Dive Review of Kararu/Cheng Ho in
Indonesia/Komodo

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Kararu/Cheng Ho, Aug, 2008, by James Jenkins, CA, United States ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 4302.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The service, food and general accommodations on the Cheng Ho are above average. The boat is very large, with multiple spaces to relax, read or get away (both shaded and in the sun). I've been on this boat twice, with 15 divers and 20 divers (plus guides, cruise directors and boat videographer) and the boat never feels crowded. The boat is very large and rides fairly smoothly underway and is more stable at anchor -- important both for boarding the tenders and avoiding mal de mar. The guides, Kerri and Hergen, and crew are great. Kerri especially is great at finding the critters. They run three tenders, loaded serially from one stairway. The operation is smooth and fairly quick. Sometimes divers are all dumped at the same place -- this IS necessary for some, not all, of the dives, due to currents. The diving was some of the best we've done, combining great macro on a par with Lembeh Straights and wonderful wide-angle with healthy reefs, soft corals, sharks, mantas, turtles, large schools of fish, etc. The water temps in the Indian Ocean (and where it comes in between Komodo and Rinca) can be chilly: I read lows of 74/75 on this trip; it had been down to 68 earlier according to some divers; on our trip right before (Archipelago II) cruise we had lows of 71-72. Most will need a full 7mm suit to be warm. I had a full 5/4 with a hooded vest and a second vest and just managed to avoid the shivers. I would recommend this boat and crew. I recommend Komodo ONLY for very experienced divers.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Indonesia, PNG, Malaysia, etc.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, dry	Seas	calm, choppy, surge, currents
Water Temp	74-81°F / 23-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	20-120 Ft/ 6-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	The Cheng Ho enforced the "no gloves" policy we were told was in effect for the Komodo park area -- most of the diving. We were encouraged to stay with our guides on some strong current dives.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	1 or 2	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	Housings are kept outside and subject to exposure to wet divers and weather; inside in the large dining/salon area is ample space for chargers and room to work on cameras in a dry environment, between meals.

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Dive Review of Kararu/Cheng Ho in Indonesia/Komodo

Kararu/Cheng Ho, Aug, 2008,

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):

Dive Review of Kararu/Cheng Ho in
Indonesia/Komodo