Raja Ampat Dive Cruise

A Raja Ampat Dive Cruise will take you to one of the worlds’ best diving destination! The area is commonly dubbed as one of the frontiers of biodiversity: the magnificent Raja Ampat! A true gem in the terms of marine sites, this unique place also has fabulous bird life and breathtaking landscapes. Go on a fantastic journey into the real wilds of Eastern Indonesia!

Raja Ampat Diving: visit the “Four Kings”

Plunge into the vivid waters of Raja Ampat Diving. Cruise Raja Ampat and dive famous sites including Cape Kri and Sardine Reef. This cruise also brings you to the amazing underwater cathedrals in Wayag or the magnificent Misool archipelago. Encounters with Manta rays, sharks, jacks, schools of mackerels and wobbegongs are common. For macro lovers, there is agood chance to find a broad variety of rare critters. Due to the sometimes strong currents, the many dive sites are suitable for advanced divers. However, there are also many protected areas for beginners.

Raja Ampat Cruise: Land Sites

The sites on land are as breathtaking as underwater. A Raja Ampat Cruise offers breathtaking sceneries, landscapes and various bird life. Get a chance to see the famous paradise birds in its natural habitat. Visit a breathtaking viewpoint and take a glimps of local island livestyle when visiting a traditional Papuan village.Raja Ampat is divided into two areas: North/Central Raja Ampat and the South Raja Ampat. North/Central Raja Ampat include: the Dampier Strait, Kabui Bay, Alyui Bay, Kawe, Penemu, and the Wayag archipelago. On the other hand, the Southern Raja Ampat includes the Misool area and surroundings. In a +/- 8 day Raja Ampat Dive Liveaboard you usually will visit either the north/central region or southern region. If you have more time and can visit both, a +/- 10-day trip is recommended.

Raja Ampat Scuba Diving 13D/11N (SouthCentral/North) sample itinerary

Please note, this is a sample itinerary. Each Cruise is different and the detailed day-day itinerary and sites will be tailored to suit guests’ preferences well as to weather and ocean conditions. Private Charters are more flexible in the itinerary compared to scheduled Cruises. Your Cruise Director will work with you on the detailed day/day planning once onboard.

DAY 1 | ARRIVAL IN SORONG

Your Raja Ampat Scuba Diving liveaboard will start by meeting with the crew to board the schooner in Sorong Harbour.Enjoy a refreshing drink as you go on a short tour while having a brief explanation about the ship. The crew will then get you up to speed with the plan for the trip as they also tackle some of the basic things you have to know to keep safe while onboard.In the evening, the cruise will set sail through Sele Strait heading towards the East of Misool.

DAY 2 | EAST MISOOL

East Misool is mostly famous for its three fantastic dive sites: No contest, Love potion, and 3 Rocks. These sites will definitely excite the adventurer in you as you enjoy the sight of rocks with vertical walls and the beaming marine life right before your eyes! As usual for Raja Ampat Scuba Diving, feast your eyes with the fantastic coverage of soft corals and a huge variety of fish. Schools of platax fish, aggregations of snappers, and bumphead parrotfish. The day will end as you and the rest of the crew spend the night tucked in a hidden lagoon – a very special port inside a closed bay almost enclosed by surrounding high rocks. From the boat, loud cockatoos can be seen and heard as if chatting nonstop before the night falls. Shortly after, everybody will move on to another boat (a dinghy) to go deeper inside another mystic lagoon.

DAY 3 | MISOOL, BOO AREA

The day will kick start early with a short morning navigation heading towards Misool South East. Another great day of diving awaits via this eco diving site with a trendy name called Boo Rocks. Boo Rocks is a world famous diving site and visited by adventure-seeking divers for its ‘’windows’’. This is a natural rock formation where two large rounded opening is formed from a large rock, completely piercing the island from the surface up to five meters deep of Fiabacet and Fantasea. Similar to other fabulous diving sites in Indonesia, expect an explosion of colors coming from the healthy coral reefs and variety of fish species.

Before the day ends, the group will then sail further towards south Misool and then head off to the west. Tuck in to say goodnight to spend the evening in Wayilbatan or if still left with some energy to spare, have a dip to experience an evening dive in the area.

DAY 4 | MISOOL, WAYILBATAN AREA

Waking up in Wayilbatan area allows you to enjoy a fabulous day diving at three fantastic Raja Ampat Scuba Diving Sites: Barracuda Rock, Wedding Cake, and Neptune’s Sea Fan. These dive sites offer impressive marine diversity and topography. Apart from the breathtaking and striking underwater landscape formed by huge gorgonian sea fans, overhangs and caves, and black forest corals, an army of healthy marine animals are also abundant in the area. Get your underwater camera ready to capture vivid photos of trevallies, turtles, eagle rays, pigmy seahorses – just to name a few!

Save your energy for some afternoon fun as you take the time to get your arm muscles working to do kayaking and paddle boarding while captivated by some of the most mystic hidden lagoons in the area.

DAY 5 | MISOOL, PELE AREA

The fifth day will start as you navigate towards Pele, located in the most southeast area of Misool. Along the way, prepare yourself to dive in the famous dive site in the area named Four Kings. Aptly named as such, Four Kings stands for the four underwater pinnacles each covered in soft coral and colorful tunicates. It is truly a sight to behold and you will definitely agree the range of colors on this site is simply amazing and more vivid than the last area.

After a couple of hours, it is going to be hard to bid farewell to this diving site, but the cruise must go on to continue towards Pele. Once in Pele, there will be two more famous dive sites to check out: Kaleidoscope and Pulau Kecil. In the evening, expect a spectacular night dive at Blue Hole.

Day 6 | MISOOL, FIABACET AREA

Your Raja Ampat Scuba Diving day will start with a short navigation to Fiabacet area. There are three famous and unforgettable diving sites in Fiabacet: Tank Rock, Nudi Rock, and Whale Rock. The healthy and flourishing reefs offer an amazing range of marine diversity. For this cruise, this will also mark as the first stop to look for the majestic mantas. Cruise to Penemu and Fam Islands located at the northern Raja Ampat.

Day 7 | PENEMU

No time is wasted as the day will start with an early morning arrival in Penemu’s famous diving location called My Reef. My Reef is an underwater ridge serving as a home to one of the largest population of fish in the area. The site offers Raja Ampat Scuba Diving at its finest. This location is very impressive, especially in brisk current as it invites all sorts of marine life in the area to pass by for you to see.

Have a diving break and get your sumptuous breakfast before diving into another extraordinary site called Melissa’s Garden. This dazzling dive site is mostly famous for its extensive hard coral fields. In the afternoon go for a short trek to admire Raja’s wonderful lagoons and landscape.

Day 8 | DAMPIER STRAIT, WAIGEO/BATANTA, AND BLUE MAGIC AREA

The Dampier Strait is a well-known location for spectacular diving in Raja Ampat. This strait isd abundant marine in life as a result of the nutrient-rich ocean currents passing through. This location is like a dream diving site because of all the wonderful things to see in the area.

A famous dive spot in Dampier Strait, Blue Magic, is a small seamount where giant manta rays regularly parade. These pelagic manta rays can have a wingspan of up to seven and a half meters. Watch them closely as you take a dive to see them swooping around the cleaning stations. If you are lucky, you might experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see them jumping out of the water right above.

Day 9 |DAMPIER STRAIT: MIOSKON, SARDINE REEF, AND BATU LIMA

Start your day with an early morning trek into the jungle to find the famous red bird-of-paradise. The day will continuously be one with nature as you visit the beautiful Mioskon and Sardine Reef. The reefs are full of schooling fish such as fusiliers, surgeonfish, trevallies, rainbow runners, sweetlips, and banner fish. End the day with a lovely night dive at Batu Lima.

Day 10 | WAYAG

The day will start with a crossing to north to Wayag. The site is mix dazzling topography, massive underwater diversity, and current-laden sloping walls all rolled into one place! Admiring the scenic view above water during surface intervals can be as spectacular as the underwater view during dives. Wayag is simply a stunning beauty of nature filled with magnificent jagged limestone cliffs that rupture the water surface. These cliffs tower over tiny dome-shaped rocks scattering the area’s crystal-clear turquoise waters.

Day 11 | WAYANG

The term “Frontier Diving” is synonymous with the lost paradise of Wayang. This breathtaking spot offers a series of covered lagoons, narrow channels and inlets; caves and ragged rocks not to mention countless secret beaches for blissful relaxation! These scenic views truly make the surface intervals as spectacular as the underwater beauty during dives. Hike Mount Pandito in Wayang in the afternoon to one of the most beautiful view point of Raja Ampat.

Day 12 | DAMPIER STRAIT

This day will bring you back to Dampier Strait. Have a second look (and fall in love again) at some Raja Ampat Scuba Diving at its finest. Explore Cape Kri, Chicken Reef, Otdima Reef, Kerupiar Island or Mioskon. These sites are home to large schools of trevallies, barracudas, bannerfish, sweetlips, tuna, and snappers. Cape Kri, on the other hand, is a famous spot for large gray reef sharks. Alternatively, if you want to spend your time on land and visit the traditional Papuan Village of Arborek. Get close with the locals and have a chat with the friendly children in the neighborhood. See the village’s traditional island life and get to know their culture, too. As night time comes, you might still have time to relax and stroll on one of Kri’s remote beaches.

Day 13 | DEPARTURE FROM SORONG

The day will start with breakfast and a last chance to exchange photos (and memories) with the crew. Bid farewell as they take you back to Sorong to transport you to the airport or your hotel