There is a extensive amount of dive websites On this great place. Located in the centre with the Coral Triangle, the extent of marine biodiversity located in Raja Ampat is unmatched wherever else in the world.
The northern and central locations of Raja Ampat element thrilling dives packed with fish, fascinating drift dives and beautiful challenging coral reefs. Here, the mass movement of drinking water on Just about every tide attracts substantial educational facilities of fish and lots of manta rays, which include enormous large manta rays. Evening dives on the jetties Within this region are significantly unforgettable to the Odd and amazing critters you can see.
The southern region of Raja Ampat is characterised by spectacularly colourful tender corals And large sea admirers. Marine lifetime is equally outstanding with mantas, sharks and macro life galore.
Raja Ampat handles a large place, so a liveaboard is an excellent technique to investigate The nice dive websites. Love Raja Ampat from the ease and comfort of the liveaboard. Book with us today!
Finest Dive Web pages in Raja Ampat
We've separated the ideal dive web pages in Raja Ampat into some wide spots – Dampier Strait northern dive internet sites, central dive websites and Misool.
Now we have explained beneath the very best dive web pages in Raja Ampat. There are several other fantastic dive spots, but you will find too many to mention all of them. We now have covered the most well-liked, and those frequented most often via the liveaboards.
Raja Ampat - Dampier Strait Dive Sites
The distances in between the dive web sites in the north may be fairly vast. As a result, We've got split the diving in Raja Ampat's north into separate parts.
Wayag
From the incredibly north of Raja Ampat is a gaggle of islands all-around Wayag. The viewpoints here will award the adventurous with the atypical look at of Raja Ampat. Quite a few smaller limestone islands nestled while in the clear blue waters of your lagoons are a little bit of paradise.
The liveaboards mostly pay a visit to this space for the viewpoint and lagoons. Young manta rays and a great number of black-tip reef sharks shelter during the relaxed, shallow waters below. You may do two or three dives listed here close to the limestone islands. The reefs Here's rocky slopes with very good possibilities to view nudibranchs, scorpionfish, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish munching around the tricky corals and maybe a passing ray.
Kawe
The equator dissects the massive island of Kawe. South on the equator is 2 excellent dive web-sites.
Black Rock
Located within the west coast of Kawe Island this substantial dive website desires at the very least two dives to swim all around. The standard entry stage is about the northwest part of the dive web page where by There are several tiny pinnacles lined with soft corals and sea enthusiasts. Swimming in direction of the south a delicate slope is present with really substantial bushes of black corals internet hosting groups of oriental sweetlips and snappers. If drifting for the southern Section of the website, you may run into big rocks with Substantially marine lifetime to check out. Look out to the deep drinking water for pelagics which include dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel plus the occasional white tip and grey reef sharks. Manta Rays have usually been found below too.
Eagle Rock
Liveaboards normally do a couple of dives on This page due to its measurement. Eagle Rock is home to the largest reef manta ray inhabitants within the northern A part of Raja Ampat. Major aggregations of black snappers and yellowtail barracudas are often close to. The west part of the website has enormous rocks down to 25 metres lined with sea lovers where by pygmy seahorses are found. Ghost pipefish camouflage on their own inside the black coral bushes. Wobbegongs and stingrays are consistently noticed in the cracks of your boulders. With the shallow rock, hydroids are present, which is a wonderful chance to see Pontohi seahorses.
Aljui Bay
White Arrow
The wall of Aljui may be very dramatic in locations with quite a few crevasses together the wall. Sea enthusiasts and smooth coals are present on the website. Several species of nudibranchs are noticed below. Carry together a dive gentle to find the marine lifestyle that takes advantage of the small cuts in the wall to hide from predators. Ghost pipefish, longfin comet fish, and juvenile snappers in many cases are observed below. Glimpse in the sea followers for the uniquely coloured yellow Bargibanti pygmy seahorse.
Aljui Bay Jetty
There exists a significant pearl farm inside the bay, plus they designed a handful of jetties together the coastline. Fantastic spot to do an afternoon dive to take a look at the sandy slope where by you will discover large tough coral heads. This is probably the web-sites exactly where wobbegong sharks are Practically assured. There exists a incredibly significant resident school of yellow lined scads underneath the principal jetty. All through night time time this dive site transforms into on the list of best for macro marine existence from the north Portion of Raja Ampat. Place-tail frogfish, ghost pipefish, flamboyant cuttlefish plus the endemic strolling shark (Epaulette shark) are many of the highlights of This web site.
Penemu
This is a well-liked place with the liveaboards a result of the wonderful viewpoint listed here. There are a few amazing dives below much too.
Melissa's Yard
Essentially the most-healthful tricky coral reef in Raja Ampat. A large plateau slopes off into sandy areas with significant coral heads. Wobbegong sharks lie beneath these bommies, surrounded by glassfish. Take a look at throughout the plateau prior to heading up to the shallows. The immaculate hard corals host thousands of colourful anthias and fish university throughout this location. Blacktip reef sharks are sometimes noticed cruising over the top of the corals.
Batu Rufus
Batu Rufus has a wonderful tricky coral garden within the shallows, a perfect atmosphere for blacktip reef sharks. Walls into the west are lined with tender corals, sea fans and amazing pink anemones. Discover the secrets and techniques of your sandy rubble slopes into the south with huge coral heads all alongside the slope exactly where Pontohi pygmy seahorses are often observed. Discover the shallows perfect to try and do your basic safety prevent at the site and dive certainly Just about the most renowned swim troughs in the area.
Raja Ampat - Central Dive Websites
Dampier Strait is named following British navigator William Dampier. The big overall body of drinking water separates the islands of Waigeo and Batanta. The dive internet sites are predominately around the northern facet in the strait throughout the islands of Kri and Mansuar. With about 30 dives web sites in just a ten-kilometre radius of those islands, you can find too many to write down about here. We list a few of our favourites.
Manta Sandy
Manta rays come here to the cleaning station. Locate a spot during the sand, kneel down, and observe the exhibit! Should the mantas You should not surface, there is loads of macro life inside the sand. Look out for wobbegong sharks over the reef. You will find a lasting ranger's station crafted around the sandbanks, and you'll learn about the conservation of those majestic rays with the locals.
Arborek Jetty
Among the villages frequented most from the central Section of Raja Ampat is Arborek Village. Listed here the locals constructed a small jetty where the maritime daily life is concentrated, with the major faculty of Yellow Lined Scads for the rare blue-ringed octopus. A mild slope with reef and sandy locations drops right down to 25 metres. You will discover massive coral heads, an ideal habitat for wobbegong sharks. Arborek Jetty is the ideal dive site to complete during the afternoon and is frequently dived during the night. Reef manta rays are seen swimming by because of the vicinity of Manta Sandy.
Cape Kri
Cape Kri could be the dive internet site that place Raja Ampat to the map. Located in the central place of Raja Ampat, inside the Dampier Strait. Dr Gerry Allen recorded 374 different species on only one tank dive at this magnificent dive website. Education sweetlips, jacks, surgeonfish, barracudas, fusiliers and batfish is often sighted all alongside this dive internet site. Blacktip reef sharks swim during the shallows, and gray reef sharks cruise inside the deep. Turtles, napoleons and bumphead parrotfish will also be normally noticed listed here.
Sardine Reef
Sardine Reef is Probably the most famous dive websites within the Dampier location due to large concentration of fish action. Barracudas, batfish, bumphead parrotfish, black snappers, sweetlips and massive colleges of neon fusiliers are often existing on This website. If The present is operating black idea, white suggestion and grey reef sharks will likely be patrolling the reef. There are some major boulders on the sting on the reef coated in comfortable corals, fantastic regions for that wobbegong sharks to hide. As a result of vicinity in the dive site Blue Magic, big manta rays in many cases are viewed in this article together with turtles particularly in the shallows in the reef. The identify Sardine Reef is because of the many maritime life becoming packed into a single dive web site just like a can of sardines.
Blue Magic
A little pinnacle that claims magic! Grey reef sharks prowl huge faculties of jacks, snappers and fusiliers. Wobbegong sharks lie under the see this coral heads. And large manta rays really like to come listed here for a clean up. Situated in the vicinity of Mioskon island, this pinnacle is a must in your go to to have the magical expertise with the biggest ray within the ocean. Alongside the shallows of the pinnacle, There are many major boulders dwelling to frogfish, Pontohi seahorses and occasionally blue-ringed octopus.
Raja Ampat - Misool Dive Web pages
The dive sites During this southern Element of Raja Ampat are concentrated in the area southeast of Misool island, among the 4 kings. Misool has numerous dive internet sites It'll be unattainable to say them all.
Misool is an enormous spot. Many liveaboards will invest The entire working day in one place of Misool. We've outlined under several of the most well-liked locations and our favorite dive web pages in them.
Fiabecet
An unlimited ridge connects the two substantial islands of Kalig and Boo. The ridge rises into the surface area in several locations, creating magnificent dive sites.
Nudi Rock
Above water, this rock seems like a nudibranch. Down below the floor is a sizable dive web site plastered with colourful smooth corals. The health of this reef appeals to abundant maritime everyday living. Pygmy seahorses, schooling barracuda, wobbegong sharks, turtles, looking jacks, reef sharks, colourful anemones hosting anemone fish, delicate coral pipefish not to mention nudibranchs.
Batu Kecil
"Batu" means rock and "Kecil" signifies smaller. The tiny rock is the only Portion of the website that breaks the area but underwater it can be the opposite. With partitions while in the north and likewise during the south, this substantial dive web site could be visit dived at any time of the working day. On both sides, the vast degree of soft corals is further than perception. Big Napoleon wrasse swimming about are often a handle. Hawksbill turtles are virtually resident to click for more info This website.
Whale Rock
The name originates from by far the most popular rock form that is sort of a whale. An unlimited method with an excessive amount to find out in only one dive, the website is made of two islands. A single modest and one greater, and between there is a coral head with one of the most quantity of gentle corals you will ever see! There's not a free Room about the rock for more corals to improve on it. Below the currents run from north to south which is why the center rock is paradise for divers and with the corals that improve there. You can find generally nutrients passing by all day long very long. White tip reef sharks frequently patrol the center rock. The challenging coral gardens on the two islands are healthier as may be. You'll find wonderful prospects to discover blacktip reef sharks and turtles swimming about within the shallows.
Boo & Close by
Boo Windows
An iconic shallow swim-by is 1 aim of this wonderful dive internet site. It's even featured around the front include of a e book about Raja Ampat. An additional is the long ridge That could be a hub of exercise. Unsuspecting snappers school earlier mentioned camouflaged wobbegong sharks. Manta rays come to the cleansing stations in this article. Gray reef sharks patrol the deep and curious blacktip reef sharks check out the divers from the shallows. As with nearly all dive websites in Misool, the immense amount of colourful comfortable corals may blow your brain! A must-do dive internet site in Misool.
Shadow Reef
Shadow Reef aka Magic Mountain is near Boo. Here it is possible to see reef and giant manta rays, one among a only a few spots on the planet in which you can see both species on a person dive. As well as, The full pinnacle is wholly coated in fish life! This is an incredibly well-liked dive web page, and you'll see why when you leap in. This significant pinnacle is extremely occupied! Snappers, barracuda, jacks, batfish, fusiliers, grey reef, groupers to call a few of the resident fish in this article. For that lucky divers, a dolphin may go by far too.
Yuliet
This dive web site is an extensive underwater reef That usually confuses divers a result of the dimension of the small rock that comes out on the h2o. The northern part of the website has spectacular walls all the way down to 30 metres having a big colony of sea supporters web hosting the Denise pygmy seahorse as well as Bargibanti pygmy seahorse. Gentle slopes are during the east and west with significant barrel sponges and whip corals. A little ridge to the south of the site is the place, depending upon the recent, There's often a warm spot for large concentrations of fish such as Chevron barracudas and spadefish. The shallows of Yuliet have really substantial bommies protected totally in delicate coral plus some difficult corals, the proper area to complete the security quit.
Wayilbatan
Neptune's Admirer Sea
For lots of scuba divers, This web site becomes their favourite internet site just after a couple of minutes from the dive. The dive web site is found from the channel developed by Wayilbatan Island and Warakaket Island. The northern part is made of an exceptionally Light slope all the way down to 35 meters that transforms right into a wall that is probably among the list of richest in delicate corals and sea admirers in the area. There's great marine daily life to find out. Pygmy seahorses are routinely observed, and occasionally, the most significant reef-connected fish on the earth the enormous grouper is often viewed in the course of the channel resting or swimming by together the wall. The shallow, challenging coral backyard inside the south on the dive internet site is thoughts-blowing, an ideal location to do the last a few minutes with the dive.
Wedding Cake
One of the most extraordinary underwater topography in the area, with ledges slopes and partitions, This website has it all. In November and December Wedding Cake plays host to huge schools of silverside fish that are the favorite food in the Mobula rays. Frequently witnessed Listed below are big teams of Mobula feeding about the silverside fish, and that's an encounter of the life span. While in the west, from the sandy slope Portion of the internet site, turtles and some certain fish like the pink eye goby and the fantastic colourful flasher wrasse males displaying their pectoral fin to attract the girls tend to be noticed.
Wayili Rock
This page is on a regular basis dived within the afternoon or as an evening dive. Below it is often Charming to begin to see the existence of a major university of spadefish and barracudas. Slopes into the east Component of the location and extraordinary mini walls while in the west sort this fantastic dive. Wonderful challenging coral gardens in the shallows are where reef octopus and turtles appear to clean in the late afternoon. In the course of the night time dives the endemic epaulette shark is nearly assured. Many divers listed here have also observed the smallest pygmy seahorse on the globe, the Satomi pygmy seahorse.
Daram
Candy Keep
The Sweet Shop walls are solely lined in marine everyday living. There is a great deal of comfortable coral and whip corals there are not many vacant spots together the partitions, dropping right down to 35 metres furthermore. The coral is so colourful that divers made a decision to give This page the identify of Sweet Retailer on account of a lot of colour in a single locale. The hard coral inside the shallows is fantastic, and also the better part is that it's at an ideal depth to do the security halt. Napoleon wrasse, turtles as well as a resident college of neon fusiliers make This page a fantastic choice to dive Anytime of the working day.
Andiamo
Andiamo is a huge web site with unbelievable maritime daily life living on it. On the east of the site, There's a pinnacle in which an enormous school of barracudas and spadefish have adopted it as their property. The pinnacle by itself is roofed with tender coral and gorgonian sea followers. Pelagics, sharks and in many cases giant manta rays are witnessed below. Right after in 35 minutes you'll be able to swim to the primary rock. The deep wall about the north or the slope area about the south, in both equally Instructions, are lined with marine lifestyle. Universities of yellow snappers are constantly waiting around while in the shallows. Right here the barrel sponges mature to remarkable sizes producing them one of several highlights of the positioning.
Other Things to do
Numerous liveaboards will pay a visit to the world of Penemu for the viewpoint there. Effortless techniques to the top will award you with an attractive watch across the limestone formations within the crystal-clear waters down below.
Arborek Village is usually a favorite spot for liveaboards to visit. The youngsters below love readers and may stick to you about this properly saved village. Bring along supplies for The varsity or treats for the children for further smiles!
Tomolol Cave is a very distinctive knowledge. Take a trip through the pearl farm within the bay to the maze of limestone formations. At the end of The gorgeous tour, an enormous cavern will all of a sudden seem. You could swim through this broad cavern and become amazed because of the rock formations. Enormous stalactites and stalagmites are forming inside Tomolol Cave for Countless a long time.
Numerous parts of Raja Ampat are just ready to generally be explored. The infinite limestone islands and rocks create key lagoons. Liveaboards could take you on the lagoon tour to enjoy these gorgeous seascapes.
Shorelines are everywhere you go in Raja Ampat! Just check with your liveaboard to fall you off concerning dives to examine a Seashore all to yourselves.
Maritime Park and Conservation in Raja Ampat
The Raja Ampat Maritime Shielded Space community handles a region of 1,185,940 hectares. It had been developed in 2002 and it is comprised of seven unique maritime shielded areas. They are managed via the Raja Ampat Regency as well as Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in partnership with nearby communities and with assistance from international NGOs.
All guests to Raja Ampat are essential to acquire a permit which is valid for twelve months. The cash gathered goes towards the operational charges of sustaining the MPAs and also to Group conservation and development initiatives.