Trip Report Raja Ampat 2024

[living4experiences]

BTW, It was only 10% single supplement back in 2022. They raised it to 20% last year.

I’ll be on White Manta too in January 2025.

$742 off on White Manta, Misool-Triton Bay, 15-24 January 2025

Hi all, I’m putting together a group trip on White Manta liveaboard, crossing from Sorong to Kaimana, diving in Misool, Fak Fak, and Triton Bay from 15 to 24 January, 2025. Here is a link to the White Manta trip & booking details: 2025 January Misool to Triton Bay Trip I reserved 7 spots for...

scubaboard.com

Yeah, I know it used to be 10%, but 20% is tolerable and beats every other operator that charges 70%-100%.

 

[Dan]

Forgot to mention that @cozcharlie was in this trip. You can see some of the pictures during this trip in his gallery.

Raja Ampat photo gallery February 2024

I was in R4 for a little over two weeks in February. I did a few days at Sorido Bay (didn’t dive much due to lingering sinus injury ) followed by 11 nights on the Blue Manta going from Misool area back up to Central Raja Ampat with @Dan and his friends. I was happy with both Sorido Bay (my...

scubaboard.com

 

[Dan]

Some people inquire about how I got from Houston to Sorong and back to home. Here’s what I did:

1. As shown in Table 1, below, I took Singapore Airlines from Houston to Singapore via Manchester, which is a very short stop over (90 minutes) without changing airplane, just walked out from seat to UK TSA, and walked back to my seat, which was a nice stretch and walk after 8.5 hours sitting in the airplane.

2. Got to my flight connection to Jakarta with 90 minutes layover in Singapore, arriving in Jakarta around 10am. Check in Anara hotel in Jakarta airport, upstairs (2nd floor) of Terminal 3 international arrival. Relaxed and checked out around 10pm.

3. Went upstairs to 3rd floor of Terminal 3 Garuda check in counter, dropped my checkin bag there and walked with my carryon to my flight departure gate.

4. After landed in Sorong around 6am, got my bag and walked out to meet Blue Msnta crews. They picked up my luggage and took me to the boat at Sorong harbor within half hour ride from the airport.

5. After the trip, Blue Manta crew took me back to Sorong airport at 7am.

6. Boarded on Garuda at 9am. Arrived in Jakarta at 11am (4 hour flight, westbound so we gained 2 hour of day time).

7. My next flight to Singapore was at 6pm. So for 7 hour layover in CGk Terminal 3, I had lunch at Bakmi Gajah Mada (the best Indonesian noodle franchise restaurant), went for 90-minute massage & shower at Kedaton Spa (see picture of the spa at 2nd floor of Terminal 3, below).

8. Inbound flight was the same route as the outbound flight. All went smoothly, so nothing much to tell. I was able to fly home from Sorong at the same day.

 

[Rafael Moreira]

First of all, thank you for your trip report! I'm planning a trip to Raja Ampat, and I live in Katy, TX, so I will also be departing from IAH. How did the layovers with less than 2 hours work out? That would make me a little nervous. I would love to hear if that was enough time to clear customs or if you would recommend another itinerary that would allow for a bit more flexibility. Thank you!

 

[Dan]

I’m going back to Raja Ampat in January and will be using the same flights, Singapore Airlines (SQ) for international flights & Garuda Indonesia Airlines (GA) for domestic flights. The SQ route is from Houston to Singapore with a stop in Manchester. From Singapore you take another SQ flight to Jakarta. From Jakarta you take a nonstop GA flight to Sorong.

The 75 minute layover in Manchester (UK) is no problem because you will be on the same flight. The plane would just refueling, releasing passengers who are not going to Singapore and adding new passengers who are going to Singapore. You will be disembarking the plane with your carryon, going through UK TSA and embarking the same plane and sitting back on the same seat. Your check-in luggage would still be in the same plane with you. You get a chance to stretch your legs and walk around during that 75 minute layover, do some window shopping in Manchester Airport after 8-hour sitting / sleeping in the plane.

The next 95 minute layover in Singapore is no worries also. SQ baggage handling department is very efficient. I have been flying with them since 1980’s with no loss / delay of check-in luggage, compared to EVA air, where my luggage got stuck in Taipei twice last year even with 3-hour layover in Taipei. In addition to that, SQ fly Singapore-Jakarta route every 2-3 hours. If your luggage doesn’t make it on your connecting flight, it’ll be there on the next flight, 2-3 hour later, compared to EVA that fly to Jakarta only once a day. I had to stay one more day in Jakarta to wait for my luggage that got stuck in Taipei last year.

I’ll have more than 12 hour layover in Jakarta before flying to Sorong. I’ll be arriving in Jakarta at 10:15 and my GA flight is at 00:10 (midnight) the next day. During that time, I’ll check into Anara Hotel on level 2 of Terminal 3, upstair from Jakarta international arrival, have a good sleep (after 27.5 hour travel half around the world) and a nice dinner afterwards in some nice restaurant in Terminal 3. Then around 22:00, check out of Anara hotel and take elevator to level 3 to check into Garuda flight to Sorong.

Some advantages of flying with Garuda:
1. Their gates are in Terminal 3, the same terminal as all of the international airlines. Other domestic airlines gates are in Terminal 2 that requires you to take taxi or bus. You can take SkyTrain for free, but it stop operation at 22:00.
2. Garuda offer a nonstop flight to Sorong, no layover & changing plane in Makassar that could potentially lose / delay your luggage due to short layover.
3. Midnight flight is usually on time.
4. Arriving in Sorong at 6:15 (4:15 Jakarta time), which is a good time for the dive operator crew to pick you up at the airport.
5. https://www.garuda-indonesia.com/other-countries/en/index is US credit card friendly. I can buy my flight ticket with my United Explorer.

 

[mattfish]

Thanks for the great report and additional details @Dan im glad y’all had a good trip!

 

[Rafael Moreira]

I REALLY appreciate all information you provided and I will basically copy and paste this itinerary for my trip... Thank you!!!

 

[uncfnp]

If Flying into Jakarta to connect to Lembeh, does the luggage go straight through if all bought on same ticket. Or will you have to collect it to go through customs then recheck it for the flight to Lembeh?

 

[Dan]

If Flying into Jakarta to connect to Lembeh, does the luggage go straight through if all bought on same thicket. Or will you have to collect it to go through customs then recheck it for the flight to Lembeh?

You will need to collect your luggage in Jakarta. The same way when you are flying home via Los Angeles, you will need to collect your luggage in LA & bring it to the domestic flight baggage transfer desk.

 

[uncfnp]

Thanks Dan. What would be your minimal transit time suggestion for Jakarta? I assume we would have to go through customs in Jakarta before connecting to the domestic fight to MDC/Lembeh.