Raja Ampat Dives

The closest airport to the Raja Ampat Islands is Sorong Airport in West Papua. From the airport, you will need to get to the harbour (approx 20 mins' drive) and take a fast boat to the Raja Ampat Islands (approx 2 to 3 hours by boat). Your guide will provide transport from Sorong Airport to their accommodation on the Raja Ampat Islands. 

It's mandatory to dive with a divemaster at Raja Ampat, who will ensure your safety during the dives. A divemaster will also be able to show you the best diving spots in the area! 

If you are a certified diver, you are set to go. If you are new to the diving scene, check out our Open Water (OW) certification courses.

You will need at least 7 days, as that is the minimum stay required by the resort - though you can choose how many days you would like to dive! 

The number of days as well as what you will be doing. If you are a certified diver you can go straight for the fun dive options, if you need to get your license first you will want to take the OW course or AOW in order to advance your skills. 

Once you get to Raja Ampat, you will be far away from just about anything. But you will be fully provided for at our partner company's resort. If you might be spending a day before or after your trip in Sorong, you may want to swing by Kitong Papua Restaurant for lunch or dinner. They have excellent local food. 

Regarding diving and flying: Please make sure that you leave sufficient time after diving before you take a flight. After a single dive, you should make sure you have at least 18 hours before taking a flight and after a series of dives, you should have at least 24 hours.

Below are a few of Raja Ampat's most famous dive spots that you should make sure to check out while you are there. They are all suitable for divers holding an Open Water certification.

Melissa's Garden: This area has extensive garden-like corals and is bustling with turtles. At a depth of only 10 meters, the light from the surface shines through, enveloping all you see in a luminous glow.

Manta Point: An ideal spot to rest on the soft white sand and watch alien spacecraft like manta rays dance overhead.

Jef Fam Group: This spot has many channels with shallow, aquamarine inlets, bays, lagoons, beaches, cliffs and caves and is the premiere spot for hard corals.

Sardines: A parade of fish of all sorts: from the ubiquitous trevallies to the impressive tuna and the strange bump head parrotfish. This is also one of the few places on earth to see wobbegong sharks that usually lurk hidden under corals and rocks.

Cape Kri: Mostly a large fish paradise housing everything from white tip sharks to Napoleon wrasse, but also some impressive corals that are full of nudibranchs and scorpionfish.