2012 Biak on Damai
Biak to Cendarawasi Bay
27-Aug-2012 07-Sep-2012
11 Day Adventure
Cost: US$4700 (normally $5125)
Join Tim Rock and Simon Pridmore
An Amazing Area!!! This is wild North Papua!!! On the trip we will try to:
- Visit the wrecks in Manokwari… the best in Indonesia
- There’s possibility of going to Mapia and remote atolls on the north( weather permited).
It is here is where you can encounter big fish
- Be on our own… rarely dived area rich in marine life and ripe for exploration
- Our ship’s first mate is from the region and knows it well. Village visits will be fascinating.
Biak is a small island located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua, an Indonesian province, and is just northwest of New Guinea.
Biak and nearby Supiori Island are the respective locations for the Biak and Supiori Nature Reserves. These parks are bird sanctuaries that include beautiful varieties of parrots and cockatoos. In the town of Biak, there are number of surprisingly good restaurants featuring freshly caught seafood. There a several new hotels in town with plentiful taxis. Three hospitals are available in case of emergencies, and modern stores and pharmacies are conveniently located in center of town. There is an open-air market that sell fruits and vegetables early in the morning Shops sell souvenirs and jewelry crafted from 23-kt. gold, which are sold by weight, with very little added for workmanship.
Biak is the largest island in its small archipelago, and has many atolls, reefs, and corals. The largest population centre is at Kota Biak (Biak City) on the south coast. The rest of the island is thinly populated with small villages. Biak is part of the Biak Islands (Kepulauan Biak).
Biak is a WWII battle site. You can read about it at this Wikipedia link: Battle of BIAK
What’s included
In case you didn’t see the relevant page on the Dive Damai website, the trip price is pretty much genuinely all-inclusive – a rare thing these days. It includes;-
Accommodation in twin or double bed cabin with en-suite heads and A/C.
Private Stateroom #4
All meals and drinks while on board
All spa treatments while on board
Laundry
Air, nitrox 32% & 36% tanks, weight belt & weights & complete dive gear (3 or 5mm wetsuit, reg, bcd, fins, mask & computer)
Pony bottles
Torches/Dive Lights
Dive guides for a maximum of 3 customers per guide
Sunset at top deck
Unlimited day time diving and a night dive, schedule permitting
Any National park entrance fee and government taxes
All port and harbour fees
Land tours offered and group activities
Transfers to & from airport & vessel & from any hotel to the airport within a distance of 20km
- About Flights
The trip is scheduled to begin in Biak.
Divers coming for the Biak trip would do best to fly in via Makassar or Manado then on to Ambon for the hopper to Biak.
Booking and scheduling can be tricky as flights and times change. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND you use the Damai Travel Desk to handle in-country flights.
- Payments
To confirm your place on theBiak trip we would ask for a deposit of 50% of the trip price (US$2,350.00) now. The easiest way to pay is by transfer in US$ to Simon’s HSBC account, details can be obtained e-mailing Simon. Please let us know when you make the transfer and identify it with your name and what trip so we know it’s from you!
Dive boat
Payment:
This trip has only 8 places. We require a 50% deposit to hold a space on this special adventure.
This is non-refundable.
Some more Biak Info:
Population
Biak is divided in to 19 districts,16 subdistricts and 157 villages. It has a population 116,117.
Weather
The temperature is generally hot. Light rains fall during the month of January to June. Dry season is between July to November.
Flora
There are numerous types of flora in this tropical area with its mystical tropical rain forest . The forest also has a variety trees and other commercial species plus the lush vegetation of mangrove swamps
Fauna
The fauna is simiiar to Australia fauna such as the group of fowl like pigeon, cockatoo, nuri (a kind of parrot) and the reptile group such as snake, turtle and monitor lizard.
Underwater
There are more than 36 sites just around Biak alone with war plane wrecks, reefs, walls, dropoffs, caves and good macro spots. The diving off the Padaido Islands is tops for the larger fishes, in both variety and number. The Atoll site is best for large fish, including several 2m long dogfin tuna and large schools of very friendly batfish. In general at the Padaido sites, there are frequent sightings of several varieties of sharks, eagle rays, jacks, turtle and barracuda.
Please buy both TRIP INSURANCE and Flight Insurance. DAN sells trip insurance at a reasonable cost.
Travel Tips from World Nomads
Here are a few things to consider when choosing your insurance to make sure that you will be covered on your adventure:
- Cancellation: It’s no fun if you fall ill before you leave and can not go on your trip. To claim though, you have to buy your insurance policy when you buy your trip. Not all insurance policies cover cancellation, so please read the policy wording relevant to you carefully
- Lost or Stolen Gear: most travel insurance policies have a per-item value limit – make sure its high enough to cover your gear or choose a policy that allows you to increase the limit.
- Medical expenses over and above evacuation: check that your cover includes emergency treatment while away and transport to bring you home – remembering that insurance providers will usually insist on getting you home as soon as you are fit enough to travel.
- Adventurous Activities: look carefully at what your policy covers – you may find that you are not covered to do all of the adventurous activities that you are planning while you’re away.
- Personal Liability: Accidents happen. If it’s found to be your fault and someone decides to sue you, you want to be covered.
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