Raja Laut means 'King of the Sea' and stepping on board the Emperor Raja Laut liveaboard, it is clear that this sleek, gaff-rigged schooner is true ocean-going royalty. Built in the tradition of the Borneo tallships, Emperor Raja Laut is available for 12 guests. June to September you can dive the Komodo National Park, and cruises are offered in Raja Ampat from November. Additionally some longer trips are available which include diving the Banda Islands.
There is a small, cosy air-conditioned lounge area on the lower deck featuring TV, DVD, music system and minibar. Meals can either be enjoyed in the indoor main deck dining area, or on the upper deck in the open air where there is adequate shade to allow you to dine in comfort. Most social time is spent above deck in one of the many comfortable relaxation spots, lounging either in the sun or under shade, and drinking in the ever-changing views.
Guests are accommodated in double or twin en-suite cabins and nitrox is available for certified divers. Note that there is a single travellers' guarantee: Emperor Raja Laut guarantees you a same sex cabin share. If you cannot be 'roomed' with someone of the same sex and a cabin is free, then you will get a cabin to yourself with no single supplement. Also note that the price includes all marine park fees. There are no hidden extras (fees, taxes, fuel surcharges) with this operator.
All diving is done from the liveaboard's 2 large RIBs with outboards to get you to the perfect dive spot every time. She offers free nitrox, 2 dive guides. and SMBs are provided free of charge on-board. The Emperor Raja Laut is a beautiful liveaboard and the act of cruising around the Indonesian archipelago is an experience in itself, allowing you to indulge in a sense of pioneering discovery. That they take you to sites of some of the world's finest diving, makes the experience unforgettable.
Komodo National Park (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Gili Lawa Lawa, Tatawa, Sebayor, Makasar Reef, Wainilu, Batu Bolong, Padar, Nusa Kode, Manta Alley. Komodo dragon tour.
Day 1
Upon boarding the Emperor Raja Laut liveaboard in Labuan Bajo, you'll be shown to your cabin, meet your fellow divers and the crew, and attend a full safety briefing. Meals on your check-in day depend on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board, you'll wake up ready for your first full day of diving!
Core Days
Although Komodo is famous for its strong currents, it is home to breathtaking dive sites. Normally, the cruises explore the central and southern areas, including Cannibal Rock and Manta Alley. However, the captain may reroute to the northern sites of Sangeang Volcano and Gili Banta, if conditions are more favourable. In either region, you can look forward to diving among pristine coral reefs, packed with schools of fish. You'll also encounter impressive rock formations and spot barracudas, trevallies, tuna, and reef sharks. The sheer abundance of colour of the reefs is an unforgettable experience!
As the name suggests, Manta Alley is famous for its high concentration of manta rays. It's a key cleaning and feeding station for these majestic creatures. It's not uncommon to see multiple mantas at once, sometimes even dozens on a single dive. They gracefully glide through the water, seemingly unbothered by divers, providing an awe-inspiring show.
Sangeang is an active volcano, and its geothermal activity creates a spectacular underwater environment. The most famous dive site - Bubble Reef - is a must-see. Here, you'll witness streams of volcanic gases, like champagne bubbles, rising from the black, sandy seafloor. You can even feel the warmth of the sand and rocks in some areas, a surreal reminder of the power of the earth below.
The southern dive sites can have cooler water, with temperatures sometimes dropping to 20°C. For this reason, we recommend a 5mm wetsuit and a hood for diving in this area.
Beyond the spectacular scuba diving, you'll also enjoy an unforgettable shore trip to see the famed Komodo dragons. On the second-to-last day of the cruise, the boat will return to port during the afternoon to spend the final night there.
Day 8
After breakfast, you will pack your gear, say your goodbyes, and disembark the Raja Laut for your transfer to Labuan Bajo Airport in time for your onward flight.
Raja Ampat National Park North & Central (8 Days / 7 Nights - 20 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Gam, Penemu, Melissa's Garden, Airborek, Manta Sandy, Cape Kri Sardine Reef, Blue Magic, Mioskon and Mike's Point, Wayag, Kawe and Aljui Bay. Birds of paradise tour, lagoon tours.
Day 1
Once you arrive on Emperor Raja Laut in Sorong, you'll be met by the liveaboard crew. They'll show you to your cabin, introduce you to your fellow divers, and give you a full safety briefing for the cruise. Your meals on the day you check in will depend on when you arrive. Diving will begin with a check dive, which will either be on the same day or the following day, depending on your time of boarding.
Core Days
In Raja Ampat, diving offers an incredible experience, both day and night, with each time providing a completely different perspective on the region's diverse marine life. During the day, the reefs show an incredible array of colours. The clear water and sunlight illuminate the pristine hard and soft corals, creating a breathtaking underwater landscape. You'll encounter large schools of fish, from fusiliers and snappers to barracudas and jacks, creating an underwater spectacle. Daytime dives are also ideal for spotting larger creatures. Common sightings include various species of reef sharks, giant trevally, and majestic manta rays. While the big stuff is impressive, Raja Ampat is also a haven for macro enthusiasts. You can find a great variety of smaller life, including pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, and ghost pipefish, often expertly pointed out by the dive guides.
As the sun goes down, a completely different cast of characters emerges. Creatures that hide during the day, such as octopuses, cuttlefish, and various crustaceans, become active and can be seen hunting. Night dives are your best chance to spot some of Raja Ampat's most unique inhabitants, such as the endemic 'walking shark' (epaulette shark), which uses its fins to 'walk' along the seabed.
What makes Melissa's Garden, in the central region of Raja Ampat, so special is the sheer density and diversity of its coral. The reef top is a tapestry of healthy hard corals, including fields of staghorn and table corals in every imaginable colour. These formations create a habitat that is teeming with life. Divers can navigate through gullies and between pinnacles, with the underwater topography providing a sense of exploration and discovery. Wayag is a famously remote and visually stunning part, often considered an iconic landmark due to the dramatic, mushroom-shaped karst islands, that rise from the turquoise lagoons. Because of its remote location in the far north of the Raja Ampat archipelago, diving here is typically part of this liveaboard itinerary.
Along with all the spectacular diving, you'll also enjoy some land visits during your cruise, these might include a birds of paradise tour and speedboat trips through the lagoons.
Day 8
After breakfast it's time to pack your kit and say your goodbyes, before you disembark. You'll then be transferred to Sorong Airport in time to catch your flight home or your next destination.
Banda, Ambon, Alor & Forgotten Islands (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Alor: Boardroom, Babylon, Cave Point, Clown valley, Wall of Pura, Kalabahi Bay, Banda Islands: Pohon Miring, Batu Kapal, Batu Kapal Pinnacle, Banda Neira Jetty and Lava Flow; Forgotten Islands: Wetar, Gunung Api, Terbang and Nil Desperandum. Banda Neira land excursion/
Day 1
Once you've boarded the Emperor Raja Laut in Kalabahi Bay/Alor, you'll be shown to your cabin. You'll have a chance to get to know your fellow divers and meet the liveaboard crew. A full safety briefing will be given for the trip ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in will depend on when you arrive. After a good night's sleep on board, it'll be time for your first full day of diving!
Core Days
The waters around the Alor archipelago are full of incredible marine life. You'll find amazing small critters like hairy frogfish, Halimeda ghostpipefish, rhinopias, and a variety of shrimp, including hairy and tiger shrimps. Look out for wonderpus octopus and pygmy seahorses too. But the scuba diving here isn't just about macro life. You can also spot larger species like whitetip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, and schools of fusiliers. You might even come across oversized bumphead parrotfish. Cave Point offers a great mix of wide-angle scenery and opportunities for macro photography, making it a brilliant spot for divers of varying experience levels. Wall of Pura is a treat for both photographers and underwater enthusiasts. The wall is absolutely covered in an extraordinary variety of both hard and soft corals, creating a vivid ecosystem. Within the many cracks and crevices of the wall, divers can discover small, interesting creatures, including pygmy seahorses, a range of colourful nudibranchs, and other critters, making it a dream location for macro photography.
The Banda Islands offers fantastic diving on pristine, lush corals that attract a huge variety of marine life, from massive pelagic fish to tiny critters. You may even be lucky enough to see endemic species like the Ambon scorpionfish. Batu Kapal is a renowned dive dite, specifically known for its dramatic underwater topography and abundant marine life. The name, which translates to "Ship Rock" in Indonesian, is derived from a pinnacle that breaks the surface of the water, resembling a ship.
The remote Forgotten Islands are a magnet for large schools of surgeonfish, silky and hammerhead sharks, giant trevally, barracuda, and rainbow runners. There are also opportunities to see thresher sharks, mola mola, and lots of sea snakes. The topography of Nil Desperandum consists of steep walls and sloping coral gardens that are covered in vibrant, healthy soft corals and gorgonian fans. This rich ecosystem is not only a home for large animals but also provides a habitat for an array of smaller creatures, like colourful reef fish and macro life. From the boat, keep an eye out for dolphins and whales.
Since the liveaboard trip includes the Banda Islands, you'll have the chance for some land visits to places like the nutmeg plantation, historic forts, and the maritime museum on Banda Neira.
Day 13
After breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells, before disembarking from Raja Laut and being transferred to Ambon airport in time for your onward flight.
Note: this trip sometimes runs in reverse, so please check exact port details in your trip information.
Raja Ampat National Park (10 Days / 9 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat - Gam, Penemu, Airborek, Cape Kri area, Wayag, Kawe, Aljui Bay, Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet and Sel Pele. Land visits from: Aljui Bay pearl farm, Mt Pindito hike, birds of paradise tour, speedboat lagoon tours, caves visit Misool.
Day 1
After you board the Emperor Raja Laut in Sorong, you'll be escorted to your cabin. You'll then have time to meet your fellow divers and the crew, before attending a full safety briefing for the cruise. Your check-in day meals will be served based on your arrival time. Diving will start with a check dive, either on the same day or the following day, depending on your time of boarding.
Core Days
Welcome to Raja Ampat, the ultimate scuba diving destination nestled within the Coral Triangle. On your liveaboard safari, you'll get to experience the best of this underwater world with 3 daily dives and a night dive on most full diving days. Prepare for an incredible diversity of dive sites. You'll explore deep pinnacles swarming with schools of fish, and walls draped in soft corals and gorgonian fans that shelter tiny nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. Witness majestic manta rays at their cleaning stations, and encounter a cast of characters including bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, and crocodilefish. When the sun sets, the night dives reveal a world of nocturnal critters, from scuttling lobsters and crabs to a variety of unique shrimp.
Cape Kri is renowned as one of Raja Ampat's most famous and biodiverse dive sites. It's often described as a "fish-soup" for the sheer number of species you'll encounter and holds a world record for the most fish species (374) counted on a single dive.
Aljui Bay, located on the island of Waigeo in northern Raja Ampat, is a beautiful and serene destination known for its stunning landscapes and pristine waters with amazing macro life. It is a large, fjord-like bay with towering limestone cliffs and lush rainforests that create a peaceful and secluded atmosphere.
The Fiabacet region of Misool is famous for its concentration of dramatic, limestone karst formations that rise from the water, creating a stunning backdrop both above and below the surface. These unique landforms are home to a series of world-class dive sites, characterized by vibrant reefs, dramatic underwater topography, and a spectacular diversity of marine life.
Your adventure isn't limited to the water. In addition to the spectacular dives, you'll also get to enjoy fascinating land excursions. In the north, you can visit the Aljui Bay pearl farm, hike to the scenic overlook on Mt. Pindito, spot incredible wildlife on a birds of paradise tour, or explore hidden lagoons by speedboat. Further south, you'll explore the stunning limestone caves of Misool.
Day 10
Following breakfast, the Raja Laut crew will help you pack your gear and say farewell. You'll then be transferred to Sorong Airport for your flight home.
Raja Ampat (Special Trip) (10 Days / 9 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat - Gam, Penemu, Airborek, Cape Kri area, Wayag, Kawe, Aljui Bay, Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet and Sel Pele. Land visits from: Aljui Bay pearl farm, Mt Pindito hike, birds of paradise tour, speedboat lagoon tours, caves visit Misool.
Day 1
Emperor Raja Laut will be ready for your boarding in Sorong. You will get to know your fellow divers and meet the liveaboard crew, which will give you a full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time, as well as the check out dive, which will either be on arrival day, or the next day.
Days 2 - 9
This special 10-day liveaboard trip to Raja Ampat offers an unforgettable blend of adventure, culture, and cuisine. You'll explore vibrant local markets, learn traditional cooking methods, and kayak through ancient landscapes. From diving on pristine reefs to spotting Birds of Paradise, you'll be fully immersed in the region's natural beauty and rich heritage. This cruise is the perfect mix of exploration, diving, education, and indulgence. You'll have the chance to visit a local pearl farm, take part in fermentation workshops, and witness a stunning display from the birds of paradise. The trip culminates in a celebratory beach feast, showcasing the rich flavours of the region.
In the heart of the Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is a true paradise for scuba divers. On your safari, you'll enjoy a remarkable variety of underwater environments, from deep dives around pinnacles teeming with schools of fish, to walls blanketed in soft corals and gorgonian fans, which provide a home for nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses. You can expect to see majestic mantas at cleaning stations, along with bigeye trevallies, wobbegongs, crocodilefish, and a seemingly endless list of other marine life. As night falls, your dives will reveal a world of nocturnal critters, including various crustaceans like lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. It's an underwater adventure with endless possibilities.
Diving at Arborek, a small island in the Dampier Strait, is a highlight for many visitors to Raja Ampat, offering an accessible and incredibly rich underwater experience. The main attraction is the Arborek Jetty. The wooden pylons that support the jetty are a spectacle in themselves, covered in a vibrant mosaic of colourful soft corals and sponges. This artificial structure has become a bustling habitat, sheltering huge schools of fish such as fusiliers, snappers, and batfish, which swirl around the columns in a captivating display.
The dive sites in Daram in Misool are known for their dramatic topography and are a feast for the eyes. You can expect to dive around submerged pinnacles and ridges that are absolutely covered in a kaleidoscopic array of soft corals and giant sea fans. A key highlight is the sheer volume of marine life. You'll be surrounded by huge schools of fusiliers, snappers, and trevallies, with the chance to see larger pelagic species like barracuda and even manta rays. The currents here can vary from mild to strong, and a little current often brings the most exciting action.
Day 10
After breakfast, it’s time to pack your bags and say your goodbyes to the Emperor Raja Laut crew, before you disembark from the liveaboard and are transferred to Sorong Airport for your onward flight.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
All meals on the Emperor Raja Laut liveaboard can either be enjoyed in the indoor main deck dining area, or on the upper deck in the open air, where there is adequate shade to allow you to dine in comfort, starting with dinner on Day 1. Meal times shift depending on whether the day includes 3 or 4 dives, and also on how far the boat travels between dive sites. Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat.
On offer is a varied menu of International and Italian cuisine, as well as local Indonesian dishes. With advance notice, various dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, and halal, can be accommodated.
Sample menu items:
- Breakfast: A spread of cold cuts, fresh fruits, and muesli. You can also enjoy a variety of breads with butter, along with yoghurt. In addition to these options, the kitchen will prepare your eggs just the way you like them - poached, boiled, or fried.
- Lunch: Enjoy a meal with options like vermicelli soup, mashed potatoes, and rice. These are served with your choice of savoury proteins, including shish tawook, zinger chicken, meatballs, and koshary.
- Dinner: Typically, you'll find roast beef, pasta, sweetcorn soup, and grilled chicken on the menu. These are served with rice, vegetables, and a choice of 4 fresh salads. Desserts are available to finish your meal.
- For vegan guests, a variety of delicious dishes are on offer, which may include options like vegan lasagne, tofu curry, and vegetables. These are served with sides such as rice, pasta, and french fries.
Enjoy the complimentary bar snacks, which include biscuits and fresh fruit. For beverages, you'll have access to a variety of options throughout the day, including tea, coffee, soft drinks, and drinking water.
Alcoholic beverages, including beer, bottled wine, and a selection of spirits, are available for purchase. You can also buy chocolate bars and other sweet treats on board.
