Raja Ampat Islands Diving Tips and Dive Resorts Recommendation 2020
Most scuba divers all around the world must dream of Raja Ampat Islands diving. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia is a dream diving location having strong currents.
So, it would be challenging for even the most experienced divers and would be scary for beginners (which is not recommended). A diver should at least do 20 times dive experienced before diving here.
Raja Ampat is located at the intersection of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Those strong currents feed the reef systems and make biodiversity so jaw-dropping.
Another attraction besides the diving sites. One thing you should remember that Raja Ampat is a remote area, so it needs quite a distance to get medical help.
Raja Ampat Liveaboard
Before booking a trip to this Raja Ampat liveaboard, a tropical dive location, you need to consider the weather.
The weather is between in the low 30°C and lows in the mid 20°C. That means the water temperature is around 28-29°C. Those common weather might be expected easily as the equatorial climate keeps it the same year-round.
But to be noted that the weather condition varies from island to island. One can be very different from Sorong (the weather station).
The Rain
In Raja Ampat islands diving, the rainy season is unpredictable, unlike other islands in There will be more rain in June to September.
While raining, you may get the visibility is decreased. But according to the experts, it won’t affect too much as Raja Ampat has incredible visibility, which is from 9 metres to over 20 metres.
The Winds
Besides rain, winds need to be considered either in the rainier months, which are June to September. By these months, you get the seas rougher, which makes it tougher to manage.
Not recommended for the beginner but a paradise for experts. In these months, many Raja Ampat liveaboard stops their tours. So, you can dive most sites in Raja Ampat all to yourself.
Seraya Secrets
In this site, do a muck diving and find a tiny treasure where many species are growing like the sea nurseries.
Muck diving requires patience, knowledge, and good eyes to see pipefish, nudibranchs, or seahorses. Underwater photographers love this kind of site.
The Currents
The strong currents are what make Raja Ampat having so spectacular marine ecosystem. So, respect the nature and prepare to use a safety sausage and a reef hook.
The fact that the currents stay the same the whole year. So, the real challenge is when it comes the rainy season, the water gets c
Popular Raja Ampat Dive Resort with Easy Access to Dive Sites
Raja Ampat has numerous Raja Ampat dive resorts, from mid-range to luxury. Here are some recommended Raja Ampat dive resorts of each area. To give you some brief pictures of what to get there, keep rolling!
Papua Explorers
This resort gives you a traditional Indonesian setting with shortcut access to some of the best dive sites, including the world-renowned Dampier Strait (10-30 min), Mike’s Point (10 min), Manta Point (20 min), Blue Magic (25 min), Cape Kri (15 min), The Passage (45 min), and Sardines Reef (25 min).
To reach this resort, you need to depart to or from Sorong, West Papua. Note this schedule: the resort boat leaves Sorong at 12 p.m. (noon).
Kri Eco Resort (Papua Diving).
The best service you get in this resort is its prime location and the high standards of diving services, including free Wi-Fi throughout, Free Nitrox for certified divers, proven safety record in over 20 years of experience, one of the world’s highest biodiversity, all-inclusive meals, and located in the center of the Raja Ampat Marine Part (about 1.5 hours from Sorong).
Raja Ampat Dive Sites and Their Characteristics
As you should know, there are four main islands as Raja Ampat dive sites, they are Waigeo in the north, Batanta and Salawati in the middle, and Misool in the South. Batanta and Waigeo are separated by Dampier Strait.
The northern and central Raja Ampat
There are various dive resorts in Waigeo and Batanta islands (and the smaller islands nearby). The reasons to stay here are their access to (the world-renowned) Dampier Strait, Manta Sandy, Mike’s Point, Mioskon, (the world-renowned) Cape Kri, and Arborek Jetty.
Southern Raja Ampat
The main Island in here is Misool. This dive site offers colorful soft corals and topography. Besides, thrilling dives for experts while seeing pelagic action hunting for prey.
Other areas nearby
The Triyon Bay is popular for its pristine reefs, marine life diversity, and unique landscape. Need another challenging experience? Do swimming and diving with whale sharks.
Another site is Cenderawasih Bay, which is the home to the largest marine National Park in Indonesia.
Its remote area cannot stop divers from all the word to reach this island to explore World War II wrecks near Manokwari, whale shark encounters, and its marvelous vertical walls with prolific sponge life.
The Best Time to Dive Raja Ampat
The best time to dive Raja Ampat is when the weather is the calmest, which is the months of October to April. This being said, the air, water temperature, and visibility of underwater in Raja Ampat are excellent year-round.
The List of Raja Ampat Best Diving in the World
There are countless reasons to mention Raja Ampat as Raja Ampat best diving in the world. No one ever doubts it. Though many had come once, sure they must desire to plan the next trip. So, the following are the list of Raja Ampat best diving in the world:
Lao Lao
You can reach this site by boat as it is on the opposite side of an isle, called as Mioskun (bat island’s edge). This is typically a deep-dive so you better not too long to be down.
Its signature is the big school of bright-colored ribbon-sweet-lips. A wide-angle a photographer could ever dream of. Watch out the strong current and the depth is 10-36 m.
Manta Ridge
A rather safe and calm site. This one is a favorite for such local resort dive operators and Raja Ampat liveaboard safaris. No wonder it is super busy almost all year round as this has been one of the best sites for diving in Raja Ampat by far.
If you ever dream of getting a closer look with a manta, this is going to be your place (especially if you come from November to January).
Saporkren
Another wide-angle and magnificent reefs to adore. You can find this site on Waigeo island, which is close to Waisai’s capital town.
You should recognize that this is typically sandy and recommended to dive here at night. The depth is 6-30 m with very good visibility.
Cape Kri
Lots of divers mention Cape Kri as the best Raja Ampat best diving in the entire world. By diving there, you may find yourself in awe while finding various fish species in only single dive.
Find this site in the water channel between Pulai Kri’s Western tip and islet of Koh. Be ready for a very strong current.
Dive into Raja Ampat Resort: When Luxury Meets Nature’s Beauty
Dive into Raja Ampat Resort is an extensive upgrade of the Waiwo Resort, located in Waigeo Island (the largest island in Raja Ampat). They have upgraded new rooms as well as a brand new dive center. Absorb as much fresh air and see the surrounding (the jungle and the ocean) while visiting this resort.
If you are looking for luxury, harmony, and comfort; this resort is a place to go to. Here, take a look at their room categories:
- Waterfront villas (2 rooms).
- Seaview rooms (6 rooms).
- Garden terrace (6 rooms).
All of the rooms are offering 24-hours electricity, Air Conditioning, and Western ensuite bathrooms. As a typical jungle-style resort, built using traditional wood stye and stone, this Dive into Raja Ampat Resort gives you a high level of service and safety.
Local and Expert’s Knowledge: Raja Ampat Currents and How to Work with It
Most of us acknowledge that Raja Ampat currents are strong or super strong. Then you need a little trick to understand the basic mechanism and how to work with it. Since we can’t fight nature (the strong currents). Divers in Raja Ampat mostly use the so-called “negative entry” technique.
A buoy
One of the divemasters goes down on the site and checks out the strength of the current, then puts a buoy on it. He uses the buoy as a current meter. If the buoy is visible on the surface, it means this site is safe to be dived. If another happens, time to look for another site.
A safety sausage
It is another must-have safety item for diving in Raja Ampat. Caution! If you get caught in the current 3 minutes, let the dive-tenders know exactly where you are by holding on the safety sausage.
A reef-hook
If accidentally you get caught in the current, you can remain static and regain your composure as well.
Raja Ampat Diving Difficulty
Raja Ampat has strong currents so the Raja Ampat diving difficulty is almost impossible for beginners. The best visuality is earlier in the day, so after having your breakfast is your time.
Understanding the characteristics of Raja Ampat Islands diving and paying attention to the instructors’ instructions are key to have successful and safe diving in this paradise on earth.
Respect nature and be mature.
