Trip Report Raja Ampat, Live Report, Nov. 7-Dec. 7, 2023

[Lorenzoid]

What did you prefer about the food at SBR? I ask because food is subjective; some would prefer more Western or more Indonesian food, some love spicy food and some can't stand it, and there are vegans out there, etc...

Oh yeah. At a resort in Lembeh we suffered through several meals of the blandest international-y/American-y food you can imagine before we got up the nerve to ask the staff about it. They explained that the largest group were some Texans who came there every year. They said the food service staff was catering to the Texans' food preferences, and we kind of got lumped in with the Texans. We replied that we look forward to Indonesian food when we're in Indonesia, and the spicier the better. Thereafter, the staff made us very happy. Sambal at every meal!

 

[JonnieB]

Well, sure. You might be able to find it, and the diving around Bali is good and can be brilliant. But having been to Raja 4x and Bali, I can't remember how many times, Raja is the clear winner and delivers delivers delivers!

Other than more extensive coral reefs (the corals themselves), what specifically does Raja deliver?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Other than more extensive coral reefs (the corals themselves), what specifically does Raja deliver?

Schools of fish. Schools of bumphead parrotfish. Manta action that I find better than that at Manta Point. Along with nonstop coral life comes nonstop reef life.

Here said better than can I say but certainly my experience:

"Raja Ampat’s reefs are teeming with an abundance of life and colour that can be found nowhere else on the planet. Brilliantly hued soft corals and sea fans, sponges, tunicates, crinoids and hard corals merge to form habitats for mollusks and crustaceans, nudibranchs, giant clams, urchins and sea stars. Schools of brightly coloured reef fish such parrotfish, tangs and rainbow runners roam the coral. Dense schools of snapper, sweetlips and barracuda hang effortlessly in the current, whilst tuna and sharks cruise by. Among the mangroves there are more muted colours, with mangrove roots and corals providing habitats for juvenile fish, sharks and macro invertebrate species such as sea snails, flatworms, crabs and shrimp."

Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority - Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Raja Ampat

Marine Protected Area in Raja Ampat Sustainable Abundance Raja Ampat is located at the northwestern tip of Southwest Papua, Indonesia, and is part of the Bird’s Head Seascape (BLKB), which is also part of the ‘heart’ of the world’s Coral Triangle. The Raja Ampat region consists of 4.5 million...

rajaampatmarinepark.com

 

[living4experiences]

What did you prefer about the food at SBR? I ask because food is subjective; some would prefer more Western or more Indonesian food, some love spicy food and some can't stand it, and there are vegans out there, etc...

Both SBR and Damai have options for dietary needs or lifestyle eating, such as vegan or vegetarian. SBR had more variety in Western offerings than Damai. Both offered a good variety of all dishes with no repetition. However, SBR has a set menu schedule, so if you stay for more than seven days, you'll get repeated dishes. I had never eaten Indonesian food before this trip, so I was experimenting along the way, and I found that I didn't really like it. There were a lot of mystery meat dishes on Damai that I didn't like. I no longer eat octopus, lobster, squid, or crab because I'd rather see them in the ocean than on my dinner table, and there were a few of those dishes on Damai. I didn't like the tempe or the samba. On a dive trip, I really try not to eat spicy food for potential stomach issues.

SBR's efforts at American dishes like pizza, pasta, burgers and fries were of better quality than on the Damai. One night on the Damai we had spaghetti carbonara topped with bacon. The sauce was too thick and the bacon didn't make sense. It was apparent that the chef was a master at Indonesian food.

 

[matts1w]

Hey! Let's take the trip of a lifetime to remote Indonesia and demand burgers and chicken wings. FFS.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I am surprised about the food aboard the Damai. I had mistakenly thought that they were renowned for the mix of European and Indonesian fare served.

 

[Dan]

Other than more extensive coral reefs (the corals themselves), what specifically does Raja deliver?

Well, I have been diving in Indonesia (and other parts of the world like Socorro, Cocos, Malpelo, Galapagos, Red Sea, Caribbean, Similan, Maldives, Bahamas) for 18 years and keep coming back to Raja Ampat 9 times. The 10th one will be in February next year. You may ask why? It’s hard to describe it in words (at least for me). You just want to see it with your own eyes.

The last time I was there was in December last year on Mermaid 2 and met their excellent videographer, Marcelo Johan Ogata of Bug Dreamer who videoed pretty close to what we saw with our own eyes and better when it came to small animals like Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse or drone scene.

Here’s one of his video of Raja Ampat. You need to see the whole video, not just parts of it to appreciate what Raja Ampat has to offer.

 

[Dan]

Both SBR and Damai have options for dietary needs or lifestyle eating, such as vegan or vegetarian. SBR had more variety in Western offerings than Damai. Both offered a good variety of all dishes with no repetition. However, SBR has a set menu schedule, so if you stay for more than seven days, you'll get repeated dishes. I had never eaten Indonesian food before this trip, so I was experimenting along the way, and I found that I didn't really like it. There were a lot of mystery meat dishes on Damai that I didn't like. I no longer eat octopus, lobster, squid, or crab because I'd rather see them in the ocean than on my dinner table, and there were a few of those dishes on Damai. I didn't like the tempe or the samba. On a dive trip, I really try not to eat spicy food for potential stomach issues.

SBR's efforts at American dishes like pizza, pasta, burgers and fries were of better quality than on the Damai. One night on the Damai we had spaghetti carbonara topped with bacon. The sauce was too thick and the bacon didn't make sense. It was apparent that the chef was a master at Indonesian food.

So, you don’t like nasi goreng, Gado Gado, mie kuah?

 

[Dan]

I am surprised about the food aboard the Damai. I had mistakenly thought that they were renowned for the mix of European and Indonesian fare served.

For good Indonesian food on a liveaboard, try Amira.

 

[Jake 10]

thank you for taking the time to share this experience with us.