The Great 12 Days Raja  Ampat Diving Expedition

After a welcome Mocktail and the safety briefing, the crew will weigh anchor and the Captain will set sail towards Waisai.

During this first navigation you will take possession of your cabins, prepare your snorkelling equipment, your cameras, and also socialise with the crew and other passengers. If the weather permits, you can do a first snorkelling dive to familiarise yourself with your equipment, regain your feelings in the water, and for the first time admire the Raja Ampat underwater world!

First of a long list of sumptuous sunsets, dinner and night on board near Waisai.

We will spend our second day east of the Dampier passage which is home to some of the most beautiful dive sites in the centre of the Raja-Ampat. The area is bordered by islands with dense and lush vegetation. Depending on the conditions, we will dive at the “Blue Magic” site. This underwater mountain covered with an impressive diversity of beautiful corals is home to a rich fauna such as grey sharks, white tip sharks, tunas and kingfish. They all come to take advantage of the abundant food brought by the current. . Something to start your stay in a good mood!

The “Sardine reef” and “Cap Kri” sites will follow. The first is another seamount where life also abounds! Sharks and other pelagic fish are on the agenda, but also pygmy seahorses, schools of surgeonfish and sweetlips under the corals. As for “Cap Kri”, it is one of the most famous Dampier Strait sites. Following the side of an underwater ridge, you will see huge schools of fusiliers and red-toothed triggerfish in the blue! Grey sharks and whitetip sharks dance in the current as a school of giant trevallies patrol in search of prey.

At the end of the day, the Wisesa will anchor for the night in the bay of the village of Yenbuba, where life flows to the rhythm of the islands. Its atypical church which dominates leaning against the jungle is also worth the visit. Nice night dive possible in front of the village.

Early in the morning, the Wisesa will head west of Mansuar Island for a first dive under the pier in the village of “Saundarek”. Despite the proximity of a village, the diversity of species here is exceptional! It seems that marine life is used to human presence, and is therefore easy to approach. A true paradise for photographers!

After breakfast we will dive “Mayhem”, a splendid coral garden where the famous carpet shark “Wobbegong” is common. Do not forget to look into the blue because tunas and sharks often visit the site. Pygmy seahorses, ghost fish or even crocodile fish can also be seen.
For your third dive, the boat will anchor near the island of Yeben, next to “Yeben Kecil” site. It’s a coral garden bordered by white sandbanks which is often the place where large tuna pass through. Dogtooth tuna are often hunting in the area. In the coral, pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs and many crustaceans will delight macro lovers. At shallow depths, observe some of the most beautiful hard corals in the archipelago!

During this time, our crew will have transformed for the time of a meal the splendid beach of Yeben into a private place. After contemplating the sunset, you will taste excellent grilled foods prepared by our chef.

We will start the day with a small hike on the island of Pyanemo to contemplate one of the most beautiful landscapes that Raja Ampat can offer. Back on board, we will prepare for our first dive of the day on the “Barracuda reef” site. There is a seamount with rich coral cover, and this site is home to giant trevally, barracuda, tuna, king mackerel and sharks, including grey reef sharks! Predator hunts are commonplace on this site.

Our second dive will be on the famous site of “Melissa’s garden”, which has made its reputation by the incredible richness of its funds. Whether we are talking about flora or fauna, “Melissa’s garden” is certainly one of the highlights of your cruise! This site is indeed always a surprise.

Our third dive is called “My reef”, an underwater reef where we start the dive near a small pinnacle whose top is 10 m deep. We will then continue along a long ridge that sinks into the depths. Above us life teems! This site is often exposed to currents where large pelagics such as dogtooth tunas, king mackerel, grey reef sharks like to hunt. The tension is then at its peak!

After this dive rich in emotion, the Wisesa will begin its long 15 hours navigation towards Misool, the second part of the trip in the extreme south of the archipelago. Dinner and night in navigation.

Early in the morning, the Wisesa will reach the archipelago from the northeast of the famous Misool island, the largest of the 4 kings!
This island’s isolation, located in the heart of the coral triangle, is protected by a Marine Park of more than 1000 km2 of which 800 where fishing is prohibited. It makes it an area where the biodiversity is the richest in all of Indonesia, see Southeast Asia! These untouched islands of rare beauty are home to more than 50 dive sites, some of which are world famous for their richness!

Here is a description of the places and dive sites we will visit in the Misool area:

We will start our navigation early in the morning to reach the great reef of Arborek, the most favourable area for observing manta rays. Between the sites of “manta ridge” and “manta sandy”, the chances of observing these majestic animals are very high. Drift along the reef to reach an underwater ridge and wait there while waiting for the beauties to begin their ballet above a cleaning station, where cleaner wrasse fish are busy at work on these ocean giants.

After these two dives full of emotions, the Wisesa will head west of the island of Mansuar for an exceptional dive under “Saundarek” village’s jetty. Despite the village proximity, the diversity of species here is extraordinary! Indeed, Marine life seems to be used to the human presence and is therefore easy to approach: a true paradise for photographers! Night diving is also possible on this site. Dinner and overnight on board in Saundarek Bay.

The westernmost area of ​​Misool is full of fabulous dives that can be enjoyed from sunrise to sunset! Among the many sites, Daram is a vertical drop-off with two underwater pinnacles where sharks and kingfish are often present.

The clarity of the water and the colour of the corals give this underwater landscape the look of a painting. Another site such as “Warna berwarna” also awaits you for more vertical walls, more corals and more fish!

Romeo and Juliet will never come together, but these two islets will be side by side forever! And above all, we will be able to explore their two reefs. On Yuliet beach is one of Misool’s “Ranger” stations.

The coral plateaus of the two islands are the habitat of barracudas, napoleon fish and blacktip sharks. But it is especially home to the epaulette shark (or walking shark) endemic to Raja Ampat! Large coral potatoes on the top of the reef offer an original topography where reef fish sneak in their meanders, giving this site a dramatic effect.

Boo is located southeast of Misool and includes some of the most famous sites in the entire archipelago such as “Boo Window” which has one of the most impressive coral covers in the Raja Ampat Park!
The site is made up of two tiny islets connected by a series of absolutely magnificent small underwater canyons. Hard and soft corals mix there and are sometimes difficult to see as the density of fish is important.

“Karang bayangan” or “Magic Mountain” is the dream site of many divers! A large underwater reef that is home to an exceptionally varied fauna!

Of course, what made the nickname of this majestic site “Magic Mountain” is an underwater ridge that sinks to 20m, above which oceanic Manta Rays are very regularly seen.

These giants stand out from the deep blue of the ocean to come hovering above us with their absolute grace. Nearby you will also find “Boo Est”, another site that offers sumptuous corals and intense life, or “Eagle nest”, where the oceanic Manta Rays are also one of the wonders observable here.

Located in the extreme south of the archipelago, this island and its surroundings have many dive sites where soft corals and magnificent gorgonians, of exceptional beauty, literally suffocate the reefs. Same impression with “Nudi Rock”, this tiny islet, which from the boat looks like a nudibranch. Under water we realize that the funds also have the colors! Nearby on an underwater pinnacle is the hunting ground for various sharks, king mackerels, or even barracudas that are easily approached. A site you won’t forget!

You can also dive “Tank rock” or “Whale rock” 5-star dive site with surprising coral cover, where the fish gather in tight formation to face the current! Big gorgonians where pygmy seahorses live, sublime coral gardens and life-covered pinnacles are the least you can expect from the Misool Archipelago

Located to the west of Fiabacet, this region has varied underwater topographies offering absolutely magnificent landscapes! Depending on the conditions we will dive “Four King”, four underwater pinnacles connected by a reef covered with corals, themselves covered with multitudes of fish! Impressive groupers sometimes visit the site and giant trevallies guard the place. If luck smiles on you, oceanic

Manta Rays will pass nearby. “Wedding Cake” is a site where the pinnacle features superb corals in front of which trevally, tuna and sharks swim gracefully. If the current allows it, we will be able to do the entire tour of the site to finish the dive in a luminous coral garden with some Batfish.

Another site, “Neptune fan”, offers a valley of gorgonians whose scale is insane! A paradise for pygmy seahorses, or even “Barracuda rock” with its underwater ridge where turtles and schools of soldier fish huddle under huge overhangs.
In Wayilbatan, you will also have the opportunity to admire the “Love Lake”! After a 20-minute ascent you will reach a platform overlooking this wonder of nature. The reef and the hills that border this marine lake have naturally given it the shape of a heart. With the sea in the distance, the turquoise blue of the reef and the deep blue of the center of the heart, this lake is an exceptional landscape.

A paradise in paradise!

Located in the southwest of the Misool archipelago, this region is home to the “Kaleidoscope” site, a real spectacle of multicoloured soft corals that cover the reef along an underwater ridge! When the current is strong, the site explodes with life and chances of encountering manta rays and mobula rays increase considerably! Never forget to look into the blue to be able to admire the passage of pelagics such as dogtooth tunas!

“Blue hole” is a site that takes its name from its dramatic topography. Follow the reef up to ten metres deep to arrive at the edge of a large hole that pierces the rock from side to side, allowing you to see up to 30m below! Covered with hard and soft corals, this tunnel will delight photographers. At the exit, schools of reef fish escort you to the surface.

“Pele’s playground” consists of a long plateau whose underwater ridge, bordered by colored walls, sinks into the blue. Manta and Mobula rays are regularly seen here as well as tunas, batfish and groupers!

Depending on your return flight times, we will make a last farewell dive in the North of the Misool archipelago. After which it will be time to salute this magical place that is Raja Ampat one last time and to begin our last 15-hour navigation to Sorong.

Relax and enjoy the comfort aboard the Wisesa, a perfect time to share your memories and the many photos you will have taken during this cruise. And above all, keep your eyes on the ocean because it can always have good surprises in store for us!

After a last souvenir photo with the crew, it will be time to say goodbye… Our team will transfer you to Sorong Airport where you will fly to your next destination.

We will meet again soon !