North Raja Ampat Itinerary

A RAJA AMPAT ITINERARY

Raja Ampat is part of Indonesia’s Bird’s Head Seascape, an area of unparalleled biodiversity and beauty. The Seascape is massive, encompassing over 86,000 square miles and home to over 6 hundred species of coral and 1,700 species of fish. This itinerary covers the northern portion of Raja Ampat focusing on the Dampier Strait region. A trip across the northern Raja Ampat area of the Seascape includes some of the most stunning reefs, picturesque tropical landscapes, inviting villages, and encounters with megafauna such as manta rays. Click on the markers below to learn more about each area. For a selection of images visit our Raja Ampat Gallery.

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Laha | Ambon Harbor

The village of Laha sits along the western coastline of Ambon Bay and is known for its incredible muck diving. Diving along the rocky slopes brings encounters with some of the most sought after macro critters. A wide variety of frogfish, including the very rare psychedelic, share the slope with several types of cephalopods such as blue ring octopus and flamboyant cuttlefish.

Fire urchins are home to zebra crabs and Coleman shrimp while several varieties of eel inhabit the rocky crevices. Being located in a working harbor and its proximity to the village has led to the site being notorious for having quite a bit of garbage. Despite all the signs of civilization, the variety of macro life is unparalleled in the Banda Sea region.

Wotai

The island of Wai is surrounded by a large complex shallow reef with many shallow sandy passes. These sandy passes are dotted with large coral bommies that act as cleaning stations for megafauna such as manta rays. Wai is an excellent spot for either diving or snorkeling with these large gentle creatures as they clean, feed or court. The south side of the island also features two plane wrecks from the Second World War.

The Banda Islands

Presided over by an active volcano, the Banda Islands are home to rich, diverse coral reefs perfect for diving and snorkeling. You’ll find over a thousand species of fish including large Napoleon wrasse, bump head parrot fish, coral groupers, various snappers, as well as smaller critters such as mandarin fish, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, and many cephalopods. Divers will also find that large spotted eels like to make an appearance from the shelter of barrel sponges.

The rich history of these remote islands are also a perfect opportunity to visit Fort Belgica and the people of Banda Neira and learn how nutmeg shaped the region and world history.

Koon

With a dive site names Too Many Fish, it’s easy to guess what you’re going to see. The peninsula of Noon juts out into the Banda Sea and transitions from wall to white sand plateau back to wall. Beautiful hard and soft corals line the walls while schooling fish meander through large coral bommies above the white sandy plateau. Health shallow coral gardens make for excellent post-dive snorkels or shallow hard coral shots.

Gili Manuk

An active volcano that juts up from the depths of the Banda Sea is home to some of the signature species of this itinerary. The island is home to a large population of olive and banded sea kraits, terrestrial snakes that hunt along the reefs during the day and sleep on the island at night. As they head to the surface to breathe they often stop by divers for a closer look.

A variety of megafauna also frequents the island such as whales, mobula rays and schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. Topside the island is a nesting ground for sea birds.

Serua

The island of Serua has one of the best soft coral dives of the region with pastel covered reefs that explode with anthias and other colorful reef fish. The sloping reef and walls also feature large barrel sponges and hard corals to round out the reefscape.

Gunung Api

As with Gili Manuk, Gunung Api is an active volcano that sits far from any other islands and is also home to a large population of curious sea snakes. The underwater slopes and walls are decorated with soft corals and large barrel sponges. The island is home to a variety of sea birds that often visit surfacing divers with a close pass. There are also a few hammerhead cleaning stations so it’s always a good idea to keep one eye into the blue while cruising the reef.

Nil Desperandum

Nil Desperandum barely breaks the surface at low tide but what lies beneath the waterline is an excellent mix of coral covered steep slopes and stunning hard coral shallows. The pastel soft corals and schools of anthias enhance the healthy coral garden’s atmosphere.

On a few of the steep walls, with the water temps cool enough and just the right amount of current, schooling hammerheads have been known to make appearances to the divers and photographers’ delight.

Wotai

Wotai’s hard coral covered reeftop slopes away to reveal soft coral walls and incredible fish life. Curious schools of batfish mix with butterfly fish and red tooth triggerfish.

Lucipara

The flat topped islands of Lucipara turn into steep underwater walls teeming with reef fish, beautiful hard corals, giant barrel sponges, and sometimes large pelagic fish such as dogtooth tuna.

The clear blue water famous in the Banda Sea is a diver’s dream, but other rare critters such as this pair of frogfish can be found on the walls.

Teun

The remote island of Teun is home to soft coral walls that slope away from a stunning plate coral topped reef. Swarming with anthias, the coral reefs capes are a diver and photographers paradise.