Amazing 8 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 Strait, which is home to some of the most beautiful dive sites in the centre of the Raja-Ampat, all bordered by islands with dense and luxuriant vegetation. Depending on the conditions, we will dive the site of “Mioskon”, a very beautiful little island with a white sand beach. It is surrounded by a magnificent reef composed mainly of hard corals which is home to an important fauna: trevallies, groupers, fusiliers, moray eels, big humpback parrots and even the star shark of the Raja Ampat the Wobbegong! Something to start your stay in a good mood!

This will be followed by the site of “Cap Kri, one of the most famous sites in the Dampier Strait. By following the side of an underwater ridge you will observe in the blue huge schools of fusiliers and red-toothed triggerfish! Grey sharks and whitetip sharks dance in the current as a school of giant trevally passes by in search of prey. Schools of barracuda and large Napoleon wrasse are also common here.

At the end of the day, 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.

Very early in the morning the boat will drop anchor near Pyanemo island where we will start the day with a small ascent on the island to contemplate one of the most beautiful landscapes that Raja Ampat can offer: a uniquely star shaped lagoon. Back on board, we will prepare for our first dive of the day on the “Barracuda reef” site. The seamount with rich coral cover is home to giant trevallies, barracudas, tunas, kingfish and sharks, including grey reef! Predator hunts are commonplace here!

Another dive will follow on the famous site of “Melissa’s garden”, which has made its reputation by the incredible richness of its seabed. Whether we are talking about flora or fauna, “Melissa’s garden” is certainly one of the highlights of your cruise because this site is always a surprise!

The Wisesa will then begin its long navigation of 15 hours towards the second part of the trip in the extreme south of the archipelago towards Misool! Dinner and night in navigation.

These three dive areas are located north of Misool Park, and are ideally placed to begin and end our exploration of this region. In Sagof you will find for example “Two tree Island”, a site of exceptional topography where myriads of fish and superb macro subjects can be observed near its overhangs.
In Wagmab, look for lurking sharks in ambushes under or on tables of branching corals. Also look for the pygmy seahorse “barbiganti ” endemic to Misool!

Farondi is best known for its “Farondi cave” dive site, where we will dive from a shallow area that we will explore until the bottom opens up under our fins to create a huge tunnel that takes you from 5 to 30m deep. This is followed by a drift dive along a steep and winding reef covered with hard corals and gorgonians. The dive ends in a cellar whose entrance seems to be guarded by rifle benches! Sometimes in the blue, tuna and Mobula rays swim with the local resident batfish.

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.

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 !