There's a broad quantity of dive websites Within this great destination. Located in the centre on the Coral Triangle, the extent of maritime biodiversity present in Raja Ampat is unmatched wherever else in the world.
The northern and central regions of Raja Ampat feature thrilling dives brimming with fish, enjoyable drift dives and exquisite tough coral reefs. Right here, the mass motion of drinking water on each tide draws in large educational institutions of fish and plenty of manta rays, which includes tremendous big manta rays. Evening dives to the jetties Within this area are specially unforgettable for the weird and wonderful critters you are able to see.
The southern area of Raja Ampat is characterised by spectacularly colourful smooth corals And large sea lovers. Maritime life is equally extraordinary with mantas, sharks and macro lifetime galore.
Raja Ampat addresses a large area, so a liveaboard is a wonderful method to check out The nice dive web sites. Enjoy Raja Ampat with the ease and comfort of a liveaboard. Ebook with us currently!
Very best Dive Web sites in Raja Ampat
We've got divided the ideal dive websites in Raja Ampat into some broad spots – Dampier Strait northern dive web sites, central dive web pages and Misool.
Now we have described beneath the most effective dive sites in Raja Ampat. There are numerous other good dive places, but you will find a lot of to mention all of them. We have included the preferred, and the ones visited most frequently from the liveaboards.
Raja Ampat - Dampier Strait Dive Sites
The distances in between the dive internet sites within the north might be very extensive. Therefore, We now have break up the diving in Raja Ampat's north into different spots.
Wayag
Within the quite north of Raja Ampat is a bunch of islands all around Wayag. The viewpoints in this article will award the adventurous with the atypical check out of Raja Ampat. Quite a few little limestone islands nestled during the crystal clear blue waters from the lagoons are a small amount of paradise.
The liveaboards mainly visit this area with the viewpoint and lagoons. Younger manta rays and a great variety of black-suggestion reef sharks shelter while in the quiet, shallow waters right here. You could possibly do a few dives right here close to the limestone islands. The reefs Listed here are rocky slopes with good possibilities to determine nudibranchs, scorpionfish, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish munching on the challenging corals and perhaps a passing ray.
Kawe
The equator dissects the big island of Kawe. South of the equator is 2 superb dive websites.
Black Rock
Positioned around the west coast of Kawe Island this considerable dive web site desires at least two dives to swim all around. The standard entry issue is to the northwest Portion of the dive internet site where There are some little pinnacles included with delicate corals and sea followers. Swimming towards the south a gentle slope is existing with incredibly significant bushes of black corals web hosting groups of oriental sweetlips and snappers. If drifting for the southern Component of the positioning, you can stumble upon massive rocks with A lot marine lifetime to discover. Look out in the deep water for pelagics which include dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel as well as occasional white suggestion and grey reef sharks. Manta Rays have often been viewed in this article much too.
Eagle Rock
Liveaboards typically do a couple of dives on This website because of its dimensions. Eagle Rock is home to the biggest reef manta ray population from the northern Component of Raja Ampat. Significant aggregations of black snappers and yellowtail barracudas are generally close to. The west A part of the internet site has great rocks all the way down to 25 metres included with sea fans where pygmy seahorses are found. Ghost pipefish camouflage by themselves during the black coral bushes. Wobbegongs and stingrays are often observed inside the cracks of the boulders. Within the shallow rock, hydroids are current, and this is a superb opportunity to see Pontohi seahorses.
Aljui Bay
White Arrow
The wall of Aljui is very remarkable in locations with quite a few crevasses along the wall. Sea lovers and delicate coals are current on the positioning. A lot of species of nudibranchs are observed listed here. Provide along a dive gentle to find out the maritime existence that works by using the little cuts in the wall to cover from predators. Ghost pipefish, longfin comet fish, and juvenile snappers are frequently found right here. Glimpse in The ocean followers for the uniquely coloured yellow Bargibanti pygmy seahorse.
Aljui Bay Jetty
You will find a big pearl farm In the bay, they usually constructed some jetties together the coastline. Great place to do an afternoon dive to discover the sandy slope where there are major tricky coral heads. This is among the web sites wherever wobbegong sharks are Just about guaranteed. You will find there's pretty significant resident school of yellow lined scads underneath the major jetty. Throughout night time this dive web-site transforms into one of several most productive for macro marine life in the north Component of Raja Ampat. Spot-tail frogfish, ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish along with the endemic walking shark (Epaulette shark) are a number of the highlights of this site.
Penemu
This is a well-liked place to the liveaboards due to superb viewpoint right here. There are a few wonderful dives right here far too.
Melissa's Yard
By far the most-wholesome really hard coral reef in Raja Ampat. A large plateau slopes off into sandy locations with massive coral heads. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath these bommies, surrounded by glassfish. Take a look at within the plateau prior to heading up into your shallows. The immaculate challenging corals host A huge number of colourful anthias and fish college all around this spot. Blacktip reef sharks are frequently found cruising over the top of the corals.
Batu Rufus
Batu Rufus has an awesome challenging coral backyard inside the shallows, an ideal setting for blacktip reef sharks. Partitions on the west are protected with soft corals, sea lovers and amazing red anemones. Learn the secrets of your sandy rubble slopes to your south with big coral heads all along the slope wherever Pontohi pygmy seahorses tend to be found. Check out the shallows ideal to carry out your protection halt at the location and dive genuinely Among the most well known swim troughs in the area.
Raja Ampat - Central Dive Internet sites
Dampier Strait is named following British navigator William Dampier. The massive body of h2o separates the islands of Waigeo and Batanta. The dive web-sites are predominately about the northern side from the strait across the islands of Kri and Mansuar. With around 30 dives web pages inside a ten-kilometre radius of these islands, you can find too many to write down about right here. We listing several of our favourites.
Manta Sandy
Manta rays come below to the cleaning station. Locate a spot from the sand, kneel down, and enjoy the demonstrate! When the mantas Never surface, there is a lot of macro everyday living while in the sand. Look out for wobbegong sharks within the reef. There's a everlasting ranger's station developed to the sandbanks, and you'll study the conservation of such majestic rays in the locals.
Arborek Jetty
One of the villages visited most from the central Portion of Raja Ampat is Arborek Village. Listed here the locals crafted a little jetty the place the maritime life is concentrated, with the major college of Yellow Lined Scads into the exceptional blue-ringed octopus. A delicate slope with reef and sandy regions drops all the way down to twenty five metres. There are actually enormous coral heads, the right habitat for wobbegong sharks. Arborek Jetty is The best dive website to accomplish in the afternoon and is frequently dived during the night time. Reef manta rays are found swimming by mainly because of the vicinity of Manta Sandy.
Cape Kri
Cape Kri is the dive web site that put Raja Ampat to the map. Located in the central area of Raja Ampat, within the Dampier Strait. Dr Gerry Allen recorded 374 unique species on one tank dive at this amazing dive web site. Schooling sweetlips, jacks, surgeonfish, barracudas, fusiliers and batfish might be sighted all along this dive website. Blacktip reef sharks swim during the shallows, and grey reef sharks cruise from the deep. Turtles, napoleons and bumphead parrotfish will also be normally noticed listed here.
Sardine Reef
Sardine Reef is The most popular dive internet sites in the Dampier place because of the significant focus of fish action. Barracudas, batfish, bumphead parrotfish, black snappers, sweetlips And large universities of neon fusiliers are constantly current on This page. If the current is working black suggestion, white tip and gray reef sharks will be patrolling the reef. Here are a few significant boulders on the edge of the reef lined in smooth corals, great spots for your wobbegong sharks to cover. Because of the vicinity of the dive web site Blue Magic, large manta rays will often be witnessed right here together with turtles especially in the shallows with the reef. The name Sardine Reef is due to every one of the maritime everyday living staying packed into 1 dive web page like a can of sardines.
Blue Magic
A small pinnacle that claims magic! Gray reef sharks prowl significant educational institutions of jacks, snappers and fusiliers. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath the coral heads. And big manta rays like to come right here for the clean. Located in close proximity to Mioskon island, this pinnacle is essential with your visit to have the magical experience with the most important ray inside the ocean. Together the shallows of the head, There are some huge boulders household to frogfish, Pontohi seahorses and sometimes blue-ringed octopus.
Raja Ampat - Misool Dive Websites
The dive sites During this southern A Liveaboard Indonesia part of Raja Ampat are concentrated in the area southeast of Misool island, one of the 4 kings. Misool has numerous dive web pages It'll be difficult to say them all.
Misool is an unlimited area. Several liveaboards will spend The full day in a single space of Misool. We have now shown under a few of the most well-liked parts and our favorite dive websites inside of them.
Fiabecet
An enormous ridge connects the two big islands of Kalig and Boo. The ridge rises to the surface in various areas, making magnificent dive web pages.
Nudi Rock
Previously mentioned h2o, this rock appears like a nudibranch. Below the floor is a big dive site plastered with colourful gentle corals. The health of this reef attracts plentiful maritime life. Pygmy seahorses, education barracuda, wobbegong sharks, turtles, looking jacks, reef sharks, colourful anemones web hosting anemone fish, comfortable coral pipefish and naturally nudibranchs.
Batu Kecil
"Batu" suggests rock and "Kecil" suggests modest. The tiny rock is the sole Element of the location that breaks the area but underwater it is the opposite. With partitions from the north as well as within the south, this large dive web-site is often dived at any time in the day. On each side, the wide number of smooth corals is over and above perception. Large Napoleon wrasse swimming around are generally a address. Hawksbill turtles are practically resident to This page.
Whale Rock
The title comes from one of the most prominent rock form that is like a whale. An unlimited technique with far too much to find out in only one dive, the site includes two islands. Just one little and one particular larger, and in between there is a coral head with the most level of comfortable corals you will at any time see! You can find not a no cost Place on the rock For additional corals to grow on it. In this article the currents run from north to south and this check it out is why the center rock is paradise for divers and to the corals that grow there. You can find often nutrients passing by all day extensive. White idea reef sharks frequently patrol the center rock. The hard coral gardens on both equally islands are healthy as can be. You will discover terrific opportunities to determine blacktip reef sharks and turtles swimming about while in the shallows.
Boo & Nearby
Boo Home windows
An iconic shallow swim-via is one particular aim of the superb dive web site. It's got even highlighted over the entrance go over of the ebook about Raja Ampat. An additional is the long ridge That may be a hub of action. Unsuspecting snappers university earlier mentioned camouflaged wobbegong sharks. Manta rays arrive at the cleaning stations here. Gray reef sharks patrol the deep and curious blacktip reef sharks look into the divers in the shallows. Just like virtually all dive internet sites in Misool, the immense number of colourful tender corals may possibly blow your thoughts! A necessity-do dive web page in Misool.
Shadow Reef
Shadow Reef aka Magic Mountain is close to Boo. Below you can see reef and big manta rays, one of a hardly any locations on the globe where you can see equally species on a single dive. Plus, the whole pinnacle is wholly lined in fish daily life! That is a very popular dive web page, and you will see why once you jump in. This significant pinnacle is rather active! Snappers, barracuda, jacks, batfish, fusiliers, gray reef, groupers to call a few of the resident fish below. For the Blessed divers, a dolphin may possibly move by too.
Yuliet
This dive web-site is an intensive underwater reef That usually confuses divers due to dimensions with the smaller rock that will come out of the water. The northern part of the internet site has spectacular partitions right down to 30 metres which has a massive colony of sea followers internet hosting the Denise pygmy seahorse and the Bargibanti pygmy seahorse. Mild slopes are in the east and west with significant barrel sponges and whip corals. A little ridge into the south of the positioning is the place, depending on the present-day, There exists often a warm location for large concentrations of fish such as Chevron barracudas and spadefish. The shallows of Yuliet have incredibly significant bommies protected totally in soft coral and a few tough corals, the ideal space to complete the security stop.
Wayilbatan
Neptune's Lover Sea
For a lot of scuba divers, This great site results in being their favorite internet site immediately after a couple of minutes on the dive. The dive web site is located within the channel developed by Wayilbatan Island and Warakaket Island. The northern portion contains a really gentle slope all the way down to 35 meters that transforms into a wall that might be among the richest in delicate corals and sea enthusiasts in the area. There is certainly wonderful marine lifestyle to discover. Pygmy seahorses are regularly seen, and every now and then, the largest reef-involved fish on the globe the large grouper is usually seen in the midst of the channel resting or swimming by alongside the wall. The shallow, hard coral back garden in the south with the dive web site is mind-blowing, the best region to complete the final 3 minutes on the dive.
Wedding Cake
One of the more dramatic underwater topography in the area, with ledges slopes and partitions, This website has all of it. In November and December Wedding ceremony Cake performs host to big faculties of silverside fish that are the favourite food items from the Mobula rays. Normally observed Here's major groups of Mobula feeding to the silverside fish, and that is an knowledge of a lifetime. Inside the west, inside the sandy slope Element of the positioning, turtles and a few specific fish such as the pink eye goby and the amazing colourful flasher wrasse males displaying their pectoral fin to draw in the women will often be found.
Wayili Rock
This page is often dived from the afternoon or as an evening dive. In this article it is always lovely to see the existence of a large school of spadefish and barracudas. Slopes to the east part of the location and remarkable mini walls within the west type this superb dive. Incredible tricky coral gardens during the shallows are the place reef octopus and turtles appear to clean inside the late afternoon. Through the evening dives the endemic epaulette shark is sort of confirmed. Numerous divers in this article have also viewed the smallest pygmy seahorse on the planet, the Satomi pygmy seahorse.
Daram
Sweet Retail store
The Sweet Keep walls are completely protected in marine everyday living. There is certainly a great deal of comfortable coral and whip corals there are not a lot of empty spots alongside the partitions, dropping down to 35 metres as well as. The coral is so colourful that divers chose to give This website the name of Candy Retailer as a consequence of a great deal of colour in one location. The difficult coral from the shallows is superb, along with the best part is that it is at the ideal depth to complete the safety end. Napoleon wrasse, turtles plus a resident college of neon fusiliers make this site an excellent choice to dive at any time on the working day.
Andiamo
Andiamo is a huge web page with remarkable maritime everyday living living on it. On the east of the website, There exists a pinnacle the place a big university of barracudas and spadefish have adopted it as their home. The top alone is covered with gentle coral and gorgonian sea enthusiasts. Pelagics, sharks and even large manta rays are actually noticed listed here. Right after within 35 minutes you could swim to the leading rock. The deep wall to the north or maybe the slope region about the south, in both of those directions, are coated with maritime lifestyle. Educational institutions of yellow snappers are constantly ready inside the shallows. Below the barrel sponges expand to amazing sizes creating them among the highlights of the location.
Other Pursuits
Numerous liveaboards will go to the world of Penemu to the viewpoint there. Uncomplicated actions to the very best will award you with a good looking perspective throughout the limestone formations in the crystal-distinct waters underneath.
Arborek Village is really a favorite place for liveaboards to visit. The youngsters right here really like visitors and can stick to you close to this flawlessly stored village. Convey along supplies for The varsity or treats for the youngsters for extra smiles!
Tomolol Cave is an extremely unique working experience. Take a journey from the pearl farm inside the bay into your maze of limestone formations. At the end of The gorgeous tour, a massive cavern will quickly look. It is possible to swim through this vast cavern and be stunned through the rock formations. Substantial stalactites and stalagmites happen to be forming within Tomolol Cave for thousands of years.
Many regions of Raja Ampat are only ready to become explored. The limitless limestone islands and rocks create magic formula lagoons. Liveaboards may choose you over a lagoon tour to love these lovely seascapes.
Shorelines are all over the place in Raja Ampat! Just inquire your liveaboard to fall you off in between dives to examine a Beach front all to yourselves.
Maritime Park and Conservation in Raja Ampat
The Raja Ampat Maritime Guarded Space community covers an area of one,185,940 hectares. It was created in 2002 and is also comprised of 7 distinctive maritime protected locations. They are really managed from the Raja Ampat Regency and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in partnership with area communities and with guidance from Worldwide NGOs.
All site visitors to Raja Ampat are essential to get a allow which can be valid for twelve months. The money gathered goes in direction of the operational expenses of sustaining the MPAs and also to Local community conservation and advancement initiatives.