Liveaboard vs. staying at a hotel in Raja Ampat

[parrotman]

I spent two weeks on a liveaboard and a week at Papua Explorers this past April. I can highly recommend the resort. If your husband is only diving 2 dives a day, I would think he would get pretty bored on a liveaboard. The diving at PE was exceptional and the resort has other things to do.

 

[NakedDiver]

we spent ~9 days (Papex) Papua Explorers this past May, we also had to choose between LOB or resort but it was better choice to do resort based diving. I can highly recommend the resort since there will be other choice for your buddy to do land tour or island hop if he doesn't feel like diving. Besides there are good dive sites around approximate max of 10 to 20mins boat ride. Top side or resort it self has a lot to offer even bird watch, local village tour and kayaking. Papex will always be our home at RA, they are friendly and treat everyone politely. I'm hoping could go back for another dive trip soon.

 

[chillyinCanada]

NakedDiver, have you been on a liveaboard in Raja Ampat? How can you be sure that PE is as good?

 

[AmphiBee]

If you want to dive the best spots, the liveaboard is the best option.
I was onboard WAOW (waowcharters.com - Raja Ampat & Misool itinerary) in last January and that was just perfect. If your husband do only 2 dives per day, he will have plenty of space, massage services, free use of kayaks and Stand Up paddle boards, free snorkeling sessions and land excursions. My travel mate came as a non diver and had such a so good time onboard that she wants to be back next year.

 

[John Trecker]

We stayed with Papua Explorers, in central, which was lovely. And the diving was great. I'm sure liveaboards can and do take you farther afield, but there are very many excellent and renowned sites near (among others) Papua Explorers, Kri Eco Resort, etc.

The resort will also organize more land based excursions, but there isn't a whole lot to do there if you're not diving. Raja Ampat is a very remote area, with amazing nature, and one of the most beautiful places I've been to. But there are other far cheaper places that are equally beautiful above water with better infrastructure / more to offer for non-divers for less money. But if you do dive it's pretty compelling. I'd gladly visit Papua Explorers again in a heartbeat.

Any recs for other places as you describe would be grewt. RA is turning out to be logistical challenge after months of planning

 

[John Trecker]

Of course staying in a resort can't take you to both northern and southern areas divespots. However if you select Dampier area, I would recommend staying at a resort than doing a liveaboard ! All Dampier strait major dive sites are located within 15min-1h speedboat range.

I stayed at Raja Ampat Dive Lodge, the surroundings are beautiful, steep landscape covered with jungle trees, sulphur crested lorikeets playing on the top of the big trees at sunset,,Also it's not as expensive as the top (over?)priced resorts like Raja4divers or Sorido resort, The few present guests may also testify that their too discreet advertising located them below the market radar, I had two guides and one boat for myself without asking anaything
Add on top of that my non diving wife was very happy at RADL since the A/C bungalows are nice and the jetty is perfect for sunbathing or snorkeling.

How frewuent and how good was the diving. How good were spotters and guides. Anyone you recommend. Do they do 4 dives a day.

 

[Luko]

How frewuent and how good was the diving. How good were spotters and guides. Anyone you recommend. Do they do 4 dives a day.

Dampier straits dive spots are excellent for schools of fish : check out my gallery for this trip : UW Raja Ampat 2013
They scheduled 3 boat dives/everyday that you could top with a night/sunset dive on the (small) house reef (that said it was the first time for me I saw a Blue Ring Octopus). I was happy staying a week we only had 4 divers (a family of 3 + me) hence I often had 2 dive guides and my own boat for myself! I enjoyed the guides at the time, one of them originated from Manado left for Ambon DIA resort AFAIK.

Now remember that was 5 years before COVID, I guess it might have changed now.

I booked Cove Eco resort for next year, french owned : that's a different area west to Gam and Raja4divers but in the RADL price range, the resort looks excellent either, the surroundings even better with a great beach for a non diver wife..