dates are also flexible, so in planning for this trip, please be cautious with your flights 🙂

Safety on our expedition

Yes – we are going in very remote places and we do not know what we will encounter. So we prepare as much as we can. Wicked Diving is always focused on the safety and well-being of our guests, so our boat already has many safety accessories. We have radar, depth finder, GPS as well as local and international radios on the Jaya. In addition we carry a large liferaft, life jackets and beacons. We also carry a satellite phone (we communicate to our base twice a day) and an emergency evacuation beacon which alerts an international evacuation service about our location and need for immediate rescue. Further – our staff and crew are trained and focused on safety and will always put your well-being ahead of convenience or cost.

3 Week Raja Ampat to Komodo Expedition – 4150 USD

This expedition includes almost all your expenses. All park fees are included in this price. In addition all room and board. Alcohol and soft drinks become the responsibility of the individual (we can not guarantee that drinks can be kept cool). While we do supply 2 sheets, pillow and towel, we do not have laundry facilities on the boat, so please being your own sheet liner and/or sleeping bag.

Not included:  flights either domestic or international (though we can help arrange these for you). We do not include gratuities in our prices – not for our staff, the guides we hire or our crew. Alcohol or soft drinks are not included. We provide accommodation on the boat for the scheduled dates of the trip, but not land based. Other incidental expenses can not be covered by Wicked Diving.

Finally a note about insurance. As always, Wicked Diving and our staff make every effort to assure your safety but there is no way that we can prevent accidents and acts of God. This is not an ordinary trip, so please purchase travel insurance that covers you for remote locations and potential evacuations. We have continual contact with land and can arrange care for almost any accident or incident that happens – but we may not be near to a facility that can cater to our needs. We recommend Nomads as a very good company designed for these kind of expeditions.