Frequently Asked Questions - Indonesia
General Questions about
Emperor Divers Indonesia
For your financial security, when you pay by credit card, all monies are held in a client account until your holiday takes place. Total peace of mind.
No, we do not charge any credit card fees when you make an advanced booking.
When you pre-book with us we save you 2.5% (or more) whenever you pay by credit card as we choose not to charge any fees when you pay for your holiday. The price you see is the price you pay.
Emperor Indonesia does accept payment by Visa and MasterCard on board our liveaboards and at our dive resorts. However, please note that all prices will be in US Dollars and a 3% surcharge will be added.
Please check with your bank for any international charges and exchange rates.
All guests are required to sign a self-declaration medical on check in and before any activity such as, but not limited to, diving, snorkelling, swimming, etc. A sample can be found here.
If you are taking part in a PADI course, you are required to a sign a diver medical prior to starting the course.
In both cases, if you have, or think you have, any of the medical conditions listed you will need signed clearance from a doctor valid within 12 months of your planned liveaboard or diving holiday. Where doctor’s clearance is needed, we ask you to arrange this before arrival where possible and to bring it with you to avoid any delays, additional costs or even missing the trip.
For students under the age of 18, all paperwork needs to be signed by a parent or guardian.
Emperor Divers will not be responsible for any financial loss incurred by issues beyond our control such as, but not limited to, weather, ‘Act of God’ or changes made by the local authorities. It is a condition of your booking with Emperor Divers that you purchase comprehensive dive and travel insurance cover specific to your booking and to bring proof of this with you to show the guides when you check in.
You are responsible to check that these include:
- Dive Injury Insurance: covering all risks, costs and expenses likely to be incurred as a result of a diving injury, including but not limited to re-compression chamber treats, air evacuation, and loss or damage to possessions. This insurance should cover all scuba diving or water sports activities that you are likely to undertake during your trip, and
- Medical Evacuation Insurance: covering all risks, costs and expenses likely to arise from a diving or non-diving injury requiring your evacuation to a place of specialist care, including but not limited to low altitude air evacuation; specialist treatment and direct; and indirect losses; and
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance: valid at the time of booking to cover any pre-departure cancellations should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious accident, any changes or cancellation to your travel plans, loss or damage to your luggage and contents.
You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, diving injuries and medical evacuation.
Should diving insurance not be obtained prior to your departure, it can be arranged on arrival with Indepths Insurance (Divemaster UK). Pricing information can be found on the relevant product price list, or contact us at [email protected].
If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, Emperor will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
Raja Ampat diving conditions are generally at their best between October and May with less rain, calmer seas and better visibility. Banda Sea is best dived around March and April or September to December when the sea is calmest and the best diving conditions in Komodo are during the dry season and between April and October.
Information regarding diving conditions, itineraries and advice regarding diver experience can be found here: Indonesia Diving Guidelines.
Indonesia is blessed with the smallest to the largest of marine animals. You may see pygmy seahorses, wonderpus, ghost pipe fish, hairy and normal frog fish, mantas, whale sharks, sharks, rays and top of any critter-loving photographer’s list, the most searched fish in the world, the rare and beautiful rhinopias.
Raja Ampat is a major epicentre of marine biodiversity with over 80% of the world’s total coral species, over 1300 species of fish, 6 of the 7 species of sea turtle and 27 varieties of marine mammals. A small selection of what you may encounter are; 5 different species of sharks, including the Wobbegong shark, manta rays, batfish, groupers, pygmy seahorse, octopi, nudibranch, frogfish, wasp fish, mantis shrimp, pipefish, plus schooling jacks, barracudas, fusiliers and sweetlips…the list just goes on and on!
Banda Sea is home to many large pelagics where hammerhead sharks are sometimes seen, and thresher and silvertip sharks are occasionally sighted. Manta rays often pay a visit to the area, as well as mobula rays and large schools of tuna, barracuda, mackerel and Rainbow Runners. Banda also has its fair share of smaller reef life too, including Blue Ring octopus, pipefish, frogfish, stargazer, lobster and seahorse. Coral reefs are healthy and colourful, on a par with Raja Ampat.
Komodo National Park has an abundance of marine life with kaleidoscopic coral reefs. Expect white and black tip sharks, grey reef sharks, green and hawksbill turtles, Napoleon wrasse, giant trevally, mantas and mobula rays. There’s plenty sheltered here for macro-lovers too with a myriad of critters hiding among the sandy slopes and walls of healthy pink, orange, and purple soft corals such as; leaf scorpionfish, blue ribbon eels, crocodile fish, and plenty of nudibranchs.
The average water temperature is 27°C, however, can be as low as 20°C in South Komodo.
We recommend a 3mm-5mm shortie or wetsuit for most trips and 5mm full suit with hood for South Komodo.
It’s really how you prefer to dive but we’re happy to advise.
We have DIN tanks and INT adapters available on-board. We strongly advise divers with M26 regulators to bring adapters to fit to DIN tanks.
Sorry, this service is currently not available in Indonesia.
Most diver training agencies recommend 24 hours before flying, therefore for your safety Emperor Divers require you to have 24 hours clear before flying.
As qualified divers you are expected to be able to dive to a standard as per the certification and experience requirements outlined. You are responsible for your own and your buddy’s safety during the dive and to plan your dive and dive your plan by using a personal dive computer. You must begin, execute and end the dive with your dive buddy.
Should you be a single diver, a buddy will be allocated in resort or onboard.
If you are a PADI or SSI diver, we may be able to check their computer database online, but please make every effort to get a replacement before you travel.
Yes, providing you prove you’re a diver. We may require you to do a check dive or scuba review before your arrival or on your first day depending on your level, how many dives you think you have and when your last dive was.
Depends what level you are, how many dives you’ve got and when you last dived.
For safety reasons, Emperor advises divers to follow their agency recommendation, many agencies recommend a Scuba Review if it has been longer than six months since your last dive. You will need to arrange this beforehand or at home before joining your liveaboard in Indonesia.
All our guests, regardless of their qualification or experience will participate in a check dive on their first dive at local/sheltered dive site and our experienced guides will give advice and feedback to ensure you get the very best experience from your trip.
The maximum depth for diving in the Indonesia is 40 metres with an equally qualified buddy; please email [email protected] for more details.
Your maximum diving depth will be dependent on your level of training and experience. It is your responsibility to check what depths your insurance policy covers you for before your arrival
Generally, 60 minutes; this is so we can account for all divers.
Emperor is extremely environmentally aware and asks that you refrain from taking knives or gloves when you dive.
Do not touch, ride, feed, catch or harass anything you find underwater.
Do not come back on the boat with less than 30 bar in your tank, ascend or descend very close to the reef or ascend or descend down the mooring line.
No solo diving, no decompression diving, use good buoyancy control when using cameras. And that means we all have a great dive.
Questions about
Emperor Indonesia Liveaboards
We do recommend staying a night in a hotel or guest house once you arrive at your final destination, this is to allow you to acclimatise after your long journey and account for any flight delays.
Check in: We aim to have everyone onboard by 11am on arrival day and we will leave port as soon as all the clients are on board. Please check your trip check in and check out timings per trip, as they may differ.
Check out: Beginning early in the morning on the day of disembarkation with all guests departing by no later than midday.
Please tell us if you are planning to stay in a hotel or guest house before or after boarding your Emperor liveaboard. We can arrange early morning transfers to and from the boat to local hotels on days of embarkation and disembarkation. These are free of charge.
If you are planning to arrive to or depart from a local airport, we will try our best to arrange transfers in accordance with your flight times, normally early morning.
We aim to have everyone onboard by 11am on arrival day, please contact us with your flight times or if you plan to stay in a hotel or guest house before joining your Emperor liveaboard. Please check your trip check in and check out timings per trip, as they may differ.
Guests arriving at the required airport on the check-in day will be met by a representative, wearing a uniform and holding a sign representing the boat for your trip. The meeting point is at the main exit, after you have collected your luggage.
A contact number for Emperor’s Airport Representative can be found on your ‘Read Before You Leave‘ document.
Yes, we do. We will try our best to arrange transfers from the airport in accordance with your flight times, normally early morning.
We aim to have everyone onboard by 11am on arrival day and we will leave port as soon as all the clients are on board. Please check your trip check in and check out timings per trip, as they may differ.
We do recommend staying a night in a hotel or guest house once you arrive at your final destination, this is to allow you to acclimatise after your long journey and account for any flight delays. If you would like some options, we’ll happily connect with an agent partner in Indonesia who can help with all your local travel requirements.
It’s easy to book accommodation in Indonesia using websites like Booking.com however many guests prefer to book arrival transfers, tours, hotels and some internal flights with a local agent. We’ll happily connect with an agent partner in Indonesia who can help with all your local travel requirements.
We’ll not only put you in touch but stay with you through every step of the communication process.
Yes, we do. Transfers from local hotels on day of embarkation are arranged early in the morning and are free of charge. We aim to have everyone onboard by 11am on arrival day and we will leave port as soon as all the clients are on board. Please check your trip check in and check out timings per trip, as they may differ.
Your hotel will most likely be able to help you with arranging additional transfers to/from the airport or alternatively, consider using a local agent.
Please do let us know where you are staying prior to boarding and if you would like some options, we’ll happily connect with an agent partner in Indonesia who can help with all your local travel requirements.
It’s normally cheaper to book your domestic flights along with your long haul flights but if you do need assistance with domestic flights we’ll happily connect with an agent partner in Indonesia who can help with all your local travel requirements.
All Raja Ampat cruises will start and disembark in Sorong, West Papua, Indonesia.
Additionally, if you have both the time and would prefer to break up your journey, we advise you to consider staying a night in a hotel in Sorong before boarding.
Please chat to Emperor’s helpful and resourceful reservations team who will be happy to advise you either by using the live chat or email at [email protected].
There will be no diving on arrival and departure day and an average of 3 dives are offered per day depending on crossing/travel times with 1 night dive every 3 to 4 nights, all dives depend on the itinerary and weather conditions.
You must ensure that you leave a minimum of 24 hours between their last dive and their flight departure (or going to altitude).
Please see our Indonesia Diving Guidelines.
All diving is made from zodiacs to give precise entry and exit points and unpredictable and strong currents are to be expected anytime, but especially in periods of new and full moons. Therefore, you should be comfortable with drift diving.
Emperor Indonesia advises that all guests must be Open Water Diver or equivalent. On some dives the recommended depth is below 18m, therefore advanced or Deep Diver training is advised. Please check each itinerary regarding any minimum number of dives required and for further information here.
All itineraries and dive sites are subject to various unpredictable changes including weather conditions and changes in Indonesian Government approval. Whilst Emperor Indonesia makes every effort, we cannot guarantee diving at specific sites. In adverse weather conditions the guides and captain of the boat will have the final decision about which dive sites to visit to ensure that the guests, staff and boats safety is not compromised in any way. If in the unfortunate event that dives are missed, or dive sites are not reached due to weather conditions or other unforeseeable changes, Emperor Indonesia will not offer a refund or compensation.
We require all divers to be certified to a minimum of PADI Advanced Open Water / PADI Deep Diver or equivalent before joining their Emperor Indonesia Liveaboard.
We do offer the PADI Nitrox Speciality course onboard, please ask for more details.
Courses are subject to availability and itinerary and do not include course materials (where required) and certification fee. If arranged on board a 11% sales tax will be added. Prices can be found here.
For students under the age of 18, course paperwork needs to be signed by a parent or guardian.
Depends what level you are, how many dives you’ve got and when you last dived. If you are novice with not very many dives and not dived for a year, you would need to talk to your local dive school about taking part in a scuba review or PADI Reactivate programme. This should be completed prior to your arrival on board, signed by an instructor and shown to your Emperor guide before you start diving.
Every diver, regardless of their qualification or experience will be required to participate in a check-dive, normally the first dive and prior to commencing normal diving activities. This dive allows you to orientate yourself in your diving environment and acquaint yourself with your equipment. In the interests of safety, Emperor Indonesia reserves the right to restrict diving activities if the instructor has any concerns regarding diver safety.
They vary from boat to boat, please see the relevant information for each boat and that will tell you the maximum number.
They vary from boat to boat, please see the relevant information for each boat and that will tell you the average number.
Mostly English, German and Spanish, however other languages are subject to availability and on request.
Please chat to us using the live chat on our website or email us at [email protected] with any dates you have in mind and we can check availability for you
We have ample storage space for your equipment and there is a spares box onboard.
Dive towels are available on the deck and are changed every day.
We suggest that you bring the following:
Mask, snorkel, fins, boots, wetsuit, regulator, BCD, SMB (with a minimum of 5 metres of line to deploy during the safety stop) and a dive computer with spare batteries and a torch for any night dives.
The average water temperature is 27°C, however, can be as low as 20°C in South Komodo. We recommend a 3mm-5mm shortie or wetsuit for most trips and 5mm full suit with hood for South Komodo.
Equipment is available for rent from Emperor Indonesia and we ask that you pre-book your equipment before you arrive in resort to avoid disappointment. We need to know normal sizes, height, weight and shoe sizes to prepare the correctly sized equipment for you.
All divers are required to use a dive computer and SMB and carry reef hooks for every dive and a torch each for night dives throughout their liveaboard experience for safety reasons. Please bring your own or ask us what is available on board.
Inexperienced and beginner divers may find some dives challenging and may be asked by the Cruise Director to skip dives that are not suitable for their diving experience.
Information regarding diving conditions, itineraries and advice regarding diver experience can be found here: Indonesia Diving Guidelines.
Please chat to us using the live chat on our website or email us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns you may have and we will be happy to help and advise you.
Not all itineraries are suitable for snorkelling, but the ones that are offer access to some of the best in the world, please chat to us and we’ll be happy to advise the best and safest itineraries for you to join.
Snorkelling is possibly only when an Instructor/Guide is on board to observe or unless the snorkeller is accompanied in the water by a certified diver. We ask all snorkellers to wear a floatation aid at all times.
Whilst every effort will be made for non-diving guests wishing to snorkel or guests wanting to try scuba diving, some itineraries or dive locations may not be permitted for safety reasons. Both snorkellers and non-divers will be required to complete a liability form at the time of check in.
Depending on the route, trip duration and weather conditions, we generally offer 2-3 land-based excursions for each of our trips. We also visit some nice beaches for a cocktail party at the end of the day.
For more information regarding which land excursions are available, please either check the relevant itinerary page or chat to us using the live chat on our website or email us at [email protected].
Children aged 15 years or younger must be supervised by a parent or designated responsible adult at all times whilst on board an Emperor liveaboard. Emperor cannot provide a legal chaperone service.
Children pricing policy:
- 0-2 years old – free of charge, share cabin, no separate bed provided
- 3-9 years old – 50% discount, share cabin, no separate bed provided (share cabin, separate bed provided for 8 – 9 years old only for full charters)
- 10+ years old – full rate
The meals on board are usually buffet style with a variety of local and International dishes to suit everyone.
Local food is traditionally a bit spicy, fish is available on board, mostly frozen with a few fresh catches along the way.
For any special dietary requests, such as vegetarian or any allergies, please inform us prior to arrival.
We source items locally, therefore items such as, but not limited to, wholemeal pastas or flour, gluten free products or soya substitutes are not typically available.
All our liveaboards are equipped with Wi-Fi and internet is available when a mobile signal is present, usually only nearby or in port. This service is for limited internet browsing and to connect with communication applications. Upload/download is very limited; therefore, we ask guests to refrain from transferring large files. Signal strength can vary, which can result in intermittent and/or slow connections, depending on the local mobile provider.
Alcohol is available to purchase on board; a local beer is around USD 5 and local wines start from USD 25. Guests are welcome to bring their own alcohol onboard.
General Indonesia Questions
All guests must have a passport valid for at least six more months after arrival and must have at least three blank/unstamped pages in the passport. Guests are responsible for checking with an Indonesian Embassy that, for the passport they hold, a visa can be issued on arrival in Indonesia. All visitors must be in possession of a return/onward flight ticket.
Requirements vary from country to country so do check with your GP regarding relevant requirements. Do tell your GP that you will be diving as some medication is not recommended for scuba divers.
Port and marine park fees are included in the price of your liveaboard. All equipment rental, special tank requests and any onboard purchases are paid locally and will include 11% sales tax.
Indonesia is spread over three time zones; the Western region (Jakarta) is GMT+7hrs, Central region (Manado, Bali, Makassar, Komodo, Alor) GMT+8hrs, and Eastern region (Raja Ampat, Banda Islands) GMT+9hrs.
The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). The majority of established hotels, shops and restaurants accept major credit cards but smaller establishments may not.
All prices are in US dollars when onboard, but we accept in cash Euros, US Dollar, UK Sterling Pounds, and IDR Rupiah. Payments in other currencies than USD will be converted at the current exchange rate using www.xe.com. Visa and MasterCard will be charged in USD and an invoice sent to the customer for payment. A 3% surcharge applies for credit card transactions.
Please check with your bank regarding any international charges and exchange rates. It’s also a good idea to inform your bank/credit card provider that you are travelling to avoid security blocking.
2 pin and international multi using 220 volts AC 50Hz.
Indonesia Liveaboards
Our two boats offer great service, comfort and value for exploring this amazing country.