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Jewels of Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat Islands are situated on West coast of Indonesian’s province West Papua. Although the islands are among the best dive spots of Indonesia, they are still wild, not flooded with a wave of tourists. Just a few villages are located on the largest islands.
Beautiful coral reef combined with a rich underwater life can easily guarantee amazing dives: schools of fish (f.e. tunas, barracudas, horse mackerels), large reef fish (like napoleons, snappers, groupers, sloth bears) and manta rays.
Safari covers North and Central islands: Mansuar, Fam, Wayag, Waigeo, Batanta and many more small islands.
[/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
Your flight will arrive in the West Papuan port town of Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. From the airport we will transfer you to the harbour where the Katharina will be waiting at anchor.
Ready to start our adventure, we will weigh anchor and set a southerly course for the Misool Archipelago, stopping along the way.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 2
We will spend the day maximising everything that this fascinating area has to offer by marvelling at both the marine wonderworld under the water and the magnificent landscape above the surface.
After a full day of island hopping through this archipelago, the Katharina will spend a quiet night at anchor in Misool’s Tomolol Bay.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 3
A swim through Tomolol’s mysterious dome-topped cave is undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. We will then move on to the peculiar jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals.
After returning to the ship, we will use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands.
Overnight, our boat will cruise north to the island of Batanta.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 4
Trek into the island’s interior. We anchor at the foot of Arefi Village, nestled on the north coast of the island, where we will find local guides to escort us through the mangrove waters to the start point of our trek.
A short walk along the riverbed brings us to the first of two jungle waterfalls complete with a refreshing pool for cooling off.
After leaving the wilderness behind us, we will be moving north to the island of Waigeo.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 5
After waking up, before sunrise, we will follow in the footsteps of the famous naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in a pre-dawn quest to spot the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise.
We will end our day by mooring off Pulau Arborek in front Arborek Village.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 6
Exploring Wofoh, three island gems linked together by stretches of pristine coral reef. In the afternoon we will move northwards to Aljui Bay, home to the Cendanda Pearl Farm.
In the evening we will make our way across the Equator to the northern hemisphere on our journey to the islands of Wayag.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 7
For those who dare, there are some spectacular but nearly vertical climbs that are rewarded with magnificent panoramas.
We will spend a quiet night here at anchor.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 8
The Wayag islands are Raja Ampat’s best, and we will make the most of this unique region for one more morning, navigating the maze of mushroom-shaped islands, and stopping for swimming and snorkelling.
In the afternoon, we will return to the southern hemisphere for a swim on the Equator.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 9
The focus of our last full day at sea will be on exploring the best snorkelling spots in Raja Ampat. After a paddle and lunch, we will make our way back through the Dampier Strait for a snorkel in the park.
We will then enjoy a Farewell Dinner and party with the captain and crew.[/x_slide][x_slide]
Day 10
After a quick stop for a last swim and refreshments on one of the nearby islands, we will make our way back to the harbour of Sorong. Here we will bid farewell to the ship and her crew.
Our tenders will take you ashore for your transfer to the airport for your onward travel.[/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]