10 Day Raja Ampat Exploration Trip

The trip will be for 10 days and 9 nights and would probably have 25 dives as well as land excursions planned as part of the adventure. The schedule below is obviously an example schedule and is subject to change based on weather conditions and other eventualities. Our 10 day trips are planned to take you to the outer reaches of the Raja Ampat area, exploring both famous and lesser-known dive sites. Raja Ampat is an enormous area, covering some 50,000km2, so the trip will take you either to the north of the park to the Wayag area, or to Misool in the extreme south.

Sample Schedule for Misool trip:

  • Day One : Meet at 12pm in the Hotel Meridian in Sorong, West Papua. You will be met by our staff who will arrange check-in procedures and assist with any travel or accommodation needs you may have for after the trip. You will then be taken to the pier in Sorong where you will board the fast ferry to Waisai, the capital of Waigeo, one of the Four Kings that give Raja Ampat it’s name. Arrival in Waisai should be around4.30pm where you will be transferred directly to the KLM Jaya, your home for the next 9 nights.
    After settling into your cabin we will help you with setting up your equipment and familiarizing you with the boat and our safety procedures before dinner. Meanwhile the Jaya will be travelling overnight to Pulau Misool.
  • Day Two: Wake up in the stunning Misool area of beautiful Raja Ampat. For our first days diving there will probably be 3 dives and a trip to the beach.
  • Day Three: Four more dives, 3 by day and 1 by nights as the Jaya continues to explore the Misool area
  • Day Four: Three dives and a beach visit
  • Day Five: Four dives, 3 by day and another night dive
  • Day Six: An easier day today but no less exciting as we do 2 dives in the morning then spend the afternoon snorkeling around Misool’s magnificent Tomolol cave, an epic limestone cave formation before the Jaya starts to sail north again
  • Day Seven: Three dives in the eastern Dampier area, one morning, one afternoon and one night dive as we start to explore the centre of Raja Ampat while restocking the boat.
  • Day Eight: Four more dives including a night dive.
  • Day Nine: Three dives and a beach / village visit.
  • Day Ten: Wake up early for a walk to see the Birds of Paradise on Gam Island. After returning to the boat slowly cruise back to Waisai. Disembark in Waisai at 12pm for transfer to the Wicked Diving shop in Waisai town, where your adventure with us sadly comes to an end.

 

Southern Areas visited during 10 Day  Raja Ampat Exploration Trip:

Northern Misool: Farondi – Daram: Situated in the Northern section of the Misool Marine Protected Area (MPA) these small island chains are stunning both above and below water. In Farondi limestone cliffs drop vertically into the water, giving impressive views above the sea and lovely drop-offs underwater, filled with caves and overhangs to explore. In Daram lovely white-sand beaches meet the sea topside, while underwater coral-filled ridges and plateaus are absolutely teeming with life. The pristine reef and incredible biomass here make for classic Raja Ampat diving.

Central Misool – Boo / Fiabacet: In the centre of the Misool MPA lie the island of Boo and the island chain of Fiabacet. Tens of small limestone islands are dotted around the area with truly world-class diving at almost any spot you choose to jump in! Mind-blowing coral gardens with turtles and hunting blacktip reef sharks, submerged ridgelines that attract pelagic life like tuna, barracuda, grey reef sharks and occasional mantas, it can be sensory overload as you really have life all around you.

Some of the most famous dives in Raja Ampat are here such as Boo Rocks, Nudi Rock, Tank Rock and Magic Mountain (also known as Shadow Reef). Our

Western Misool – Wayilbatan / Pele: No, not the Brazilian footballer but another area full of limestone islands both small and large, with small lagoons hidden around corners, picturesque jungle-covered bays and the undersea world hiding incredible amounts of life. Ridges extend out from island corners or rise up unseen from the depths, attracting big shoals of batfish, trevallies, barracuda and more. Sharks are often seen here, including Raja Ampat walking sharks, an endemic species found only here in Raja Ampat. The soft coral is spectacular, the sea fans massive – that’s if you can see them through all the fish!

Arborek / Western Mansuar: Arborek is a picturesque island at the Western edge of the Dampier Strait, where we often go to play Frisbee on the beach or wander around the welcoming local village. Also home to a splendid macro night dive under the jetty where you can even find the Raja Ampat walking shark. Right at the edge of the strait runs a large complex of sandbanks and submerged ridges that channel the current flowing throught the strait, creating impressive hard coral walls and reef flats. Currents here can be challenging but the reward is worth it – we’ve seen both grey and blacktip reef sharks cruising past here while shoals of bumphead parrotfish munch on the coral cover. Dolphins are regularly seen here on the surface (and even underwater if you’re lucky) but the highlight is very clear – large numbers of Manta Rays that come to these waters to feed, clean, or just play in the current. Not the easiest diving in the area but the reward is well worth the effort.

Dampier Strait / Eastern Mansuar: One of the most famous areas in Raja Ampat and home to many of it’s biggest name sites. The currents running through the area bring large amounts of nutrients to the huge fish populations in the area. Reefs are as always in Raja, generally in very good condition, and the dive sites range from very easy to more challenging. What they all have in common is huge aggregations of fish and other marine life. Often it’s hard to even see the reef through the huge clouds of fusiliers, snappers and sweetlips here. And of course this abundance of smaller fish brings the predators – sharks, tuna, enormous Spanish mackerel, barracudas to name just a few. Add in the chance of mantas, wobbegongs and small critters like pygmy seahorses and you can see why this area is so renowned.

What’s Included

This expedition includes almost all your expenses.  All room and board. Alcohol and soft drinks become the responsibility of the individual (we can not guarantee that drinks can be kept cool). While we do supply 2 sheets, pillow and towel, we do not have laundry facilities on the boat, so please being your own sheet liner and/or sleeping bag.

Not included:  flights either domestic or international (though we can help arrange these for you). Park fees are not included – though the park passes are good for one year! We do not include gratuities in our prices – not for the staff, but for the guides we hire or our crew. Alcohol or soft drinks are not included. We provide accommodation on the boat for the scheduled dates of the trip, but not land based. Other incidental expenses can not be covered by Wicked Diving – this can include souvenirs, snacks before/after trip at hotels and on tours.

Finally a note about insurance. As always, Wicked Diving and our staff make every effort to assure your safety but there is no way that we can prevent accidents and acts of God. This is not an ordinary trip, so please purchase travel insurance that covers you for remote locations and potential evacuations. We have continual contact with land and can arrange care for almost any accident or incident that happens – but we may not be near to a facility that can cater to our needs. We recommend Nomads as a very good company designed for these kind of expeditions.

About the Boat

The Jaya will be your home during these trips. She is a traditional Phinisi sailing schooner, hand-crafted from local hardwoods like Teak and Ironwood. With her 6 jaunty sails, you cut across the remote seas in style and grace. Still, we also have satellite phone, international and local radios, life rafts, life jackets and a crew trained in emergency procedures. If you would like to read more about the Jaya…check out her page.

Safety and Medical Info

Please understand that this a very remote location and the medical facilities are limited. Prior to arrival we need any and all medical questions and concerns addressed and remedied. If you do not heed this advice and still attempt to join a trip – our policy is to err on the side of caution and safety for all guests – we will cancel your booking and issue no refund. Neither our staff or the local “doctors” are qualified to decide whether an individual is fit to dive. We will not risk anyone’s safety simply to join a diving trip (albeit an awesome diving trip).

Due to the remote nature of these trips, and the lack of medical facilities – in addition to the potentially erratic airlines – it is mandatory for all our guests to have travel insurance that covers trip cancellations AND evacuations as well as diving accidents. If you can not provide proof of insurance at time of check-in, you will be given opportunity to purchase insurance. If you choose to not do so, it may result in your not permitted aboard the trip. No refund will be issued for guests due to lack of insurance.

With the activities we undertake and, most importantly, the well-being of our guests – we have strict policies regarding health and safety on our liveaboards.  If someone suffers from severe allergies or medical conditions – we must strongly urge you to re-consider your options for joining these trips. The medical facilities are minimal and evacuation to the nearest major hospital can take 12-24 hours in good conditions. Please learn more about these

Prerequisites/Experience Required

This Trip is not for beginning divers or those seeking luxury!!! This is remote travel with no phones, no radios and no news. Please understand that we must be selective and cautious in who joins these trips. You must be comfortable spending this much time in remote places, on a sailing schooner with like minded travelers. We ask that our guests be comfortable on boats (not prone to seasickness) as we will pass through many weather patterns. While this trip is not necessarily for hardcore divers – the conditions we encounter are totally unpredictable (did we mention unexplored dive sites?) and each guest should be prepared for such. As such we ask that each guest have 50 dives and feel comfortable in currents.