Where to go? Bali, Borneo, Thailand????

Kasey, when I went to Bali in October I didn't book any accomodation until I got there (apart from my first night - which I ended up postponing for a night after Malaysian Airways lost my camera case for a day), and that worked out fine. It makes travelling a bit more stressful - and means that you can't immediately switch your brain off as soon as you step on the plane - but it is certainly very cost effective. This wouldn't work as easily with a single resort destination like Wakatobi. I don't really recommend it. But certainly possible.

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Re-Tulamben. Fongwee, I think that the Liberty is an amazing dive site and certainly worth diving at least once with every lens you own! Viz is best there in the morning - so do wide angle then. Other sites are well worth checking out, for specific critters like pygmies or froggies. Non-photographer buddies might get a bit bored with Tulamben if you stayed a week. But photographers never!

To give you an idea. Here is what I did at Tulamben staying Seraya in Oct 2005 for 4 days - and I still wanted more! In fact going back in September to do more! Oh, and diving the Liberty from Seraya by RIB is much better than walking up the beach IMO - i tried both while I was there!

Anyway, I did 4 dives a day. 16 in total. 6 at Liberty (always first dive of the day). 1 at River. 1 at drop off. 1 at Mimpi house reef. 1 at Alamanda. 6 at Seraya house reef. My average dive time was 77 minutes. Pictures:http://www.amustard.com/bali/

As you requested, Frogfish is the expert on Bali and his advice is as good as you'll get.

Alex

Kasey, you will find that a place like Wakatobi will give which ever travel agency you use a commission so the published rate should be what you pay for and not more. I do know one US dive travel agent has been promoting the Wakatobi resort vigorously. I personally don't find the local diving very interesting on an indonesian scale. I prefer the Sundas, Papua , Sangalaki and even the bali surrounds to that area. The coral is very well preserved in many sites and quite stunning but it lacks the great fish life that is more common in other parts of Indonesia. One site in particular, Tomia, is very fishy but only during the changing of tides when the fish come out to feed in the current. The resort itself has improved over the years and now has a/c rooms etc. The Blade has wonderful topography but again lacking in fish population and a green algae has begun to overrun the bommies over the last 8 years.

If you are looking for accomodation locally, I'd book one night online and find a place the next day. There are places that use to go for $500 now charging $150 a night. I'd just hate to fly in all sweaty and tired and have to bargain with the reception. My suggestion would be the Parigata in Sanur for the first night. It's central, on the beach and plenty of other places to look at for subsequent nights and it's quite reasonable for the quality. If you want something more upmarket, there is the Grand Hyatt Sanur.

Fongwee

I'm not sure what kind of diver you are. I personally don't share the enthusiasm of Alex or Frogfish about the Liberty wreck. I prefer the mucky area around it for macro, except maybe when the school of trevally are around it. It's nice but 2-3 dives is enough for me, but I'm not a stills guy anymore. Like Alex, I spent a lot of my diving in Scuba Seraya house reef and the tulamben muck dives. As frogfish mentioned, the corals along Tulamben wall were damaged and are slowly coming back but you still get napoleon wrasse patrolling around and if you go real deep(45+m), some bigger pelagics can pop up. The other sites like Batu Kelebit (nice coral and sometimes serious pelagic action,but often NOT!) and Gili Selang (a drift dive with small reef sharks and pelagics) can be happening when the tides are right. Then there's also Lipah Bay and Jemeluk are nice fishy sites as well. So like Frogfish and Alex, I'd spend 4-5 days exploring and seeing what you like to dive on.

Thank you all for the advice. I am still waiting for my chance to go. Can't wait anymore but got a major exams coming up. Sigh. Can only take a short dip in the murky waters of Singapore next week.