Route Description - All of North Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat casts a spell on all who visit: scuba divers, scientists, photographers, and crusty sea salts alike. This group of majestic islands, located on the
northwestern tip of Indonesia’s Papuan “Bird’s Head Seascape,” lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the most bio-diverse marine region on earth. There are some areas where soft corals and sea fans dominate, others with amazing, diverse hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, drop-offs, caves, black sand, and white sand. Then there is the marine life – lots of it, in more shapes and sizes than anywhere else in the world. Raja Ampat’s reefs, from pygmy seahorses to top predators, are teeming with life.
All of North Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat casts a spell on all who visit: scientists, photographers, novice divers, and crusty sea salts alike. This group of majestic islands, located in the northwestern tip of Indonesia’s Papuan “Bird’s Head Seascape,” lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the most bio-diverse marine region on earth. There are some areas where soft corals and sea fans dominate, others with amazing, diverse hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, drop-offs, caves, black sand, and white sand. Then there is the marine life - lots of it, in more shapes and sizes than anywhere else in the world. Raja Ampat’s reefs, from pygmy seahorses to top predators, are teeming with life.
The region is huge, 50,000 sq km, with hundreds of islands and an astounding array of habitats, translating to wildly different diving experiences. They range from pelagic drift dives to magic muck dives, and even some habitats that are special to Raja Ampat, such as clear-water mangroves with corals growing right next to them. There are thousands of potential dive sites, and there are chances for new and amazing discoveries on every trip.
Raja Ampat is also known for its spectacular above-water scenery. Sparsely inhabited, most of the region still has pristine rain forests atop dramatic limestone islands and cliffs, uninhabited bays with white sand beaches, and all sorts of hidden treasures to greet the intrepid explorer. It’s a kayaker’s dream - an intricate coastline with caves, bays, gorges, and hidden rivers, all buzzing with exotic tropical wildlife.
The friendly people of Raja Ampat have primarily been able to maintain their traditional way of life and values, making it an exciting destination and an anthropological haven. There is a wide variety of community celebrations, including various types of music, dancing, singing performances, and lots of fun!
For a limited number of cruises during the months of August and September, Dewi Nusantara focuses her itineraries on the northern region of the Raja Ampat marine protected park, giving our guests exclusive access to some of the very best dive sites that Raja Ampat has to offer., without the crowds.
Get On-Board with Dewi Nusantara
Dewi Nusantara was among the original group of purpose-built liveaboard yachts to explore Raja Ampat. To this day she still concentrates the majority of her cruising season around this sensational region of the Indonesian archipelago.
Begin your next scuba adventure on board the Indonesian archipelago’s premier liveaboard and experience the best that Indonesia has to offer, along with Dewi Nusantara’s outstanding service, exceptional facilities, and her highly experienced crew
Cruise Notes
• The suggested itinerary is not fixed. During the cruise, the captain and cruise director assess the prevailing sea, weather, and tide conditions. Where possible, our guest’s preferences for certain dive sites will be taken into account.
• The locations included in this itinerary are by no means the only points of interest along the route. There are many more anchorage and activity options available.
• The destinations and anchorages in this presentation are not necessarily in the order the cruise might follow. They are there solely to make the routing easier to understand.
• At times, guests may wish to stay longer at certain anchorages to fully take advantage of what is on offer in that area. The captain and cruise director have discretion over this as long as it fits within the cruise timeline.
• Between anchorages, there can be longer passages, mostly undertaken during the night.
• Aside from the arrival and departure destinations, our itineraries avoid densely populated areas and busy ports.
• Some of these anchorages offer a variety of activities besides scuba diving and snorkelling, such as kayaking or SUP/paddle boarding. Occasionally, we offer village and cultural visits along with other wonderful topside attractions.