Diving in November

I want to spend about 3 weeks diving in Indonesia in November (not the best time for most of the country).
I am experienced, travelling alone on a budget, thus in more remote places sometimes I could not dive because there were no other divers joining the trip.
For land-based diving in November, options are currently:
- Alor: extreme currents?
- Bira/Selayar (South Sulawesi) dynamite fishing around Bira. Worth the effort?
- Biak: far away from everything...
I love walls and big fish action.
Which one would be best in November and is worth the trip? Who can compare?
Thank you.
Yours,
Liberty

P.S. Raja Ampat and Maluku seemed to expensive, places like Manado might get too much rain.

Hi Liberty,

you are right, November is not the best time to dive in the archipelago. Although you can dive all year round, the water gets a bit choppy, which makes it a little uncomfortable. I am not sure about Alor, but why not check with these people http://www.alor-diving.com/ However, although the accommodation is not expensive at all, the diving is a little pricey (that's just my opinion). I would either head for the north-west coast of Bali, ie Pemuteran. From there you can reach Menjangan, which has some nice walls and coral, but big fish. Or take the risk with the weather, and stay on Bunaken Island. At least there you can get a budget room, all meals, plus two boat dives (with weights/belt/guide included) for about US$65 . Selayar is quite expensive. Biak, including the rest of West Papua (the politically correct term for what used to be known as Irian Jaya), is not really geared to land-based diving. If you are flexible, I would change either the travel dates or the destination, if you can't I would go for Pemuteran, but I am not sure about staying there for three weeks. Keep on blowing bubbles, cheers, Sybille

Hi!
Thank you. There is a dive centre in Bira, and there is budget accommodation around.
Bali would be only an option after Alor for Mola-Mola.
I think, Bira and Alor are in my budget. Which one is really great enough for 3 weeks?
Yours,
Liberty

Yes, Bira has a dive operation, www.south-sulawesi-diver.com . Why not get in touch with them, their website is both in German and English. Now that you mention it, I remember reading about it in taucher.net , a huge German language website. Why not visit both, Bira and Alor?, but both are a little awkward to get to. cheers, Sybille

Thank you!
Bira is easy to get to as there are plenty of flights to Makassar. But there are not many direct flights between Kupang and Makassar. Thus flying Alor -Kupang -Makassar - 4hrs by bus or even stopping in Denpasar, that is too much hassle. Well, if East Timor was safe...
I would rather have combined Bira with Biak which is on the way (flights mostly via Makassar).
Yours,
Liberty

You can make beautiful dives in Biak to the Padaido islands and even stay overnight on these islands. I did this a few years ago with Mr Alexi from Biak Diving.
They have also dive shop in the guesthouse in Bosnik : Bosnik Beach losmen (nice place fronting the beach) from where you leave to the Padaido Islands. Great experience.