Dive Review of Villa Markisa in
Indonesia/Bali

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Villa Markisa: "Great Resort; Excellent Diving", Sep, 2022, by Michael J. Millet, CA, US ( Top Contributor 96 reports with 59 Helpful votes). Report 12095 has 1 Helpful vote.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Our party arrived at DPS at about 3:30 PM from Alor. After collecting our luggage, we headed to the the Tulamben area arriving about 7:30 PM. The drive was a bit tiring after having travelled from Alor that same day. At Villa Markisa, we received a warm welcome from the resort staff. After a quick dinner, we retired for the night. The next day, after a made-to-order breakfast, we began diving at about 8 AM. The usual dive schedule is for a morning 2-tank trip then a 1-tank afternoon dive. We did one 3-tank trip to Batu Ringgit slope. There is no dock so coming and going to/from the dive boat requires wading thru the tidal zone; during high tides, swimming was more like it. One’s dive mask came in handy. The boat crew was always available to lend a helping hand. The dive guides are all quite experienced and skilled at finding critters — large, small and very small. We had 3 dive guides for 4 divers — a very nice arrangement. My dive guide was very enthusiastic about finding the critters I was most interested in shooting. I used a snoot on some shots and he was quite helpful in aiming the snoot laser to best capture the subject. The black sands at Villa Markisa are known for their macro photo subjects. We encountered several different species of nudibranch, shrimp, crab, octopus, reef fish, eels and others. I did a couple of night dives and a blackwater dive, which were excellent. On a typical dive day, we would generally get suited up before boarding the boat; the dive crew would load tanks, gear and cameras. We entered the water with a back roll. Upon completion of the dive, we took our gear off in the water and the crew loaded it into the boat. After returning to the resort, we took care of our wetsuits and the crew took care of the rest of the gear. The rooms at the resort are very spacious with lots of electrical outlets and closet space. There is also a small desk for working on photos. The bathroom facilities are outside in a walled courtyard. The rooms a just a short walk from the dive center and the dining area. There is also a large infinity pool; the grounds are impeccably landscaped. To enter the dining area, one crosses a small pond full of koi and a very curious turtle. We enjoyed a variety of food that was nicely prepared and very tasty. Breakfast was made=to=order while lunch and dinner were ordered from a menu that offered both Indonesia and Western food. The ice cream was truly exceptional. At several meals, we were joined by the owners. At sunset, we enjoyed a libation before dinner at the small bar located right off the water. In conclusion, other than the long ride from DPS airport to the resort, our time at Villa Markisa was very enjoyable with a warm, friendly, helpful staff; very comfortable accommodations; great food; excellent diving; and a very experienced and skilled dive team.
Websites	Villa Markisa
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	All over the Caribbean; Galapagos, Socorro, Fiji, Solomons, GBR, Vanuatu, PNG, Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Yap, Kosrae
Closest Airport	DPS	Getting There	Flights from SIN to DPS work well. Villa Markisa Resort is a tiring 4 hour drive from DPS
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, no currents
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No Deco; 60 minute dives
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	The resort has a small camera room however my resort room was large enough for my camera rig and me. The dive crew did a fine job carrying the camera to/from the dive boat wading through the tide. My camera rig was carried in a large, neoprene bag. With 4 dives and 5 dive crew, the dive boat was a bit crowded so one had to be mindful about not stepping on a camera.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Villa Markisa in Indonesia/Bali

Villa Markisa: "Great Resort; Excellent Diving", Sep, 2022,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Villa Markisa in
Indonesia/Bali