Raja Ampat's best dive resorts

In a destination as remote as Raja Ampat, it’s important to carefully consider your choice of resort. The atmosphere, facilities and nearby dive sites are just a few important factors that can make or break your vacation. To help you find the perfect property, we’ve combined our first-hand knowledge with feedback from our guests to identify Raja Ampat’s best dive resorts.

The renowned scuba diving destination of Raja Ampat encompasses thousands of idyllic islands, a handful of which are home to world-class dive resorts, offering guests the opportunity to explore these biodiverse waters without compromising on comfort. 

But, which of these remarkable resorts is the right option for your dream dive getaway in Raja Ampat? Read on to find your favourite.

Apart from Misool Resort in the far south, most dive resorts in Raja Ampat offer guests the chance to explore similar sites in the Dampier Strait, the heart of Raja Ampat’s exceptional diving. So your choice of resort should be based on whether you’re looking for affordable or luxury accommodation, easy access to other areas such as Wayag and Piaynemo, and flexibility with your travel dates. Let ZuBlu's knowledgable dive travel team help you find the perfect resort.

Cast away in the far south of Raja Ampat, Misool Eco Resort is an idyllic private island dedicated to sustainable tourism. The resort’s dive team have mapped more than 60 dive sites within Misool’s Marine Reserve, with over 25 world-class locations within 15-minutes of the resort – including Fiabacet, Boo, Yilliet, Wobbegong City, and Magic Mountain. Three boat dives are offered daily, as well as either a dusk or night dive, and nitrox is free for qualified divers. 

Entrenched in an environmentally-conscious ethos from the outset, Misool Eco Resort chose to breathe new life into a former shark finning camp on Batbitim and was constructed entirely from reclaimed wood. Today, it even features its own on-site organic hydroponics lab and offers spa treatments using products made from fresh, food grade ingredients. But, this resort’s real legacy is the surrounding 300,000 acre marine reserve of its own creation. 

Travel tip: Resort transfers to/from Sorong are provided on Fridays and Sundays.

Cove is a sustainable three-star eco resort located on the remote, private island of Yeben, around two hours by boat from Waisai. Divers will appreciate this resort’s proximity to world-famous dive sites such as Mayhem, Melissa’s Garden, Manta Cove, Yeben Shallow, Rufus Wall, and Manta Sandy. And, thanks to a five-kilometre protected zone which surrounds the island, these waters are incredibly biodiverse and even play host to a little-known manta cleaning station.

From the resort visitors can embark on excursions throughout the islands of western Raja Ampat, exploring iconic spots such as Arborek, Waigeo and the Fam Islands. It is also one of the only resorts offering trips to the northern attractions of Wayag. Surrounded by seven-kilometres of coral reef and around three-kilometres of inviting white sand, Cove Eco Resort also offers plenty of exploration closer to home, facilitated by guided snorkelling tours and glass-bottom kayaks.

Travel tip: Resort transfers to/from Waisai are provided on Saturdays and Mondays. A public ferry operates between Sorong and Waisai.

Both operated by Papua Diving, Kri Eco Resort and Sorido Bay are two exceptional dive resorts offering alternative experiences – luxurious Sorido Bay and Kri Eco Resort offering a more affordable alternative. Combining rustic yet sophisticated settings, these resorts choose to minimise unnecessary frills in order to highlight the traditional architecture and beautiful natural surroundings. To help guests maximise their time in this unique location, both resorts deliver a range of activities, including eco-tours and bird watching trips, and each cottage includes the free use of watersports equipment such as kayaks and paddleboards.

The unparalleled natural location of these two resorts is perhaps most evident beneath the water, with the record-breaking biodiversity of Cape Kri lying just metres away. In fact, with the Dampier Strait right on its doorstep, many of Raja Ampat’s most renowned dive sites are just a short boat ride away.

Travel tip: Resort transfers to/from Sorong are provided on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays

Designed by divers, for divers, this resort comes with all the necessities for the dive vacation of a lifetime, including outstanding facilities for underwater photographers such as a camera room, personal gear lockers, and a separate washing station. Guests can expect up to three dives a day on some of Raja Ampat’s most impressive reefs, with the macro critters of Waigo close to home and the current-swept Dampier Strait beyond.

Despite its remote locatio and high demand for rooms, a dive trip to Raja Ampat needn’t break the bank. Dive into Raja Ampat offers affordable, lodge-style accommodation in a quiet spot, kilometres from the next resort. Guests can expect a relaxed and rustic atmosphere with a easy-going ‘no shoes and no news’ ethos – perfect for disconnecting from the stresses of everyday life – along with recently upgraded amenities that transcend the modest price tag.

Travel tip: Daily transfers using the ferry service between Sorong and Waisai.

Raja Ampat Biodiversity is an intimate resort located on a stunning white sand beach on the island of Gam, at the heart of the Dampier Strait. Divers and snorkelers alike will appreciate this resort’s concierge-style services and easy access to the house reef. More advanced guests can also make the most of unlimited, self-guided exploration of the house reef and extended 75-minute dive times, ensuring underwater photographers can capture that perfect shot.

The resort was built in harmony with its surroundings and specifically designed to showcase the unadulterated natural beauty of both land and sea. Backing right onto the jungle, Raja Ampat Biodiversity is a popular stop for bird watchers, delivering regular sightings of endemic Birds of Paradise. In fact, the resort’s own jetty offers a fantastic vantage point each morning, whilst also offering access to the beautiful beachfront and surrounding coastline, where passing dolphins, mantas, and even dugongs can be seen.

Travel tip: Daily transfers using the ferry service between Sorong and Waisai.

Meridian Adventure Dive is a PADI 5-Star resort located within walking distance from the Waisai Ferry port. Divers of all experience levels are well-cared for at Meridian Adventure Dive, with courses and guided experiences suited to all abilities. Up to four dives are offered each day, with well thought out schedules to help guests experience the most sites possible during their stay. And, with over 100 of the park's very best dive sites within reach, you won’t want to waste any time.

With a clean, contemporary aesthetic, Meridian Adventure Dive is one of Raja Ampat’s only modern resorts. The property carefully combines its stunning natural setting with indulgent luxurious facilities, helping the meticulously manicured gardens, pool complex, spa and marina manage to combine seamlessly with the surrounding mangroves and wild tropical scenery. 

Travel tip: Daily transfers using the ferry service between Sorong and Waisai.

Located on the island of Gam, Papua Explorers is a gorgeous dive resort that has gained a reputation for its customer service and commitment to sustainability. The onsite PADI 5-Star dive centre organises up to three boat dives a day. Snorkelers are welcome to join the dive boats or can be allocated a boat of their own if in a group of five or more. Suitably certified and experienced divers can also make the most of unlimited diving on the house reef and free nitrox fills.

Overwater accommodation is common in Raja Ampat, but few water villas can compare to those at Papua Explorers. These elegant and spacious rooms are perched above the ocean, along the edge of the pristine Papuan jungle and overlooking the Dampier Strait. Each bungalow was built using local materials and designed to harness the cooling sea breeze to keep guests comfortable. Rooms feature ensuite bathrooms supplied with hot water, a desk for working on cameras, mosquito nets, and a veranda providing stunning views and direct access to the sea.

Travel tip: Resort transfers to/from Sorong are provided on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Part of the Lotus Group of hotels, this resort features stunning overwater accommodation, pampering spa services and refined dining, with exotic menus featuring sustainable seafood and organic produce grown onsite. Diving at Papua Paradise is operated by the PADI 5-Star Gangga Divers who offer guests a modern camera room and comfortable classrooms. Divers can enjoy multiple dives each day from a fleet of eight dedicated dive boats, or opt to stay closer to home and explore the resort’s own house reef – home to mandarinfish, bamboo sharks, and more. 

Papua Paradise is perched on the island of Birie, off Batanta’s northeast coast. This exceptional location places guests within reach of all the legendary Dampier Strait dive sites that made Raja Ampat famous, as well as some less well-known ones around Batanta itself. And, with fewer resorts situated around the island of Batanta, the surrounding sites are often a little quieter than those in the strait.

Travel tip: Resort transfers to/from Sorong are provided daily.