[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_inset=”0px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_inset=”0px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px 0px 15px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
Who are those 4 Kings everyone is talking about ?
Raja Ampat (The 4 Kings) is a group of 4 main islands (Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati et Misool) and some 600 other small ones, cays or shoals, located in Indonesian West Papua, next to Sorong.
Raja Ampat is all about biodiversity! It’s said to be one of the few hotspots of underwater biodiversity on earth. In the whole area scientists have counted more than 1800 different species of animals, more than anywhere else in the world!
Some of its remarkable inhabitants are the Carpet Sharks (Wobbegong), several species of Pygmy Seahorses living in stunning colorful reefs, and not forgetting the graceful Manta rays, whose 2 species (reef and oceanic) can be found here.
The “right” season runs from November to April, giving us enough time to properly explore the area.
To get the most of these wonderful places, we recommend that you take your time and we offer 2 itineraries lasting 10 to 12 days:
North Cruise, with the famous Dampier Strait, Cape Kri or Penemu
South Cruise, around the incredible Misool and its National Park, Boo Windows or the “3 Sisters”
Pick the one that best suits you and join us for a journey through “royal” waters on the Tidak Apa’Pa!
Length: 12 Days / 12 Nights (Approximately 32-35 dives in total)
Experience level: Advanced Open Water recommended – 30 minimum logged dives required.
While this is the description of a typical dive trip, actual trips may vary due to wind and sea conditions, weather or guests preference.
Please note: There are about 500 nautical miles (nm) to cover during this 12-nights cruise. We are mostly diving 3 dives a day and then travelling at night. This cruise is not advised for people who get very sea sick or who are unable to sleep whilst the boat is under way.
We require a minimum level of Open Water – 30 logged dives.
[/cs_text][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ accent=”false”]Itinerary[/x_custom_headline][x_slider animation=”slide” slide_time=”7000″ slide_speed=”1000″ slideshow=”false” random=”false” control_nav=”false” prev_next_nav=”true” no_container=”false” ][x_slide]
Day 1
SORONG
Pick up from the airport and transfer to the boat. Welcome drink and introduction of the boat, cruise and team. We require a minimum level of Open Water – 30 logged dives.
Dive 1: First dive check in Lampu Merah, Sorong area
Dive 2: Possible if flight schedule allows it.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 2
DAMPIER STRAIGHT
3 or 4 dives in those spots:
- Sardine, THE seamount of the strait.
- Cape Kri, one of the Dampier Straight highlight. An impressive marine life. Large school of barracudas, big eyes trevallies, sweatlips, snappers, Encounter with grey reef and blacktip sharks, spanish mackerel, turtles…Intense!
- Friwibonda, perfect for a check dive
- Blue Magic, submerged reef, grey reef sharks, barracudas, tazars, sometimes manta rays.
- Myoskon, maximum depth 25m, Wobbegong or carpet sharks, sweetlips, black tip sharks, snappers.
- Arborek Pier, sublime corals fixed under a pontoon, even better at night!
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 3
FAM
Dive 1: Melissa’s Garden, Another chance to visit the fabulous coral garden.
Dive 2: My Reef, is a submerged ridge with a wonderful hard coral garden and a hotspot for fish activity.
Dive 3: Keruo Channel, is a spectacular wall covered in colourful sponges and nudibranchs.
Amazing landscapes and bays, climb Pianemo hill for the MUST Shot !
Overnight sailing to Misool.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 4 – 6
MISOOL
8 – 10 dives in those spots, night dives possible:
- Wagmab, caves or sandy slopes covered in soft corals.
- Farondi, surprising site with a cave, a swimthrough and a nice wall with overhangs.
- Goa Besar, a wall dive with a tunnel at 25 meters that is inhabited by midnight snapper and shy Indonesian sweetlips.
- Macro Rock will let the photographers satisfied as well.
- Fiabacet, pinnacle famous for the numerous schools of fish.
- Fiabacet Ridge, Underwater ridge linking Tank Rock and Nudi Rock dive sites. Wobbegong, groupers and yellow fins barracudas.
- Boo Rock, another highlight! Seamount in the Eastern part of Warakaraket, a theater of marine life at its best. Sharks and pelagics are part of the show!
- Nudi Rock: this site is a must for critter enthusiasts and macro photographers.
- 4 Kings, one of the highlight of Misool. 4 submerged pinnacles in the middle of nowhere. Pelagic action, soft corals, fishes and fishes…
- Barracuda Rock, wall with overhangs and lots of fish action. Solitary and yellow fins barracudas.
- Kaleidoscope Reef, underwater ridge in the North-West tip of Pele. Bushes of black coral and multicolor fields of sea fans.
Overnight sailing to Koon.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 7
KOON
Dive 1: Too Many Fish, sandy slope famous for being a breeding site for groupers (a zone under the WWF protection). Attracts numerous schools of fish, great diversity of species: Raja Ampat style!
Dive 2: Koon Wall, close from Too Many Fish, perfect for the second dive of the day.
Dive 3: Too Many Fish, because you cannot get enough!
Overnight sailing to Manuk
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 8
MANUK
Dive 1, 2 & 3: “Snake Volcano”. Hot rocks and ascending bubbles from the bottom. This spot is filled by harmless by sea snakes
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 9
BANDA ISLANDS
Dive 1 & 2: Let’s start the day with another hammerhead hunt on Karang Hatta and its schools of Jack fish! Heading then to Bandaneira, a large choice of dive sites is available, from volcanic rock at Pohon Miring to the black sandy bottom of Banda’s harbor.
Dive 4: Bandaneira pier, sunset dive to look for some of the Mandarin Fish hiding there.
Possible Land excursion: Banda Neira and its traditional market, historic fort and small Maritime Museum.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 10
BANDA ISLANDS
Dive 1: Suanggi, its walls, tons of fish, and a good chance to observe some Hammerheads!
Dive 2 & 3: The Pinnacle and East Corner.
Overnight sailing to Nusa Laut.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 11
NUSA LAUT
Dive 1 & 2: Amed’s Village, well preserved coral gardens, beautiful walls and numerous fishes on the reef.
Dive 3: Arch of Archon, endless walls. Mobulas, BlackTip reef sharks, tunas or even Hammerhead can be spotted there.
Overnight sailing to Ambon.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 12
AMBON’S BAY
Dive 1: Rhino City, a highlight of Ambon fish life is the famous and elusive rhinopias, a scorpionfish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Dive 2: Twilight Zone, in Ambon natural harbor where is possibly the best of all muck dive sites.
Dive 3: Silale, colorful elephant ear sponges along with brightly colored leaffish and nudibranchs.
Dive 4: Laha, a last dive dedicated to Muck diving.
[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 13
AMBON
End of the trip and transfer to airport according to your flight schedule.
[/x_slide][/x_slider][cs_text]
The route and dives are always organized according to the weather conditions, the currents and tides.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]