Raja Ampat Liveaboard 2018

March 19th to 28th, 2018

In March 2018 we will head to Raja Ampat running our annual Raja Ampat Liveaboard 2018 trip aboard the luxury dive vessel Gaia Love.

This beautifully appointed steel hulled 40 metre vessel is a step above the others with incredible personal service and style. The Gaia is cruising throughout Indonesia and it will become our vessel of choice for higher end live aboard trips in the future. The sheer comfort of this vessel is unsurpassed by others in the region with huge rooms, an incredible dive deck, and the best upper deck of any vessel we have been on.

Raja Ampat – West Papua – Indonesia

Located at the northwest tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo. The Raja Ampat archipelago is part of the Coral Triangle which contains the richest marine biodiversity on Earth. Home to the most pristine reefs in the world and  oceanic manta rays, a trip to Raja Ampat is a glimpse into an untouched paradise which is becoming increasingly rare in this world.

Raja Ampat Liveaboard 2018 Itinerary and Dates

20th to 28th March 2018 Sorong to Sorong

Once again we have based the trip on a particular moon phase to take advantage of mild currents and clear seas. In previous years this moon phase has proven to be very prolific in terms of marine life encounters and mild ocean currents in Raja Ampat.

On arrival we will make our way down to the Misool area and spend the first 3 to 4 days diving it’s pristine reefs. The dive sites are covered in colourful soft corals and surrounded by big schools of fish. Sites that we plan to visit include: “Magic Mountain”, “Whale Rock”, “Nudi Rock”, “Boo’s Window”, the Daram area, and more. We will then proceed north to central Raja Ampat where we plan to visit the famous dive sites around the Penemu area. We won’t miss the chance to dive the clear water mangroves at Yangeffo and beautiful dive sites such as “Citrus Ridge” and “Blue Magic”.

Every day, with the exception of the first and last, we will organize 3 day dives and a night dive. In between the dives there will be the chance to discover the beautiful panoramic scenery that Raja Ampat is known for.

Our Trip Report from our 2017 trip to Raja Ampat can be found here:  Raja Ampat 2017

Check out the video below to get a taste of what a trip to Raja Ampat has to offer.

How to get to Raja Ampat

Once you choose your port of entry to Indonesia, we can help you book your domestic flights

Raja Ampat Liveaboard 2018

Embark & Disembark: Sorong – West Papua
There are several possibilities to get to Sorong from Bali, Jakarta, Makassar or Manado
Traveling from Bali or Jakarta offer the advantage of traveling to Sorong overnight with a stop over in Makassar at the airport hotel before flying to Sorong the next morning.

This is a great option as you will have plenty of time to recover on day one as we are crossing to south Raja Ampat. Fly to Makassar on the 19th and then to Sorong on the morning of the 20th

The Best of Both Worlds Combo

Combine this trip with a stay in Ambon

Ambon is located only 1 hour flight from Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. A combo trip offers the chance to extend your holiday time by adding a stay with us at Maluku Divers Resort. Maluku Divers in Ambon Bay offers incredible critter diving in an underwater heaven for macro photographers. By adding this great destination, you will have the chance to dive some of the most incredible and healthy reefs in the world as well as uncrowded critter sites at the home of the psychedelic frogfish. Dive the best of both worlds in one incredible dive trip!!

Click below to learn about Maluku Divers

Maluku Divers Resort