Komodo 2013 on the Dive Damai II
We are pleased to announce a fantastic liveaboard adventure trip to the world-renowned World Heritage site – Komodo National Park from 6-17 August 2013 on the luxurious Dive Damai II. Join us on an 11 night trip to the exotic Komodo National Park for a fun and informative trip concentrating on the most photogenic sites in the area. Unlike other trips where the boat follows a well laid out schedule they repeat week to week, we will pick and choose our spots based on photographic productivity and what the group enjoys the most. As of this time the vessel will depart from Benoa harbor in Bali and finish in the town of Labuan Bajo in western Flores, the gateway to the Komodo National Park.
The Diving
The Bali to Komodo itinerary offers us the chance to visit the best diving in the area with the opportunity to experience both high voltage reef diving and world class muck dives! Highlights of the itinerary include a day of diving at Bima Bay, one of Indonesia’s top muck diving locations where frogfish, nudibranchs, wonderpus, mimics, coleman shrimp, and seahorses are just a few of the critters we will encounter during the day. The night dive in Bima is spectacular with a very real opportunity to find the elusive but incredible Bobbit Worm, a night dive not to be missed.
Sangeang Volcano is another stop on the list with incredible diversity including great nudibranch action on the black sand as well as several spectacular reefs and the chance to observe a volcano at work with bubbles coming right out of the sand.
No trip to Komodo would be complete without a visit to the spectacular sites in the north of the park including Crystal and Castle Rock, Shotgun, Batu Bolong, and Tatawa Besar. All of these sites offer beautiful coral reefs teeming with fishlife; the action on these dives can be off the charts! 
The southern end of Komodo National Park is home to some of the best sites in the Park including Yellow Wall, Cannibal Rock, 3 Sisters, and Manta Alley. Weather depending, we will spend time at these sites photographing and interacting with the incredible sealife that is found in this wild area. The highlight is the opportunity to hopefully interact with the incredible mantas that come to feed, clean, and play at Manta Alley.
Of course, what would a trip to Komodo be without the chance to photograph the iconic dragon itself!? We will have ample opportunity to see these “largest of the lizards” as well as other wildlife including monkeys, eagles, boar, and deer.
The Underwater Tribe
On this trip we will be conducting what we call an “informal photo class” throughout the journey. What is an informal photo class? We will give a few lectures on lighting, strobe positioning, and fstop/shutter speeds during the day as well as evening presentations including slideshows, movies, and other photographic topics. Of course we will be available at all times for questions on setup and photographic critique. We will also be available to answer any questions you may have on diving in general, Indonesia itself, and anything and everything to do with diving and photography. We will also be with you every step of the way to make sure everything is planned accordingly including tides, dive sites, and transportation. When you travel with “The Tribe” we take care of the small things so you can relax!
Although many of the guests will be photographers, this is not a trip only for photo and video people; everyone is invited as the Komodo area offers a large “Wow Factor” for even the most fickle of divers.
The Damai Dua Liveaboard
The Dive Damai II is one of the newest and most luxurious boats running in Indonesia and features many amazing amenities not typically found on other liveaboards. Please visit www.dive-damai.com for further information and photos of the boat.
The Dive Damai specializes in small groups and great service! We will have 3 to 4 local dive guides on our trip as well as a western cruise director. Some of the services we will receive included in the charter price are as follows:
Nitrox 32% included
Beer, soft drinks, water, espresso machine, coffee, tea are included in the price
Wine is an extra charge (please purchase Duty Free spirits if you would like spirits)
Individual camera rinse tanks
Individual air conditioners in the rooms
Large camera room with 110v and 220v sockets and lighting with plenty of work space
The freshest 3 meals per day with a la carte service. You can choose what time you would like to eat as well as what you would like to eat. Damai chefs are trained to western standards with many years of experience on liveaboards and hotels.
Projector in the Salon along with DVDs on demand and a flatscreen TV in all guest rooms
No extra port fees or park fees (A fuel surcharge may get charged if price of oil per barrel costs go above $130 US)
Massage service
2 high speed tender boats
Transport to and from the airport and boat
There are currently 4 spaces available for this trip in 2 classes of cabin, prices are as follows for an 11 night trip (flights are not included):
Twin/Double Share (1 available): US $5775 per person
Master Suite (1 available): US $6875 per person
A 25% deposit is required within 10 days of booking to secure your spot, we expect this trip to sell out very quickly so please inquire asap to avoid disappointment.
For more information and booking please email us at: