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Raja Ampat, translated to the “4 Kings” is likely one of the premier and most stunning dive locations on the earth. It’s the stuff of bucket lists and desires. Raja Ampat has lengthy been on my checklist of locations to dive ever since I realized about it. I had dived beforehand in Indonesia in Komodo and Nusa Penida that are additionally unbelievable dive locations however Raja was at all times that final frontier.
It’s no surprise Raja Ampat is known as the Final Paradise. Positioned in Indonesia’s japanese most province of Papua, you’re feeling such as you’re touring to the sting of the world. The sensation of huge remoteness, unbelievable magnificence, and gorgeous diving makes this one of the wanted dive locations. Papua is so off the crushed observe that most of the tribes within the province are nonetheless so lower off from society that they don’t even know they’re Indonesian residents.
I got here right here in April 2022 on a liveaboard dive safari with Tiger Blue Liveaboards. I spent 8 days/7 nights visiting Raja’s central and southern areas scuba diving in addition to doing many above water actions. It was an absolute magical expertise that hopefully this put up will seize.
Some issues (most issues) in Raja are too stunning to place into phrases in order that’s why you must put together for a lot of pictures and movies!
Liveaboard versus land diving in Raja Ampat: Which is healthier?
This is likely one of the most tough questions I needed to reply when visiting Raja Ampat in 2022. There are actually two methods of scuba diving in Raja Ampat: by liveaboard or through a resort/homestay.
Raja Ampat is large
Raja Ampat is a large nationwide park. It’s a number of occasions bigger than Komodo which was already actually huge and inconceivable to go to all of the dive websites in a day. A liveaboard will guarantee you may go to a number of areas (north & central or central & south and so forth.) in a shorter period of time.
Should you do determine to dive from land, you’ll be largely restricted to the world that you’re staying. After all this isn’t a nasty factor as a result of the diving will likely be unbelievable it doesn’t matter what. Nevertheless, if seeing a number of areas is a crucial factor to you, then the liveaboard is the easiest way to go.
You’ll keep on the islands, not Sorong
Once more, Sorong is a whole dump and also you’ll spend no time right here. The entire superb issues in Raja Ampat are within the marine park. There are a whole lot of islands throughout the nationwide park with varied homestays, eco lodges, and native villages.
Prices between land diving and liveaboard?
Staying at a eco-lodge or a homestay is mostly less expensive than diving with a liveaboard in Raja Ampat. There are price range liveaboards in Raja however typically the boats right here skew to the upper and extra premium aspect. Count on to pay $3k-4k per individual on a good liveaboard.
Should you keep in a homestay (actually somebody’s house that has been become guesthouses), you may keep for very low-cost. The services are extremely primary however you might be in one of the stunning locations on Earth for a discount. You’ll have to prepare diving individually with exterior suppliers however typically the prices are affordable.
You can too keep at varied eco-lodges and better finish resorts the place the value per evening will likely be $150-$300 an evening which presents a extra refined expertise. Locations like Biodiversity Eco Lodge and Papua Paradise provide an entire resort expertise with a dive store on website.
Lastly, if you wish to spend the extremely huge bucks, go to the Misool Eco Lodge the place you may anticipate to pay $1k+ an evening earlier than even including up the price of diving!
Why I selected a liveaboard in Raja Ampat?
In the long run, I opted for a liveaboard. The explanations are usually not so straight ahead nonetheless.
I lived in Bali for a lot of 2022 and Indonesia tourism was extremely impacted by COVID-19. No vacationers actually visited Bali or Indonesia till the latter half of 2022. Due to this fact, all of the resorts in Raja Ampat have been open, however largely have been empty. I might have visited most of the nicer resorts or homestays in Raja Ampat however I’d have been the one visitor. This would possibly sound cool however it could get extremely boring in a short time and it’s simply not my factor.
Liveaboard boats additionally felt the financial ramifications of COVID. Most boats barely left the port for months at a time. They solely sailed once they had sufficient folks to fill the boat. Costs have been at minimal 50% off which made for unbelievable offers besides, boats couldn’t be crammed. In the long run, I discovered a luxurious liveaboard boat after staying on the similar villa advanced because the proprietor they usually determined to run a visit in April. Costs have been about 1/3 of what it was usually so I couldn’t say no!
As well as, I completely love being on a liveaboard. My experiences within the Maldives and in Egypt have been simply surreal and Raja Ampat is form of the final frontier with regards to diving. We have been the one boat within the park for many of the total journey which was simply magical.
When is the very best time to go to Raja Ampat?
Raja Ampat has two seasons like most locations across the equatorial belt, the dry season from Nov-Apr and the wet season from Might to Oct.
Throughout the dry seasons, you may anticipate much less rain, calm circumstances, and is mostly the very best time to dive in Raja Ampat. Within the wet season, you may encounter storms however they usually don’t final the entire day. Raja Ampat enjoys a milder wet season than the remainder of the West Papua province. Additionally it is windier throughout this time which does have an effect on the diving.
However, Raja Ampat operates yr spherical as a result of the circumstances are at all times favorable for diving. Nice visibility, heat waters between 28-30c, and superb underwater life makes it the place to be.
The one factor to bear in mind is that the liveaboards are likely to cease operating after Might. Most of the boats sail to Komodo and spend the Raja wet season in Komodo as it’s the dry season there. Eco lodges and homestays will nonetheless function yr spherical and you’ll positively discover higher offers throughout this time of yr.
Raja Ampat Dive Situations
Raja Ampat enjoys largely great circumstances yr spherical. Water temperatures are among the many warmest temps I’ve ever skilled. All through most of my week diving the south and central Raja Ampat we had 28-29 levels your entire time.
Raja Ampat shouldn’t be as nicely referred to as Komodo for its currents however you may nonetheless anticipate to expertise a number of them throughout your dives. Relying on the dive website, there are currents galore entering into all totally different instructions. I had many dive websites the place I needed to hook into the reef at occasions. General, it’s not almost as loopy as Komodo however this was only one week of diving vs months of diving in Komodo.
Raja Ampat shouldn’t be as nicely referred to as different areas of Indonesia for the large fish life. There are reef and oceanic mantas in Raja Ampat but it surely’s not at all times doable to see them. Sure occasions of yr imply higher probabilities to see mantas (Nov to Apr) however it’s not assured like Komodo is throughout their moist season. We didn’t see any mantas on our dive journey though we tried on the lookout for them.
However, the pure fantastic thing about the world and the unbelievable density of fish in Raja Ampat means you’ve got loads of issues to maintain you busy.
Tiger Blue Liveaboard day construction
The Tiger Blue liveaboard operated in considerably of a hybrid between a chartered boat and a regimented liveaboard. The everyday plan was at all times to have 3 dives per day however not like different liveaboards I’ve been on which adopted a schedule to the minute, the Tiger Blue was way more of a do what the friends need kind of expertise.
The Tiger Blue is an attractive Phinisi type Indonesia boat. It’s 34m in size with 5 cabins holding as much as 12 friends. The boat has that old fashioned pirate boat type vibe particularly as soon as its crimson sails are unleashed. The boat has loads of lounge house in entrance of the boat and on the higher deck which was good for floor intervals within the solar.
The Tiger Blue liveaboard boats
The Tiger Blue and each different liveaboard boat in Raja Ampat operates with a giant primary boat, and smaller speedboats used for the diving itself. We’d have the dive briefing on the principle boat earlier than making our strategy to the smaller dingys with our dive gear able to go. One factor I beloved concerning the Tiger Blue was that they at all times had water bottles for us with our names on it within the boat. It might at all times be crammed up for us all through the day and the crew made positive to at all times carry it on to the dingy proper earlier than the dive. I at all times overlook to correctly hydrate myself throughout my dives however this ensured I at all times had loads of water to drink.
After each dive, we have been greeted with heat scented towels and recent juice. I’ve by no means had the expertise of a heat towel put up dive earlier than however I can say for sure this was life altering. On days the place it was cloudy and even raining, the recent scorching towel as quickly as we bought again to the principle boat was all the pieces I needed. In actual fact, I used to be at all times wanting ahead to that scorching towel as quickly as I began my dive!
Meals on liveaboard
As I’ve skilled with my different liveaboard experiences, the meals on the Tiger Blue didn’t disappoint. The chef ensured we have been nicely fed with a scrumptious mixture of Indonesian and Western meals day-after-day. Breakfast consisted of pancakes/French toast and nasi goreng/mie goreng. Contemporary fruits, eggs, and all the pieces in between have been on provide.
Lunch can be a household type buffet expertise with fish, hen, rice, and different dishes accessible. Dinners have been served as a 3 course meal of varied cuisines. I’d have most popular simply consuming Indonesia meals all day day-after-day however needed to cater to the opposite much less adventurous friends on the boat. Lastly, sambal was at all times on provide so my spice cravings have been at all times glad.
Day 2: A morning hike to the Kalibiru Blue River
The primary day began off with a bang. The morning was devoted to visiting the gorgeous Kaliburu Blue River.
Morning journey to the blue lagoon within the forest
We left early within the morning for the blue lagoon. We took the smaller pace boat by way of the within of the principle island of Waigeo. The boat snaked by way of the inlets and channels between the islands and ultimately we have been led to a brief strolling path to this stunning river.
This river was completely gorgeous and a bit magical being positioned in the course of the jungle. The locals imagine this river to be a sacred space.
There are platforms to leap into the river which isn’t chilly however tremendous refreshing.
Diving was not spectacular as visibility was not good
Diving was not nice on the second day. The visibility was very unhealthy and I couldn’t see a lot. This was very uncommon based on the crew however in regular occasions these dive websites can be spectacular. We did see a number of huge turtles although!
Fortunately, the remainder of the journey wouldn’t be like this!
Day 3: Superb diving within the central of Raja Ampat
The third day of diving began off with a bang. That is what I got here to Raja Ampat and it was as superb as I assumed!
First dive at Cape Kri
Cape Kri is positioned on the north of Mansuar island and certainly one of its most well-known dives. The fish life in Raja Ampat is ridiculous and has been repeatedly ranked as the world with essentially the most fish species ever recorded. In actual fact, it’s been hypothesized that the primary non-bacterial life originated within the waters of Raja Ampat, and due to this fact all animals got here from this area!
Again to the dive, this dive website is thought for its stunning faculty of sweetlips that congregate round a number of coral balmy at 35m. There are a number of colleges unfold over a number of coral patches. Typically, they arrive collectively to type a mega faculty that makes for unbelievable pictures.
Second Dive in entrance of Mansuar Island
The second dive was in entrance of the well-known Mansuar island. This island has an area Papuan village that you could go to (we didn’t go to this one) however the diving simply in entrance of the jetty could be very particular.
As quickly as we descended, we swam in the direction of a big coral fan that was absolute fish pandemonium. There was an insane quantity of yellow snappers, fusiliers, and jackfish that engulfed us all through your entire time.
This fish twister was unbelievable and made for some insane movies and pictures.
Third Dive at Fairly Shallow
Raja ampat is simply insane. The fish life up till this level was out of this world and it could solely keep that manner for the remainder of the liveaboard journey.
The third dive on the Shallows was yet one more certainly one of these dives. The Shallows is blessed with unbelievable coral formations and a fish soup that accompanied it. We noticed quite a few cuttlefish right here as nicely which is certainly one of my favourite underwater creatures.
We additionally did an evening dive at this similar website a number of hours later.
Day 4: Extra superb diving in Central Raja
On the morning of Day 4, we moored on the well-known Piaynemo island for our morning hike. Piaynemo is essentially the most well-known island in Raja Ampat as a result of it’s house to essentially the most iconic viewpoint within the archipelago. Piaynemo island is blessed with quite a few smaller rock islands with vegetation close to the highest, nearly like a mushroom.
These islands are strategically distributed, together with crystal clear turquoise waters, makes for an incredible view. The stroll as much as the highest of Piaynemo island is just 10 minutes by way of newly minted stairs. When you attain the highest, you’re instantly greeted with these views. It’s higher to only let pictures do the speaking with this one!
Melissa Backyard
Well-known dive website with so many fish in every single place. Unbelievable laborious coral gardens which might be most likely the most important I’ve ever seen. Positioned close to the Jet Fam islands, Melissa’s Backyard exhibits simply how superb mom nature might be when she has all of the instruments she must craft one of the stunning underwater topographies in Raja Ampat.
My Reef
Completely insane quantity of fish. A whole twister of silverfish that was seemingly by no means ending. The length of the dive had this large faculty of fish comply with us. There was simply an excessive amount of fish in every single place that I couldn’t deal with recognizing something out of the atypical. A couple of black ideas additionally confirmed up infrequently. Jogged my memory a little bit of the large sardine run I skilled in Moalboal, Philippines.
Day 5: First day of diving within the South
Our boat sailed in a single day to the south of Raja Ampat to the well-known Misool island. We’d spend the rest of the journey right here!
First dive within the south – No contest
The fish life was as soon as once more insane with colleges of barracuda, jackfish, triggerfish, silverfish, yellow snappers, bumphead parrotfish, and all the pieces in between. The corals have been completely gorgeous. There was an abundance of sentimental corals and fan corals that appeared to be infinite in its quantity and vibrance.
The currents have been robust on this dive and appeared to be entering into each route, up, down, and throughout. Sooner or later, I needed to hook into the reef and simply benefit from the trip.
Floor Interval – Kayaking to the close by island and seaside
Throughout the floor interval, we took the kayaks offered by the liveaboard to go to the close by seashores and islands. The views of the small islands protruding from the ocean are simply mind-blowingly stunning. The views from the seaside have been much more stunning because it actually felt like we have been in the course of nowhere on our personal seaside.
Love Potion – Second dive
For the second dive, we went subsequent to the primary dive website round one other small island. The Love Potion, as the location is aptly named guarantees you’ll fall in love with the pure fantastic thing about the underwater panorama.
It didn’t disappoint.
This dive website had maybe essentially the most vibrant and largest fan corals I’ve ever seen. I’m a giant fan of fan corals and this website had greater than I might depend. Fan corals in white, yellow, inexperienced, purple, and each coloration in between have been on full show.
In true Raja Ampat style, there have been your typical large colleges of triggerfish, bannerfish, snappers, silverfish and so forth. encircling us your entire manner.
Coronary heart Formed Lagoon
After the second dive, the crew let down the sails of the Tiger Blue liveaboard boat which was the last word view. The boat seems to be 1,000,000 occasions extra cool when the tiger striped sails are let down. Basically, that is was just for pictures as crusing by way of Raja Ampat with the tight schedule isn’t actually reasonable.
However, I felt like I used to be on a pirate boat and it positively made for superb pictures from the drone!
We did one other hike earlier than sundown to the love lagoon. From the highest of this island, you may witness the gorgeous lagoon that’s completely formed like a coronary heart. It seems to be completely faux because it resembles an ideal coronary heart, prefer it was particularly created this fashion!
Day 6: Raja Ampat South Magic
On the final day of diving, we went to among the hottest websites in Raja Ampat. This dive packed day was filled with unbelievable corals and fish life. Sooner or later, you need to ask your self does it get outdated seeing simply infinite faculty after infinite faculty of fish?
The proper reply isn’t any.
First dive: Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain is maybe the preferred and craziest dive in Raja Ampat. Positioned in the course of the ocean close by to the luxurious Misool Eco Lodge, this dive website is the stuff of legends. I assumed earlier dive websites have been fish pandemonium however I used to be fallacious. This website guidelines all of them.
At one level, I might see Barracuda, jackfish, batfish, large trevally, white tip sharks, moray eels, fusiliers, bannerfish, napoleon wrasse, bannerfish, yellow snappers, and numerous different reef fish in a single dive. A twister of fusiliers was continuously zooming in to my line of sight. There may be additionally an abundance of lovely fan corals like I had seen in the remainder of Raja Ampat.
To prime all of it off, this website can also be a manta cleansing station. There are reef and oceanic mantas that frequent website as there’s a cleansing station proper subsequent to all of the insanity. Sadly, there have been no mantas throughout this time. It was already loopy stunning sufficient and not using a manta but when an oceanic manta confirmed up, I might need simply hung up my fins on the spot and known as it a life. No have to dive after that.
Second Dive – Boo Home windows
It’s laborious to prime the primary dive of the day however the subsequent dive nonetheless didn’t disappoint. We descended and instantly noticed an unlimited household of batfish escaping the currents. These batfish congregated close to the rock spire and strategically discovered an space with out currents. There should have been a number of hundred of them simply grouping up collectively.
This made for some implausible pictures and movies which
Child Shark Island floor interval
After the third dive, we stopped at an island close by that’s well-known for its child sharks that swim by way of the shallows. There have been dozens of child black tip sharks on this seaside that could possibly be seen swimming throughout us. I by no means knew how cute a shark could possibly be however these child black ideas actually received the day. It’s laborious to think about how folks could possibly be frightened of sharks in the event that they noticed these child black ideas!
Dinner on the seaside:
Lastly, for the evening’s dinner, we took the small dingy to a close-by island with an attractive sandy seaside. The crew of the Tiger Blue arrange a tent and proceeded to prepare dinner a feast of grilled seafood for us. Lobsters, crimson snapper, hen sates, and quite a few sambal was on order.
After dinner, we have been handled to an enormous bonfire beneath the celebs. I had one thing comparable on my Maldives liveaboard however we shared the seaside with a number of different liveaboards. We have been the one folks on this island and it actually felt like we have been on a paradise on the finish of the Earth. Really a particular expertise!
Day 7: Final full day of land actions
We spent the final day doing varied snorkeling actions and hikes. I’d have most popular to only dive extra however there weren’t many good dive websites within the space.
Dolphin Snorkeling:
We awoke early within the morning of day 7 to swim with a faculty of dolphins close by. Should you’re fortunate (sadly we weren’t), whale sharks will also be seen right here!
Jellyfish Lake:
After lunch, we visited the well-known jellyfish lake on one of many quite a few spire formed islands of Raja Ampat. This jellyfish lake is known for its non stinging clear and brown jellyfish. The lake is definitely not a salt water lake that flows from the close by sea.
The hike to this Jellyfish lake was intense. It wasn’t a lot of a hike however extra of a mountaineering journey by way of the island. The stalactite in Raja Ampat is intense so if you happen to miss a step, you’re in for a world of ache.
As soon as we bought to the lake, it was unbelievable. So many jellyfish in every single place you regarded. As alien and creepy wanting because the jellyfish are, it was a surprisingly calming expertise after getting settled in.
Coronary heart Formed Lagoon #2
Lastly, after lunch we went to a different hike to witness yet one more stunning viewpoint of Raja Ampat. The above water panorama fo Raja Ampat is actually particular and nowhere was it extra stunning than this hike. We had carried out two hikes earlier this at Piaynemo and the guts formed lagoon however I feel the view right here was the last word.
The hike was steep and intense however when you get to the highest, you’re greeted with gorgeous views of dozens of littel island spires, turquoise waters, and the open ocean. It’s laborious to explain and footage can solely accomplish that a lot but it surely actually hammered house simply how distant and particular Raja Ampat is.
An incredible expertise in Raja AMpat
This was the final exercise of the journey! Following the second coronary heart formed lagoon, we sailed in a single day to Sorong and caught our flights out the identical morning again to Bali.
General, we did 14 dives which was bit on the low aspect however an exquisite expertise. Having the ability to see the central and southern a part of Raja Ampat was unbelievable and wouldn’t have been doable with out the liveaboard.
If I used to be to go to Misool within the south and not using a liveaboard, I’d have needed to take a 4-5h speedboat ferry from Sorong!
Attending to Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat is positioned within the West Papua province of Indonesia. This province is the furthest east province within the nation and shares a border with Papua New Guinea. I had at all times thought that Papua New Guinea and West Papua had an analogous shared language and tradition however that truly isn’t a lot the case. However, West Papua is about as totally different from areas like Jakarta or Bali as Germany is from Turkey. It’s fascinating they’re all a part of the identical nation!
The principle metropolis in West Papua with an airport is the city of Sorong. That is the place everybody should fly into earlier than embarking on their epic dive liveaboard of Raja Ampat.
Sorong is related through Jakarta and Makassar, and there are no direct flights from Bali. Should you’re staying on the island of Bali, you’ll should transit in both of the 2 cities with the intention to get to Sorong. As of the time of penning this put up in 2022, there are two affordable flights to take with the intention to get to Sorong from Bali:
- Bali to Makassar to Sorong, departing Bali at 7am and arriving in Sorong at 4pm. This flight will make sure you arrive in Sorong in the identical day.
- Bali to Makassar to Sorong, departing Bali at 4pm, and arriving in Sorong at 6:30am the next day: That is primarily a redeye flight. You’ll have an extended layover in Makassar with the second flight leaving at 3:30am.
There could also be a direct flight from Bali to Sorong sooner or later however for now, these are the one choices.
Sorong shouldn’t be price any time in any respect
Sorong is a little bit of a hell gap. THere is completely nothing to see in Sorong and there may be zero cause to spend any time on this metropolis. It’s like Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo Nationwide Park, earlier than its unbelievable transformation in 2021.
There are not any sights in and round Sorong moreover Raja Ampat so actually there isn’t any cause to even spend an evening right here if you happen to can keep away from it. The lodge selections are all terrible anyway.
I’d in actual fact, advocate the in a single day flight. Sure this implies you’ll lose some sleep, however you may spend extra time in Bali and arrive within the morning and go on to the liveaboard boat.
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