Getting to Raja Ampat

[SteveM54]

I'm trying to plan a liveaboard trip (10-17 days on the "boats") to the Raja Ampat area for Jan. - Feb or March of '25.
My once in a life time trip !!!!

Starting in St. Louis, Mo.
Going through Seattle - Taipei -Jakarta - then Sorong.
That's 11,873 flight miles over 67 hours in airports - traveling alone.
Kind of "dicey" but do-able.
I'm concerned about being totally worn out from the ride just getting there (just hit 70) & then having to sleep for three days just to recover from the "jet lag".
So if anyone else has had this type of experience, please share your ideas with me as to:
1. Did you stop for a "day or three" somewhere & dive or tour or just rest or ????
2. What liveaboards did you like or not ? Found one that has a 7 day & then the next trip is 10 more days = 17 days back to back.
3. I have the time to add a week on the front end of this trip so ideas & comments would very much be appreciated.

I don't care about on the way home but on the to Raja Ampat - I'm worried about: delayed luggage, lost gear & just being wiped out.
Thanks

 

[Dan]

SOQ-DPS nonstop is relatively new and only operates on Friday and Sunday at this point.

Good info! Thanks!

I’ll consider Bali as hub instead of Jakarta from now on.

Upon further checking, they offer it for May 2024, but for January 2025, they still have the old schedule (1 stop in Jakarta).

 

[chillyinCanada]

Good info! Thanks!

I’ll consider Bali as hub instead of Jakarta from now on.

Upon further checking, they offer it for May 2024, but for January 2025, they still have the old schedule (1 stop in Jakarta).

I know that it's supposedly a *new* route but last time Garuda promised me a direct domestic flight to Bali, instead I ended up back in Jakarta with a couple of hours spent cooling my heels in the terminal, waiting for my flight to Bali. Yes, I was more than a bit annoyed.

 

[reubencahn]

Update:
Tiket.com is unable to whitelist my United Explorer credit card for some reason. So, for CGK-SOQ roundtrip flights I ended up purchasing it from Garuda, https://www.garuda-indonesia.com/other-countries/en/index as they accept my United Explorer credit card.

However Garuda do not fly to/from Kaimana (KNG). Only Wings Air (part of Lion Air group) fly to/from Kaimana and Lion Air also don’t accept my United Explorer credit card. Fortunately NusaTrip, Flights & Hotels - Online travel - domestic & international - Cheap Prices accept my United Explorer credit card. So I purchased the KNG-SOQ flight ticket from NusaTrip.

I've never been able to use a Visa card on the Lionair site, but for some reason, American Express works.

 

[Dan]

I've never been able to use a Visa card on the Lionair site, but for some reason, American Express works.

Good info! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Doc Harry]

Fly business class.

You can sleep lying flat on the aircraft. Great in-flight meals and free drinks. More overhead storage than you can use. Two free checked bags.

During layovers, you have free use of the first class lounge. Quiet, big comfortable chairs. Good WiFi. You can take showers and get meals. All free.

Totally worthwhile. Makes the trip rather enjoyable instead of a long, intolerable, grimy, sweaty, sleep-deprived grind.

Otherwise I'd plan on a long layover somewhere for a break, hotel, shower, and some sleep.

Get to your destination 2-3 days ahead of the cruise as a buffer, and to get over jet lag.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Fly business class.

You can sleep lying flat on the aircraft. Great in-flight meals and free drinks. More overhead storage than you can use. Two free checked bags.

During layovers, you have free use of the first class lounge, take showers, and get free meals.

Totally worthwhile. Makes the trip rather enjoyable instead of a grimy, sweaty, sleep-deprived grind.

Otherwise I'd plan on a long layover somewhere for a break, hotel, shower, and some sleep.

I agree! However, I'm retired now and have used up most of my points.

But yes, business class is usually a real treat, except that unlike you, I can't sleep on the plane even in the jammies and all tucked in under the duvet.

 

[Dan]

Premium Economy, neck rest, earplugs, blindfold & 2 Benedryl pills would put me to sleep like a baby. Save me $3000 from not flying on business class on a long haul trip (half way around the world) for other dive trips. I go to about 10 diving trips / year since I retired in 2020 (8 trips in 2021, 12 trips in 2022, 10 trips in 2023).

For a short haul such as to Cali Colombia to go to Malpelo, I did a business class on American Airlines, which is only a few hundreds dollars more.

 

[Kendall Raine]

I know that it's supposedly a *new* route but last time Garuda promised me a direct domestic flight to Bali, instead I ended up back in Jakarta with a couple of hours spent cooling my heels in the terminal, waiting for my flight to Bali. Yes, I was more than a bit annoyed.

I had a similar experience in that I originally booked a direct SOQ-DPS flight that made a fuel stop in UPG. Garuda canceled that flight but instead of putting me on the SOQ-DPS non-stop they routed me through CGK. The website wouldn't let me redo that silliness so I had to call them (the What'sApp number didn't work so $$$'s) and instruct them to do the right thing. They did but it was a PITA

 

[chillyinCanada]

I had a similar experience in that I originally booked a direct SOQ-DPS flight that made a fuel stop in UPG. Garuda canceled that flight but instead of putting me on the SOQ-DPS non-stop they routed me through CGK. The website wouldn't let me redo that silliness so I had to call them (the What'sApp number didn't work so $$$'s) and instruct them to do the right thing. They did but it was a PITA

Wow. How you managed that is beyond me.

I was already enroute. There was nothing that I could do about it, except accept that I was in Indonesia and that these things happen. The terminal was clean, quiet and comfortable so I tried to find acceptance and peace within myself.

 

[Kendall Raine]

I tried to find acceptance and peace within myself.

Always a good way to travel.