Raja Ampat Resort / Land Based Dive Options / Recommendations

[John Trecker]

It has been some time since there has been a thread on recommendations and input for Raja Ampat / R4 resort and land based dive options.
Am planning a trip in Dec / Jan for 2 weeks and have been a bit surprised at how limited the options are.
Many places are booked up for large parts of the year (Misool Resort is completely full for all of 2022 with prior rebookings).
Any recommendations, suggestions, hints, concerns, or other input appreciated! Please feel free to add in other input. Thank you everyone!

1. Location / Dive Site Access: Are diverse sites close / far? Long boat rides? House reef?
2. Dive Ops / Team: Safety / boats? Especially any recs for good guides / spotters.
3. Dive Equipment : Considerations on Nitrox / tank size / type, etc. Concerns with quality?
4. Accommodation / Food: Basic / Luxury / Value? Aircon? Food quality / variability. Recs on room type / location?
5. Wifi / Mobile Access Experience: Especially in these days of remote work.
6. Overall Impressions / Recs: Would you go back? Good value? Cater to serious divers? Anything you would do differently?

PS: Of course any input is in the context of Covid 19 pandemic and related impacts which we all know obviously has affected and will continue to affect ops, but his is not intended to be a posting to discuss Covid 19 (such as entry requirements) which has been covered in depth elsewhere.

 

[drrich2]

By regulation, solo diving is not allowed in Indonesia for recreational diving.

Do you have a reference for that? I’m not challenging your assertion. I once repeated someone else’s claim solo was outlawed at another destination, and that turned out to be untrue. If I mention it to others, I’d like a source I can point them at. Tried Googling to no avail.

 

[Indah]

Do you have a reference for that? I’m not challenging your assertion. I once repeated someone else’s claim solo was outlawed at another destination, and that turned out to be untrue. If I mention it to others, I’d like a source I can point them at. Tried Googling to no avail.

By the Law number 7, minister of Tourism, of 2016 a diver have to be accompanied by an Indonesian dive guide.

 

[Wisnu]

And further detailed on the attachment SOP, chapter 2.C.3.a, explicitly stipulate that solo diving is prohibited for recreational/tourist diver.

 

[Luko]

By the Law number 7, minister of Tourism, of 2016 a diver have to be accompanied by an Indonesian dive guide.

Really?
Does that mean 2 bule buddys shoudln't be allowed to dive on their own from the shore for instance (thinking of various requests on this board about divingTulamben)?
Or that even in a course a foreign instructor should be accompanied by an indonesian dive guide to teach his students? (Many dive centers only have foreign instr.)

 

[Blackcrusader]

Does that mean 2 bule buddys shoudln't be allowed to dive on their own from the shore for instance (thinking of various requests on this board about divingTulamben)?

Many dive centers in Tulamben actually promote the liberty wreck site as a dive site guides are not required.

 

[Wisnu]

Really?
Does that mean 2 bule buddys shoudln't be allowed to dive on their own from the shore for instance (thinking of various requests on this board about divingTulamben)?
Or that even in a course a foreign instructor should be accompanied by an indonesian dive guide to teach his students? (Many dive centers only have foreign instr.)

The regulation (not law) is intended for recreational diving. The term "diver" mentioned by Rob, is tourist diver, translation from wisatawan selam.
So, for recreational diving, the two bule buddys should not be allowed to dive on their own. They have to be accompanied or supervised by dive guide from a dive operator either directly or indirectly.
Foreigner are not allowed to work as dive guide.
Instructor could be a foreigner.

 

[Wisnu]

Many dive centers in Tulamben actually promote the liberty wreck site as a dive site guides are not required.

If any, they probably do not read the regulation. If they read and understand I don't think they will allow somebody to rent the tank only and dive without their guide. Enforcement is weak except if there's incident or accident particularly if spread through social media

 

[Dan]

My last RA resort stay was in 2016 (afterwards I prefer liveaboards). A lot has changed since. A more recent discussion about it can be read here: Raja Ampat in July

As posted on the above thread, if you decide to stay around the Dampier strait, you don’t want to miss Arborek Jetty during night dive and day dive in Melissa’s Garden & hike up the Piaynemo.

One of my old video clips of a night dive in Arborek Jetty back in 2017, when I just started to upload my videos to YouTube, is a video clip of swimming Wobbegong Shark. They are nocturnal and active at night to hunt for meal. So, if you want to see them swimming, do a night dive. Also the same with Walking Shark. That’s what makes Raja Ampat is a great place for doing a night dive.



On my last visit to RA in 2020 and doing a night dive in Misool, I saw these critters & fishes



Enjoy Raja Ampat!

 

[Searcaigh]

And further detailed on the attachment SOP, chapter 2.C.3.a, explicitly stipulate that solo diving is prohibited for recreational/tourist diver.

How long have these regulations been in place?

As an FYI, I have never been stopped from solo diving or diving with a non-Indonesian buddy in N. Sulawesi or Bali.

 

[Wisnu]

How long have these regulations been in place?

As an FYI, I have never been stopped from solo diving or diving with a non-Indonesian buddy in N. Sulawesi or Bali

2016. As usual, nobody care until something happened. probably many dive operator not aware with this regulation too. You might notice, many operator offer the unguided house reef diving.
However, if something happened and require police investigation, believe me, the operator will face big problems.