Wicked Expedition - Komodo to Sulawesi

This trip was a very special and very different trip for the Wicked team and guests - an adventurous expedition from our base in Komodo heading north over 10 days to our final destination of Bira in South Suluwesi. To explore the rare and new dive sites we had the Wicked dive crew of Martyn and Ricky both from the UK with the wonderful varied guest group of ex Wicked staff Dani and Anna from Catalan, ex Wicked DMTs Bas (Netherlands), Laura (Belgium)and Thomas (Ireland). Aswell as members of the Wicked family Melati (Netherlands), Uwe (Denmark) and Jens (Germany). On the first day we had only a relaxing check dive on the schedule and went to Bididari (Angel island) just 20 minutes from the Labuan Bajo harbour. A really good macro dive site full of dramatic walls and beautiful whip coral covered slopes. We were treated to scores of rare nudis, plenty of ribbon eels, crocodile fish, scorpion fish, sweetlips, batfish and even a completely white stick pipefish which Dani and Anna kept secret much to Martyn's dissappointment having been in the area just moments before only seeing the photos when returning to the surface.”Finders keepers aye Dani ha ha”. After reaching the boat, full of smiles, we began the 2 hour journey to Wainilu just outside Loh Bouhaya (Crocodile Bay in the local tongue) to moor up for the night. But being a special trip and seeing the team still hungry for more we decided to do an extra dive at Wainilu (Cold Water in Rinca dialect) at night. Probably the best macro dive in the park we felt this was one we couldn't miss and it didn't disappoint, frogfish, halimeda ghost pipefish, indian ocean walkman, cuttlefish and hoards of decorator crabs and shrimps. The day done we had some delicious dinner and got some sleep before our journey south the following day.

Day 2 was a day of exploration with 2 sites being completely new and 2 which had only been visited once on previous trips. The dive sites were Lonely tree, Padar west wall, The Arch and Pantai Padar. In the three day dives we saw brown banded bamboo sharks, white tip reef sharks, black tip reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, huge bumphead parrotfish schools, green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles and trevally and tuna hunting. The night dive at Padar beach was great too with ornate ghost pipefish, sea snakes, tiny octopus ( unidentified), scorpionfish, lionfish, morays and loads of nudis and crabs. A completely exhausted but thrilled boat anchored up in Padar beach ready for day 3.

The first dive was Pillarsteen a site of dramatic drop offs, walls loads of swim throughs and a generally gloomy sinister feel especially when large black tip reef sharks are patrolling the deep waters. The site is also known as surge city and true to form it was a surge filled exciting dive perfect to start the day and get the pulse racing! The next three dives were again exploratory dives on the south and west sides of Padar places we have wanted to explore for a while especially Sarang and Padar west rocks (Marathon Man) which we did in the day due to the strong currents and large swell experienced there. We had two great dives with incredible steep coral covered reefs and good visibility with white tip and brown banded bamboo sharks, napolean wrasse, bumphead parrotfish loads of rare nudis and huge schools of fusiliers trying to avoid the circling giant trevally predators. We attempted an extra night dive on west Padar but due to the 4 knot current we decided to abort for safety reasons! Well maybe thats one for next time when the suns still up, Grand Prix Padar comes to mind as a site name.

The next morning we awoke to go and dive Pink beach an exceptionally special area not just for the great dive site but also for the red/pink hue the sand of the beach has due to it's mineral content - it's 1 of only 7 official pink beaches in the world. A great dive with tons of snapper, stingray, green and hawksbill turtles and even a rare leaf scorpion fish. Next up we headed back towards central Komodo for a dive at the world famous Karang Makasser (Manta Point) judging it to be a good time in the lunar cycle and with positive reports from other boats, we had 3 manta sightings from the Jaya as we arrived at the site. We jumped in and saw nothing for the first 20 minutes just 1 turtle with the pressure on we crossed our fingers and fins and were rewarded with 10 plus manta for each group for about 40 minutes with 1 group seeing 7 in a mating train. Also thanks to Dani and Uwe 2 of the photo fanatics on board we managed to get some very good manta ID shots to send to The Manta Trust for our ongoing population monitoring with this great organisation. Well done guys woop!

Onwards and upwards we say and with faces grinning from ear to ear we headed to the very north of Komodo for the last dives in the park. The last dive of the day was the Cauldron where we saw leaf scorpion fish, fields of garden eels, white tip and black tip reef sharks, giant sweetlips and as we went through the “Shotgun” towards the end of the dive we came across a solitary manta ray woooohoooo! With cameras ready we found an area of slack water adjacent to the ripping current where the manta was feeding and playing and enjoyed 30 minutes with the graceful creature as well as more ID shots from the team of Dani and Uwe well done guys! Last of the day was a beach trip or relaxing times on the boat for sunset. Those of us that made the beach were surprised by a reef manta swimming right past the dingy as we crossed the Golden Passage and then quickly did another clean on a beach that is vastly improved in condition since we started at the start of the season. We headed up to the viewpoint for a sunset to remember with a cold beer and some delicious humous and bread prepared by the Wicked long time friend and chef sensation Melati. With tummies full of food and bin bags full of waste we headed to the Jaya to rest for the final day in the park.

The last day we arose early to do back to back dives at Castle Rock. Probably the most famous dive in the park and always a guest and staff favourite we had 2 incredible dives. Full of white tip reef sharks over 15 on one dive, giant trevally, napolean wrasse, leaf scorpion fish, hairy squat lobsters, raggy scorpion fish, ribbon eels and even 5 huge grey reef sharks! We thought it couldn't get any better and then it did when a baby whale shark appeared just 1.5m in length and we had the pleasure of diving and snorkelling with him for over forty minutes! WOOP WOOP! Last dive of the first half of the trip was an exploratory dive in Sebayor Passage a great drift and a great dive with a huge white tip, bumphead parrotfish, scorpion fish, green turtles and huge sea fans everywhere! The first half done we headed back to Labuan Bajo to restock the Jaya and do some maintenance on the boat to make sure she was ship shape for the long journey ahead. We headed to land for a couple of evening drinks of celebration and anticipation for the coming days before returning to the boat for some supper and well earned rest.

The next day we were still doing final checks on the brand new gearbox so decided to go to Bumphead Bommie, a beautiful seamount just outside the park before heading north full of white tip and black tip reef sharks, massive bumphead parrotfish of course, reef octopus and giant moray eels. On returning we had a light lunch and headed to the north of Flores to dive Sabolon Kecil and Seraya wall to find white tip and black tip reef sharks, Reef octopus, leaf scorpion fish, H.denise pygmy seahorse, winged pipefish, green turtles and crocodile fish. Not to forget the giant oceanic white manta we snorkelled with barrel rolling on the surface and dancing around in the water. With the sun setting we embarked on the 16 hour crossing to Taka Bonnerate on calm seas and a clear starry sky overhead.

The first day in Taka Bonnerate consisted of dives at Sane Sane and Timoro Kayuadi two islands on the outskirts of the park. The first two dives were in daylight and very similar with beautiful hard and soft coral slopes and 30m plus visibility, we saw sean snakes, giant marble rays on both dives, enormous dogtooth tuna, orangutan crabs and even three H. bargibant pygmy seahorse on a single gorgonia sae fan. The night dive at Tomoro Kayuadi was great too yielding ornate and robust ghost pipefish, stumpy spined and broad club cuttlefish, big fin reef squid, orangutan crabs, strange moray eels, nudis and crabs.

The next day we travelled into Taka Bonnerate proper and did the northern most point called Belane followed by two dives around Lumangan. All these dives were vertical walls with overhangs, small caves and ridges. Incredibly dramatic with 40m vis it was easy to see why people come dive here. In the three dives we saw orangutan crabs every dive, schools of large tuna, green and hawksbill turtles, reef octopus, scorpion fish, swathes of batfish sweetlips and in particular red tooth trigger fish and longfin banner fish hanging just off the rocky face making these dives truly memorable. The sun was setting as we surfaced after the last dive, the ocean was like glass and the sky was clear with the lagoon blue of the reef around the Jaya. It truly was a great day.

We set off first thing in the morning to make our first dive at the Selayar islands then onwards to Bira. The Northern Lighthouse Point was a reef slope ending in a wall and ridge descending down to 50m plus. That's where we saw several very large whitetip reef sharks and also as yet some unidentified “monster” sharks either huge grey reefs or bull we're not sure, but also great small stuff too weird nudis, hairy squat lobsters and leaf scorpion fish hunting glass fish made it a varied exciting start to the day.Onwards to Bira we did 3 more dives at Pulau Kambing, Shark Point and Bira beach night dive, we saw sharks on all 3 day dives and green turtles, napolean wrasse, oramgutan crabs, batfish and more leaf scorpion fish!

The last day of the trip had to come sometime and what a day to remember. The first dive was at a place called The Fish Market and was a favourite for many of the guests as well as myself and Ricky. Why I hear you ask? Well the 30 plus white tip reef sharks, napolean wrasse and massive school of barracuda was just the start as groups of sweetlips, batfish, tuna schools, massive morays and our favourite little orangutan crabs all added to a great dive! The last dive was at Cape Bira a notoriously dangerous sight but we timed it right and got in around slack tide to find great overhands full of sea fans, whip corals and sponges down at 18m full of life and plenty of the same macro critters we had loved finding and photographing all trip with both groups together for the safety stop and surfacing at the same time it was a great end to an incredible diving trip.


All that was left was to come into to harbour to see the ship yards of the Bugis craftsmen. Here a fleet of traditional Phinisi Schooners was being constructed some up to 35m long all from iron wood and hand tools is really something special. We decided to meet up in a Suluwesi Warung for a local style meal before we headed to a local kareoke bar with all the crew and guests for a good ol sing song and dance (also debate who was champion of dots Laura or Anna) before we went our seperate ways after a wicked 10 days I'm sure none of us will ever forget!



-Wicked Diving Expeditions

Wicked Expedition - Halmahera

Our Next Expedition departs on October 23rd from Maumere, Flores, Indonesia. In the past we started and stopped at some well-known places. This time the places we start and stop at are only know in the diving community and a few enthusiasts of adventure and Indonesia.

We though we'd try to create a bit more insight and background into the places we are visiting...and why!

This expedition will be focused more on the diving than some of our past trips, so we'll have limited time (due to the big distances covered) for many above ground activities. There will still be some great places we visit and some amazing scenery. We may just have to note them and come back to visit them again :) And since the current trips are already booked, we'll have spaces for you to join us!!!

So we begin with a huge island that is very poorly known. Halmahera. Why do so few people know it? One reason is that it goes by several names - Halmahera, North Moluku's, Gilolo. None of which are very familiar to us Westerners...but if you realize this was the main base for the Japanese in WWII and then the main base for Macarthur's return to the Philippine's then it starts to click a bit. It also played a huge part in the spice trade in the Dutch East indies.

For the Marine fanatic it holds something more. The Coral Triangle is the world's largest and densest concentration of marine life in the world. The number of coral species is more than 10 TIMES that of the Caribbean, and that barely touches the surface of all the other marine life encountered. Lying at the heart of the Coral Triangle....is Halmahera. With incredibly famous dive region surrounding the island this remains the hidden gem of Indonesia. Raja Ampat to the East, Lembeh Straits and Manado to the West, the rest of the Moluku or the Spice Islands directly South (geologically it's part of the same region) and Alor and Komodo to the South and Southwest. This is the very heart of Marine biodiversity on Earth. This is it. Learn some more - http://worldwildlife.org/places/coral-triangle


But this is only part of it. Halmahera is located right in the heart of the divergent ecosystems. Here is major point of divergence in evolution and a major cusp of evolutionary development on Earth. The Wallace, Lydekker and Weber lines all converge here. This is massive information for the floral and fauna enthusiasts. The number of bird species is amazing as are many others...this is home to the largest Bee on earth - 5 times bigger than your average bee.

It is also located right in the path of the Indonesian Throughflow. This is where the South Seas and the Western Pacific ocean empties through Indonesia into the Indian Ocean....carrying massive amounts of marine life with it. So this area is not jsut home to corals and reef fish - but whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and so much more. So very much more!!!

But also a huge mix of cultures, history and migration has made this another key piece in the life throughout SE Asia and Australia. From the Dutch Colonialists, the Chinese traders on up to the rapid development of mineral resources - Halmahera has been a key piece in the changes that take place around the world throughout history!

And we are going there! The diving is still a great mystery with only a few of the areas even vaguely explored. Our intention is to pass along the Southwestern corner and see several of the dive sites there. Will pass up on the opportunity to explore the sunken Japanese fleet around Morotai, as well as the sites off Weda to focus on Goraici and the nearby islands.

And quite honestly, we reckon we could spend close to three or four years focused on JUST Halmahera. The dive sites of Indonesia are only just getting known and there are dozens of regions as amazing as this, and literally thousands of islands yet to be dived! Keep abreast of our expeditions for more on these, and future trips.

-Wicked Diving Expeditions

The Bats of Kabaa

The bats of Kaaba

Kaaba is a small, uninhabited island, situated within the Komodo national park, which is often visited on Wicked Diving’s liveaboard trips aboard the Jaya and the Bali Prima.

While Kaaba itself is a picturesque island with good snorkeling and pretty beach, the main attraction is the residents of the neighboring mangroves. Inhabited by flying foxes, the mangroves provide spectators with a daily display of one of nature’s wonders.

As the sun begins to set over the islands, boats moor close to the mangroves to witness the migration of these flying foxes. In their thousands they leave the mangroves in search of food. It is a truly breathtaking experience viewed by most in awe and silence. Slow to start, the tempo rises and these bats continue to leave the mangroves in hoards as the sky blackens and the sun slips away.

Otherwise known as fruit bats, flying foxes feed primarily on fruit and other vegetation throughout the night, before returning to the mangroves at sunrise for sleep. Their feeding range can be up to 40km, so it is possible they may even venture into Labuan Bajo and the surrounding area in search of sustenance.

It really is another of Komodo’s little secrets which make the park so much more than just a dive destination. Natural diversity, stunning ‘end of the world-esque’ scenery and brilliant blue waters offer so many opportunities whether you are a diver, snorkeler or an old fashioned adventurer.

-Wicked Diving Komodo

Komodo Snorkeling Liveaboard - First trip!

Bali Prima, Wicked Komodo’s newest addition to the fleet, is a primarily a snorkel liveaboard which offers trips into the Komodo National Park. Providing accommodation for up to 4 guests, her flexible and comfortable design means that the schedule for the trips can include snorkeling and diving and a range of land based activities too.

On 23rd July, Bali Prima set off on her fourth outing to the national park, for a 3 day 2 night trip of snorkeling, diving, island hopping and, of course, fun. Guests on the trip were Karen and Andy from the UK who have been traveling around Flores and the Gili islands for a few weeks. As Andy recently completed his advanced certification in the Gili islands, he was eager to check out the famous diving around Komodo, almost as eager as Karen was to check out the snorkeling. Joining Andy and Karen were guides, Jo and Calle, and crew, Rudy, Sudi and Amin.

The team left early on the morning of 23^rd to Sabalon Kecil where they made the first dive and snorkel stop, a great introduction to the diving in the area. The site they choose was a wall, literally littered with huge sea fans, bubble coral and resident bubble coral shrimp, nudis and clouds of red tooth triggerfish dancing off the wall, all complemented with amazing visibility. Excitement was high, which only increased when Rudy brought out the first of many huge feasts on the trip. It was clear from then onwards that there would be no hungry tummies for the next few days.

After lunch they headed to big sister, Sabalon Besar, where everyone donned masks and snorkels and jumped in just of the beach. The corals were stunning and they quickly spotted a hawksbill turtle and a rare white mouth moray. However, the show of the day was put on by 6 Pharaoh cuttlefish engaging in a complex mating ritual. Thoroughly enthralled, they forgot about exploring the reef any further and watched the spectacle for the rest of their time in the water.  

As the sun lowered, Bali Prima set off to Sabayor island and was joined by a number of playful dolphins, splashing and jumping in her bow waves. The first day ended with cooling sea breezes, chocolate, a huge feast prepared by Rudy and beautiful starry night.

On the next day after an early morning swim for Andy we headed out for the first dive and snorkel of the day at Sabayor Ridge. Marine life encounters aside from the hugely diverse corals hard and soft included a school of bumphead parrotfish, sponge snails, flatworms, peacock mantis shrimp, a friendly hawksbill turtle and huge schools of fusilier. After Andy and Jo finished the dive and returned to Bali Prima, Calle and Karen were still snorkeling and it was nearly impossible to get  them out of the water for breakfast.

After a well deserved feast and talks of buying the island, they headed further south to scope out more snorkel and dive spots. After a quick stop at Tengah Beasr to assess conditions it was decided that they were not ideal so the group headed to Tengah Kecil. As always, beautiful, and somewhat chillier Tengah Kecil did not disappoint. Huge schools of fusilier, batfish and giant trevally roamed around the wall while smaller creatures seen on the reef itself were xenocrabs, raggy scorpionfish, more nudis and fire gobies galore.

Andy and Karen then decided that beach time was in order, so everyone headed to Kaaba island for some chill time on a private beach, before settling in to watch the famous flying fox migration at Kaaba over sunset. In an awe-filled silence they watched the flying foxes leave the mangroves and head out in to the night in search of food. Thousands of bats perform this journey every night before returning to the safety of the mangroves at sunrise to sleep for the day.

After dinner and laughs, they traveled through the night to Rinca island to ensure shelter and easy access for the next morning’s expedition to Rinca in search of dragons.

The final day began with an early morning and apprehensive trek at Rinca island. The dragons are more active first thing in the morning and Andy, Karen, Jo and Calle were welcomed by these huge beasts pretty much as soon as they got to the island. A short trek, many photos, megapodes and monkeys later and they returned to Bali Prima intact.

Now saw the home journey to Labuan Bajo begin, but not without a little more fun on the way. After a short dip to cool off at a nearby island the guys made their final snorkel stop at beautiful Kanawa island, which is about 1.5 hours from Labuan Bajo. The trip certainly ended on a high with Karen and Andy both agreeing that these were some of the best corals that they had seen and with creatures spotted from batfish and trevallies to sponge snails and coral crabs, everyone was very happy. But unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and after the last leg of the journey was complete, it was time to say our goodbyes. For everyone onboard it was a fantastic trip, the type which you never want to finish. 

Bali Prima allows for a completely relaxed schedule that can be tailored to suit everyone and Karen and Andy were able to take full advantage of this and get exactly what they wanted out of their 3 days onboard. From everyone on Bali Prima and at Wicked, thanks so much for joining us on the adventure guys. We miss you!

Should you wish to join our trips - Wicked Diving Komodo is ready to take you out for some amazing adventures

Thailand to Komodo - Kangean

After traveling for almost 15 hours they arrived at a small island near Pulau Kangean. After nearly 10 days being far, far off the grid, they now have mobile phone service!

They also have great diving! After Pulau Masalembo they were afraid the diving might not be so good, so they were preparing to overnight here and then off to the North coast of Bali.

They called us after the first dive to say that the diving was in incredible and they were staying for more dives!

The Island they are on has no name (we don't have more detailed maps than on google maps). The main Island - (large island to the right) is a fairly undeveloped area that has seen massive deforestation due to illegal logging and flooding as a result of that. However, this is an area rich in natural gas reserves. A pipeline to the mainland has been built and supplies are already serving Surabaya. This created a small, but appreciated bit of job creation and work.

The marine ecosystem is unique and features both great diving and unique opportunities for marine life. The only diving in the area is undertaken by expedition boats, like ours. Many of these are based in Bali and do the 12-15 hour transit across some famously rough waters. So the diving is still exploratory and certainly no sites are named or even mapped.

While not something we hope to encounter while diving, the islands are also home to saltwater crocodiles. Definitely a unique diving experience if we did encounter one!

(though they are listed - by a somewhat dubious source as one of the 7 best dive sites in Indonesia).

After the Jaya does her diving here, she will head towards the Eastern coast of Bali where we find both "civilization" and some more unique dives. One of the big ones on everyone's list is Liberty wreck off Tulamben. After that - we pick up a couple more of our special guests on Gili Trawangan, a big night out and along the northern coast of Lombok and then into Komodo National Park - and our home for the next 5 months.

If you would like to join our Komodo trips - we are offering 3 and 6 day Komodo Liveaboards as well as day trips and our unique snorkeling tours.

Wicked Diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo - Pulau Masalembo and the end of the world

The Jaya had a fun time! After preparing for the dangers of the "Bermuda Triangle" and all that is associated with it...not all that exciting! (read more from Yesterdays blog)

After reading a bit more about the area - it's reputation as the Bermuda Triangle is justified as it is a geological oddity with deep waters to the east, the shallow waters of the Java Sea to the West and the massive flow of water between the two. The tidal currents split at Pulau Masalembo. This causes not only upwellings of cold water, but this can cause weather disturbances above the water. This is suspected to be the cause of the plane crashes in the area and for the many boat sinkings.

The water was quite murky, with viz less than 10 meters, so the above theory was proven correct (this time). The water was a bit choppy, but nothing outrageous. So it wasn't great conditions for diving.

Upon arrival, the Staff contacted a fishing boat and were informed about a nearby "secret" pinnacle that was not on the charts and probably had some great diving.

(you can see them heading out to the coordinates on number 6 above).

Once there, they couldn't find the pinnacle and the water was too murky to see it from the boat. So they headed back to a nice looking reef they had seen.

Turns out this was the garbage dump for the island :o!!! While that may be interesting - it wasn't the best way to start the day! So they moved on to another reef. They diving was interesting - especially for the macro. They saw lots of vibrant living coral, turtles and lots of fish. Considering the whole area is an impoverished fishing area - that's great news!

After two dives - they decided to head off to try better diving south.

They are currently en route to Pulau Kangean of the North Eastern coast of Java. This is supposed to be a bit more developed and it looks like the expedition is going to be near regular phone service soon! But keep following the progress and seeing how the team is enjoying things!

We are offering both 3 and 6 Day Komodo Liveaboard trips upon our arrival in Komodo. would you like to join us?


-Wicked Diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo Expedition - Pulau Masalembu and Indoensia's Bermuda Triangle

Pulau Masalembo - the heart of Indonesia's Bermuda Triangle

After a few days at the Orangutan Sanctuary and a quick visit to the small town, the Jaya is back in the Java Sea and headed off to the next destination. Pulau Masalembu. Another island very, very far off the tourist path.

This small island is located about halfway between Borneo (Kalimantan) and Bali. This Island (or two islands) is also known as Indonesia's Bermuda Triangle! There have been two significant airplane crashes in the area (Garuda and Adam air) for no discernible reason as well as the capsizing of a large ferry in the 80's. In addition there are stories of many smaller boats sinking in this region.

The seas are often rough in this area due to the geography and large waves are frequent, regardless of weather conditions. Settled mainly by Bugis people from Sulawesi, it is reliant purely on fishing these rich waters for revenue. The islands are very poor and rarely served by supply vessels.

They are quite scenic and look very interesting. There are only a few photos online and hopefully we will produce some new ones :) http://masalembo.weebly.com/galeri-masalembu.html

They are home to a few interesting species - most notably the White Indonesian Cockatoo. These are nearly extinct in the wild - but are found in these islands.

There is virtually nothing written about the diving or other activities in the area. So, once again the Jaya and Wicked Diving is off into unexplored territory. We will certainly fill you in shortly! Pictures and videos will come later.

If you would like to join Wicked Diving on a Komodo Liveaboard just contact us.

-Wicked diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo Expedition - Orangutans and Fireflys

Wicked Diving's Thailand to Komodo expedition has lasted more than a week - and everyone on the trip is still very excited and enjoying themselves.

The past few days found the Jaya sailing up a river INTO the heart of the Orangutan sanctuary and rehabilitation center in Southern Borneo (Kalimantan) - Tanjung Puting. Known as Camp Leakey, this is one of the main centers of Oranutan research and rehabilitation in the world.

Not only did the guests go out and explore the refuge - they did an overnight trip up the river and slept on the boat in the middle of the jungles of Borneo!

They saw many, many species in the refuge. Highlights include (of course) the Orangutans - adult and juvenile - and the opportunity to fed and actually interact with them. But also Proboscis monkeys, longtail gibbons, monitor lizards, enormous butterflies, hornbills and more.

However - one the highlights of the visit to the refuge was sleeping on the boat in the middle of this river. The fireflies numbered in the tens of thousands and they said that everyone who had energy stayed up as long as possible, entranced by the light show.

They are currently en route to the next destination that you've probably never heard of...Pulau Masalembu. More on that tomorrow!


Orangutan means "man of the forest" and how true it is. However, most of their habitat has been destroyed for massive plantations for basic commodities like palm oil. In addition there is a lot of poaching for zoos, private collectors and more. Due to massive reduction in habitat, the population is at risk and they are endangered. However, they are simple a marker species that we all recognize. There are many, many more species that are at risk throughout this part of the world.

What can you do to help? One way is to change your habits! Make sure your foods are Rainforest friendly. Responsibly sourced products are hard to find in the United States but are available. In European countries it is pretty easy to access these goods. The other way to help is by sponsoring an Oranutan!


If you would like to join our adventures in Komodo, you can join our 3 or 6 day Komodo Liveaboards.


-Wicked Diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo Expedition - Pulau Serutu and onwards...

Pulau Serutu

This small island is located of the southwestern coast of Borneo. Also called Cigar Island (look at the picture).

After talking with the Jaya briefly - they had a great dive and are off...again for the next incredible destination.


The diving was very good at Pulau Serutu - they compared it to the best day on the Surin Islands. Pretty shallow sand and very cool stuff all around.


They saw a massive Jenkins Ray and a tiny, tiny blue spotted ray (species unknown). For all those into macro - several Thuridilla Nudibranchs and some Indian Ocean Walkman (though I reckon they have a different name when not in the Indian ocean?)...that's an old picture by the way! Just thought I might add some images to the story :)


After a spot of rain above the water, they were happy to come up from the dive to find the skies cleared up and the sailing smooth! They described the island as being very "Lost"-esque.

However - the next stop on this expedition is one that has got everyone excited to a point of frenzy (all of us included). They are pulling into the world famous Tanjung Puting National Park.

Don't recognize the name? Home to Camp Leakey.

Still not familiar?

This is home to the largest wild orangutang population in the world! This is where it all started for Orangutangs in the public mind. All those pictures you've seen of young orangutangs having been orphaned by logging and gold mining ...this is where they try to raise and release them.

This is also home to the proboscis monkey (and dozens of other incredible species).

We are actually (weather permitting) pulling the boat up the river INTO the park! Now, when was the last time your dive trip took you into an orangutang sanctuary?

We have forewarned all staff to do a strict and thorough staff check before departure. If we are missing anyone - we know to go in and look for Amanda. She may have abandoned ship. And we are also on the lookout for any extra crew members or "guests" that look like they need a shave.

While this is such a stunning experience and something we can all be envious of - the forests and lands that are home to these amazing animals is still very much under threat! Please take your time to help! Through your donations (and actions) you can help this massive preserve care for and rehabilitate Orangutangs.

However, this does not affect the actual problem, only deals with the results. Please join the Rain Forest Action Network and help change how the habitat is destroyed in the first place. Of particular help is to directly assist the protect an acre program. Something that Wicked Diving strongly supports and look for more news on that in the near future.


There are still spaces available if you wish to join our Komodo Liveaboard from June through September of this year.


-Wicked Diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo Expedition - Remote Islands on the edge of Borneo

Serutu Island

Having crossed the equator and the toilets flushing the other direction - the Jaya is approaching the Island of Pulau Karimata. This island has been visited a few times, has some inhabitants and is easier to find on the map than the last one!



Today's geography lesson!



In watching the Jaya approach Karimata Islands - I did some research to satiate my curiosity and prepare for my vicarious journey there :)

"Karimata Islands marine nature reserve located in the district of Maya Island Ketapang West Kalimantan Province. The area of marine nature reserve is 77 hectares Karimata islands. Karimata Islands can be reached from the city of Pontianak using a motor boat with 18 hours of travel time

Karimata Islands consist of clusters of islands totaling eight large and small islands.The largest island in the archipelago Karimata Karimata Island and Serutu Island.Natural Reserve in the region there Karimata archipelagic sea, rocky mountain forest.This area is separate from the island of Borneo (Kalimantan Island). These conditions cause the type of fauna present in the island’s many endemic species belonging to a quite unique, such as dugongs, turtles and ivory tortoises . Besides that we also find various coral reefs and other marine fish."

It is also something of a secret spot on surfing safaris that ply this region. Our actual destination (for which there is virtually no information) is Pulau Serutu, referred to as "Cigar Island". This has some really nice reefs and is home (it's only claim to fame) to a lighthouse noted by a large amount of international shipping (and originally built in 1911 )

While it is fun for me (us?) to check up on where the Jaya is going to, it must be so much more exciting to be on the boat preparing for each leg of this expedition. So many amazing things to see and experience and so much of it virtually untouched by tourists.

Aw. well - guess I'll just have to be on the return trip in October!

Should you wish join our Komodo Liveaaboard trips from June to September - don't hesitate to contact us -



-Wicked Diving, Komodo

Thailand to Komodo - one of the world's great expeditions

Here at Wicked Diving we are passionate about what we do and are so very grateful to you - our guests (and guests-to-be) - for joining us. We have been operating in Thailand for several years and have truly enjoyed our time here. As we have grown and developed, we have added more and more to our dive center - from offering Snorkeling tours to special educational & research trips. We have also developed as individuals. We are home to Three Instructor Trainers and offered the first SSI Instructor Training courses in Khao Lak.

In the last year we have brought on our new Liveaboard - the Jaya. She is a Phinisi sailing schooner, built in Indonesia, and has been offering long range expeditions and surfing safaris around Indonesia for a few years. That story alone was enough to get us interested and excited about her. But she is also strong and well-designed, extremely fuel-efficient and has much more open space than almost any other boat of this style. She is fun!

After running her for a full season in Thailand, getting familiar with each other and making many small improvements, we felt were ready to do some adventure or another - we deserved.

In the meantime we found a partner school in Indonesia who was really excited to work with us. Our ethics and high standards were the main appeal. They are based in a small town on the island of Flores call Labuan Bajo. Once we pulled out the map - we realized just what this meant. Komodo National Park!

So we found our adventure! The Jaya was to do a massive journey from Thailand to Komodo - diving and exploring along the way. In doing the research on the trip - we realized that the first leg - from Khao Lak to Singapore had only a few spots to visit (though it deeply pains us to pass up diving in Pulau Weh - Banda Aceh!!) so we invited 10 of our friends (and staff) to join us for this adventure, starting in Singapore.

In deciding who would "work" on this trip and who would stay was a long, difficult process, but now I sit here writing this - and they are somewhere in the South China Sea (guess who lost the coin toss?).

We have placed a nice GPS unit on the boat so we can see where she is and where she has been (Also has nice SOS features!) so please follow their progress -http://ow.ly/4FNjg

We also have satellite phone contact (also sends and receives short SMS and emails). With a check-in each morning and evening, we will post progress, gossip and updates as they occur! Yes - this is happening right now! While we will be using the blog for the larger updates, facts and background information - please use our facebook page for all the news :) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wicked-Diving/15150487571

-Wicked Diving