Raja Ampat
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Raja Ampat 12 Days / 11 Nights
Indonesia’s crown jewel, Raja Ampat – the four kings in Indonesian – is a resplendent remote paradise made up of over 1,500 small islands. Kayak through the turquoise waters of this stunning seascape or rejoice in the richest marine biodiversity that you’ll ever get the pleasure of experiencing on this planet. Explore word-renowned dive sites such as Melissa’s Garden, Boo Windows or Air Borek Jetty.
Day 1
Waisai – Mioskon
Day 2
North Batanta
Day 3
Daram Islands
Day 4
South East Misool
Day 5
Wayil area
Day 6
Balbulol & Farondi
Day 7
Piaynemo
Day 8
Kawe & Aljuy Bay
Day 9
Wayag
Day 10
Yangeffo
Day 11
Dampier Strait
Day 12
Waisai
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Welcome Aboard
We’ll collect you in style at your hotel or Sorong Airport and drive you to the fast boat that will bring you to Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat where the cruise begins.
Settle in to your traditional Phinisi liveaboard that you will be calling home for the next few days. Cruise west and enjoy a swim, a check dive or just relax, while gazing at the white sandy beaches of Mioskon Island and its famous sea mount, Blue Magic.
Enjoy an evening drink as you watch the sunset ballet of fruit bats flying around to feed.
North Batanta
North Batanta boasts shining waters and dozens of islets and sand banks where you could come face to face with manta rays or delve into history as you explore a heavily-barnacled World War II Japanese aircraft.
Venture on land for a short walk to a beautiful and refreshing waterfall.
Finish your day lazing on the sun deck as you continue sailing south towards Misool Island.
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Daram islands
The Daram Islands are the easternmost island group in the Misool area. Thanks to a strict no-fishing policy, you will be able to see some of the most impressive sea fan forests and soft corals known to the world.
With easy snorkelling and diving, sites such as Andiamo or Candy Store are truly psychedelic underwater wonderlands where it’s not uncommon to see barracudas gliding above pygmy seahorses.
South East Misool
Swim round the famous dive sites of Boo Window and Magic Mountain, with some of the highest concentration of biodiversity in the world. This is a true story of successful conservation, thanks to the talented and friendly local park rangers who will be delighted to meet you on the white sandy beaches of Yillet Island.
South East Misool is one of the extremely rare places where dreams and reality merge into one, with scenery just as lush and dramatic above the water as below.
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Wayil area
Climb to higher grounds and bask in the beauty of the famous heart-shaped blue lagoon encircled by vibrant coral reefs.
Alternatively, you could take a speed boat tour or kayak, and get lost in the maze of rocks and channels of Wayil Islands.
Here lie some of the most iconic and lush dive sites of Raja Ampat: Wedding Cake, Four Kings and Neptune’s Fantasea. End your day with your flashlight on to explore the dark side of the reef: night dive!
Balbulol & Farondi
Misool’s north eastern line of islands is a natural labyrinth made of cone-shaped rocks, sheer cliffs and hidden pools. At the right time of year, some of the inner lagoons play host to thousands of stingless jellyfish, offering fantastic photo opportunities for undersea photo lovers.
Explore the above and underwater caves of the area where nudibranchs, rare mollusks and crustaceans crawl on the rich soft coral cover.
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Piaynemo
At this western tip of Central Raja Ampat, discover Keruo Channel and Melissa’s Garden, where you can observe the most impressive shallow coral gardens on the planet.
In between dives, you can also enjoy surface activities, go kayaking, or walk up to the top of the hill above the Star Lagoon and look down on the hundreds of limestone rocks. You won’t be able to resist going for a dip in a hidden rock pool – sheer heaven!
Kawe & Aljuy Bay
South Kawe is one of Raja Ampat’s greatest treasures. Here, you are likely to see manta rays grooming in one of their many cleaning stations or feeding on the surface of the channel between the two Eagle Rocks.
You will also get the opportunity to visit Aljuy Bay where you can learn everything about pearl farming, from seeding to harvesting. The Aljuy Bay waters are also perfect for seeing rare sea creatures and for wonderfully rich night dives.
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Wayag
On the way to the Wayag Islands, we cross the equator to the northern hemisphere to reach the last paradise on earth, a large bay with hundreds of mushroom-like islets, white sandy beaches, black tip reef sharks and manta rays cruising in the turquoise-blue water.
Spend a day gliding through this piece of heaven or climb the rocky Mount Pindito for an unforgettable view. Dive or swim around pelagic fish and the Figure 8 Rock and enjoy wonderful moments on an unspoiled beach.
Yangeffo
Continue your adventure with a day at Yanggefo and take the kayak out to the mangroves for a change of scenery. The contrast of the lush green mangrove forest and the clear waters is breath-taking. This area is home to throngs of birds as well as fish.
Colourful coral grows within the roots of the trees making snorkelling and diving in Citrus and Mangrove Ridge a unique experience.
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Dampier Strait
Visit Airborek or Sawandarek Jetty and experience some world-class diving, probably under the gaze of some local children!
Then cruise on to more fish-rich waters like Sardine Reef or Cape Kri and enjoy a fantastic night dive at Batu Lima where you are likely to spot the elusive walking shark!
Farewell in Sorong
After you’ve had your last delicious breakfast and said your goodbyes, our crew will arrange your transfer to your hotel or airport. It’s then time to return home, with memories from this trip that you can cherish for a lifetime.
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Alternatives & Shorter routes
Even with shorter expeditions to Raja Ampat you will still discover plenty of this unique natural jewel:
From 3 to 5 nights, we would focus on the best spots situated in the large area of Central Raja
From 6 to 8 nights, we would suggest a cruise in Central & North Raja Ampat (Kawe & Wayag) or to Central & South Raja Ampat (Misool).
For those who are not particularly fond of water activities, we can adjust our routes and propose bird (of paradise) watching, trails to waterfalls and cultural experiences in local villages.