There's a large quantity of dive web-sites Within this excellent location. Situated in the centre with the Coral Triangle, the extent of maritime biodiversity present in Raja Ampat is unmatched everywhere else on earth.
The northern and central areas of Raja Ampat aspect thrilling dives jam packed with fish, remarkable drift dives and beautiful really hard coral reefs. Listed here, the mass movement of drinking water on each tide draws in huge universities of fish and plenty of manta rays, which include monumental large manta rays. Evening dives about the jetties On this area are specially memorable for the Unusual and wonderful critters you can see.
The southern region of Raja Ampat is characterised by spectacularly colourful comfortable corals And large sea lovers. Marine everyday living is equally remarkable with mantas, sharks and macro daily life galore.
Raja Ampat handles a huge region, so a liveaboard is an excellent approach to check out The good dive web pages. Delight in Raja Ampat from the convenience of a liveaboard. Reserve with us today!
Most effective Dive Web pages in Raja Ampat
We've divided the most effective dive sites in Raja Ampat into some wide places – Dampier Strait northern dive web-sites, central dive internet sites and Misool.
We've got described below the most beneficial dive sites in Raja Ampat. There are lots of other fantastic dive spots, but there are actually a lot of to say them all. We have now covered the preferred, and those frequented most frequently because of the liveaboards.
Raja Ampat - Dampier Strait Dive Web sites
The distances concerning the dive web-sites from the north could be rather extensive. Hence, We've got break up the diving in Raja Ampat's north into independent places.
Wayag
In the pretty north of Raja Ampat is a bunch of islands all over Wayag. The viewpoints listed here will award the adventurous While using the atypical watch of Raja Ampat. Lots of modest limestone islands nestled within the apparent blue waters in the lagoons are a small amount of paradise.
The liveaboards predominantly visit this region with the viewpoint and lagoons. Youthful manta rays and a very good number of black-idea reef sharks shelter inside the calm, shallow waters here. You could do two or three dives right here close to the limestone islands. The reefs Allow me to share rocky slopes with fantastic possibilities to see nudibranchs, scorpionfish, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish munching around the challenging corals and maybe a passing ray.
Kawe
The equator dissects the big island of Kawe. South from the equator is 2 superb dive sites.
Black Rock
Situated about the west coast of Kawe Island this substantial dive web page needs at the least two dives to swim throughout. The everyday entry stage is to the northwest Section of the dive internet site wherever There are several tiny pinnacles lined with tender corals and sea supporters. Swimming in the direction of the south a delicate slope is existing with incredibly large bushes of black corals web hosting teams of oriental sweetlips and snappers. If drifting to the southern Portion of the location, you will come upon large rocks with Significantly marine existence to see. Watch out into your deep h2o for pelagics which include dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel as well as occasional white tip and grey reef sharks. Manta Rays have frequently been noticed here way too.
Eagle Rock
Liveaboards often do several dives on This web site as a result of its size. Eagle Rock is home to the largest reef manta ray population inside the northern Component of Raja Ampat. Important aggregations of black snappers and yellowtail barracudas are usually about. The west Element of the location has tremendous rocks all the way down to 25 metres coated with sea followers where by pygmy seahorses are viewed. Ghost pipefish camouflage on their own in the black coral bushes. Wobbegongs and stingrays are on a regular basis witnessed from the cracks from the boulders. In the shallow rock, hydroids are current, which is a wonderful chance to see Pontohi seahorses.
Aljui Bay
White Arrow
The wall of Aljui is rather spectacular in destinations with several crevasses alongside the wall. Sea supporters and delicate coals are current on the website. Lots of species of nudibranchs are found in this article. Provide along a dive gentle to find out the marine existence that makes use of the smaller cuts in the wall to hide from predators. Ghost pipefish, longfin comet fish, and juvenile snappers are frequently witnessed below. Glance in The ocean lovers for the uniquely coloured yellow Bargibanti pygmy seahorse.
Aljui Bay Jetty
You will find a significant pearl farm In the bay, plus they built a few jetties alongside the coastline. Best place to do an afternoon dive to discover the sandy slope where by you will discover large difficult coral heads. This is one of the web sites wherever wobbegong sharks are almost certain. There's a extremely substantial resident faculty of yellow lined scads underneath the main jetty. During evening time this dive web-site transforms into among the best for macro maritime lifetime within the north A part of Raja Ampat. Spot-tail frogfish, ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish as well as endemic walking shark (Epaulette shark) are several of the highlights of This website.
Penemu
This is a well-liked place for your liveaboards because of the wonderful viewpoint right here. There are many remarkable dives below as well.
Melissa's Backyard
By far the most-healthy hard coral reef in Raja Ampat. A giant plateau slopes off into sandy parts with substantial coral heads. Wobbegong sharks lie below these bommies, surrounded by glassfish. Investigate within the plateau ahead of heading up to the shallows. The immaculate challenging corals host thousands of colourful anthias and fish faculty throughout this location. Blacktip reef sharks are often found cruising over the top from the corals.
Batu Rufus
Batu Rufus has a wonderful tricky coral back garden during the shallows, an excellent natural environment for blacktip reef sharks. Partitions on the west are covered with delicate corals, sea followers and amazing purple anemones. Discover the secrets with the sandy rubble slopes on the south with massive coral heads all alongside the slope the place Pontohi pygmy seahorses tend to be witnessed. Take a look at the shallows great to carry out your basic safety quit at the website and dive definitely one of the most renowned swim troughs in the region.
Raja Ampat - Central Dive Sites
Dampier Strait is named immediately after British navigator William Dampier. The massive overall body of water separates the islands of Waigeo and Batanta. The dive web pages are predominately on the northern aspect with the strait within the islands of Kri and Mansuar. With all over 30 dives websites in a ten-kilometre radius of these islands, you will discover too many to put in writing about here. We record a number of our favourites.
Manta Sandy
Manta rays appear below to your cleaning station. Find a spot inside the sand, kneel down, and watch the clearly show! If your mantas Will not show up, there is an abundance of macro daily life within the sand. Look out for wobbegong sharks about the reef. You will find a everlasting ranger's station crafted on the sandbanks, and you may understand the conservation of such majestic rays with the locals.
Arborek Jetty
One of many villages frequented most while in the central Portion of Raja Ampat is Arborek Village. Listed here the locals created a little jetty in which the maritime lifestyle is concentrated, within the significant faculty of Yellow Lined Scads into the rare blue-ringed octopus. A mild slope with reef and sandy places drops right down to twenty five metres. You'll find enormous coral heads, the right habitat for wobbegong sharks. Arborek Jetty is The perfect dive internet site to carry out while in the afternoon and is often dived during the night. Reef manta rays are seen swimming by due to the vicinity of Manta Sandy.
Cape Kri
Cape Kri will be the dive web-site that put Raja Ampat on the map. Located in the central spot of Raja Ampat, from the Dampier Strait. Dr Gerry Allen recorded 374 unique species on just one tank dive at this impressive dive web page. Schooling sweetlips, jacks, surgeonfish, barracudas, fusiliers and batfish is often sighted all together this dive site. Blacktip reef sharks swim within the shallows, and gray reef sharks cruise from the deep. Turtles, napoleons and bumphead parrotfish also are generally spotted here.
Sardine Reef
Sardine Reef is Just about the most famous dive sites in the Dampier spot due to the large concentration of fish motion. Barracudas, batfish, bumphead parrotfish, black snappers, sweetlips and massive educational institutions of neon fusiliers are normally present on This great site. If The existing is functioning black suggestion, white suggestion and grey reef sharks are going to be patrolling the reef. There are a few significant boulders on the sting from the reef covered in smooth corals, great locations with the wobbegong sharks to hide. As a result of vicinity on the dive internet site Blue Magic, big manta rays in many cases are witnessed listed here along with turtles specifically in the shallows in the reef. The identify Sardine Reef is due to all of the maritime everyday living becoming packed into one particular dive web site just like a can of sardines.
Blue Magic
A small pinnacle that guarantees magic! Grey reef sharks prowl significant faculties of jacks, snappers and fusiliers. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath the coral heads. And big manta rays enjoy to come back listed here for any clean up. Positioned close to Mioskon island, this pinnacle is a necessity with your check out to find the magical encounter with the largest ray in the ocean. Along the shallows of the head, there are a few significant boulders residence to frogfish, Pontohi seahorses and sometimes blue-ringed octopus.
Raja Ampat - Misool Dive Web pages
The dive internet sites in this southern A part of Raja Ampat are concentrated in the area southeast of Misool island, one of the 4 kings. Misool has a great number of dive web sites It will probably be difficult to mention all of them.
Misool is a vast location. Many liveaboards will invest The complete working day in a single location of Misool. Now we have stated underneath a few of the most well-liked parts and our favourite dive web sites in them.
Fiabecet
A vast ridge connects the two significant islands of Kalig and Boo. The ridge rises into the area in several areas, generating magnificent dive web pages.
Nudi Rock
Earlier mentioned h2o, this rock appears like a nudibranch. Underneath the floor is a large dive internet site plastered with colourful tender corals. The health of this reef attracts considerable marine daily life. Pygmy seahorses, schooling barracuda, wobbegong sharks, turtles, searching jacks, reef sharks, colourful anemones hosting anemone fish, smooth coral pipefish and of course nudibranchs.
Batu Kecil
"Batu" implies rock and "Kecil" implies modest. The compact rock is the sole Component of the positioning that breaks the surface but underwater it truly is the opposite. With partitions during the north and in addition during the south, this large dive web page is often dived Anytime on the day. On each side, the large volume of comfortable corals is further than perception. Big Napoleon wrasse swimming about are usually a treat. Hawksbill turtles are basically resident to This website.
Whale Rock
The name originates from probably the most prominent rock form that is sort of a whale. An unlimited procedure with excessive to find out in just one dive, the internet site contains two islands. One smaller and just one bigger, and in between there is a coral head with probably the most quantity of delicate corals you are going to at any time see! There's not a absolutely free space around the rock For additional corals to mature on it. In this article the currents operate from north to south which is why the center rock is paradise for divers and to the corals that expand there. You will find often nutrients passing by all day long extended. White suggestion reef sharks often patrol the center rock. The tough coral gardens on both of those islands are nutritious as could be. You will find terrific alternatives to determine blacktip reef sharks and turtles swimming all-around in the shallows.
Boo & Close by
Boo Home windows
An iconic shallow swim-via is 1 aim of this superb dive internet site. It's got even highlighted about the front include of a e book about Raja Ampat. An additional could be the prolonged ridge That may be a hub of activity. Unsuspecting snappers faculty above camouflaged wobbegong sharks. Manta rays come to the cleansing stations listed here. Grey reef sharks patrol the deep and curious blacktip reef sharks check out the divers inside the shallows. Just like the majority of dive sites in Misool, the enormous quantity of colourful smooth corals might blow your head! A necessity-do dive web-site in Misool.
Shadow Reef
Shadow Reef aka Magic Mountain is near to Boo. Below you'll be able to see reef and large manta rays, one among a not many places on the globe in which you can see each species on one dive. Additionally, The entire pinnacle is wholly protected in fish life! This really is an extremely well known dive web-site, and you will see why the moment you bounce in. This significant pinnacle is very occupied! Snappers, barracuda, jacks, batfish, fusiliers, gray reef, groupers to call some of the resident fish below. With the Blessed divers, a dolphin could possibly move by also.
Yuliet
This dive website is an intensive underwater reef That always confuses divers mainly because of the size from the small rock that comes out on the water. The northern Element of the internet site has spectacular partitions down to 30 metres using a big colony of sea followers hosting the Denise pygmy seahorse and the Bargibanti pygmy seahorse. Mild slopes are in the east and west with sizeable barrel sponges and whip corals. A little ridge towards the south of the location is where, depending on the recent, there is commonly a scorching location for large concentrations of fish which include Chevron barracudas and spadefish. The shallows of Yuliet have incredibly massive bommies covered fully in gentle coral plus some difficult corals, an ideal location to perform the protection quit.
Wayilbatan
Neptune's Lover Sea
For most scuba divers, This great site becomes their favorite web site right after a few minutes of your dive. The dive web page is situated during the channel established by Wayilbatan Island and Warakaket Island. The northern component includes an exceedingly Light slope right down to 35 meters that transforms into a wall that is probably among the list of richest in delicate corals and sea fans in the area. There may be terrific maritime everyday living to find out. Pygmy seahorses are routinely seen, and occasionally, the biggest reef-related fish in the world the large grouper is often noticed in the midst of the channel resting or swimming by alongside the wall. The shallow, hard coral back garden from the south of the dive internet site is thoughts-blowing, the perfect spot to perform the last three minutes with the dive.
Wedding day Cake
Among the most spectacular underwater topography in the area, with ledges slopes and partitions, This great site has everything. In November and December Marriage ceremony Cake plays host to substantial educational facilities of silverside fish which might be the favourite foodstuff on the Mobula rays. Typically observed Here i will discuss major groups of Mobula feeding around the silverside fish, and that is an experience of the life time. From the west, inside the sandy slope Component of the positioning, turtles plus some certain fish including the pink eye goby as well as the fantastic colourful flasher wrasse males displaying their pectoral fin to draw in the women will often be viewed.
Wayili Rock
This great site is often dived within the afternoon or as a night dive. Below it is usually Wonderful to see the presence of a big university of spadefish and barracudas. Slopes to the east Portion of the site and spectacular mini walls while in the west kind this excellent dive. Astounding tricky coral gardens from the shallows are the place reef octopus and turtles come to wash from the late afternoon. Throughout the night dives the endemic epaulette shark is nearly guaranteed. A lot of divers here have also viewed the smallest pygmy seahorse on earth, the Satomi pygmy seahorse.
Daram
Sweet Store
The Candy Keep partitions are entirely lined in marine daily life. There is much tender coral and whip corals that there are not numerous vacant spots along the walls, dropping all the way down to 35 metres additionally. The coral is so colourful that divers chose to give This great site the name of Candy Keep due to a great deal of colour in Get More Information a single location. The challenging coral inside the shallows is excellent, plus the best part is that it's at the best depth to do the safety stop. Napoleon wrasse, turtles and a resident university of neon fusiliers make This website an incredible option to dive Anytime from the day.
Andiamo
Andiamo is a huge web page with extraordinary maritime life residing on it. To your east of the positioning, there is a pinnacle where by a major college of barracudas and spadefish have adopted it as their household. The pinnacle itself is roofed with gentle coral and gorgonian sea enthusiasts. Pelagics, sharks and in some cases giant manta rays are observed here. Following inside of 35 minutes you can swim to the most crucial rock. The deep wall on the north or the slope space around the south, in each directions, are coated with maritime everyday living. Faculties of yellow snappers are usually ready from the shallows. Here the barrel sponges improve to amazing measurements creating them one of the highlights of the website.
Other Things to do
Many liveaboards will go to the region of Penemu for the viewpoint there. Easy methods to the very best will award you with a good looking look at through the limestone formations during the crystal-distinct waters underneath.
Arborek Village can be a favorite spot for liveaboards to go to. The children in this article adore people and will follow you all over this perfectly kept village. Carry alongside provides for The varsity or treats for the children for extra smiles!
Tomolol Cave is a really special encounter. Take a trip in the pearl farm from the bay into your maze of limestone formations. At the conclusion of The attractive tour, a big cavern will quickly appear. You may swim by means of this vast cavern and be amazed from the rock formations. Huge stalactites and stalagmites have been forming inside Tomolol Cave for Many years.
Quite a few regions of Raja Ampat are merely waiting for being explored. The countless limestone islands and rocks create top secret lagoons. Liveaboards may just take you with a lagoon tour to get pleasure from these wonderful seascapes.
Beaches are everywhere you go in Raja Ampat! Just question see this your liveaboard to drop you off in between dives to discover a beach all to yourselves.
Marine Park and Conservation in Raja Ampat
The Raja Ampat Marine Shielded Area network covers a location of 1,185,940 hectares. It had been established in 2002 and is comprised of 7 distinct maritime shielded parts. They can be managed through the Raja Ampat Regency check it out as well as the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in partnership with nearby communities and with guidance from Global NGOs.
All readers to Raja Ampat are expected to acquire a allow which can be valid for twelve months. The cash collected goes toward the operational prices of sustaining the MPAs also to Local community conservation and progress initiatives.