2 Week expedition – Bira to Raja Ampat
Wicked is proud to offer several great tours through Indonesia – but among the greatest of adventures is the 15 day crossing from Bira (South Sulawesi) to Raja Ampat. This journey takes you through some of the richest concentrations of marine life on earth. These Diving expeditions start where these Phinisi boats are still constructed by hand. From there we head East, and East and East…stops at Wakatobi, then onwards towards the Molukas and on to our final destination – Raja Ampat.
We pass dozens of places not yet known and several places yet to be explored. We will visit uninhabited islands, dive in places that no one has ever dived before and see some of the most amazing sites on earth. Join us while we visit one of the last frontiers. Find new dive sites, encounter rare and endangered species and enjoy time on a traditional, hand-built phinisi sailing schooner.
Please read the blog entries from the 2013 journey (part 1) (part 2) we made (hint – Orcas!!!)
What’s Included
This expedition includes almost all your expenses. All park fees are included in this price. In addition 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). We do not include gratuities in our prices – not for our staff, 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.
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. Psychological conditions can be magnified, behavioral aberrations can be focal points – the well-being of all guests is key to these success of these trips. The medical facilities are minimal and evacuation to the nearest major hospital can take 12-24 hours in good conditions. These are not trips where guests can simply step off the boat and board a plane. This is remote travel. Please learn more about these
Prerequisites/Experience Required
This Trip is not for beginning divers or those seeking luxury!!! This is 15 days of remote travels 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.
