This blog post is not a paid partnership, I just love this liveaboard and wanted to share it with you! I was very sceptical of liveaboards as my last experience entailed bunk beds and non-flushing toilets, however, the Dewi Nusantara takes things to the next level and beyond. I love the boat and the staff so much, that I’ve been back three times already.
The Dewi Nusantara, which translates as "Goddess of the Indonesian archipelago", is a hand-built 58m wooden sail boat, taking guests on a voyage of a life time around Indonesia. I've spotted whale sharks in Cenderawashi bay, dragons in Komodo and out of this world technicolour corals in Raja Ampat all aboard this beautiful boat!
The minute you embark onto the traditional wooden boat you receive one of the most energetic and friendly welcomes from the entire crew. Once all guests are on board with a cocktail in hand, you set sail on the glistening ocean, leaving behind the busy and hectic world of today.
The boat holds up to a maximum of 18 guests and with so much space you never feel cramped. The boat has been designed as a floating 5-star hotel and you can see this through their attention to detail, attentive and friendly staff, food and the extra little surprises after each dive, including a massage and a delicious baileys hot chocolate!
The cabins are ideal and spacious with all the amenities you need. Wardrobe, Hair dryer, UK plugs, your own sustainable water bottle, amazing hot shower and fully working toilet. You may laugh that I mention a fully working toilet but as some of you may know, there are liveaboards out there, that let’s just say are not as luxurious as this and you would rather pee in your wetsuit than use the toilet!
Leave your plans of a diet behind, as on the Dewi you will never go hungry. It truly is eat, sleep, dive repeat... four times a day!
Each morning the host will take your breakfast order to ensure it is ready and waiting for you after your first dive. The choice is endless and you truly can request anything that takes your fancy. Lunch is always a delicious Indonesian inspired buffet, followed by a tasty snack later in the day, but make sure you save space for your four course dinner!
Guests are encouraged to dine together on one of the communal tables, which is one of my favourite parts of the day, sharing the days experiences and competing on who found the best Nudibranch!
The dive guides are some of the best in Indonesia with the most incredible eyes and skills for spotting things smaller than a grain of rice! It’s generally 2-4 divers to one dive guide, however you can pay an additional fee should you wish to have your own private guide.
The camera room up on deck has several set-up areas with ample room for storing your gear and plenty of charging stations, just remember the cruise directors’ cabin is right next door, so no late night partying in the camera room!
The daily dive schedule is generally 3 dives plus 1 optional night dive all lasting around 60mins with the choice of diving on air or Nitrox. If you are new to liveaboards, Nitrox is going to be your best option as not only is it healthier, it’s also going to give you more bottom time. Don’t worry if you dive on Air as many of the divers still prefer this option, however, should you wish to change to Nitrox you have the option to take the course during the trip.
In between dives there are so many different spots to chill out, whether it's in a hammock, on the sun deck, catching up on on your fish ID in the lounge or simply taking a snooze back in your cabin.
Having built strong relationships with the local authorities and villages over the past decade, the Dewi is able to take you to some of the most remote dive locations in Indonesia and still continue to add exciting new dive sites to their list every year - including Raja Ampat, Komodo, Cenderawasih, Banda Sea and Wakatobi.
With their 5star service in hospitality and scuba diving, there is no wonder the Dewi Nusantara was voted as “The best liveaboard in the WORLD 2018”.
JOIN AS DIVE BUDDIES AND LEAVE AS FRIENDS!
You never know who you might meet aboard the Dewi,
Can you spot the celebrity in the back? #JoshuaJackson
Check out the the trips I have taken aboard the Dewi Nusantara;
Komodo - coming soon
Raja Ampat - coming soon
What to wear on a liveaboard
Anything goes on the Dewi, it’s pretty informal and you have seen each other walking around half naked all day anyway!
No need for shoes, just flip flops will do as you will be bare foot most of the time.
Easy throw on dresses or sarongs are my favourite to wear in between dives and for men, swim shorts and a t-shirt are perfect
In the evening everyone pretty much wears the same as they do during the day, t-shirts & shorts, casual dresses and casual shirts. It’s a good idea to take a long sleeve hoodie or shirt just in case it gets cooler in the evening or if sitting inside the air-conditioned lounge.
Wetsuit: I get very cold after diving four times a day, therefore i always dive in my 5mm wetsuit with an additional 2mm shorty on top. However it all depends on your personal preference as i've seen some divers on the Dewi just as happy in board shorts and rash vest or a 1mm dive skin.
Liveaboard Essentials
Swimeaze for drying out your ears
Ear Calm Spray – This is an over the counter spray helps to treat minor outer ear infections by killing bacteria which can easily enter the ear when in water.
Dive hood – I used to dive without but after continued ear infections and heat loss, I invested in my Minnie mouse hood and never dive without it!
Plastic bag & Shampoo – This will help your foot slip right through the wet suit
Ear plugs - Mack's are my favourite
Spare batteries and memory cards
Mini bottle of Dettol or soap powder – Nothing worse than a smelly wetsuit! We all know you pee in there!
This blog post was not a paid partnership and purely a genuine reflection
of my own experience aboard the Dewi Nusantara.