Raja Ampat - Liveaboard or Resort

[Dan]

Sorry Dan but you need to read me.

I don't need to take any flight early morning that was your own speculation not mine.
I don't care flying to Jakarta as well, I'm going to Bali.

I’m not talking about you. Just in general / OP specially. I already knew you plan to go to RA & Bali from the other thread.

 

[paolobl65]

There are a few places that have remained pristine, but not many. I have been diving for ~40 years, including on several sailing trips through the central pacific and a year of surfing and diving much of Indonesia.

hello Cetatean ,
yes please tell us more about your experience out of the common path in Indonesia ( you can open a new post if you like )
many thanks
Paolo

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[ChrisN]

Poster above summed it up, if you think it'll be your only trip to R4 maybe a LoB is worthwhile, on the other hand I still think resort diving is better for the appropriate selection and timing for local spots since there can be loads of divers sometimes and you may easily skip/choose the sites according to the number of boats around, as there is no fixed itinerary.

While your choice of LoB might be limited by the spaces available for 2024, here are humpteen dive resorts open now so it might be difficult to select an option, some ideas :
- I wouldn't recommend Raja Ampat Dive Lodge anymore, as much as I appreciated it in the past (lesser divers) feedback from one of my friends last year was that it has really gone down.
- Papua Explorers is a solid dive resort turkish owned, hosting underwater photography workshops, you shouldn't be dissapointed .
- Although they were the original Max Ammer's resorts I find Sorido much too expensive while it's americans favorite resort, its sister Kri Eco is a scam they won't operate boatdives on saturdays
- Raja4divers is one of the best loved resorts in terms of service (Swiss management).
- I'm going soon to Cove Eco resort, french owned and next to R4D, which was highly recommended to me by one of my friends. Completely under the radar but interesting location in the NW part of Dampier.
- Misool Eco Resort is the only one far off South of Raja Ampat, expensive : sell a kidney first.
- Not sure Papua Paradise would be typical of R4 diving : located south close to Batanta where dives are more macro than the usual fare.

As for cultural or landtrips, you can already do some bird of paradise trips (usually on Batanta) while you're there but don't expect much from mainland Sorong.
If you want to take a few days and go sightseeing, depending on the time of the year , Bali is an option like many posters said though not very practical with flights, You'll have to take 2 different flights to get there.
I can give you another landtrip idea if you have 3-4 days left : you may fly to Makassar/South Sulawesi and get a tourdriver to Rantepao to see the most interesting and unique Torajan culture in Indonesia.
Very friendly people who will greet you in their villages, skilful woodden houses architects, pretty rice fields treks in the mountainside, the only problem might be the weather depending on the month of you visit it can be rainy up there, takes more than a half day drive (5-6h) to get to Rantepao from Makassar .

Hello. Just starting to think of RA for Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. Our first trip. We are 60. We also are looking at resorts vs LA. But a/c is a must have. Depending upon transportation, four full days of diving at one resort and four full days at another resort would work instead of a LA. Of the various places you mentioned, do any of them have a/c?
Thanks. Chris

 

[cetacean]

Hello. Just starting to think of RA for Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. Our first trip. We are 60. We also are looking at resorts vs LA. But a/c is a must have. Depending upon transportation, four full days of diving at one resort and four full days at another resort would work instead of a LA. Of the various places you mentioned, do any of them have a/c?
Thanks. Chris

Sorido Bay has AC. It's a nice resort, good food, really good dive staff. It also helps that Cape Kri (one of the most famous dive sites in the region) is ~5 min away.

Others will have recommendations as well.

 

[Luko]

Of the various places you mentioned, do any of them have a/c?

Of the resorts I know : Cove Eco resort, Agusta resort, Raja Ampat Dive Lodge and Sorido Resort do have A/C.
Problem is that not all resorts accept a minimum stay of 4-5 nights and would easily arrange (or include) the transfer out of their fixed arrival/departure days.
For sure Agusta resort will on any day requested providing a minimum of 4 nights (I stayed twice here within a year time and can recommend them), I think Cove Eco can provide transfers on saturday and monday with a minimum of 5 days stay 5 I can also recommend them).

Btw good thing about coupling both is that they are located in very different areas.

 

[Bookworm11]

Look at dive Into Raja Ampat. They have AC. They are on Waiweo and are 2 hours from Sorong. It is a very moderately priced resort with a super dive shop. I was there for 10 nights in Jnauary. There are 15 DMs on staff. I had my own DM -no extra charge. Most everyone was in a group of 3 or less. Most dive sites were 20 minutes or so from the resort. There were 2 dive boats, so two different destinations could go out the same day. Everyone is in their own cabin. Some are waterfront, others waterview, others garden view. The dive shop manager was happy to work with people to get them to the dive sites they wanted. Night dives and afternoon dives were easily arranged. There was a house reef, too. A friend and I snorkeled it one night and found a bamboo shark! There was usually 6 or so in a dive group, and a few times the boat went out with 8 or 9. There were longer day trips to go see mantas or Melissa's Garden. My dives here were far superior to my LOB, especially in regard to manta sightings, number of mantas, manta closeness, and length of time seen. I can't fault the dive shop. The food was OK to very good. It was mainly buffet, but sometimes food could be specially cooked. Management was sometimes indifferent, and service was sometimes sloppy. Wifi was only in the main dining room/gathering area. The resort was along a nice beach. I would go back again in a heartbeat as the main reason to go is the diving! The cost was above what you would pay at a home stay, and the cabin was very comfortable. The food was good enough that I wouldn't rule it out. If you didn't like any of the choices, they could usualy cobble something up for you to eat. If I go back, I am sure i would stay here!