Raja Ampat in July

[reubencahn]

Raja in July/August is fantastic for the north with clear blue water. If you're on a LOB, you can get all the way to Wayag and Kawe. I've never been able to make it that far north in peak season. It's also far less crowded. Only downside is you're shut out of the south. If you want to stay land-based, I can recommend Papua Paradise and Papua Explorers. I prefer the former over the latter but they are both good. There are also homestays if you're on a budget.

 

[drrich2]

although my wife hates spiders big time too, nevertheless she really enjoyed our 1 week long stay in Raja Ampat 3 years ago. And we stayed in a homestay ( Stay Raja Ampat: The best Raja Ampat accommodation & travel information source ) - not in any resort. It was so nice (for her only topside as she doesn't dive) and our kids (3 and 5 years old back then) loved it so much that she didn't mind spiders, sleeping on a mattress lying flat on the floor of a hut (with mosquito net), sharing toilets, the limited food options, all the trouble going there etc.

Would you expand on what she loved so much about the topside experience that it outweighed all that? It might be good info. for others to know, particularly those who might want to try Raja Ampat but have a ball and chain...er, excuse me, non-diver...in tow.

Richard.

 

[Dan]

I highly recommend Raja4Divers - Availability

If you can sleep with just fan & sea breeze under mosquito net, then you will enjoy Raja4Divers bungalows. I’ve been to Misool Eco Resort (MER) & Raja Ampat Dive Lodge (RADL). Raja4Divers dive operation is just as good as MER & RADL.

Checkout my trip report, below

Trip Report - Pulau Pef - Little Raja Ampat Trip Report

Summary Let me start with a question that I always ask to myself about my last vacation trip. Is it worth the time & money to travel half around the world to dive in Pulau Pef and staying in Raja4 Divers Resort for a week? The answer is absolutely yes! For those of you who just want to get a...

scubaboard.com

Enjoy Raja Ampat!

 

[Juli124]

Thank you so much for your replies!

@reubencahn that was the best message to wake up to, this morning! I've been going back and forth in my head about whether I've made the right choice or not. But it's too late now, anyways because we booked.

Thanks everyone for the recommendation! As my husband is newly certified I also only have 30 dives (even though I did take my AOW in between those) and we both haven't dived in 4 years, we needed a solid dive center. I know there are homestays next to some good centers but we felt most comfortable to have it in house.
Luckily we were able to catch some great deals due to off season and post-pandemic deals and we booked a week with Biodiversity Eco Resort and then a week with Papua Explorers.
Can't wait!

 

[Dan]

For those who are still considering other resorts in Raja Ampat, I forgot to mention about one of world class dive sites that you don’t want to miss while in Raja Ampat, that’s Penemu (or nowadays they call the place “Piaynemo”), especially Melissa’s Garden. Raja4Divers is close enough to go there in comparison to other resorts in Dampier Strait.

You can Google or search YouTube for Melisa’s Garden. I have a short video of it, below



You’ll go for 2-tank boat morning dive in Penemu (Piaynemo). After the 1st dive, you can go up to the top of Penemu and enjoy the breathtaking view of West Raja Ampat during surface interval.

 

[Dan]

lots of Wobbegong sharks swimming freely not just hiding under the bommies

even right below piers, e.g. at Sawandarek and Arborek

Those remind me of my old (2017) night dive under Arborek jetty, back when I just learned how to upload my video clips to YouTube.

 

[John Trecker]

Welcome to SB! I have been to Raja Ampat four times total in January, March, April and December, so I cannot speak to July. Given the biodiversity and the fact that some great dives were close to shore (and even right below piers, e.g. at Sawandarek and Arborek), I assume that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me. Of the places I‘ve been to, my best experience was with Agusta Eco Resort, smack in the middle of Dampier Strait. Their „Papuan Cottages“ have no AC but private baths and worked well for us. Not sure what their post-Covid ops and charges are, do check. A bit difficult to get to, but worth the effort IMHO. Hope you make it to RA, many of my best dives ever.

Would be great to hear more about Agusta! Did it dive different areas you think than Papua Paradise in the South or Papua Explorers to the North? How did they handle tanks and dive times? Was it dive your profile?

 

[Cali_diver]

@Dan I just got back from Raja and had one swim right under me on at Saporkreng (white sand) on a critter night dive!! It was funny!! I think its fin just barley cleared!!