Raja Ampat and Ambon Trip Report

[Andreni]

Interesting discussion! Yes, visibility can be bad in R4 but that the place is lacking colours .. Haven't been to PNG but a lot of other places and what I love about Raja compared to a lot of those places was the "overal" experience under water (sorry for my english..). On most of the dives around Dampier strait we saw very nice colorful and healthy corals, a lot of critters but also huge fish schools and hunting sharks (only black and white tips) and tunas. A bit of everything and all packed in such a small area, which i loved. I really wonder where else you find such places apart from Milne Bay (which is the only place you actually named to be better then R4). Please let me know, as I also want to go there !

On the other hand, I completely agree with your description of both resorts. Nothing more needs to be said.

 

[Magrone]

I am resurrecting this thread because I think the report is SPOT ON, and I wanted to thank the OP for the detailed report on almost the exact trip I am currently planning. R4 is great when the conditions are great. I liked the North and the Misool area, but when I went I had fantastic conditions. That being said, I have been to PNG as well and would say it is better than R4 even at its best, but more expensive to get to in every way: international flights, resorts, LOB's, inter island flights. It is not a cheap trip, but I have not found a better destination in Asia..

I never even went to Milne Bay, I was on a LOB in Kimbe Bay that visited the outer reefs. Conditions were Amazing. 100ft vis and no current with Spectacular coral gardens full of color with lots of pelagic action, Very good macro as well, though Milne Bay is known to be much better for macro.

So the "overrated" comment about R4 is warranted esp given how much more popular it is than PNG. But if you you hit R4 right, with good conditions, it's a better value than PNG. This report has me reconsidering my planning though.

I have not been there in years so was thinking of heading back... and adding Ambon as well, (the Psycho frog has shown up again recently, with fellow Photogs having proof of the encounter) but I had no idea that currents could be such a problem on muck sites. Absolutely excellent info to know.

 

[Wingy]

I think if the logistics for PNG were as established as RA you would have an explosion of divers and LOBs - and im glad those factors keep PNG from heading down the path RA is.

 

[Dan]

Are these sightings average and lack of colors?

My camera may not be good (just a point & shoot Sea&Sea DX1G) & I'm not a photographer, but I don't think these sightings in Raja Ampat are average and lack of colors.

 

[Dan]

I am resurrecting this thread because I think the report is SPOT ON, and I wanted to thank the OP for the detailed report on almost the exact trip I am currently planning. R4 is great when the conditions are great. I liked the North and the Misool area, but when I went I had fantastic conditions. That being said, I have been to PNG as well and would say it is better than R4 even at its best, but more expensive to get to in every way: international flights, resorts, LOB's, inter island flights. It is not a cheap trip, but I have not found a better destination in Asia..

I never even went to Milne Bay, I was on a LOB in Kimbe Bay that visited the outer reefs. Conditions were Amazing. 100ft vis and no current with Spectacular coral gardens full of color with lots of pelagic action, Very good macro as well, though Milne Bay is known to be much better for macro.

So the "overrated" comment about R4 is warranted esp given how much more popular it is than PNG. But if you you hit R4 right, with good conditions, it's a better value than PNG. This report has me reconsidering my planning though.

I have not been there in years so was thinking of heading back... and adding Ambon as well, (the Psycho frog has shown up again recently, with fellow Photogs having proof of the encounter) but I had no idea that currents could be such a problem on muck sites. Absolutely excellent info to know.

Have you been to Pulau Pef?

Pulau Pef - Little Raja Ampat Trip Report

 

[gokyoto]

Wingy

I am thinking of going to PNG and since you seem to have been several times and love it was hoping you could advise on best options- I do not want all muck diving - a mix of much and reefs.

Chertan
Tawali
Spirit of Nuigiani
Overall Kimbe vs Milne bay

Thanks so much for any advice.

Laurie

 

[MA]

I went to PNG in 2015. I had roughly 5 days at walindi followed by a week on the febrina - their classic schedule. The liveboard had a great balance of muck and reef. There was one full day of muck which was great to break up the trip. But many of the reef sites had amazing macro as well so you could choose whether to put the macro lens on shoot the pygmies shrimp etc, or go wide and play with the barracuda sharks etc. amazing location!

(I too preferred it to RA, but I have only visited each once).

 

[Wingy]

I have to say im a Milne Bay junkie. I have not dived Kimbe (yet)but from all reports its good but ''different''. If its any gauge the people I did my first trip to MB used to be Walindi regulars until they discovered Alotoa and surrounds. If you want to do land based Tawali is a good option although Ive never stayed there. I have done PNG on private boats only so cant give opinions on LOBs but Chertan I believe operates in conjunction with Tawali. Wetpup recently stayed at Tawali > Milne Bay, Png Trip Report

MB is not just muck diving as WP's report above shows. One of my favourite dive site in the world would have to be Deacons Reef at Milne Bay and there are wrecks in the area to dive as well so you tend to get a lot of bang for your buck.

Dammit now I want to book a trip to MB again! Enjoy and let us know what ever you choose

 

[WetPup]

Dan, I thought I'd made it clear in my original post that I understand that R4 can be good. Can be colourful. There's obviously enough photographic and video evidence out there to back that up.

My trip simply wasn't that good. Incredibly poor viz. Dead coral. Fishy, but lacking colour. Look, maybe the timing of the trip just wasn't right. Maybe it was because I didn't sacrifice a virgin to the Raja gods or something, I dunno. It just looked dead to me.

It's one of those things. Two people can visit the exact same place a week apart and have totally different experiences. Moon phases, tides, weather, virgin sacrifices...

 

[Dan]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience there. I was in Raja Ampat at about the same time you did (Dec 22, 2015 to Jan 2, 2016) and fortunately the lucky star was on my side. I didn't go to Kri though, but I went with liveaboard from Misool to Wayag, passing Penemu and Dampier Strait. I dove some of the don't miss dive sites like, Magic Mountain, Melissa's Garden, Eagle Rock, Arborek Jetty, Manta Ridge, Blue Magic, etc. My 4 other trips to Raja Ampat had been great too. In fact, I'm planning to go back there again for the 6th time in November.

I've been to Alor, all over Bali (Secret Bay, Menjangan, Pemuteran, Kubu, Tulamben, Seraya, Padangbai, Nusa Penida), Bonaire, Bunaken, Cendrawasih Bay, Cabo Pulmo, Cayman Brac, Dry Tortugas, GBR, Galapagos, Isla Mujeres, Komodo (3x), Key Largo, Key West, Lembeh, Maratua Atoll (Nunukan, Kakaban, Nabucco, Derawan, Sangalaki), Pemba, Tobago, Utila, Wakatobi and Zanzibar. I still think Raja Ampat is still the best of them all.

My dive experience in Galapagos last week, seeing schooling hammerhead sharks, playful sea lions (one of them actually nudged on my tank), marine iguana diving & grazing on underwater algae, came closed to Raja Ampat.