Welcome to Raja Ampat, a place where surreal landscapes, vibrant marine life and untouched natural wonders create a paradise like no other. In this blog we discover the enchanting beauty of Raja Ampat, a remote and extraordinary archipelago nestled in the heart of Indonesia’s West Papua province. Included is everything you need to know on how to get to Raja Ampat, what Islands to visit, where to stay, the different types of accommodation, cost break down’s and the best things to do in Raja Ampat.
As the world awakens to the allure of eco-tourism and sustainable travel, Raja Ampat has emerged as a top destination for adventurers, nature enthusiasts, and scuba divers seeking a truly off-the-beaten-path experience. With its breathtaking landscapes, awe-inspiring biodiversity, and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life, Raja Ampat has earned its reputation as one of the world’s premier diving and snorkeling locations.
Where is Raja Ampat?
Discover the hidden gem of Raja Ampat, an archipelago of over 1,500 small islands off the coast of West Papua, known for its unique jungle-covered islands emerging from the crystal-clear waters. It offers some of the world’s best diving, attracting divers from around the globe. The islands also boast ancient rock paintings and caves, as well as diverse marine life, including the beautiful crimson bird of paradise on Waigeo Island.
Despite its beauty and appeal, Raja Ampat remains secluded and untouched due to its remote location. Recently, its popularity has surged on social media platforms. Let’s work together to preserve its pristine nature by minimizing waste and reducing our environmental impact.
Explore this paradise before it becomes widely known!
How to get to Raja Ampat from Bali?
1. Departing Bali.
To reach Raja Ampat from Bali, there are no direct flights. You’ll need to take a flight from Denpasar, Jakarta, or Sarubuya with a 7+ hour lay over in Makassar, Sulawesi. Flights depart about four times a day. Consider flying from Denpasar, as it may be cheaper than going via Jakarta.
After doing some research for flights it was cheaper for us to leave from Bali then it was to catch a plane to Jakarta and go from there. All up our return flights from Denpasar with Sriwaja air cost $970 for the two of us.
We caught a plane from Denpasar at 5:40 pm and arrived into Makassar at 7:30 pm (South Sulawesi) The flight took took just under 2 hours and from there and then we had a 9 hour over night lay over in Makkasar.
2. Spend the over night layover at Hotel Ibis Makassar.
During the overnight layover in Makassar stay at Hotel Ibis located near the airport for convenience. Pack essentials in your carry-on as you won’t have access to checked bags until you arrive in Sorong, West Papua. The flight from Makassar to Sorong (Domine Eduard Osok) takes around an hour. A room will cost you just under $45 AUD. Its the best way to spend the 9 hour lay over before our 4 am flight to Sorong (West Papua)
Book your room at Hotel Ibis Makassar Airport here.
3. After landing in Sorong in the morning make your way to Sorong’s Harbour.
After arriving in Sorong, head to the harbor to catch one of the two daily express ferries to Wasia, the capital city of Waigeo, Raja Ampat’s main island. Ferries depart at 9 am and 2 pm in both directions. Sorong is one hour ahead of Makassar, so if you land at 8 am, you’ll have enough time to collect your bags, get a taxi, and catch the 9 am ferry.
Getting a taxi from Sorong’s airport is easy, with drivers readily available outside. The trip to the port takes about 15-20 minutes. Negotiate the fare (around 100,000 IDR) before getting into the taxi. Note that there might be a fee (7,000 IDR) to enter the port, though its purpose may not be clear due to communication challenges with the local officer.
4. Board a ferry to Waisai.
Once at the port there is a building on the left where you can purchase ferry tickets. Economy class tickets cost is 100 000 IDR and the ferry takes about 2 hours. VIP tickets are available which give you access to upstairs area with air con and reclining chairs. VIP tickers cost 220,000 IDR. Because the boat trip is only short we opted to just got with economy, which was still comfortable. You can purchase small snacks and noodles on board.
5. From Wasai to the Islands.
Upon arriving at Wasai port, you’ll find people holding signs with the names of various home stays, mostly located on the island of Wasia. If you have arranged a boat transfer to your specific island, head to the tourist information building.
Exit the jetty through the gates and follow the road past the big car park. On the left, you’ll see a small jetty and local boats. The white building on the right is the tourist information center. Here, register your name and pay the 1,000,000 IDR environment permit fee. Remember to bring your passport, as it’s required for registration. This fee supports the management of Raja Ampat’s protected areas and marine conservation.
Obtaining the Raja Ampat Environmental Permit
The permit fee is valid for a year and includes a personalized marine permit card and a Raja Ampat bag tag. Payment can be made via credit card or cash.
Before arrival, it’s advisable to contact the chosen home stay and confirm the ferry details. Upon arrival, a boat driver will be ready to transport you to the island. Our driver was already waiting for us.
The day we arrived in Raja Ampat greeted us with perfect weather and stunning scenery—lush islands and crystal-clear waters left us in awe throughout the boat trip. We were excited to explore the islands!
Returning to Bali from Raja Ampat.
Travel time flying to Raja Ampat always takes longer than the return trip. Most airlines have an 7-9 hour layover going to Raja Ampat but returning to Bali the lay over was only 1 hour.
Our return trip from Raja Ampat to Bali including the 1 hour lay stop over in Makkasar, only took only 5 hours. That’s a much shorter travel time when comparing to the 10 hour overnight lay over in Makkasar heading to Raja Ampat.
What is the accomodation in Raja Ampat?
Accommodation in Raja Ampat mainly consists of home stays or dive resorts. For an authentic cultural experience at a reasonable cost, we chose to stay in the wooden bungalows offered by local home stays. These are owned by locals and provide a unique connection to Raja Ampat’s culture and traditions. It’s truly the best way to experience the region and immerse ourselves in Papua’s rich culture. Additionally, staying with a home stay supports the local economy, the people of Raja Ampat, and their way of life, making it a meaningful and responsible choice.
Stay Raja Ampat Website is a great platform to view all and book home stays on the islands of Raja Ampat. No money is taken before booking, only a confirmation email of the dates. Payment is taken by the home stays before you leave. What we loved about Stay Raja Ampat is that you can filter the search by specific islands, pricing, location features, activities and other features. If you want to book this is the platform and source to do it through.
The best Islands to visit in Raja Ampat?
Raja Ampat or the Four Kings, is an archipelago of over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands. The main islands are Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. The archipelago straddles the Equator and forms part of Coral Triangle which contains the some of the richest marine biodiversity on earth.
We only has a short amount of time at Raja Ampat and could only visit 2 islands. You could imagine how hard it was to pick 2 out of the 1,500 islands.
Arborek Island
The first Island we stayed on was Arborek Island. Arborek Island is only a small Island but its known for its Papua culture. The locals have been known to dress up in traditional clothing and perform a traditional dance on arrival. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see one and we were really looking forward to it. The main reason we stayed there was because it was in the closest proximity to Paiynemo island.
Read about our stay on Arborek Island here.
Kri Island
The second island we spent a few nights on was Kri Island. One of the larger and more popular Islands. Kri is known for having great snorkeling and an abundance of marine life swimming around the jetties (which it sure did). There are a number of dive centers and home stays on the island. We loved how most of the Island was covered with jungle and surrounded by white sand banks.
Check out our blog about Kri Island here.
Diving in Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat is a paradise for ocean lovers and scuba divers. It’s considered one of the top ten diving destinations globally and boasts the highest recorded marine life diversity on Earth. Divers are captivated by the abundance of marine species, including manta rays, reef sharks, pygmy sea horses, and pristine coral reefs. Raja Ampat’s remarkable biodiversity places it at the heart of the Coral Triangle, making it an exceptionally rare and beautiful destination. We can’t wait to return to dive with the magnificent mantas.
Culture in Raja Ampat.
When visiting the islands, keep in mind that many local communities are Christian, so avoid organizing tours or boat trips on Sundays. Some dive centers might also be closed for dives on Sundays as their rest day. Show respect by covering up when walking through the villages, as indicated by signs in certain places like Arborek.
The locals are incredibly friendly, often greeting you with smiles and waves, even if they don’t speak much English. It’s vital to be respectful during your stay—avoid littering, clean up after yourself, and pick up trash if you come across any on the beaches.
Be mindful with your cameras. Before taking photos, introduce yourself to the locals, especially children, and involve them in playful interactions. Always be considerate if someone doesn’t wish to be photographed. When flying a drone, keep a distance from the villages to avoid causing disturbance with the noise. Respect and understanding go a long way in making your visit enjoyable for both you and the locals.
Electricity.
Most home stays in Raja Ampat have electricity available only at night and the villages rely on their own generators. To ensure you have sufficient power for your camera equipment and mobile phones, bring backup batteries or a portable charger. During the day, we rarely used our phones, so they didn’t run out of battery. For our cameras and drone, we packed three sets of batteries for the day.
Remember to charge your equipment when the power is available at night. Investing in a power board and dual chargers will allow you to charge multiple devices simultaneously. We charged two GoPro batteries, three drone batteries, and four camera batteries all at once to be fully prepared for the next day.
Food on Raja Ampat
In Raja Ampat, most home stays offer three daily meals included in the room price as there are no restaurants on most islands. Meals are served buffet style, so feel free to go back for seconds or even thirds if there are leftovers – the food is incredibly delicious.
Breakfast typically consists of fried bananas, cake, donuts, or bread – the same foods the locals enjoy for breakfast. Midday meals offer rice, noodles, chicken or fish, often served with tempeh and tofu for protein. Evening meals are similar to lunch but slightly more substantial, featuring freshly cooked fish, rice, noodles, and a variety of local vegetables.
For vegetarians or vegans, it’s advisable to bring your favorite protein sources, as local tempeh and tofu supplies might be limited. If you have any dietary requirements, consider contacting your home stay in advance so they can prepare to offer more vegetables to accommodate your needs.
The best time to visit Raja Ampat?
The best time to visit Raja Ampat for pleasant weather and water conditions is generally throughout the year. However, for smoother travel in smaller boats, it’s recommended to avoid June, July, and August.
Raja Ampat has a tropical climate, making rainfall unpredictable. The northwest monsoon months between October and April experience fewer rainy days, while the heaviest rain usually falls in December and January. During the southeast monsoon months between May and September, there is more annual rainfall, with June and July being the wettest months. Rain showers in the wet season are often brief.
The temperature remains warm year-round, with daytime highs reaching up to 31°C (89°F) and nighttime lows around 25°C (78°F). Humidity averages around 83%.
The middle of the wet season, from mid-June to mid-September, brings stronger winds, making sea conditions rougher. Underwater visibility remains unaffected, but travel between islands in small boats may be limited due to rough seas. The northern shores of the islands offer better protection during this time. For those looking to relax, snorkel, or dive, any time of the year is great to enjoy the beauty of Raja Ampat’s tropical islands.
Internet.
Internet access is not available on the home stays and free WiFi is extremely rare. We brought a Telkomsel sim card because Telkomsel is the only network provider in Raja Ampat that receives internet (Depending on the Island).
We only had enough data to use on specific apps like Facebook or Instagram. To be honest we did enjoy feeling disconnected from the real world and just enjoy being in paradise.
How to get around Raja Ampat?
Boats are the primary means of transportation from Sorong onward. At the tourist information center, you’ll find boats advertising different rental fees and capacities. Traveling alone is more expensive than joining a group. To travel between Islands, your home stay can arrange boat transfers for you; simply email them to inquire about the charges.
Another option is to walk around the Island and ask other travelers if they want to share the boat cost. We had several people asking us to join their boat tours.
Our boat transfer costs were 1,000,000 IDR from Wasai to Arborek, 500,000 IDR from Arborek to Kri Island, and 600,000 IDR from Kri back to Wasai.
Consider checking Raja Ampat’s Forum page, a useful platform to find others interested in sharing boat transfers and splitting the costs.
Travel Tips.
- Cash is essential in Raja Ampat. Bring enough to cover accommodation, transfers, and other tours. The nearest ATM is on Wasia, but it’s not reliable. Some home stays, like Yenbubu on Kri island accept PayPal payments, depending on the internet reception. Contact your chosen home stay before arrival to check if they accept credit card or PayPal payments. To be safe, carry enough cash to cover accommodation expenses in case of internet disruptions.
- Home stays provide three meals a day, but if you anticipate getting hungry between meals, pack extra snacks like muesli bars. To avoid attracting rats on certain islands, store your snacks with the home stay. Some islands have small local shops offering biscuits, crackers, chocolate bars, and soft drinks. If you purchase food, take all your rubbish back to Sorong as the islands lack proper waste disposal facilities. Minimising rubbish is essential for preserving the pristine environment of Raja Ampat.
- When spending time in the water or under the sun, bring environmentally friendly or reef-friendly biodegradable sunscreen. Certain sunscreens have been linked to coral bleaching, so using reef-friendly options helps protect the delicate coral in the oceans.
- Bring important things like Insect repellent, bandaids, antiseptics sprays
- Bring a waterproof bag to protect camera equipment from becoming wet while on the boats. ]
- Raja Ampat is one of the most beautiful places in the world and plastic washing up is a huge problem. Bring your own re usable water bottle, you can re-fill with the filtered water supplied by the home stays. If you see plastic in the water or the sea please pick it up.
- Bring your own mask and snorkel as the home stays do not provide these. However if you are diving with a dive center they provide their own equipment. On our last day we left it at the home stay for the local kids to have.
Thank You for reading.
Raja Ampat is an unparalleled destination that left us in awe. Its untouched beauty, both above and below the water, is incomparable to any other place we’ve been. Sadly, our time exploring this pristine paradise has come to an end, but we know we’ll be back soon.
Swimming with underwater creatures, witnessing vibrant coral reefs, and immersing ourselves in the culture of West Papua was an unforgettable experience. We hope you enjoyed reading our blog on Raja Ampat. Don’t forget to explore our other blogs on Arborek Island and Kri Island.
We hope you enjoyed reading our blog on visiting Raja Ampat. Dont forget to check out our other blogs on Arborek Island and Kri Island.
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