Raja Ampat in May?

[Pillpusher]

I'm in the beginning planning phase for a trip to Raja Ampat next year. The boat I'm looking at has two weeks available. One in mid April, which would be an extremely risky squeeze for my schedule, or one in mid-May. I know the peak season for Raja Ampat is Oct-April, and that the wind and seas kick up in June... But I can't really find much info for how it is in May. Has anyone done a liveaboard there in May? Is it that much worse than mid-April?

Thanks in advance

 

[ronscuba]

I did Raja in April 2008. I think diving 1 month later would be similar.

Here is my video.

 

[Darnold9999]

My understanding is that the problem is wind. The prevailing winds shift and make much of the best of RA undiveable through the summer. Think the Misool area - the eco resort is not even open July and August. Some boats operate year round and simply don't go to the exposed areas if the wind is up. So a later date just increases the risk of not seeing the best of the area. Still lots of places to dive so you have to decide if the risk of not getting to Misool and other exposed dive sites is high enough to make you not go.

 

[Pillpusher]

My understanding is that the problem is wind. The prevailing winds shift and make much of the best of RA undiveable through the summer. Think the Misool area - the eco resort is not even open July and August. Some boats operate year round and simply don't go to the exposed areas if the wind is up. So a later date just increases the risk of not seeing the best of the area. Still lots of places to dive so you have to decide if the risk of not getting to Misool and other exposed dive sites is high enough to make you not go.

Yeah, and I think only one boat even does RA at any point in June or after. Do you know if those winds kick up in May, or mainly in June and after? Most things I read said Oct-April is the best time, June-Sept isn't, and they all skip over mentioning May like it doesn't even exist...lol. A lot of the boats in the area shift their focus to Komodo since it becomes peak time there, but there is little info as to how RA is in May. April would be a tough calendar fit for me, March would be tougher financially, so May would be ideal, but not if the diving is worse. If it is, I'll just suck it up and probably do March...lol.

 

[Darnold9999]

Don't know. Had a conversation with the dive tour leader on my last trip (two weeks ago) re this topic and that was the answer. He has been in the area and diving for at least the past 10 years. I would suspect that that is the best you are going to get. Weather is always a risk. This past trip the weather was good but not great and Feb and early March had very significant rain so there was lots of garbage in the water and vis was only so so. Weather is unfortunately just trends and with climate change there is more energy in the system so predicting weather based on the past is getting more difficult. On balance you are going to see more extremes. Could be great but the later in the season you go the higher the risk of poor weather.

 

[Pillpusher]

Welllll, crap. I guess you're right. I may just have to suck it up and try for early March.

 

[highdesert]

Welllll, crap. I guess you're right. I may just have to suck it up and try for early March.

We had winds start to kick up in March. I personally would not consider May.