- Extensive itinerary providing an in-depth Raja Ampat experience
- Encounter both reef and oceanic manta rays at renowned dive sites
- Explore the swim-throughs and caves of Goa Farondi
- Discover the vibrant reefs and dramatic underwater landscapes of Misool
- Delicious dive sites like Candy Store and Wedding Cake to name a few
- Spot a Santa Claus pygmy seahorse
- Hike to Bintang Lagoon lookout
- Dive the well known and action-packed Dampier Strait
- Trek to the well known Mount Pindito lookout
- Snorkel in the blacktip reef shark breeding area of Wayag
- Enjoy the macro of Gam
- Have a beach BBQ
- Search for a walking shark (epaulette shark) on a night dive
Day 1: Sorong to Waisai
Day one starts with your pickup from either your hotel or the airport. If we are picking you up from your hotel, it is generally around 07:30 – 08:00, if you are arriving on the day of departure, it is important that your arrival time is before 07:30. We will then head directly to Sorong Port, where you will be taken to the vessel.
Once onboard you will be met by the Cruise Director and a welcome drink. After you have been shown to your rooms and unpacked your luggage, itʼs time for a welcome briefing before we have some lunch, then you have some time to relax and soak up the amazing surroundings en route to our clearance point, and then onwards to our first dive of the trip.
Our ‘welcome diveʼ is usually conducted at the nearby island of Saonek Kecil. The waters are generally calm, and is a perfect spot to get the diving going. After the check out dive you can get nice and comfortable in your new surroundings and get excited about the first full day of diving tomorrow.
Day 2: Gam
We start today in Gam Island, a region known for its vibrant reefs with opportunities to spot stunning macro subjects and enjoy colorful underwater scenes. Our first dive site will be Mangrove Ridge, start and finish this dive at the amazing roots of the saltwater mangroves. During the dive expect to see many black corals, small marine life, turtles and larger fish such as Jacks. Two of the other standout dive sites around Gam that we frequently explore today are Citrus Ridge and Mayhem. Citrus Ridge is famous for its dazzling orange and yellow soft corals that blanket the reef, creating a vibrant, picturesque underwater landscape.
Mayhem, on the other hand, lives up to its name, offering the thrilling spectacle of pelagic predators hunting among swirling schools of baitfish atop a submerged seamount. Both dives offer something unique, from dramatic coral beauty to heart-pumping action, making them highlights of any Raja Ampat itinerary. As we prepare to settle in for the night, take a moment to soak in the breathtaking sunset views over the islands of Waigeo and Gam, painting the horizon in stunning colors. It’s the perfect way to end a fantastic day of diving!
Day 3: Kawe and Wayag
Today we start at Kawe Island, situated right on the equator, and one of our favorite spots to dive in northern Raja Ampat. The dive sites around Kawe are known to bring some big species like Mantas, and to start, we’ll explore Eagle Rock, a dive site renowned for its rich marine biodiversity, including Pygmy Seahorses and a healthy population of manta rays. It’s an exciting dive that will leave you in awe of the underwater wonders Raja Ampat has to offer. Next today, we will head to the Equator dive site. This site, located almost exactly on the line of the equator, will leave you amazed at its underwater topography and swim-throughs, also look out for the local population of bumphead parrot fish.
In the afternoon we will move north to the iconic Wayag, known for its dramatic emerald islands rising straight up from the azure sea. Wayag is also home to the world’s first confirmed Manta Ray nursery. And our first dive here will be just on the fringe of the lagoon where the larger Mantas congregate at a cleaning station on Wayag Corner. We will also do a night dive in this area on the site Terserah.
Day 4: Wayag, Kawe and Wofo
Wake up bright and early to witness a breathtaking sunrise as our day kicks off with a tender cruise through the striking limestone formations of Wayag, setting the stage for a scenic morning hike. These iconic limestone islands and pinnacles have become synonymous with Raja Ampat’s beauty. The best time for this hike is early morning before the temperatures rise, and the stunning views from the top, along with pristine white sand beaches and turquoise waters, are well worth the effort.
After working up an appetite on the hike, settle in for breakfast as we move the boat south again to the island of Kawe. First up on today’s diving will be Black Rock. The dive sites around Kawe are heavily influenced by changing conditions, but one of the standout sites is the vibrant Black Rock, with its colorful corals teeming with life. Today, we will also revisit Eagle Rock, this massive dive site can be dived several times, and this is also another opportunity to see Manta in case they were not around the first time. After this dive, we will set sail again for another destination further south, this time, it is Wofo Island. The last dive of the day will be Wofoh North; this is a relaxing dive where we will explore the sloping reefs covered with healthy coral gardens and teeming with schools of fish. The calm waters and striking beauty of this site make it the perfect way to end your diving adventure for the day.
Day 5: Wofo, yeben and Penemu
Today we wake up still in the Wofo Island area. We start the day at Wofo South. A great wall dive with some impressive black coral as well as some good bommies, look out for interesting critters here like Halameda Ghost Pipefish. After this, we will set sail for Yeben Island while you enjoy your breakfast. Our next dive is on Yeben Kecil, this dive site will guarantee an exciting dive with plenty of schooling fish and vibrant corals. We often see plenty of rays, schooling Barracuda, Turtles, and Wobbegongs here. Settle in for lunch after this one as we head off for the Penemu Island chain for the afternoon.
After lunch, we will take you to one of the other favorites we often visit in this area, called the Batu Rufus dive site. This dramatic dive site has a 40m plus drop-off wall to the blue with amazing views at 20 meters when you look up and down at the stark landscape you are floating between. We will finish up the day with a night dive critter hunting on Pianemo Jetty, a great way to finish up the last night dive of the trip.
Day 6: Pianemo (a.k.a. Penemu)
Melissaʼs Garden dive site is undoubtedly the top dive in this area, with a staggering number of coral and fish species packed into this small piece of marine real estate. It gets its name from an amazing hard coral garden situated on a reef between 3 small islands. Its beauty needs to be seen to be believed. Another one of the places we may visit today is Keruo Channel dive site.
A great gentle drift dive down a mini wall and slope on the edge of Keru Island. One of our other favourites we often visit in this area is Batu Rufus dive site. This dramatic dive site has a 40m plus drop off wall to the blue. Amazing views when you sit at 20m depth and look up and down at the stark landscape you are floating between.
The iconic limestone pinnacles have become as much a part of the Raja Ampat experience as the diving has, and Pianemo lagoon/lookout is just one of many such stunning formations. The best time to hike this hill is late afternoon, when the temperature has dropped and the lighting starts to turn golden, but the rewards for climbing are well worth it.
Day 7: Wayil, Misool
Misool is a huge island, with an overwhelming multitude of smaller, satellite island clusters. There are in fact numerous “regions” within this area itself. If being surrounded by limestone pinnacles does not instil in you a sense of awe, doing a night dive amongst these towering peaks surely will! Today we will show you the dive sites around Wayil, where you will undoubtedly experience the feeling of being far, far away from the rest of civilization … An outstanding selection of dive sites are located fairly close to each other in Wayil, one of which is the blockbuster – Four Kings dive site, a group of towering pinnacles which are almost too large to circumnavigate in a single dive, which also happens to attract giant oceanic manta rays. Giant trevally, Napoleon wrasse, and large snapper are all often found here.
Another favourite we will dive into is Barracuda Rock dive site, a pinnacle with an unusual underwater cavern, which is also home to a patrolling tribe of schooling barracuda. Neptuneʼs Sea Fan dive site is another great spot we regularly visit here, it gets its name from the vast number of gorgonian sea fans on the site.
Day 8: Fiabacet/Boo, Misool
The diving in this part of Misool is filled with the pristine coral life in the heart of Misool and giant manta rays, close to the Eco Resort. Whale Rock dive site, Tank Rock dive site and Nudi Rock dive site are all abundant in beautiful soft coral and schools of fish, and conditions and logistics with Misool Eco Resort will decide which of the sites are dived.
Weather permitting due to itʼs open ocean location, we will dive Shadow Reef dive site (a.k.a. Karang Bayangan/Magic Mountain), undoubtedly the blockbuster dive site in this remote corner of Raja Ampat, located in the unprotected southern waters of Misool. You can often find huge manta rays gliding across this incredibly ‘hard to beatʼ dive site.
Day 9: Warakaraket, Misool
If the weather cooperates, we’ll head to the renowned Shadow Reef (also known as Magic Mountain or Karang Bayangan) to start today. Located in the exposed southern waters of Misool, this world-class dive site is the highlight of the region. Here, you’ll often witness the graceful gliding of enormous Manta Rays, making for an awe-inspiring, hard-to-top dive experience in this remote corner of Raja Ampat. One of today’s highlights is diving next to the iconic Boo Window. This site is famous for its unique topography, featuring window-like swim-throughs that make for fantastic wide-angle photography opportunities. Keep an eye on the sea fans here – they often hide Pygmy Seahorses, a delightful secret of the reef! Also on the cards for today is a fantastic site to explore: Tank Rock dive site, known for its soft corals and vibrant schools of fish. Keep an eye out for the blue on this site also as we often see the odd Manta passing by. The area is also dotted with hidden beaches, ideal for a peaceful evening stroll if you’re looking to unwind before the night dive adventure. Our night dive today will be on Yilliet Kecil, a nice easy night dive site with plenty of interesting macro critters that come out after dark.
Day 10: Warakaraket, Misool
Today we will start the diving at Boo West dive site. Located on the western tip of Boo Island, this site has some great walls and slopes. What really makes this site stand out though, is the impressive canyon that you swim across to get to the sub reef further out to the west. Another favorite we will visit today is the Anchovy dive site, where you can witness the breathtaking spectacle of schools of Mobula Rays darting among vast clouds of anchovies. These movements reveal brief windows through the reef to the Manta Rays circling at a nearby cleaning station-a truly awe-inspiring sight. The last 2 dive sites of the day we will visit will depend heavily on where we have already been on the trip, as the site selection around this area is directed by Misool Eco resort for all liveaboards. This area has many great sites to take you and we will make sure the last full day of diving is unforgettable!
Day 11: Wagmab, Misool
On the penultimate day of our adventure, we’ll start the day with a trip out to the Farondi Cave dive site. This site is a perfect way to wrap up your Raja Ampat South Misool journey. Here, you’ll have the chance to spot large schools of Mobula Rays and Bumphead Parrot fish and also dive into a partially submerged cave from below. After the dive, we will take you on a final land tour trip out to Jellyfish Lake. Be prepared to be amazed at the hundreds of thousands of stingless jellyfish that inhabit this freshwater lake. When you are back onboard we will serve you lunch as we start our return journey to Sorong. Our return journey to Sorong is approximately 18 hours depending on currents and prevailing weather conditions. To celebrate an incredible trip, our crew prepares a delicious al fresco dinner. Join us for a night of music and dance as we party the night away!
Day 12: Disembark in Sorong
La Galigo will be anchored up in the morning around 5:00 A.M. in Sorong, in preparation for you to catch your flight, or check in to your hotel.
Guests are welcome to stay onboard until 11:00 A.M., and our staff will assist you with transportation to your desired location. After breakfast, guests may also take the time to exchange photos and swap contact details to keep in touch with new friends and dive buddies!
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.
Double bed2 peopleNon shareable
Twin or double bed2 peopleShareable
King size bed2 peopleNon shareable
