There's a vast number of dive web pages in this fantastic place. Situated in the centre from the Coral Triangle, the extent of maritime biodiversity present in Raja Ampat is unmatched anyplace else on earth.
The northern and central areas of Raja Ampat feature thrilling dives jam packed with fish, enjoyable drift dives and delightful difficult coral reefs. Right here, the mass motion of drinking water on Every single tide attracts huge colleges of fish and lots of manta rays, including monumental huge manta rays. Night time dives to the jetties in this area are especially unforgettable for the weird and excellent critters you could see.
The southern location of Raja Ampat is characterised by spectacularly colourful delicate corals And large sea lovers. Maritime everyday living is equally outstanding with mantas, sharks and macro daily life galore.
Raja Ampat handles a large region, so a liveaboard is a wonderful way to discover the great dive sites. Delight in Raja Ampat in the ease and comfort of the liveaboard. Guide with us currently!
Finest Dive Internet sites in Raja Ampat
We have now divided the best dive sites in Raja Ampat into some broad regions – Dampier Strait northern dive web pages, central dive sites and Misool.
We have described down below the most effective dive websites in Raja Ampat. There are plenty of other good dive places, but there are a lot of to say all of them. We now have coated the preferred, and the ones frequented most frequently because of the liveaboards.
Raja Ampat - Dampier Strait Dive Web-sites
The distances involving the dive internet sites within the north could be very large. Consequently, We've got split the diving in Raja Ampat's north into independent locations.
Wayag
From the really north of Raja Ampat is a group of islands all around Wayag. The viewpoints in this article will award the adventurous Together with the atypical look at of Raja Ampat. Several smaller limestone islands nestled in the apparent blue waters on the lagoons are a little bit of paradise.
The liveaboards mainly stop by this area for the viewpoint and lagoons. Young manta rays and a great range of black-suggestion reef sharks shelter while in the tranquil, shallow waters here. Chances are you'll do a handful of dives here beside the limestone islands. The reefs here are rocky slopes with excellent possibilities to see nudibranchs, scorpionfish, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish munching around the challenging corals and perhaps a passing ray.
Kawe
The equator dissects the big island of Kawe. South on the equator is two amazing dive internet sites.
Black Rock
Located within the west Coastline of Kawe Island this significant dive internet site requires no less than two dives to swim all around. The standard entry stage is around the northwest part of the dive internet site where there are a few small pinnacles lined with tender corals and sea fans. Swimming in the direction of the south a gentle slope is current with extremely big bushes of black corals hosting teams of oriental sweetlips and snappers. If drifting on the southern Portion of the internet site, you will come upon major rocks with much maritime existence to find out. Watch out into the deep drinking water for pelagics including dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel and the occasional white tip and gray reef sharks. Manta Rays have frequently been observed right here too.
Eagle Rock
Liveaboards often do a couple of dives on This website as a consequence of its dimension. Eagle Rock is dwelling to the largest reef manta ray inhabitants from the northern Element of Raja Ampat. Important aggregations of black snappers and yellowtail barracudas are generally all over. The west Element of the internet site has massive rocks down to 25 metres lined with sea admirers the place pygmy seahorses are found. Ghost pipefish camouflage by themselves while in the black coral bushes. Wobbegongs and stingrays are frequently viewed within the cracks with the boulders. Within the shallow rock, hydroids are present, which is an excellent chance to see Pontohi seahorses.
Aljui Bay
White Arrow
The wall of Aljui is extremely dramatic in sites with several crevasses alongside the wall. Sea enthusiasts and gentle coals are present on the location. Numerous species of nudibranchs are witnessed here. Provide along a dive light to discover the maritime everyday living that utilizes the little cuts while in the wall to cover from predators. Ghost pipefish, longfin comet fish, and juvenile snappers tend to be observed below. Seem in The ocean enthusiasts for the uniquely coloured yellow Bargibanti pygmy seahorse.
Aljui Bay Jetty
There is a big pearl farm inside the bay, they usually crafted several jetties alongside the coastline. Best location to do an afternoon dive to explore the sandy slope exactly where there are big really hard coral heads. This is without doubt one of the web pages in which wobbegong sharks are Just about confirmed. There's a really large resident faculty of yellow lined scads underneath the main jetty. In the course of evening time this dive web-site transforms into among the most efficient for macro maritime lifetime within the north A part of Raja Ampat. Location-tail frogfish, ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish and also the endemic walking shark (Epaulette shark) are a number of the highlights of This great site.
Penemu
This is a popular location with the liveaboards due to superb viewpoint right here. There are numerous incredible dives here far too.
Melissa's Garden
One of the most-wholesome tricky coral reef in Raja Ampat. A giant plateau slopes off into sandy spots with substantial coral heads. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath these bommies, surrounded by glassfish. Examine throughout the plateau just before heading up in the shallows. The immaculate tricky corals host A large number of colourful anthias and fish school all around this space. Blacktip reef sharks are frequently observed cruising over the top of your corals.
Batu Rufus
Batu Rufus has a wonderful hard coral back garden within the shallows, an ideal natural environment for blacktip reef sharks. Walls to the west are coated with delicate corals, sea lovers and incredible red anemones. Uncover the techniques from the sandy rubble slopes on the south with massive coral heads all along the slope where by Pontohi pygmy seahorses will often be viewed. Explore the shallows ideal to try and do your basic safety cease at the internet site and dive definitely Just about the most famed swim troughs in the region.
Raja Ampat - Central Dive Web-sites
Dampier Strait is named just after British navigator William Dampier. The large body of h2o separates the islands of Waigeo and Batanta. The dive internet sites are predominately over the northern aspect in the strait around the islands of Kri and Mansuar. With all around 30 dives web pages in a ten-kilometre radius of such islands, you will discover a lot of to write down about in this article. We listing several of our favourites.
Manta Sandy
Manta rays appear in this article to a cleansing station. Find a location inside the sand, kneel down, and observe the present! Should the mantas Do not surface, you can find lots of macro daily life while in the sand. Watch out for wobbegong sharks over the reef. There's a permanent ranger's station developed on the sandbanks, and you may find out about the conservation of these majestic rays within the locals.
Arborek Jetty
On the list of villages visited most inside the central Component of Raja Ampat is Arborek Village. Here the locals created a little jetty the place the marine existence is concentrated, within the large faculty of Yellow Lined Scads for the rare blue-ringed octopus. A delicate slope with reef and sandy parts drops down to 25 metres. There are large coral heads, the best habitat for wobbegong sharks. Arborek Jetty is The best dive web page to complete within the afternoon and is usually dived during the night time. Reef manta rays are viewed swimming by due to vicinity of Manta Sandy.
Cape Kri
Cape Kri could be the dive web page that place Raja Ampat on the map. Located in the central region of Raja Ampat, in the Dampier Strait. Dr Gerry Allen recorded 374 distinctive species on only one tank dive at this impressive dive website. Education sweetlips, jacks, surgeonfish, barracudas, fusiliers and batfish is often sighted all together this dive web page. Blacktip reef sharks swim from the shallows, and gray reef sharks cruise within the deep. Turtles, napoleons and bumphead parrotfish may also be typically noticed in this article.
Sardine Reef
Sardine Reef is Among the most popular dive internet sites from the Dampier space mainly because of the high concentration of fish action. Barracudas, batfish, bumphead parrotfish, black snappers, sweetlips And big educational facilities of neon fusiliers are always present on This website. If The present is jogging black tip, white idea and grey reef sharks are going to be patrolling the reef. There are some huge boulders on the edge with the reef coated in delicate corals, great regions with the wobbegong sharks to hide. Due to vicinity of your dive web-site Blue Magic, huge manta rays are frequently found in this article in conjunction with turtles particularly in the shallows in the reef. The identify Sardine Reef is because of every one of the marine life being packed into one particular dive internet site just like a can of sardines.
Blue Magic
A little pinnacle that claims magic! Grey reef sharks prowl substantial educational facilities of jacks, snappers and fusiliers. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath the coral heads. And big manta rays really like to come in this article for your thoroughly clean. Positioned close to Mioskon island, this pinnacle is a must on the take a look at to find the magical working experience with the largest ray within the ocean. Along the shallows of the top, Here are a few major boulders dwelling to frogfish, Pontohi seahorses and sometimes blue-ringed octopus.
Raja Ampat - Misool Dive Sites
The dive web sites Within this southern Section of Raja Ampat are concentrated in the area southeast of Misool island, among the list of 4 kings. Misool has so many dive web-sites Will probably be extremely hard to mention them all.
Misool is an enormous location. Several liveaboards will commit The full working day in one place of Misool. Now we have outlined beneath some of the preferred regions and our favourite dive websites in them.
Fiabecet
A vast ridge connects The 2 big islands of Kalig and Boo. The ridge rises to your surface in several regions, creating magnificent dive web sites.
Nudi Rock
Over water, this rock looks like a nudibranch. Underneath the surface is a significant dive site plastered with colourful delicate corals. The wellness of the reef appeals to ample maritime existence. Pygmy seahorses, education barracuda, wobbegong sharks, turtles, searching jacks, reef sharks, colourful anemones hosting anemone fish, smooth coral pipefish and of course nudibranchs.
Batu Kecil
"Batu" usually means rock and "Kecil" means small. The tiny rock is the only real part of the internet site that breaks the surface area but underwater it can be the alternative. see this With partitions while in the north and likewise during the south, this significant dive web site may be dived Anytime on the working day. On both sides, the large quantity of comfortable corals is outside of perception. Massive Napoleon wrasse swimming all around are generally a handle. Hawksbill turtles are practically resident to This great site.
Whale Rock
The title arises from the most outstanding rock shape that is sort of a whale. A vast method with too much to determine in just one dive, the positioning is made of two islands. One little and just one more substantial, and between There exists a coral head with quite possibly the most quantity of smooth corals you might at any time see! There is not a totally free Area over the rock For additional corals to improve on it. Here the currents run from north to south and this is why the middle rock is paradise for divers and for that corals that improve there. There are actually always nutrients passing by all day long very long. White suggestion reef sharks generally patrol the center rock. The challenging coral gardens on both of those islands are healthful as could be. You can find great options to determine blacktip reef sharks and turtles swimming about while in the shallows.
Boo & Nearby
Boo Windows
An iconic shallow swim-by is a single emphasis of this great dive internet site. It has even showcased within the entrance protect of a guide about Raja Ampat. An additional is definitely the very long ridge that is a hub of action. Unsuspecting snappers faculty over camouflaged wobbegong sharks. Manta rays come to the cleansing stations listed here. Grey reef sharks patrol the deep and curious blacktip reef sharks look into the divers inside the shallows. Just like the majority of dive web sites in Misool, the immense number of colourful delicate corals could possibly blow your head! A must-do dive site in Misool.
Shadow Reef
Shadow Reef aka Magic Mountain is near Boo. Right here you are able to see reef and big manta rays, amongst a not many locations on earth where you can see the two species on a person dive. Additionally, The entire pinnacle is wholly protected in fish life! This is certainly an incredibly well known dive website, and you will see why the moment you jump in. This significant pinnacle is rather hectic! Snappers, barracuda, jacks, batfish, fusiliers, gray reef, groupers to name a few of the resident fish in this article. To the Blessed divers, a dolphin might go by far too.
Yuliet
This dive web-site is an in depth underwater reef That usually confuses divers due to the size from the modest rock that arrives out from the water. The northern part of the location has spectacular partitions all the way down to thirty metres which has a significant colony of sea supporters internet hosting the Denise pygmy seahorse plus the Bargibanti pygmy seahorse. Mild slopes are inside the east and west with considerable barrel sponges and whip corals. A little ridge to the south of the site is the place, based on the present-day, There may be often a very hot spot for giant concentrations of fish for instance Chevron barracudas and spadefish. The shallows of Yuliet have pretty substantial bommies protected totally in comfortable coral plus some tough corals, the perfect space to carry out the safety prevent.
Wayilbatan
Neptune's Admirer Sea
For many scuba divers, this site will become their favorite web site just after a few minutes from the dive. The dive web site is found inside the channel made by Wayilbatan Island and Warakaket Island. The northern component is made up of a really Light slope right down to 35 meters that transforms into a wall that is most likely among the list of richest in gentle corals and sea enthusiasts in the region. There is fantastic maritime lifetime to check out. Pygmy seahorses are frequently found, and from time to time, the largest reef-affiliated fish on the earth the enormous grouper is commonly seen in the course of the channel resting or swimming by together the wall. The shallow, hard coral back garden within the south in the dive web site is thoughts-blowing, the best space to accomplish the final three minutes on the dive.
Wedding ceremony Cake
One of the more remarkable underwater topography in the area, with ledges slopes and partitions, This page has all of it. In November and December Wedding Cake plays host to substantial universities of silverside fish which might be the favourite food stuff from the Mobula rays. Frequently observed Listed below are large groups of Mobula feeding on the silverside fish, and that is an working experience of the life time. In the west, from the sandy slope Portion of the website, turtles plus some particular see this fish such as the pink eye goby as well as wonderful colourful flasher wrasse males displaying their pectoral fin to attract the females will often be found.
Wayili Rock
This web site is routinely dived while in the afternoon or as a night dive. Right here it is usually Beautiful to see the presence of a big university of spadefish and barracudas. Slopes for the east Element of the positioning and dramatic mini walls in the west sort this excellent dive. Incredible really hard coral gardens inside the shallows are in which reef octopus and turtles appear to clean during the late afternoon. Over the night time dives the endemic epaulette shark is almost assured. Lots of divers here have also viewed the smallest pygmy seahorse on the earth, the Satomi pygmy seahorse.
Daram
Candy Retail store
The Candy Store walls are entirely coated in maritime existence. There's a lot soft coral and whip corals there are not numerous empty places alongside 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 identify of Candy Keep on account of a lot of colour in one location. The tough coral inside the shallows is remarkable, as well as better part is that it's at an ideal depth to carry out the protection stop. Napoleon wrasse, turtles plus a resident college of neon fusiliers make This great site an incredible option to dive Anytime with the day.
Andiamo
Andiamo is a large web site with extraordinary marine lifestyle living on it. To the east of the positioning, There exists a pinnacle in which a giant college of barracudas and spadefish have adopted it as their house. The head by itself is covered with smooth coral and gorgonian sea followers. Pelagics, sharks and perhaps large manta rays are seen listed here. Right after within 35 minutes you can swim to the main rock. The deep wall to the north or maybe the slope area about the south, in both of those directions, are lined with maritime lifestyle. Colleges of yellow snappers are generally waiting during the shallows. Here the barrel sponges mature to outstanding measurements earning them on the list of highlights of the positioning.
Other Routines
Quite a few liveaboards will stop by the world of Penemu for your viewpoint there. Simple ways to the highest will award you with a wonderful watch across the limestone formations inside the crystal-apparent waters beneath.
Arborek Village can be a favourite place for liveaboards to visit. The youngsters right here adore site visitors and can stick to you all over this completely saved village. Provide alongside supplies for The varsity or treats for the kids for further smiles!
Tomolol Cave is a very exclusive experience. Take a experience from the pearl farm from the bay into the maze of limestone formations. At the end of the beautiful tour, a tremendous cavern will suddenly show up. You'll be able to swim by way of this huge cavern and be impressed from the rock formations. Substantial stalactites and stalagmites are actually forming within Tomolol Cave for A large number of years.
Many regions of Raja Ampat are merely waiting around to generally be explored. The countless limestone islands and rocks build secret lagoons. Liveaboards may just take you over a lagoon tour to appreciate these lovely seascapes.
Seashores are everywhere in Raja Ampat! Just ask your liveaboard to drop you off in between dives to investigate a Seaside all to yourselves.
Maritime Park and Conservation in Raja Ampat
The Raja Ampat Marine Secured Space network covers an area of 1,185,940 hectares. It absolutely was established in 2002 and is also comprised of 7 distinct maritime guarded places. They can be managed via the Raja Ampat Regency along with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in partnership with nearby communities and with assistance from international NGOs.
All website visitors to Raja Ampat are needed to acquire a allow and that is valid for twelve months. The cash collected goes toward the operational expenses of keeping the MPAs and to Local community conservation and development initiatives.