Dive Review of Dive Damai in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat

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Dive Damai: "Overpriced but a Nice Liveaboard", Nov, 2023, by Jan D, OR, US ( 2 reports). Report 12857.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I was in cabin 4 as a solo and it’s 269 sq. ft. located below the main level. Above this room is the camera room, so there's not a lot of overhead noise. The dive industry penalizes solo travelers with paying more for having their own room. I shouldn't have to share a room with a stranger because I don't have a partner, spouse, dive buddy, etc., and it's unfair. It's discriminating against me and I'm penalized for it. Never again, especially on the high-priced Damai boats. There are 7 cabins that accommodate up to 14 guests. Bring earplugs because a wooden boat creaks a lot at night. There are three European plugs and USB ports throughout the cabin. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower gel, and hair dryer are included. The shower had good water pressure and plenty of hot water. The cuisine is very Indonesian oriented and very little Western. The meals are good but not the best. Fish and noodles were cooked well, but chicken and beef were overcooked and tough. All beverages, including Bintang beer, are included except wine, which you’ll receive one free glass of wine at dinner. There are no smoke detectors in the room. There are stairs to the main level, but if those are blocked in an emergency, the exit is through a door in cabin 2 that connects to crew quarters. The crew will help you dress on the dive deck and remove dive gear after the dive. During the briefing and after the dive, they serve water or hot cocoa for night diving. You are greeted with a warm towel after each dive. They rinse and hang everything for you. Excellent and comfortable wooden tender boats, not rubber skiffs. A nice ladder at the back of the boat makes for an easy entry from the water. The Nitrox fills were 29% to 30% with a low fill rate of 2800-2900 pounds, but if you request more air, you'll get it. Each diver has their own station with a personal fresh water basin, an open cubby hole for dry storage, and a shelf above it. The dive deck is very spacious with a hot or cold fresh water shower. For each dive, they send the tender boat to the site for a guide to jump in to check the current. If it’s too strong, we moved to another location or drop in ahead of the current in order to ride with it. The currents can be from ripping to none. Ripping currents necessitated a pointer stick in the rock or reef hook. Some dives, there was mild to no current but can change direction during the dive. Bring gloves for rash protection if you have to hang on for survival. The reef and marine life is outstanding and the best I've ever seen. A lot of healthy, colorful hard and soft coral and tons of macro life as well as schooling fish. There was no limit on depth or time. You could go as deep as you wanted for as long as you wanted as long as you followed your computer. Four dives a day was offered and the guide would stay with his group for 60 minutes and could go up if he wanted and you could continue diving on your own. None of the guides left their group even if it was a 62-65 minute dive. For tipping, personal money given to the staff is strictly prohibited. You can, however, give gifts as a group. They have a raffle of sorts for gifts that the guests leave. All the money goes into a pool and it’s divided equally among everyone, whether you're a poor performer or a great performer, including the office staff in Bali, but not the owners. Anyone offsite from the boat and not interacting with me directly shouldn’t be receiving a portion of my tip. A miserable $250 fuel surcharge is added, which is really just profit. Wifi is too expensive at $150 for 20 GB. The marine park tag fee is 1,000,000 IDR, but the boat charges an extra 1,200,000 on top of that as presumed profit.
Websites	Dive Damai
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Hawaii, Mexico, St. Kitts, Barbados, Turkey, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, Florida, Grenada, St.Lucia, Belize, Honduras, Indonesia
Closest Airport	Sorong	Getting There	West Coast of the U.S., Tokyo, Jakarta, Sorong, 50 hours of travel time.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm, currents, no currents
Water Temp	82-86°F / 28-30°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-40 Ft/ 6-12 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No decompression diving. No cash allowed to be given directly to staff.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Individual stations with charging in European and 110 outlets plus USB ports. It’s very roomy with lots of space for the big rigs.

Subscriber's Comments

By Rob L in CO, US at Dec 29, 2023 18:56 EST

Really? So the boat should take a loss on a prospective diver because you want a single? They save a bit on food that would be served to the missing roommate, but they are staffed to service that cabin and to lead full groups of divers. They are losing significant income across the boat by letting you take up a space designed for two. If the single supplement is the same as a second occupant, maybe you have an argument.

By report author: Jan D in OR, US at Dec 31, 2023 00:20 EST

Sorry you're having a bad day. Maybe 2024 will be better for you.

By Ann Firestine in NC, US at May 26, 2024 18:23 EST

Sorry, I have to agree with Robert. Every place requires a single supplement, whether you're on a (commercial) Cruise, with a bus or tour group, or a dive boat. You've never experienced that before?? Your entire review sounds like you were having a 'bad day'. Oh my, they serve mostly Indonesian food? A boat creaks - I've needed ear plugs for every liveaboard (and most hotels). Wooden tenders vs rubber? I appreciate this information, but because it comes midpoint of your review, it sounds like an extra complaint. And Dude, the marine park fee, I can't tell if you're complaining about 200,000 IDR difference (pennies) or 1,200,000 IDR (~$75)If you're not able to support the local marine park, please stay HOME.

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Dive Review of Dive Damai in Indonesia/Raja Ampat

Dive Damai: "Overpriced but a Nice Liveaboard", Nov, 2023,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Dive Damai in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat