Please select your language to enter the complete website:

English

Deutsch

Listed below are a few facts regarding this vessel?

Length 23.5 metres
Beam 4.5 metres
Draught 1.8 metres
Engine 6 cylinder 115 hp diesel (cruising speed about 8 knots)
Fuel capacity 2000 litres
Fresh water capacity 3000 litres

Vovo and Yanni are ably assisted by their two crew members Merajap and Achmat who work quietly and efficiently in the background, filling cylinders, loading and unloading diving equipment and the general day to day running of the boat.

The food aboard the Duyung (which means mermaid) is delicious, lovingly prepared by Yani, who works hard all day to provide guests with authentic Indonesian cuisine. Fresh fish, squid, chicken, fresh vegetables, homemade soups, cakes, fruit and freshly baked German bread each day. She also produces freshly prepared fruit drinks and also serves some of the best coffee I have ever tasted.

The meals are served either in the wheelhouse/salon area or up on the top shaded dining area.

Drinking water is readily available throughout the day. After your dive day is finished beer and soft drinks can be purchased onboard. (At very reasonable prices). Vovo and Yani are quite happy for you to bring on board your own spirits and wine. (Best purchased in Bali as the choice on Flores is very limited)

The accommodation aboard consists of, two double cabins, plus a separate area that is capable of sleeping a further five people, however Vovo considers six people a full charter. The central sleeping area has air conditioning and the two double cabins have fan cooling.

There is only one toilet onboard the Duyung, which is a western style W.C. with sea water flush. With only a small number of guests, this does not present a problem. Like the rest of the vessel the toilet is kept very clean and fresh. The toilet area also acts as a shower room, hot water is provided for the traditional pour over type shower.
Hot water, deck showers are also provided.

The main deck area is provided with a couple of hammocks, mattresses and pillows so guests can relax, read or doze away the time between dives.

A selection of paperbacks and fish identification books are available in the salon area and a television can be used to playback any video or pictures that guests may have taken during the day.

Duyung is a very quiet vessel, background noise from the engine, generators and compressors is kept to a minimum.
Empty cylinders are filled whilst divers are out diving and the generator is only run as and when required, to provide additional power above and beyond that supplied by the battery banks.

For those of you that are boat “buffs”, Vovo will happily show you around the engine room and explain the workings of many of the innovative systems he has installed. Duyung can be considered an “Eco friendly” vessel.

Remember, Duyung is not a “high end” luxury liveaboard, but provides comfortable and clean accommodation on a very attractive vessel. Vovo, Yanni and their crew actually enjoy what they do and their enthusiasm for their lifestyle is genuine.

The Komodo National Park is made up of not only Komodo Island but of many small and medium sized islands including Rinja, Darat and Laut. The water surrounding these islands abound with marine life, strong currents surge between the islands on a daily basis. The currents bring with them the rich nutrients vital to this thriving marine eco system.

These currents can make diving “tricky” but for more experienced divers, exciting and great fun. There are dive sites suitable for all levels of diver, from experienced open water diver and above. However there is no doubt that the largest shoals, the biggest fish, the most sharks and generally the most exhilarating dives are where the currents are at the strongest. Therefore I would suggest to get the best out of the area; the diving is not for newly qualified or inexperienced divers or for divers who are not capable of a bit of hard fining on some occasions.

So what’s the diving like? Many of the dive sites such as Castle Rock, Crystal Boomi, Batu Bolong, the Cauldron and the passage are truly “world class” dives, when dived under the right conditions. Other sites rate as excellent diving.

During our dives we have encountered amazing marine life, large amounts of sharks, mainly white tip and grey reef, large shoals of jacks, snapper, surgeon fish and fusiliers.
Large groupers can be seen on most dives and we have also seen some of the biggest hump head wrasse we have seen for years. Turtles abound, Manta rays are common and eagle rays, we spotted regularly.

The corals here are spectacular and rarely in Indonesia have I seen so little evidence of fish bombing. The reefs in many cases can be considered “pristine” and are alive with all the usual reef dwelling creatures. Some sites offer excellent life, with the possibility of seeing sea horse, frog fish, leaf fish and a large variety of nudibranch.

We came to the Komodo area in Mid September; surface water conditions were good and on many days, flat calm. Visibility was good anything from 15 – 40 metres. Water temperature varied from 24 – 28 degrees C.

For maximum comfort in the water we would suggest that you wear a quality 5mm thick wetsuit. Wetsuit boots and open heeled fins are also preferable. We would also recommended you bring a reef hook, D.S.M.B., whistle, torch and all the usual spares etc for diving in remote locations.

All of our dives were guided by the knowledgeable, experienced (10 years operating in this area) and enthusiastic PADI Divemaster Vovo, ably assisted by his boatman and current Merajap, who has been navigating these waters since he was a child. He seems to be able to read the oceans like a book.

Our charter of the Duyung was made up of just three of us. The diving takes place from a 6 metre long aluminum boat powered by a 40 hp outboard, the tender is equipped with a VHF radio communication system and all the recommended safety equipment. The speedboat journey times from the Duyung out to the dive sites take between 10 – 20 minutes. Whilst the divers are out diving the Duyung anchors up in a calm secluded bay, so non divers can relax in a peaceful and tranquil environment. Up to 4 guided dives per day are offered and with conditions permitting a self guided night dive can be taken.

The Duyung operates from Labuan Bajo the garden city on the island of Flores, which can be reached by a one hour flight from Bali (or a four day boat journey from Lombok, we will tell you about it sometime).

Our time on the Duyung and the diving in the Komodo National Park has been wonderful, with some of the best diving we have ever done.

Entry in to the National Park costs US $34 per person for up to 8 days. (Not included in the Charter price). This fee also includes shore excursions onto the island of Komodo or Rinja to see the iconic Komodo dragons. We made excursions to both islands and saw many dragons, deer, buffalo, wild boar, eagles and other exotic bird life. We thought the island of Rinja was actually better than Komodo, guided walks of approx. 2 hours cost 10.000 Rupia (approx. at current exchange rates 65 pence) .

The best time to come to the Komodo area is between June and November; however September and October are exceptional months with flat calm seas.
Malaria is endemic on Flores, so if you plan to spend any time on the island please bring with you and take the appropriate medication.

Any further questions you may have either about the Duyung, diving in the Komodo area or to make a booking please contact:- vovo@bali-dive-cruise-com.

We can also arrange special itinery to suit your requirements.