Discover the World’s Richest Marine Biodiversity and the Ultimate Diving Experience in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Welcome to the enchanting world of Raja Ampat diving, where the vibrant colors of pristine coral reefs meet the mesmerizing beauty of marine life.
Located in the heart of Indonesia’s Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is a diver’s paradise that boasts a remarkable biodiversity, making it one of the most sought-after diving destinations in the world. As you explore the depths of this underwater haven, you’ll be greeted by a mesmerizing display of marine species.
Raja Ampat diving is one of the best destinations for Indonesia diving. Explore Macro photography opportunities such as pygmy seahorses to wide angle photography with the majestic Manta Rays.
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Raja Ampat Diving Areas
Raja Ampat is basically consisting of three important areas: North, Central and South. Each area with its own uniqueness, specialties, and different diving conditions. Some divers they return 2-3 times to Raja Ampat to completely experience the beauty of Raja Ampat diving.
Central
The Central Area is the most accessible where also most of the dive resorts are located. Here we will find amazing and popular dive sites such as Blue Magic, Sardine Reef, or Cape Kri. Because of these dive sites, the Liveaboards in Raja Ampat always start their trips with diving in the Central area of Raja Ampat.
North
North area of Raja Ampat is more remote and cannot be accessed if divers choose to stay in a dive resort so ideally is to use a liveaboard to visit this area if you plan to do dive in: My Reef, Melissa’s Garden, or the amazing Dayang.
From the Central area to North some Liveaboards would sail for approximately 10 hours to reach the proper North part. Liveaboard itineraries typically combine Central – North.
South Misool
South Raja Ampat is also known as Misool, the most remote area of Raja Ampat diving which is accessible only by Liveaboards or by staying at the world famous Misool Dive Resort, the only dive resort in the South area. Popular dive sites in Misool are: Magic Mountain, Barracuda Rock, or Boo Window.
Reaching Misool most liveaboard sail for approximately 16 hours from the Central area.
The typical diving itinerary is 8 days 7 nights but some Liveaboards provide longer trips up to 11 days that cover Central, North and South. A unique experience.
Best Dive Sites in Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat diving provides a wide variety of dive sites, perhaps up to 100 dive sites and definitely a lot more not yet discovered. But from the many dive sites there are a handful that are simply a must do!
Cape Kri
Almost all diving trips begin at Cape Kri, one of the region’s most famous sites. With over 374 recorded fish species in a single dive, you’ll be surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors and marine life. Look out for large schools of trevallies, barracudas, and snappers as you drift along the reef.
Blue Magic
True to its name, Blue Magic is a small submerged pinnacle that offers an enchanting dive experience. Here, you’ll encounter oceanic manta rays, wobbegong sharks, and schools of jacks and fusiliers. With a bit of luck, you might even spot the elusive Pontoh’s pygmy seahorse hiding among the corals when the currents are not too strong.
The Passage
The Passage is a unique, narrow channel that runs between the islands of Gam and Waigeo. This drift dive takes you through a breathtaking underwater landscape of soft corals, gorgonian sea fans, and dramatic overhangs. Keep your eyes peeled for nudibranchs, pipefish, and even the rare walking shark.
Manta Sandy
Manta Sandy is a cleaning station for manta rays, making it one of the best places in Raja Ampat to witness these gentle giants up close. Watch as the rays glide gracefully above you, their wingspans reaching up to 20 feet across.
Although a popular dive site for the Manta Rays, Manta Sandy is not the only dive site to see the Mantas. Other dive sites offer the same or even better opportunities, for example Dayang.
Melissa’s Garden
Another must-visit dive site, Melissa’s Garden is famous for its vibrant hard coral formations that create a stunning underwater garden. This site is teeming with marine life, including sweetlips, fusiliers, and countless colorful reef fish. Melissa’s Garden is typically visited by all Liveaboards on all the itineraries as it’s located in the Central part of Raja Ampat.
Diving Conditions in Raja Ampat
When visiting Raja Ampat diving in the right season, you will discover stunning underwater conditions: great visibility, warm water temperatures.
Depending on the dive site, the visibility in Raja Ampat can go as far as you can see, 30 meters and more (100 feet). Water temperatures vary as well depending on the dive site but typically anywhere between 26C to 28C (78F-82F).
One thing divers must pay attention to are the currents. Sometimes they are unpredictable and sometimes very well known because of the dive site. Diving with reef hooks is recommended but don’t be intimidated because not all dive sites have strong currents.
Overall, it is recommended for divers to have at least an Advanced Diver certification with at least 40-50 logged dives to properly enjoy Raja Ampat diving.
For the best Raja Ampat Diving, book your liveaboard trip with confidence on PADI Travel or Liveaboard.com
Travel Times and Best Time to Visit
Raja Ampat is a year-round diving destination, but the best time to visit is from October to April. The Liveaboards in Indonesia are always there starting September – October but make sure to book in advance as Raja Ampat diving spots sell out quite quickly.
During this period, the seas are calm and the visibility is optimal, allowing divers to fully appreciate the underwater beauty of the region. In off-season the Liveaboards move to Komodo but some dive resorts are still open.
To reach Raja Ampat, divers must fly into Sorong’s Domine Eduard Osok Airport, which connects to major Indonesian cities like Jakarta, Bali, and Makassar. If not booking your Raja Ampat diving with a liveaboard, you need to take a speedboat or ferry to the main islands of Waisai or Misool.
There are high end dive resorts as well as simple accommodation that you can book. Some may provide sea transportation while others will require you to travel to them.
Other Activities To Do In Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat diving is the highlight of things to do but not the only. There are amazing trekking opportunities at Piaynemo as well as in Misool at the famous Love Lake.
Visiting Shark Beach is also a unique experience. Imagine being on a beautiful gold sand beach, with water up to your knees and tens of baby reef sharks swimming around. This is an activity typically done on the North itinerary.
But perhaps one of the most interesting things to do is to snorkel at one of the Jelly Fish lakes of Raja Ampat. And no worries, these Jelly Fish are stingless … and they feel funny while you are gently swimming around. There are so many Jelly Fish, you feel you are swimming in a jelly.