Route Description - All of Raja Ampat - Biodiversity Hotspot
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.
Mioskon & Kri
Mioskon and Kri are just two of many islands offshore from the Gam and Waigeo shorelines in the Dampier Strait. The seascape around these islands features some of the most spectacular scuba diving anywhere on the planet. Magnificent coral gardens, thrilling seamounts, big fish encounters, and amazing critter activity are the order of the day here in this marine paradise.
Yangello
Scuba diving around Yangello is very popular with visiting divers. The coral-covered ridges, reefs, and seamounts around the island create a number of excellent and exciting dive sites. One of the most popular seamounts to dive at Yangello is called Mayhem, close to the west side of the island. This is a current-washed, shallow coral reef for experienced divers seeking a little more adventure. Another submerged reef formation, Batu Dalam, is just south-west of Mayhem. Its shallowest depth is 10 metres, and it could prove to be interesting with some exploration and effort.
Wofoh
Despite the fact that the Wofoh Islands have a limited number of dive sites, they remain a popular destination for visiting yachts. With easy anchorages, pristine reefs, and sublime beaches, it is not difficult to see why. The sites at Wofoh are concentrated around the southern tip of the islands; both are excellent and can be combined into a single dive if needed.
Aljui Bay
Diving at Aljui is quite different from other locations in Raja Ampat; it is geared much more towards smaller critters than huge schools of fish and vast
coral fields. The edges of the islands in the bay drop very steeply along sloping reefs and walls. Different species of pygmy seahorses make their lifelong
homes on the large fan corals that sprout from the steep reefs. In addition, nudibranchs of all types are easy to find around the slopes, ledges, and reefs.
Penemu
Lying just under 15 nautical miles west of Arborek Island, the Penemu Group is a big favourite with visiting yachts. With numerous exciting land and
watersports activities, this island collection has a lot to offer.
Daram
The large island of Daram marks the easternmost boundary of the Misool region. The vast majority of the dive sites are not located around the island
itself, but rather a short distance to the north-west. They are undoubtedly some of the most astonishing and colourful in the entire area.
Wayil
The Wayil dive sites are mostly clustered around the western end of Wayilbatan Island. Comprising multi-peaked seamounts, karst island ridges, and exciting passages, they all feature abundant coral growth and a wealth of both pelagic and reefdwelling marine life.
Jef Pele, Lili & Kepotsol
The large island of Jef Pele, as well as the nearby Lili and Kepotsol groups, do not suffer from the concentration of divers and yachts that now visit the anchorages and marine attractions further east. However, they do feature some excellent diving opportunities.
Fiabacet & Boo
The dive sites in and around Fiabacet and Boo are quite honestly some of the very finest that Raja Ampat, Indonesia, or even the
planet has to offer. The south side’s deep ocean floor rises to a marine topography that features a labyrinth of interconnected ridges and seamounts. These act as filters for the nutrient-rich currents flowing up and over the complex seascape, causing the vibrant reefs to explode in a riot of colour and form.
The Sagewin Strait, Batanta
The southern side of Batanta does not have the picture-perfect panoramas that are normally associated with Raja Ampat, but it does have some of the finest dive sites in the region for searching out weird and wonderful critters. Most underwater exploration of this area has concentrated along the southern shores of Batanta Island at its south-western end rather than further up the strait or along the coastline of Salawati on the other side. However, from time to time, discoveries of both new dive sites and rare and elusive marine creatures are often made.
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.