Route Description - Raja Ampat North (Wayag)
9 Days 8 Nights
Day 1 | Embarkation in Sorong
Guests are picked up from either their hotel or Sorong Airport and transported to the harbor, where the Calico Jack crew extends a warm welcome. Following refreshments and a brief tour of the vessel, guests are given an overview of safety procedures, diving protocols, and life onboard. By midday, the vessel departs for a five-hour journey north to Waisai.
This transit period allows time to settle in, prepare dive equipment and cameras, and socialize with fellow guests and crew members. In the afternoon, a check dive takes place near Mioskon Island. The night is spent anchored near Waisai, with a visit to Mioskon Island and its resident cat colony, followed by the spectacle of flying foxes departing into the twilight.
Day 2 | Dampier Strait
After a short early morning navigation, diving begins at Mioskon and Sardine Reef. Despite its name, Sardine Reef lacks sardines, but the overwhelming abundance of schooling fish more than compensates. Guests are immersed in "fish thunder," a phenomenon caused by dense shoals moving rapidly through the water. Fusiliers, trevallies, sweetlips, and surgeonfish fill the vibrant reefs, which are decorated with sea fans, soft corals, and elephant ear sponges.
The third dive takes place at Cape Kri, one of Raja Ampat’s most iconic sites and the location where 374 fish species were recorded in a single dive. The day concludes at the anchorage near Yenbuba village, where a night dive at the Yenbuba Jetty introduces guests to the region’s nocturnal marine life.
Day 3 | Arborek Island
The morning starts with a drift wall dive at Cape Yenbuba, located near the anchorage. While breakfast is served, Calico Jack relocates to Manta Sandy, one of the most reliable manta ray cleaning stations in Raja Ampat. Guests spend the morning observing these graceful rays as they glide through the water, feeding on plankton and interacting with cleaner fish.
In the afternoon, the vessel sails to Arborek for a dive at Lalosi, a long, pristine submerged reef. Guests then visit Arborek village to experience traditional island life. The day ends with a night dive at Arborek Pier, where soft corals coat the posts, and a variety of critters—pipefish, cuttlefish, giant clams, hermit crabs, flatworms, and skeleton shrimp—can be found.
Day 4 | Penemu Archipelago
An early morning arrival brings the group to Penemu’s My Reef, known for its dense fish life, particularly during strong currents. A second morning dive is conducted at Melissa’s Garden, a sprawling coral garden bustling with reef fish and patrolled by reef sharks.
After lunch, guests take a short boat trip to Penemu Island, where a short hike leads to the iconic viewpoint overlooking Piaynemo’s star-shaped lagoons.
Day 5 | Aljui Bay
The cruise continues northward to Aljui Bay, a sheltered natural harbor near a local village and pearl farm. Here, guests explore dive sites such as Chanel No.5, White Arrow, and Channel Island—rich reef and wall sites adorned with sea fans, soft corals, nudibranchs, and pygmy seahorses.
As night falls, diving continues at Cendana Pier, one of Raja Ampat’s most biodiverse night diving locations, teeming with macro life and vibrant marine activity.
Day 6 | Wofo Island
Early navigation brings the vessel to Wofo Island. The first dive of the day is at Who's the Black Forest, named for its dramatic landscape of black coral fans leading up to a healthy shallow reef. Next is Wofo Tembok, a wall dive, followed by Teman Wofo.
In the evening, guests head ashore for Calico Jack’s signature beach BBQ. Under a pagoda on a secluded beach, guests relax on bean bags with a glass of wine, enjoy freshly grilled cuisine, meet local hermit crabs, and watch fireworks as music fills the tropical night.
Day 7 | Yanggefo (Yangeffo)
A sunrise navigation leads to the mangrove-lined anchorage between Gam and Yangeffo. Here, the dive sites of Mayhem and Citrus Ridge offer adrenaline-filled dives with fast-moving currents and large marine life: schools of barracuda, fusiliers, batfish, parrotfish, wobbegongs, and reef sharks.
Later, the group revisits Lalosi, a hard coral seamount west of Arborek, ideal for drift diving. The final night dive of the trip is at Batu Lima, a favorite for spotting walking sharks and other unique nocturnal creatures.
Day 8 | Dampier Strait
The final diving day features two of Raja Ampat’s most spectacular sites: Blue Magic and Sardine Reef. These hotspots draw large predators and schooling species—trevallies, snappers, sweetlips, tuna, barracudas, and, on occasion, oceanic manta rays.
After lunch, guests unwind on a quiet beach on Kri Island before Calico Jack begins her return voyage to Sorong, arriving later in the evening.
Day 9 | Disembarkation in Sorong
After breakfast and a final round of farewells, guests disembark. Transfers to the airport or hotel are arranged, marking the end of an unforgettable journey aboard Calico Jack.