Hi fellow travellers, welcome to my guide to Raja Ampat! With a restlessness in every fibre of my body, I constantly long to discover the most beautiful places on earth. Mix a passion for travelling, photography, and writing together and that’s how my own little place on the World Wide Web was born.
My name is Rani and I’m a Belgian travel blogger. In daily life, I work as a secondary teacher with students with autism. A job that gives me a lot of satisfaction and that I do with great love, although travelling is my greatest passion!
We try to travel as much as possible during the holidays and have already taken two sabbaticals, where we discovered all corners of the world during 16 months. I share all these travel tips, guides, and experiences on my blog youngwildfree.be.
I am very adventurous and have a preference for untouched, rough, and authentic destinations. In this article I will take you to -in my opinion- the most beautiful diving destination on earth!
Welcome to Raja Ampat, Indonesia: also known as ‘The Last Paradise on Earth’.
How to reach Raja Ampat
Located in West Papua, a province of Indonesia, you can find this piece of paradise. Raja Ampat, literally translated as ‘the four kings’, consists of four large islands: Waigeo, Misool, Salawati and Batanta, and about 1,500 (small) islands.
Only a small part is inhabited. Tourism is still in its infancy and travelling therefore requires a bit more time and effort. There are no direct flights to Raja Ampat. First you have to fly to Jakarta, Surabaya, Manado, or Makassar from where you can take a flight to Sorong.
From the airport in Sorong, you take a taxi to the harbour, from where you take a ferry to Waisai (Waigeo) or Misool.
From Waisai, you then take a private boat to the island of your Homestay. You can arrange this online in advance with the owner of your homestay. Ideally, other travellers are going to the same island and you can share a boat. This reduces the costs considerably!
The Atmosphere of Raja Ampat
The lush green islands contrast sharply with the blue, crystal clear water. This is the embodiment of paradise. Raja Ampat is untouched, unique and perhaps our favourite destination on earth. You are so far away from the modern world and there is no internet connection on most islands. You pick this destination to connect with nature.
Raja Ampat has a handful of luxury resorts, but most accommodations are simple with often only a mattress on the floor. There is no mass tourism and there is a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere.
We often filled the evenings with pleasant conversations with other travellers, playing games or relaxing in the hammock with a book. Meals are often included and you eat together with the other travellers. Often at a large table. This immediately creates a bond. This is a place where you can completely relax and I felt so immensely happy during the two weeks we spent travelling through this archipelago.
Managing your budget while travelling
With the exception of Sorong and Waigeo, there are no ATMs on these islands. So you have to calculate in advance how much money you think you will need! We booked (and paid) accommodations in advance, but all other expenses had to be paid in cash. Accommodation cost an average of 50 euro/night for two people. Meals included! Soft drinks and alcohol, transportation, diving and other excursions are not included. Take more money than you think you will need. Raja Ampat is a more expensive destination, compared to most islands in Indonesia.
However, we still think the price is very reasonable, considering how unique and remote this place is. In total, we spent 1773.78 euros (flights not included) during 16 days. This amounts to 55.43 euros p.p./day.
Raja Ampat is life changing
I am surprised how little we need to actually feel happy. The rooms we slept in were incredibly basic, with only limited comfort. We often didn’t have a shower and had to wash ourselves with a bucket with brackish water and the meals were not culinary high-quality either. There was no internet. The pressure of society completely disappeared and I felt carefree and light as a feather.
Filling the days in a hammock and discovering this wonderful underwater world. Connecting with like-minded travellers. This is what happiness truly symbolises. It made me realise that I want to discover more places like this. No luxury, hard to reach, but the best unforgettable experiences and authentic moments! At moments like this you can find your true self.
A memorable encounter with wildlife
Raja Ampat is all about nature – above and below the water-! The ocean is so blue and clear, and is home to thousands of coral species and fish. One of our favourite encounters was our snorkelling session at the house reef in Kri. Here we were able to observe a turtle for over an hour. I love how slow, peaceful and carefree these animals move.
At Arborek and Fam, we swam with Oceanic Giant Manta Rays and this was a dream. At one point there were around 30 manta’s swimming around us. So close that we could almost touch them!
On the island of Gam we saw a Cuscus in the evening. One of the cutest animals I have ever seen. In the morning we were woken up by beautiful birdsong. Bird lovers, take note: if you are interested you can also spot the rare birds of paradise over here! Around Gam you can also find a lake where you can swim with hundreds of stingless jellyfish. An unique experience for sure!
Tips for your first time
This destination is not for everyone! Is comfort a basic necessity for you and do you like some luxury? Then Raja Ampat might not be the ideal destination for you!
As already mentioned, you have to sacrifice comfort here. Both the accommodations and the food are very basic, but also the distances in the boats are often long with little comfort. Big spiders or even rats in your room? It’s part of the experience! Does this not scare you off and are you mainly curious about this special destination, far away from the crowds with not many tourists? Raja Ampat requires a little more preparation and you should plan this trip in advance.
Raja Ampat consists of many islands, of which only a small part is inhabited. Near Waisai you can stay on about ten islands, but which one do you choose? I recommend spending at least ten days and doing some island hopping. We compared the various options well in advance and eventually decided to stay on the following islands: 3 nights on Arborek (Kayafyof homestay), 4 nights Fam (Rufas homestay), 4 nights Kri (Warahnus homestay) and 4 nights Gam (Methos homestay).
Please note that there are no supermarkets on the islands, so make sure you bring all the essentials! Think of necessary medication, sunscreen and not to forget: mosquito spray with DEET!
The best time to visit
Raja Ampat has two ‘wet seasons’: November-December and July-August. The best diving period is from January to April. There is less rainfall and the wind is also less strong. In addition, you have the best chance of spotting giant manta rays during these months.
This archipelago is tropical and there is no ‘dry season’. You have a chance of rainfall all year round. We spent sixteen days in Raja Ampat in February, It was mainly dry and sunny, although we had the occasional rain shower.
What are the best diving and snorkel spots
Located in the Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is one of the most beautiful and diverse diving spots on earth. The region is home to six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles and over 2,000 species of reef fish. The name is of course not chosen voluntarily and consists of over 600 different types of corals. Raja Ampat is therefore seen as the epicentre of marine biodiversity and attracts many divers from all over the world.
Kri is one of the most popular islands to stay at, as you will find some of the most beautiful diving spots around the island. There are also some good diving centres on the island. Popular diving spots are Cape Kri, Blue Magic, Sorido Wall, Friwenbonda and Chicken reef. Although we also enjoyed ourselves for hours snorkelling at the house reef! Here you can spot blacktip sharks, turtles, wobbegong sharks and so much more diverse marine life!
The dive sites around Fam were my personal favourite! Melissa’s Garden is one of the most beautiful dive sites on Raja Ampat. This dive site has a flat top with a beautiful and colourful coral garden. An assortment of soft and hard corals, interesting macro marine life and we also saw the Oceanic whitetip shark. Other recommendations are The Fam Slope, Batu Rufus and Anita’s Slope.
We didn’t dive at Gam, but Citrus reef is without a doubt the most beautiful reef I’ve ever seen! The corals here are so special and insanely colourful. This felt unrealistic, like a magical dream.
Raja Ampat. You have a special place in my heart. You have enriched me with your outstanding beauty and unforgettable experiences. We’ll meet again.
More information about these islands and the most beautiful sights can be found on my blog! (Youngwildfree.be)