Aggressor & Dancer Fleets
What makes the perfect liveaboard experience? A choice of 22 thrilling itineraries combined with the worlds best diving, where safety is the first priority, scrumptious chef-prepared meals, between dive snacks, around the clock professional service with options to suit any budget for an all inclusive great value. Enjoy diving at it's best with Aggressor Fleet and Dancer Fleet.
China Scuba Diving offers you all 22, but highly recommends the following packages with our partners the Aggressor Fleet and Dancer Fleet:
Palau Aggressor II or Palau Tropic Dancer
Known for grey reef sharks, white-tip sharks, manta rays, cuttlefish, Mandarin fish, WWII wrecks and stingless jellyfish at Jellyfish Lake
All dives from skiff
Water temperature: 80 - 82F, 27 - 28C
3mm wetsuit recommended
Palau's mushroom-shaped rock islands offer a variety of exciting
dives: WWII wrecks, shark-infested channels, blue holes, a freshwater
lake with stingless jellyfish and even a few caves. There are also sheer
walls covered in lush soft corals and huge anemones. Beginner divers
may find Palau's strong currents challenging.
Palau is a year
round destination with something for every season. While German Channel
has many resident Manta Rays, during the mating season, December
through March, Dancer guests may see as many as 20 – 30 rays! February
and March offer large schools of Moorish Idols, Unicorn Fish and several
species of Butterfly Fish. All year round, the Tropic Dancer crew
encounters massive bait balls of scad in and around Ulong and German
Channel and on the reefs of Blue Corner and Siaes Corner.
All
dives are made from the 18-passenger dive skiff, which is lowered into
the water by a hydraulic cradle. Seven-day charters are Sunday to Sunday
with five days and one-half days of diving. Diving begins Monday
morning and ends Saturday before lunch when the Dancer returns to port.
Monday through Friday there are four dives offered each day and a night
dive on three evenings. Saturday a half-day of diving is offered.
Getting There, Passports & Visa Documentation:
Palau
is located 900 miles southwest of Guam and 400 miles south of Yap, at
the westernmost edge of Micronesia. Palau is north of New Guinea and
east of the Philippines. It is surrounded by warm, tropical water with
spectacular reefs, walls and wrecks, making Palau a diver’s paradise.
Airlines fly into Koror (ROR) International Airport: United, Delta, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and China Air.
Visitors
must have a current passport, adequate funds to support themselves, and
a return airline ticket. It is the travelers’
responsibility to ensure they have the proper visa to travel into each
country on his or her itinerary as well as for re-entry and return to
their country. Since regulations vary by country, contact your consulate
or embassy of your country for the requirement.
Arrival/Boarding/Departure:
Guests
arriving at the Koror (ROR) International Airport on Sunday evening
will be greeted by a uniformed crewmember or a Neco Tourist Agent.
There are no phones or taxis at the small airport so we may assist in
your transfer to the yacht. If you are already on island, you may board
the Tropic Dancer at any time after 4 pm on Sunday. Guests may board
the boat up until Monday morning, the boat departs the dock at 6:00 am -
6:30 am. The Tropic Dancer docks at the Neco Marine (Malakai) Harbor in
Palau. After a week of diving the Tropic Dancer returns to the dock
Saturday afternoon after lunch. Checkout is Sunday morning at 8 am. The
crew will assist organizing transportation to either the airport or a
local hotel if you are extending your stay.
Taxes & Fees:
USD
$210 Port Fee (paid onboard) and a USD $50 departure tax and “Green
Fee” (paid in cash at the airport). MC/Visa accepted onboard.
Transfers:
Not included in charter price. They prearrange transfers through Neco Marine:
- Airport to Yacht for guest arriving the day of boarding $15 per person (if not transferring from a hotel)
- Yacht to Airport, day of disembarkation $15 per person
- Hotel to Yacht the day of boarding $5 per person
- Yacht to Hotel the day of disembarkation $5 per person
Guests can pay Neco Marine while on the bus or they can pay at the Neco Marine store at the end of their trip.
Taxis are not readily available at the Koror airport. All transportation must be pre-arranged.
Komodo Dancer, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Diving Environment:
Known for colorful coral reefs and abundant marine life
All dives from tender
Water temperatures can vary greatly within the park ranging from a low of 72F (22C) in the south to a high of 84F (29C) in the northern region
5 mm wetsuit with hood and reef hook recommended
Komodo National Park Indonesia was established in
1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere
Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to
conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Since then
conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity,
both marine and terrestrial. The Komodo National Park encompasses 1,817
square kilometers of spectacular land and marine wilderness, including
the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Padar, and Gili Montagne and their
surrounding waters. The signature land attraction on your Komodo Dancer
LiveAboard cruise will be an encounter with the world’s largest lizard -
the flesh eating Komodo Dragon.
Komodo Dancer offers 7, 10 and
11 night cruises, featuring an enhanced itinerary that allows guests
more time diving, more time in the signature area of the Komodo National
Park. Following are the different itineraries offered on the Komodo
Dancer. The dates of the itineraries can be found on the above 'Rates
and Schedules' page:
Komodo Itineraries:
- Komodo Deep South (7 nights)
- Bali, Tulamben, East Sumbawa & Komodo National Park (11 nights)
- Komodo National Park (10 nights)
- Komodo National Park & Alor Archipelago (13 nights)
- Alor Archipelago, East Flores
Many of our guests are avid photographers who like nothing more than
hunting out weird and wonderful critters on the reef and sand. As part
of the expanded Komodo itinerary we have added two locations to the west
of the Komodo National Park – Sangeang Indonesia, an island volcano to
the north of East Sumbawa and Bima Bay Indonesia, an inlet that meanders
down to Bima town on Sumbawa. There are two specific sites in both of
these areas that are producing a dazzling array of rare creepy crawlies
on a regular basis – “Estuary” on Sangeang and “Fuzzy Bottom” at the
entrance to Bima Bay.
Getting There, Passports & Visa Documentation:
The Komodo National Park Indonesia is part of the Republic of Indonesia
and is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator between Java
Indonesia on the West and Lombok Indonesia and the rest of the Lesser
Sunda Islands Indonesia (Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba and Timor) on the East.
Airlines fly into Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in
Denpassar Indonesia: Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Air, Eva
Airways, and Qatar Airways. An overnight in a Bali hotel is required
before boarding a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo where you will meet the
Komodo Dancer.
Visitors must have a current passport, adequate
funds to support themselves, and a return airline ticket. US citizens
require a passport that must be valid for 6 months from date of entry.
It is the travelers’ responsibility to ensure they have the proper visa
to travel into each country on his or her itinerary as well as for
re-entry and return to their country. Since regulations vary by country,
contact your consulate or embassy of your country for the requirement.
More visa information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Indonesia
Arrival/Boarding/Departure:
Reaching the Komodo Dancer will involve a round trip domestic flight
from Bali to Komodo Airport near the city of Labuan Bajo (LBJ) on Flores
Island in the East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia. The Komodo
Dancer is scheduled to depart at 1:00 pm. Guests should arrange to take
one of the two available morning flights.
Once you have claimed
your luggage in Labuan Bajo Airport, please look for an agent holding a
Komodo Dancer sign or a sign with your name on it. A transfer company
has been hired to meet and greet our Komodo Dancer guests who have
arranged this transfer in advance.
The Komodo Dancer aims to
return to port on the evening prior to disembarkation. Final
disembarkation will occur between 8:00 am –1:00 pm at the end of the
charter. Guests will be transported to the Labuan Bajo airport for a
domestic flight back to Bali.
Taxes & Fees:
Komodo National Park/Port Fee: $150 (paid onboard).
Note: Credit card payments on board the vessel incur 2.5% service charge.
Rupiah (IDR) is the official currency. It is required for all guests to
have some local currency as departure taxes and overweight baggage
charges MUST be paid in local currency. Each passenger is required to
pay an airport tax at check in. Payment can only be made in local
currency. The Bali Domestic Airport Tax (DPS) is 40.000 Rupiahs, the
Bali International Airport Tax is 200,000 Rupiahs and the Labuan Bajo
Airport Tax (LBJ) is 11.000 Rupiahs.
Transfers:
Land Transfers included (3 transfers):
Transfer on date of embarkation from hotel in Bali (Kuta/ Sanur/ Denpasar area) to Denpasar Airport (DPS) for the domestic flight to Labuan Bajo (LBJ)
Transfer from Labuan Bajo Airport (LBJ) to Komodo Dancer
Transfer from Komodo Dancer to Labuan Bajo Airport (LBJ)
Thailand Aggressor
Diving Environment:
Whale sharks, Mantas, Leopard Sharks, Silvertip Reef Sharks, Walls and Reefs with over 500 species of hard and soft corals and abundant marine life
Up to 5 dives a day (4 day + 1 night dive)
All dives from skiff
Water temperature: 79 - 84F, 26 - 29C
3mm wetsuit recommended
Phuket is known as "The Pearl of the Andaman" for its natural beauty.
Thailand is known as "The Land of Smiles" for its warm and friendly
people. This island paradise lies only 8 degrees north of the equator
and enjoys a tropical climate year round. For divers, the true treasures
of the Andaman Sea are found at famous sites such as the Similan
Islands, Phi Phi Islands, Richelieu Rock, Hin Daeng, Koh Raja and Shark
Point, where the warm, clear water draws large schools of tropical fish,
manta rays, and the awe-inspiring whale shark. The wealth of aquatic
life will delight underwater photographers and marine naturalists when
scuba diving Thailand.
The
Andaman Sea (South) and Andaman Sea (North) itineraries are offered
during the following dates from Saturday - Saturday (7 night charters).
Andaman Sea (North & South)
July 3, 2015 - August 14, 2015 (Pulau Weh, Indonesia)
August 22 - November 14, 2015 (South Itinerary departing from Pak Bara Pier)
November 21, 2015 - May 14, 2016 (Myanmar, South or North Itinerary
May 14, 2016 - November 5, 2016 (South Itinerary departing from Pak Bara Pier)
November 5, 2016 - May 19, 2017 (North Itinerary departing from Tap Lamu Pier)
May 19, 2017 - November 4, 2017 (South Itinerary departing from Pak Bara Pier)
The
Thailand Aggressor relocates to Pulau Weh, Indonesia from July -
August, 2015. For more information view the Pulau Weh, Indonesia
destination page. View the Schedule to confirm which
pier you will embark/disembark from; Chalong Pier, Tap Lamu Pier or Pak
Bara Pier. The pier location can vary week to week regardless of which
itinerary you are doing.
Getting There, Passports & Visa Documentation:
The island of Phuket lies in the Andaman Sea off the south west coast of
Thailand in the geographic region of Mainland Southeast Asia. Phuket is
separated from the mainland by a channel at its northernmost point,
where the Sarasin Bridge connects the island to the mainland. Countries
bordering Thailand are Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia and Laos.
The
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is in the north of the island, and is
Thailand's second largest hub to Bangkok. This is the airport guests
will fly into when doing the Andaman Sea (North and South) itineraries
unless you are departing from the Pak Bara Pier then you will fly from
Bangkok (BKK) to Hat Yai (HDY). There are numerous connecting flights
from the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia and Australia offering
daily service to Phuket via Bangkok, alternate direct flights from
Dubai, Hong Kong and Seoul to Phuket. Airlines offering service are
Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Thai Airways, Asiana Airlines and
Malaysia Airlines.
Visitors must have a current passport,
adequate funds to support themselves, and a return airline ticket. US
citizens require a passport that must be valid for 6 months from date of
entry. It is the travelers’ responsibility to ensure they have the
proper visa to travel into each country on his or her itinerary as well
as for re-entry and return to their country. Since regulations vary by
country, contact your consulate or embassy of your country for the
requirement.
Arrival/Boarding/Departure
There are 3 different embark/disembark locations depending on itinerary. Check schedule for charter date and pier locations:
China Scuba Diving highly suggests arriving a few days early and visiting Bangkok. Transfers are free of charge on the charter arrival/departure dates at the following pick up points: Charter Start Date From Chalong Pier or Tap Lamu Pier:
*Saturday 4 pm Phuket International Airport (HKT) for transfer to Chalong Pier or Tap Lamu Pier.
*Saturday 4 pm Ibis Patong Hotel and 4:45 pm Ibis Kata Hotel for transfer to Chalong Pier.
*Saturday 4-4:45 pm Kantary Beach Hotel and Villas or Pullman Resort, located in the Khao Lak beach region to Tap Lamu Pier.
Charter End Date From Chalong Pier or Tap Lamu Pier:
*Saturday 8 am departure to Phuket International Airport (HKT).
*Saturday 8 am departure to host hotels.
Guests arriving at the Phuket (HKT) International Airport on the day of the charter and the host hotels will be met at the above times by a Thailand Aggressor representative. If you are already on island, you may make your own way to the Thailand Aggressor, docked at Chalong Pier or Tap Lamu Pier for a 6 pm boarding or, you may meet at one of the above pick up points. (7 Day advance notification is required for transfer arrangements)Pak Bara PierCharter Start Date From Pak Bara Pier (South Itinerary) Guests will fly from Bangkok Airport (BKK) to Hat Yai Airport (HDY):
*Saturday 4 pm Hat Yai Airport for complimentary transfer to Pak Bara Pier located in Satul. (2 hour drive)
Flights are available from Bangkok (BKK) to Hat Yai Airport (HDY) daily on Thai Airways/Smile (Our airline department can book these for you).
Charter End Date From Pak Bara Pier (South Itinerary)
*Saturday 8 am departure to Hat Yai Airport or Centara Hotel Hatyai.
Guests will be met at the Hat Yai Airport by a Thailand Aggressor
representative. If you are already on island, you may make your own way
to the Thailand Aggressor, docked at Pak Bara Pier for a 6 pm boarding
or, you may meet at the airport and join the transportation to Pak Bara.
For guests wanting to arrive early or stay later, we recommend the
Centara Hotel Yatyai which provides complimentary transportation to and
from the airport.
(7 Day advance notification is required for transfer arrangements)
Docking:
The Thailand Aggressor departs from either the Chalong Pier, which is located in the southern part of Phuket, Tap Lamu Pier,
which is located 1 1/2 hours north from the Phuket International
Airport (HKT) and just south of Khao Lak, a beautiful hilly mountainous
region and tourist area or Pak Bara Pier, located 2 hours from the Hat Yai Airport in the port town of Satul.
The
yacht departs from all ports Saturday evening for its first night
anchorage to prepare for diving the next morning. The yacht will arrive
back to all piers Friday afternoon/early evening. The crew will host
a cocktail party then dinner will be served onboard.
Taxes & Fees:
USD
$95 Park Fee paid onboard and 7% VAT tax of onboard purchases and park
fee. For guests doing 2 weeks back to back or 10 night charters that
include both north and south, the park fee will be $190. The yacht
accepts cash, MC, and Visa.