Guest post written by Calico Jack Charters

Located deep in the heart of the coral triangle, the area of Raja Ampat nestles over 1,400 species of fish and over 600 coral kinds giving it the impressive title as the most marine bio-diverse place on earth.  Indeed 75% of all known coral species inhabit these waters! 

Calico Jack is a mighty and proud vessel that offers an unrivaled luxury liveaboard diving experience that more than compliments the epic voyage through the lands of “The Four Kings”. Boarding the ship after a swift and attentive transfer from mainland Sorong, guests are welcomed by the smell of tropical forest hardwoods and beaming smiles. There is something about Indonesian hospitality that is unmatched and the crew has it in bundles throughout the duration of the expedition, from the boat boys to the knowledgeable dive guides. After settling in with a fresh coconut in hand you will be lead to your cozy boutique cabin (one of five on board), which will be your home for the next 11 nights.

Calico Jack aspires to offer three dives a day with night dives on alternate days. In total, you could rack up over 34 dives over 11 days. The Calico Jack crew work like clockwork to ensure the efficient turnaround between dives with safety and attentiveness at the core.

Here are some of the areas that are covered during an 11 night cruise:
Misool is located in south Raja Ampat and is famous for its steep rocks with vertical walls, a profusion of soft colourful corals, sea fans draped brilliantly over the reefs and plenty of fish.

Penemu includes two of the most famous Raja Ampat dive sites, My Reef and Melissa’s Garden. Here you can enjoy some of the largest populations of fish in the area.  In the afternoon, after the third dive, you can take a short boat tour to Penemu and walk up to the famous viewpoint above Penemu’s star-shaped lagoons. Here, you will have time to kayak and paddle board amongst the incredible karst limestone landscape before sunset and dinner onboard.

Wofo is the most northern point of the cruise with a stunning dive traversing the deep black fan landscape rising to a beautiful and pristine shallow reef. The evening will be passed on the beach experiencing one of Calico Jack’s famous beach BBQ parties. The crew will entertain and socialise with the guests as you relax on our giant bean bags under a pagoda, explore the beach and meet the local hermit crabs.

Gam is the location, where under the right conditions, you can expect some of the highest voltage diving in Raja Ampat. Currents bring in massive schools of barracudas, three species of fusiliers, trevallies, batfish, bumphead parrotfish, wobbegong sharks, as well as black and white tip reef sharks.

Arborek area, is where you can dive at one of the most reliable manta ray congregation spots in all of Raja Ampat, the famous cleaning station, Manta Sandy. In the afternoon Calico Jack makes it’s way to Arborek in Dampier Strait, where you will visit the local village and see the traditional way of life for these island people, before enjoying a night dive at the Arborek Pier.
 
Dampier Strait: The final dive will be in the morning at Cape Kri where you will discover some of the largest concentrations of big fish in Raja Ampat. In the afternoon, we have time to relax on one of Kri’s stunning secluded beaches before sailing back to Sorong where you will arrive later in the evening.

Raja Ampat is truly spectacular, breathtaking and unforgettable. Calico Jack Charters is the perfect compliment to such a unique diving experience with a level of service that thrives on the very best hospitality to ensure that your voyage through the dragon-sequel landscape is truly treasured.

Contact Dive The World right away on +66 (0)94 582 7973 / (0)83 505 7794 or send us an email.