Raja dive planning (land-based)

[dumpsterpurrs]

Hi, my buddies and I are headed to Raja this Dec. We will be staying and diving with Kordiris on Gam and Lalelka in Misool. We're spending 11 days in Dampier and 6 days in Misool (can potentially add 3 days in Misool if needed, but it would overly complicate some of our travel plans).

As we're all limited in some ways (some travel across the globe, some have very limited budgets, some are dealing with health issues unrelated to diving, etc.), we want to make every single dive count. Last time we dived together in Komodo, we had many many mediocre dives at sites we weren't interested in, even though we had shared our interests with the dive shop.

This time we'll try to arrive with at least a list of dive sites we'd like to visit, curated to our interests. We would still be open to check out new sites recommended by the dive shop, but at least we'll have a better idea of whether we're really seeing the "best" Raja has to offer and not have to wonder if the dive shop just wants to schedule something convenient to them regardless of customers' interests - assuming all other conditions being equal (which unfortunately happens way too often everywhere).

So which dive sites in the Dampier Strait and Misool would you recommend as absolute musts? Which ones are Maybes? Which ones are Skippable? Here's our preferences:

• No muck. We want 90% wide angle, can also do 10% macro on the reef.
• Schooling of both colorful reef fish and predators. We love feeding frenzies and getting lost among dense schools of fish.
• Vast, healthy reef, not rubble or sandy bottom or small boomies only. We love both soft and hard corals.
• Good viz is of course preferred, especially for the photogs and videogs, but we also enjoy a few dark and mysterious dives every now and then.
• We prefer reliability. We're not keen on those "let's go to the empty blue/sand and mayyyybe we'll see something." We understand fish moves, we want to try our luck with sites with higher reliability.
• We all love currents! We've done hundreds of dives across Indonesia, from Pulau Weh to Alor.
• We're not "Pokemon collectors." We don't have a bucket list of animals we must find. We mostly dive for the vibe.
• We're ok with not seeing everything. We'd rather do better dives at the same sites than "wasting" time at less impressive sites ("" bc diving time is never really wasted... but still, we'd rather go to, say, Melissa's Garden x10 times than once + 9 so-so other sites)

Based on online research, I've come up with these lists, which I guess must be quite inaccurate, considering none of us have actual experience in Raja. Your advice would help us fine tune these lists and hopefully have a better chance at an epic trip.

Group A: absolutely must dive at least once, some multiple times:

• Dampier Strait:

1. Melissa's Garden (currents)
2. Keruo Channel (Fam Wall)
3. Batu Rufas
4. Manta Ridge
5. Mayhem <-- moved from Group B according to Luko's advice
6. Citrus Ridge
7. Blue Magic
8. Sardine Reef
9. Chicken Reef
10. Cape Kri (early AM)
11. Mike's Point
12. Cape Mansuar
13. Ransiwor (rising tides) <-- moved from Group B according to Luko's advice
14. Yenbuba Jetty <-- moved from Group B according to Luko's advice
15. Sauwandarek

• Misool:

1. Andiamo
2. Candy Store
3. Warna Berwarna (Living Colors/Vibrant Colors)
4. Magic Mountain (Shadow Reef)
5. Boo Windows
6. Yillet Kecil
7. Nudi Rock
8. Four Kings

Group B: maybe, also considering, depending on recommendations:

• Dampier Strait:

1. Otdima
2. Cross Over
3. Sorido Wall
4. Lau Lau Reef <-- moved from Group A according to Luko's advice
5. Mioskon <-- moved from Group A according to Luko's advice

• Misool:

1. Farondi
2. Goa besar
3. Andy's Ultimate
4. Boo East
5. Boo West
6. Eagle Nest
7. Tank Rock
8. Gorgonia Passage
9. Wedding Cake
10. Neptune’s Fan Sea
11. Kaleidoscope

Group C: skippable:

• Dampier Strait: Saonek, Mansuar South, Batanta, Waisai House Reef, Urai Island, Friwen Bonda, My Reef, Black Rock, Lalosi Ridge, Tanjung Putus, Manta Sandy, Passage, South Kri, Sapokren, New Reef, Wall of Grace, P-47, Batu Lima, Friwen Wall, Yanggelo, Krew Wall, Aborek Jetty, Anita's Garden, Eagle Rock, Tapokren
• Misool: Wobbegong City, Two Tree, Balbulol, Barracuda Rock, Putri Pinnacles, Romeo, Whale Rock

Which dive sites would you recommend switching lists? Any other dive sites I should add to any of the lists?

Many thanks!

 

[Luko]

My own spot preferences in Raja Ampat central :
- Cape Kri : starting deep (36-38m) with 4 consecutive resident sweetlips schools, then goes up next to a coral plateau where the current picks up and can get quite nasty, you may have to hook and look around the schools of jackfish, snappers, sharks passing by, etc.


- West Mansuar, this site is probably one of the most densely populated with fish : it starts with bommmies coverd with glassfish, schools of sweetlips, then when going west as the viz gets generally better, current can pick up while you're into layers of fish (fusiliers, snappers, cudas, jackfish, emperors, etc.).


- Mayhem : on this site the action can get quite frantic. There's fish everywhere schools of bumpheads, jacks, cudas, snappers, mackerels, fusiliers always Giant Trevallies hunting creating some movement, dogtooth tunas passing by in the blue. Wobbegongs everywhere. Absolutely not to be missed.


- Rufas ridge but that's because I'm a photographer and the ridge with passing schools of fusiliers is the Central Dampier response to Boo's Window.


- Sardines and Chicken reef were great with lots of fish everywhere too, it's been a while I haven't dived Sardines, some people say it is not as good as it were since the bleaching.


- Been a long time I haven't dived Otdima too, but was great also.


2nd preferences :
- Citrus Ridge : deeper on the outside of the ridge, it can be currenty but that brings schools of cudas and jacks. I really like the shallows near to the mangroves, crystal clear water, pristine corals, under the mangrove foliage.


- Yenbuba corner : that's the extremity of Yenbuba where the current splits and brings a lot of life, coral is pristine, no trace of bleaching, then you can finish it an hour later under the Yenbuba jetty which I think is fun with all the fish around, esp the big napoleon wrasse.


- Ransiwor : I was surprised with the number of fish esp. small schools of sweetlips and turtles everywhere too.


- Fam wall can be a ride in the end, depending on the current, bright orange carpetwall of soft corals, nice gorgonians, school of fusiliers around.


- Manta Cove (only if you dive with Cove Eco resort) : a spectacular bommie that mantas use as a cleaning station surrounded with a school of batfish.


Lately disappointed with :
- Blue Magic, even though you will come across oceanic mantas, many leisure/liveaboard divers systematically hooking even when the current is mild they have destroyed the top of the pinnacle.
- Manta sandy. It's a circus. Ridiculous. Ranks of divers kneeling waiting for the mantas in the distance over a sand runway.
- Lao Lao and Mioskon : even though still schools of fish in Lao Lao, I found this area was the most hit by coral bleaching when I dived it a month ago.

Personally I think Melissa's Garden is overrated, I dived it multiple times because I was always with people who wanted to dive it, I appreciate the zillions of reef fish but that's about it (That's another place but for instance PNG Milne bay outer reefs are infinitely superior), to me it doesn't have the medium sized fish schools density of the Central Dampier great sites.


You can check out my Raja Ampat gallery, I try to put the name of the spot for each image (last photos in the album for the latest dives) :

UW Raja Ampat 2013/25

Raja Ampat trips at RADL, Cove Eco resort and Agusta Eco resort. 2013 - 2025.

www.flickr.com

 

[Strombo]

My own spot preferences in Raja Ampat central :
- Cape Kri : starting deep (36-38m) with 4 consecutive resident sweetlips schools, then goes up next to a coral plateau where the current picks up and can get quite nasty, you may have to hook and look around the schools of jackfish, snappers, sharks passing by, etc.


- West Mansuar, this site is probably one of the most densely populated with fish : it starts with bommmies coverd with glassfish, schools of sweetlips, then when going west as the viz gets generally better, current can pick up while you're into layers of fish (fusiliers, snappers, cudas, jackfish, emperors, etc.).


- Mayhem : on this site the action can get quite frantic. There's fish everywhere schools of bumpheads, jacks, cudas, snappers, mackerels, fusiliers always Giant Trevallies hunting creating some movement, dogtooth tunas passing by in the blue. Wobbegongs everywhere. Absolutely not to be missed.


- Rufas ridge but that's because I'm a photographer and the ridge with passing schools of fusiliers is the Central Dampier response to Boo's Window.


- Sardines and Chicken reef were great with lots of fish everywhere too, it's been a while I haven't dived Sardines, some people say it is not as good as it were since the bleaching.


- Been a long time I haven't dived Otdima too, but was great also.


2nd preferences :
- Citrus Ridge : deeper on the outside of the ridge, it can be currenty but that brings schools of cudas and jacks. I really like the shallows near to the mangroves, crystal clear water, pristine corals, under the mangrove foliage.


- Yenbuba corner : that's the extremity of Yenbuba where the current splits and brings a lot of life, coral is pristine, no trace of bleaching, then you can finish it an hour later under the Yenbuba jetty which I think is fun with all the fish around, esp the big napoleon wrasse.


- Ransiwor : I was surprised with the number of fish esp. small schools of sweetlips and turtles everywhere too.


- Fam wall can be a ride in the end, depending on the current, bright orange carpetwall of soft corals, nice gorgonians, school of fusiliers around.


- Manta Cove (only if you dive with Cove Eco resort) : a spectacular bommie that mantas use as a cleaning station surrounded with a school of batfish.


Lately disappointed with :
- Blue Magic, even though you will come across oceanic mantas, many leisure/liveaboard divers systematically hooking even when the current is mild they have destroyed the top of the pinnacle.
- Manta sandy. It's a circus. Ridiculous. Ranks of divers kneeling waiting for the mantas in the distance over a sand runway.
- Lao Lao and Mioskon : even though still schools of fish in Lao Lao, I found this area was the most hit by coral bleaching when I dived it a month ago.

Personally I think Melissa's Garden is overrated, I dived it multiple times because I was always with people who wanted to dive it, I appreciate the zillions of reef fish but that's about it (That's another place but for instance PNG Milne bay outer reefs are infinitely superior), to me it doesn't have the medium sized fish schools density of the Central Dampier great sites.


You can check out my Raja Ampat gallery, I try to put the name of the spot for each image (last photos in the album for the latest dives) :

UW Raja Ampat 2013/25

Raja Ampat trips at RADL, Cove Eco resort and Agusta Eco resort. 2013 - 2025.

www.flickr.com

Your photos are very unique, quite different than the typical fish pics. Impressive.

 

[Living4Experiences]

Have you looked at this thread? I spent 3 weeks in RA in February and March this year for my second trip to RA, and the bleaching is very bad in the Dampier Strait. I wrote trip reports for those stays at Cove Eco, Raja Ampat Dive Lodge, and the White Manta liveaboard.

K

Thread 'Coral Bleaching in Dampier Strait?'

Jan 5, 2025

I'm planning a land based trip to Raja Ampat at the end of April 2025. I've been following some Facebook groups for travelers in R4 and came across some posts documenting a bleaching incident around the Dampier Strait. Has anyone dove around Kri recently? How bad is the bleaching? Some of the photos look pretty bad

I'm not sure whether I should change my planned itinerary (Kri-Arborek-Gam) in light of the bleaching event and instead try to visit a less impacted area (Pam/Fam)

Any input from recent travelers would be much appreciated!

• kiwidives
• Replies: 62
• Forum: Indonesia

The first trip was November and December 2023 and it was amazing. In just 14 months, the Dampier Strait has gone from epic diving to s**t diving, IMO. You'll still see mantas and some fish, but the corals are in sad shape. The formerly world-class dive sites of Kri Island have got so much damage that the liveaboards have taken it off their itineraries. Water temps were high, 84-87 degrees F.

The best diving right now is in the south to include Misool. The farther north you go and closer to Waisai, the worse it gets with bleaching. Here's a list of the sites I visited during the 2025 trip separated into "Good Enough," "Not Great" and "Poor-Skip It".

Good Enough.
Anita's Garden
Rufus Wall
Melissa's Garden
Fam Channel
Mayhem
Citrus Ridge
Rufus Ridge
Yengello Ridge
Gam Channel
Blue Magic
Arborek Ridge
My Reef

Not Great.
Mioskon
Chicken Reef

Poor-Skip It.
All sites on Kri Island and Mansuar Island
Manta Cove
Yefnabi Jetty
Yenbubba Corner (down to the jetty)
Yengeffo
Sawandarek
Ransiwor
Manta Sandy (mantas only, sandy bottom. Saw one manta.)

In Misool, I enjoyed the diving at these sites:
Tank Rock
Yilliet
Gus Kecil
Romeo
Boo Windows
Neptune
Magic Mountain
Andiamo
Two Tree Island
Mask Cave

Depending on where your homestays are located, you may doing be repetitive diving at the same sites because of the bleaching or because they put a limit on their range of boat travel, like X amount of miles of radius around their lodging. Out of 50 dives, I dived Melissa's Garden 3 times, Mayhem 4 times, and Blue Magic 2 times.

 

[Luko]

Good Enough.
Anita's Garden
Rufus Wall
Melissa's Garden
Fam Channel
Mayhem
Citrus Ridge
Rufus Ridge
Yengello Ridge
Gam Channel
Blue Magic
Arborek Ridge
My Reef

Not Great.
Mioskon
Chicken Reef

Poor-Skip It.
All sites on Kri Island and Mansuar Island
Manta Cove
Yefnabi Jetty
Yenbubba Corner (down to the jetty)
Yengeffo
Sawandarek
Ransiwor
Manta Sandy (mantas only, sandy bottom. Saw one manta.)

I almost completely disagree with your statements. (I dived Dampier 3 times within 2 years before and after the bleaching episode - last stay end of march this year + I have pics to illustrate the good conditions of a whole reef not just focusing on part of corals or details.).

Saying Yenbubba corner, Ransiwor, Manta cove are poor makes me smile a bit, you should simply admit you didn't have the good guides or good conditions to dive the spots at the time. (As much as pretending that Blue Magic is good currently whereas the pinnacle top is OBVIOUSLY completely destroyed.)

 

[Living4Experiences]

I almost completely disagree with your statements. (I dived Dampier 3 times within 2 years before and after the bleaching episode - last stay end of march this year + I have pics to illustrate the good conditions of a whole reef not just focusing on part of corals or details.).

Saying Yenbubba corner, Ransiwor, Manta cove are poor makes me smile a bit, you should simply admit you didn't have the good guides or good conditions to dive the spots at the time. (As much as pretending that Blue Magic is good currently whereas the pinnacle top is OBVIOUSLY completely destroyed.)

I did see your very nice photos and I thought I might get a rebuttal. Perhaps it was the guiding, but I saw what I saw and when compared to my first trip, the second trip was quite disappointing. To see for my own eyes and to confirm the rumors about the bleaching, I asked for a dive at Cape Kri. Since it was just me and the guide, I took my time to explore the site and it was white as far as you could see. And, I mean, it was like looking at snow. There were few fish and no crackles to be heard. It speaks volumes if the liveaboards are skipping the Dampier Strait sites.

To your point about Blue Magic, I'm looking at the whole site and "not focusing on parts of the corals or details" (as you mentioned in your rebuttal). Yeah, the pinnacle is ruined, but since I saw 5 oceanic mantas, I put that in the "good enough" category.

At Yenbubba, the corner portion was decent diving, but as we swam to the jetty, there was a lot of dead stuff and red, green and purple algae choking the corals.

I did post photos in my trip reports, good and bad, for a balanced look at the reefs. It's up to the reader to evaluate if the information is helpful.

 

[Luko]

To see for my own eyes and to confirm the rumors about the bleaching, I asked for a dive at Cape Kri. Since it was just me and the guide, I took my time to explore the site and it was white as far as you could see. And, I mean, it was like looking at snow.

I don't think anybody needed a confirmation nor denied there was bleaching : it's something that is well known, the whole point for OP was which sites were still good to dive.
My whole point is that I disagree almost for the full with your evaluation and its over-dramatization in many cases.

The dive manager at Agusta who was also working beforehand for the Coral Survey agency in Dampier did tell me there were vast areas which were affected by bleaching, mostly located close to the villages, which confirms the idea that waste water coming from poor sewage (Homestays, village construction) are spreading disease weakening the closer coral fields and their potential recovery in case of warming episodes.
When he told me we would dive Yenbuba/Ransiwor, I was worried but he stold and proved me Yenbuba corner was as good as it was before. AFAIK the area close to the jetty always showed crushed corals, no surprise there..
TBH I don't see what should be the interest asking to dive on a completely bleached site unless you want to put some more pressure in that area.

To your point about Blue Magic, I'm looking at the whole site and "not focusing on parts of the corals or details" (as you mentioned in your rebuttal). Yeah, the pinnacle is ruined, but since I saw 5 oceanic mantas, I put that in the "good enough" category.

That's probably the site that suffered the most in a 10 years span though, you can't imagine what the pinnacle looked like some years ago... Mantas have nothing to do with bleaching or coral destruction, or maybe encourage too many unrespactful divers to cling and poke the corals on the pinnacle whereas there was very little current.
Even if you can still see Mantas on Manta Sandy it doesn't make a good site in my opinion. So same for me except that Blue Magic once WAS a great site. You will always see the pinnacle, mantas are never guaranteed.

It speaks volumes if the liveaboards are skipping the Dampier Strait sites.

Not sure they do, there were so many in March/April.
Still heavily diving on Blue Magic (and responsible for bringing divers hooking and destroying the pinnacle).

 

[dumpsterpurrs]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! Indeed the recent bleaching situation and numerous disappointed divers made me want to be prepared with this list. Here's what I've come up with for the Dampier Strait/Central region. Is there anything I should move around?

It's a bit harder to figure out the dive sites in Misool. Some have multiple names, and far less info online vs Dampier Strait:

(The No column is not about sites I'll definitely not go to, just that I won't ask to go to those unless the dive shop is very confident they can deliver)

 

[diveUAE]

We’re here now.

Did not like Cape Kri that much (too much dead corals)

Our best dives has been Melisas garden and My reef (my reef has amazing fish life and we asked to to it again)
Friwen wall was also nice.
Mioskon was not bad.

 

[Blackcrusader]

We love feeding frenzies and getting lost among dense schools of fish.

Many thanks!