Are you dreaming about exploring the astonishing reefs of North Raja Ampat aboard a beautiful traditional Phinisi? This exclusive offer might be for you! La Galigo, one of the best diving liveaboard in Indonesia, is offering a 10% discount for this trip from April 8th to 15th.
Itinerary
- Start: April 8th, Sorong
- Finish, April 15th, Sorong
- 8 days / 7 nights – 20 to 21 dives
Day 1 – Sorong to Waisai
Day one starts with your pickup from either your hotel or the airport. If we are picking you up from your hotel, it is generally around 07:30 – 08:00, if you are arriving on the day of departure, it is important that your arrival time is before 07:30. We will then head directly to Sorong Port, where you will be taken to the vessel.
Once onboard you will be met by the Cruise Director and a welcome drink. After you have been shown to your rooms and unpacked your luggage, itʼs time for a welcome briefing before we have some lunch, then you have some time to relax and soak up the amazing surroundings en route to our clearance point, and then onwards to our first dive of the trip.
Our ‘welcome diveʼ is usually conducted at the nearby island of Saonek Kecil. The waters are generally calm, and is a perfect spot to get the diving going. After the check out dive you can get nice and comfortable in your new surroundings and get excited about the first full day of diving tomorrow.
Day 2 – Dampier Strait
Whilst in the central Dampier Strait we will conduct 4 dives. This is what we typically aim for in a day throughout the trip, although some days are a little different as the number of dives may be reduced by doing a land tour or having to do a large crossing from one region to another (Raja Ampat is a big place!).
The typical schedule is morning dive, breakfast, mid-morning dive, lunch, afternoon dive, afternoon snack, night dive, and dinner…. DIVE, EAT, SLEEP REPEAT!
One of the top dive sites in this area is Blue Magic Dive Site, home to majestic Oceanic Manta Rays, and other large pelagics such as Spanish Mackerel and Bigeye Trevally. Next up is one of the Dampier Straitʼs highlights, we will head to the nearby island of Mioskon Dive Site, to dive into its spectacularly colorful reef with an assortment of large bommies encrusted with hard and soft corals.
The other dive sites we will be visiting today are dives on Kri Islandʼs south coast, in Yenbuba Villageʼs Jetty Dive Site. An amazing array of fish have populated this area both under the jetty pylons as well as amongst the hard coral garden that protrudes down the slope past it. This will be our anchor point for the night as you soak in the stunning sunset views with the islands of Waigeo and Gam in the distant, fiery horizon.
Day 3 – Gam
Our morning kicks off at the tranquil Manta Sandy Dive Site, for an opportunity to dive with the Manta Ray population often located here on the cleaning station. We then head to Gam Island. There are some great dive sites around this area with vibrant fish-covered reefs and plenty of stunning macro subjects.
Two sites we regularly visit in Gam are the Citrus Ridge Dive Site and Mayhem Dive Site. Citrus Ridge is aptly named for the plethora of orange and yellow soft corals on the reef. Mayhem gets its name from the intensity of pelagic feeding frenzies amongst the schools of bait fish on the top of the submerged sea mount.
Day 4 – Pianemo
Melissaʼs Garden Dive Site is undoubtedly the top dive in this area, with a staggering number of coral and fish species packed into this small piece of marine real estate. It gets its name from an amazing hard coral garden situated on a reef between 3 small islands. Its beauty needs to be seen to be believed.
Another one of the places we may visit today is Keruo Channel Dive Site. A great gentle drift dive down a mini wall and slope on the edge of Keru Island. One of our other favourites we often visit in this area is Batu Rufus Dive Site. This dramatic dive site has a 40m plus drop off wall to the blue. Amazing views when you sit at 20 meters depth and look up and down at the stark landscape you are floating between. The iconic limestone pinnacles have become as a much a part of the Raja Ampat experience as the diving has, and Pianemo lagoon/lookout is just one of many such stunning formations. The best time to hike this hill is late afternoon, when the temperature has dropped and the lighting starts to turn golden, but the rewards for climbing are well worth it.
Day 5 – Wayag and Kawe
Awake bright and early to witness sunrise north of the equator as you have just passed from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere overnight. Jump on our tender as we go cruising between the limestone formations that make up the island of Wayag, in preparation for the morningʼs hike. These limestone islands and pinnacles have become synonymous with Raja Ampat, and the bay is also home to the worldʼs first confirmed Manta Ray nursery. The best time to hike this hill is early morning before temperatures rise, the rewards for climbing are well worth it. The beaches here are also pristine, with fine white sand and turquoise waters surrounding the limestone cliffs of the islands.
After getting back from the hike we will start sailing to Kawe, an island located exactly on the equator and is also one of our favorite islands to dive in north of Raja Ampat. Dive sites visited here are very heavily dependent on day-to-day unpredictable conditions such as swell, but one of our favorite sites in the area is a very colorful coral reef (somewhat ironically) known as the Black Rock Dive Site. Eagle Rock Dive Site (which comprises 3 separate dive sites) is well known for its Pygmy Seahorse as well as its Manta populations, and we will dive these sites early afternoon.
Day 6 – Damper Strait – Cape Kri
Cape Kri, arguably the top house reef in the world, was made famous by Raja Ampat pioneer Max Ammer and is next on the itinerary. A booming current-driven site where you can see pelagics hunt as you float leisurely nestled in the reef above on a reef hook. Our other site for the day is Sawandarek Jetty Dive Site, further down the southern coast of Kri island, where you will probably feel like youʼre in an aquarium – only the fish are incredibly numerous, wild, and free. This site has stunning dives and we are normally met by the smiles of the village children sitting on the jetty as we surface. As an added bonus we have also been known to see giant Oceanic Manta Rays around Sawandarek from time to time.
Another highlight dive of the Dampier Strait will be on the cards for today, Mikeʼs Point Dive Site. Legend has it that it was mistaken for a battleship during WWII, and was heavily bombed by enemy aircraft. It has a stunning overhang, as well as gentle-swim throughs in addition to its magnificent coral reef. We will also take a night dive on Batu Lima Dive Site, to look for the nocturnal Raja Ampat walking shark! An amazing endemic nocturnal Raja Ampat species with unique adaptations to finish off the last night dive of the trip.
Day 7 – Dampier Strait – Kali Biru
We will be making our way back to the central part of the Dampier Strait, and this is a great opportunity to dive Friwen Dive Site. This will be your final dive of the trip and a great place to see lots of schooling fish including Two Spot Snappers, Fusiliers and Trevallies of various varieties.
We will then take you on a land trip to one of Raja Ampatʼs hidden natural wonders, Kali Biru, a river with cool, clear blue waters surrounded by lush tropical jungle. The incredible colour of the water needs to be seen to be believed. A wondrous sight to simply take in, it also makes a great spot for a swim in an unspoiled, remote plot of paradise. After an incredible trip, our crew will make sure youʼre comfortable, while they prepare a night of food, song and dance to party the night away with for your last night in pristine Raja Ampat before we set sail for Sorong.
Day 8 – Sorong
La Galigo will be anchored up in the morning around 5:00 A.M. in Sorong, in preparation for you to catch your flight, or check in to your hotel. Guests are welcome to stay onboard until 11:00 A.M., and our staff will assist you with transportation to your desired location. After breakfast, guests may also take the time to exchange photos and swap contact details to keep in touch with new friends and dive buddies!
Available Cabins and Price
- Deluxe cabin – USD 3,434 / person instead of USD 3,815
- Master cabin – USD 3,672 / person instead of USD 4,080
- The Suite – USD 4,464 / person instead of USD 4,960
National Park and harbour fees: USD 285 / person
