West Papua Province is a breathtaking tropical paradise, home to the legendary Raja Ampat Islands, the world’s most biodiverse marine region. With more recorded species of fish, coral, and molluscs than anywhere else on Earth, this remote archipelago is a true natural wonder. For years, it remained largely inaccessible and unknown to the outside world, hidden away in the far reaches of eastern Indonesia.
However, in recent years, Raja Ampat has gained global recognition as one of the top scuba diving destinations on the planet. Divers from around the world now flock here to immerse themselves in its waters to explore its amazing coral reefs and unparalleled marine life. The region offers an extraordinary combination of world-class diving, untouched landscapes, and a sense of adventure that few other places can match.
Raja Ampat, which translates to "The Four Kings," is named after its four main islands: Waigeo in the north, Salawati (just west of Sorong), Batanta (north of Salawati), and Misool in the south. Scattered around these larger islands are hundreds of smaller islets, each more stunning than the last, with powdery white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, and beautiful mushroom-shaped limestone karsts rising from the turquoise sea. Visitors to Raja Ampat must first decide whether to stay at one of the dive resorts or embark on a liveaboard adventure. The section describes the Raja Ampat dive resort options.
Beyond its underwater wonders, Raja Ampat is also a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Not only do these islands boast the healthiest coral reefs and the richest marine biodiversity on Earth, but they are also one of the few places in the world to witness the dazzling birds of paradise in their natural habitat. These exotic birds, with their vibrant plumage and elaborate courtship dances, add another layer of magic to an already extraordinary destination.
There is an increasing number of Raja Ampat dive resorts for those who prefer to stay on land and make daily trips to the local dive sites. [More information on these dive sites: Raja Ampat].
In the northern central region is the Dampier Strait through which Pacific currents flow past Cape Kri. These nutrient-dense currents bring schools and pelagics and mean the walls and sea bed are often home to many large sea fans and sponges. Some of the dive sites here are not for the faint-hearted.
Here you can have a choice of places to stay, from no-frills simplicity to comfort and style, with dive package prices that reflect that difference. The 2 resorts here share the same jetty and are essentially the same business with one accommodation for adventurous young people and the other for those who prefer a little more luxury. All the guests will intermingle on the jetty and will be diving every day at the exciting range of sites in the Dampier Strait and elsewhere in northern Raja Ampat. There are over 10 dive sites in the strait itself and some 20 more within 10 km from Kri island. One does not need to wander far to find stunning scuba diving since the Cape Kri house reef was where Dr Gerald Allen identified a record-breaking 374 different species in 2012.
> [More details: Cape Kri Dive Resorts]Misool Island, in the south of Raja Ampat, is a little more sedate and, although schools of fish are not uncommon, conditions mean you can concentrate more on the small stuff. Photographers are more likely to get the shots they want in the this region since subjects abound, visibility remains good and, in the absence of current, the opportunities for macro photography are magnificent. Experienced divers come to seek out something other than adrenalin-filled dives as the reefs here are simply magnificent. There are also caves to explore and locations where manta rays abound. The house reef is also spectacular and often visited by guests on numerous occasions.
At the higher end of the price scale, the beautiful Misool Eco Resort is nestled around a quiet bay and tends to be favoured by couples and older divers who are happy to spend a little more for as luxurious a dive package as is possible in such a remote location. Many stilted bungalows sit around the shallows where baby sharks patrol the waters.
> [More details: Misool Eco Resort]Conveniently located in Waisai on the island of Waigeo in central Raja Ampat, Meridian Adventure Dive Resort is a short ferry ride away and the easiest to get to from Sorong Airport. For this reason it does not have fixed start and end dates for its resort stay packages, nor a minimum stay period for guests. What’s more, the resort uses fast customized dive boats so that diver guests can comfortably access more than 100 dive sites throughout the entire marine park - northern, central and southern regions. The property is modern and has wi-fi throughout, and is a great choice for non-divers too, since it offers many non-diver activities and experiences for guests.
> [More details: Meridian Adventure Dive Resort]The resort is located on a private island in the popular central region of the Dampier Strait, on a beautiful white sand beach, with plenty of nearby dive sites. It offers good-value full board dive and stay packages all year round in a choice of 3 types of cottage that have large windows to allow in natural light and beautiful ocean views. The restaurant specialises in Indonesian and Italian cuisines with a varied bi-weekly menu. Agusta is the only property in Raja Ampat to have a fresh water swimming pool; it overlooks the beach and is surrounded by a terrace with sun beds. The on-site spa offers different types of massage. The resort uses solar panels and minimises the use of plastics. Guests are free to arrive and depart any day of the week.
> [More details: Agusta Eco Resort]This small resort offers affordable full board dive and stay packages all year round to guests with limited budgets. Built in the popular central region of the Dampier Strait, it has basic but comfortable rooms, both on the beach and on water stilts. There is no minimum period of stay so guests are free to arrive and depart any day of the week. The property is locally-owned and puts guests in touch with local communities and culture. Non-divers can snorkel, join a land tour to Blue River, or go bird watching.
> [More details: HamuEco Dive Resort]For any of these locations, stays of one week are ideal. However, combining them will give you a wonderful overview of this unique region. Raja Ampat dive packages normally include full board accommodation, diving and airport transfers. Go on, spoil yourself...
Sorido Bay Resort
Customer rating: Excellent!
Kri Eco Resort
Customer rating: Good
Misool
Customer rating: Good
Agusta Eco Resort
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HamuEco Dive Resort
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Meridian Adventure Dive
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It is possible to dive in Raja Ampat all year round and some of the resorts are open for business in all seasons. However, if at all possible, we recommend you avoid visiting from early-June to mid-September as most rain falls in the Sorong and Raja Ampat region during this time and some of the dive resorts are closed.
Mean lowland temperature is around 27°C all year round. As a general rule expect hot and muggy climates on the coasts and cool to cold weather in the mountain highlands.
In the rest of Indonesian Papua, heavy rains fall on the north coast during the northwest monsoon from November to April, with the highlands experiencing downpours from December to March. The southwest monsoon from May to October dumps rain on the mountains and leaves the coast relatively dry.
The Indonesian provinces of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) and Papua are the western portion of the huge island of New Guinea, to the east of The Moluccas and Halmahera, and to the north of Australia. If you are resort diving in Raja Ampat then Sorong is the main gateway to the rest of Indonesia and the world, even though Jayapura is the provincial capital. You can fly directly to Sorong from Jakarta, Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. From Bali there are convenient connections via Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado.
Jakarta International Airport is well connected with most of Asia and Europe. Domestic airlines with direct flights from Jakarta to Sorong include Batik Air, Pelita Air, Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air. You should be able to book flights with them online and pay with your debit/credit card. If you experience problems, please ask us for help. Alternatively, here is more information on how to get to: Bali and Manado.
Once in Sorong, you will be greeted and transferred by speedboat to your resort; the transfer takes between 2-4 hours, depending on which place you will stay at. Note that some resorts have fixed weekly days of arrival when transfers will be scheduled free of charge. They may be able to accommodate your arrival on other days of the week but there will be an extra charge for this.
For complete peace of mind, we recommend securing comprehensive insurance that covers both your Raja Ampat scuba diving package and travel arrangements, including trip cancellation protection. Visit our insurance program to obtain a competitive quote tailored to your diving holiday needs:
If you're planning to stay in Indonesian Papua before or after your Raja Ampat diving vacation, our trusted partner HotelsCombined.com offers quality accommodation options - even in this remote region:
Every booking you make comes with their 'Low Price Guarantee', ensuring you receive the best available rates for your stay.
Dive The World always made prompt responses to all of our queries, particularly with regards to our various requests to the resort to arrange hotel transfers
