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Dive Indonesia Part 2: Raja Ampat Trip Report
This January The Scuba Place visited Ambon, Raja Ampat and Lembeh hosting agroup of divers. They stayed at some amazing spots and saw some amazing things. This is their trip report on their second stop in Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat has always been on our bucket list – just like pretty much every other diver on the planet! We just had to go, and so the choice of liveaboard or resort was the only difficult one we had to make! We chose the latter and opted to stay at the enticing Dive into Raja Ampat.
This was, for some of our group, our second week in Indonesia, and we flew into Sorong from Ambon. Our other guests flew into Jakarta the night before, and flew on to Sorong in the early hours, catching the early ferry to Raja. Landing in Sorong, after walking across the tarmac and collecting our bags, we piled ourselves into the waiting SUVs and made the 20-minute trip to the port to catch the inter-island ferry.
It’s hot, loud, humid, busy, and seemingly disorganised chaos, but it works – welcome to the islands of Indonesia! Our drivers, provided by the resort, arranged for porters to take all our bags onto the ferry. We were shepherded upstairs into the VIP Cabin where the air-conditioning was very welcome. We checked every bag was present and got ready to relax for the two-hour crossing to our island resort. These are big and fast ferries, and they are super-stable, so we weren’t troubled by any seasickness, and a simple range of snacks (biscuits, crisps, and a local version of a pot noodle) and cold soft drinks were available from a small café on board. It seemed as though time flew, and we arrived into the port of Waisai on Waigeo, Raja Ampat’s largest island.
Disembarking was again an experience, but the resort staff were there to collect us and our bags, popping us into waiting SUVs and whisking us off to the resort – a mere 15 minutes away through some stunning scenery.
We arrived and were greeted with a cold drink, and a cold flannel, and welcomed to the resort. Our bags were taken to our rooms whilst we sat and chilled for a bit, and after a shower and a change, we were given a resort and dive briefing.
The resort, made up of 14 rooms, a restaurant, and the dive centre, sits underneath the jungle canopy and on a white sandy beach. There are three room categories – Garden terrace rooms, Seaview rooms, and Waterfront villas. The rooms are super comfortable, with effective air conditioning, vaulted ceilings with fans, a deck or terrace with furniture, en-suite shower rooms and an outdoor shower tap to rinse off. Each room also has its own water dispenser providing both hot and cold drinking water. The Seaview rooms and Waterfront villas have spectacular views, and the Garden terrace rooms have partial sea views too. More Waterfront villas are planned, and they really are on the waterfront – the sea comes right up the beach to the deck at high tide!
The restaurant offers water, tea, and coffee all day, and breakfast starts early for those who get up with the beautiful sunrises. Eggs and omelettes to order, plus fruit, cereals, toast, and a selection of hot offerings, both local and western, set you up well for the day. Lunch and dinner are again buffet style – a superb homemade soup, fresh slices of bread and then both Western and Indonesian main dishes, served with rice, noodles or potatoes. Fruit makes up the dessert at lunchtime, and a proper pud is offered at dinner. An afternoon snack is a welcome treat after the afternoon dive – expect cakes and pastries and all things non-diet related! Special dietary needs can be catered for if pre-advised.
The bar sits right alongside the restaurant and faces the sea – a great place to grab an ice-cold beer, wine from the small but decent wine list or a cocktail We sampled a few of these, in the pursuit of accurate research of course, and they hit the spot!
The resort fringes the jungle canopy, and it is just beautiful. Look up, and there is green everywhere – and birds of paradise, butterflies, geckos, and the cuscus bear – a sloth-like member of the marsupial family that clambers with great dexterity and no haste in the trees around the resort. Ask any member of staff and they will point to one without hesitation – which will save craning your neck for ages while you look for them with untrained eyes!
The dive centre is right on site, and the jetty to take you to the dive boats is a minute’s walk along the beachfront. The recently re-built dive centre has individual hanging spaces for each diver, rinse tanks behind and a superb camera room with separate rinse tanks, air guns and individual charging and assembly desks right next. Locked at night, the camera room opens at 6 am and closes at 10 pm, giving ample time to get in and organise yourselves! Nitrox, 15-litre tanks and even DPVs plus a whole range of equipment are available right on site.
The normal dive day comprises of a two-tank boat trip in the morning and a single-tank boat trip in the afternoon. The house reef is open all day! There are a couple of longer day trips with three dives and lunch on board the dive boats, and these are not to be missed. We took a trip to the famous viewpoint at Piaynemo and the manta cleaning stations, for both oceanic and reef mantas and these excursions should be on every visitor’s dive plans.
And the diving? Huge – that is the only word that I can use to describe the underwater world in Raja Ampat. Huge corals. Huge schools of fish. Huge reefs. Huge list of marine life encountered. And huge currents from time to time too!
The resort is in the Dampier Strait, home to many of the dive sites on any Northern Raja safari itinerary, so we sped out to the best of the best dive sites each day. And a strait it is – a through route between islands that inevitably brings in currents and big tides moving nutrients through the waters, both of which are reasons why the reefs are so incredibly healthy
We saw mobula and eagle rays, barracuda, jacks, snapper, grunts, banner fish, batfish, tuna, billions of glassfish and sweepers, rainbow wrasse and so much more. Cuttlefish that were happy to interact, wobbegongs sleeping below overhangs, huge green and hawksbill turtles, octopus, signal gobies, and blennies galore. We found numerous types of clownfish in their multi-coloured anemones. Even some very very territorial ones who would defend their homes from about 5 metres away! Frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish, banded pipefish, porcelain crabs, squat lobsters – the list goes on and on – and then on some more!
Oh – and the manta rays! We saw both reef and oceanic mantas. And let’s not forget the sharks! Grey reef, black tip, and white tip reef sharks were seen on lots of our dives, and on some of the bigger current dives, we saw them in big numbers off the edge of the reef.
Special thanks to Rob and Susie for sharing some of their amazing photos from the trip.
Visibility varied from 20+m to less than 10m, depending on the dive site, current and tide, but whatever it was, there was loads to see. The corals are immense, and the reefs go on and on. Staghorn coral forests, gorgonian giants, whip coral jungles, stunning sponges everywhere – I have never experienced so much life underwater anywhere! The water temperature hovered around 29′ for every dive, but there were one or two thermoclines that brought on a shiver for a moment or two. Most of us wore 3mm full suits and didn’t have an issue maintaining core temperatures, and we did a lot of diving!
We did some gentle bimbles along the reef, some deliberate drift dives, and some hard-core dives into the current to get to points where the shark action was taking place, and we did a dive in the biggest current I have ever experienced! All the big drift dives previously experienced across the globe became like a kid’s slide in a soft play park compared to this one at Kri Island. We were simply grabbed by the current without any notice and launched at breakneck speed over the top of the reef, whipping past bommies and pillars, using our fins to steer between fans and a shiver of half a dozen reef sharks, we were eventually catapulted out into the blue at the end of the reef – what an experience!
We did a couple of additional excursions in our week with Dive into Raja Ampat – a three-tank day trip to dive with the monitored populations of manta rays, and a three-tank day to take in the iconic views of Piaynemo.
The mantas are monitored by scientists, and there is an observation platform on top of the reefs where they visit a favourite cleaning station for the Oceanic mantas. Across the reef, we also dived on the lookout for reef mantas, and we had Lady Luck with us as they turned up! As we continued down the reef, a fever of at least 16 mobulas flew by in formation.
The trip to Piaynemo was great fun with two awesome dives, and then a big climb up the hill to the viewing platform. We had blue skies and captured that photo that is synonymous with being in Raja Ampat. A third dive on the way back home under a pier was excellent. It gave us a lovely backdrop for photography and was complete with turtles and curious batfish.
The dive staff were amazing for the whole week – they know their dive sites and found us all sorts, and they always kept an eye on us and ensured our safety. You can have thousands of dives in your logbook, but a different environment can be a real leveller, especially if there is a huge current or reduced visibility.
The dive boats are big, fast, and comfortable with a roof deck and an open bow area with seating if you wanted the sunshine, or a covered deck if you wanted to stay in the shade. A sea toilet on board made things easy and there was ample cold water, tea, and coffee, plus biscuits between dives! Backward rolls were our method of entry, and the ladder to get back into the boat was sturdy and easy, even for us with old bones and joints!
In one week, we dived most of the dive sites that a safari boat would do on the Northern Raja itinerary – we even tied up alongside one or two of them while our dive guides caught up with their friends on surface intervals! We love liveaboards, and there are some absolute stunners in Indonesia, but a week at Dive into Raja Ampat is exceptionally good value for money and considerably cheaper than a liveaboard, so we still can’t answer the opening question – Resort or Liveaboard?
We had a blast, loved the diving, loved the resort, and loved the whole experience – Raja delivered everything that we had anticipated, and more!
Key Facts:
- Getting there :We suggest flying with Emirates from Heathrow to Jakarta via Dubai. From Jakarta you can fly direct to Sorong on Garuda Indonesia. We prefer Garuda with their free 23kg dive equipment baggage policy and the flight is 4 hours. We were greeted at the airport and transported to the ferry port for our VIP crossing before a quick 15 minute transfer to the resort.
- Air temperature : Wageo in Raja Ampat enjoys a tropical rainforest climate – average daily temperature throughout the year is 29 to 31°C. The warmest and driest months are August and September and the wettest months are usually November and December
- Water temperature :An average of 30°C. A 1-3mm full suit or shorty will suit most.
- Visa requirement : We purchased our Visa on Arrival at the Jakarta airport for $35 USD (or 500,000 IDR) The visa is for an initial period of 30 days. Make sure you have pristine bank notes if paying in USD or exchange your GBP when you get to Indonesia. The bills must be unmarked and undamaged to be accepted. The Customs Declaration must be completed online and the provided QR code is shown to the Customs officers.
- Currency : Indonesian Rupiah(IDR) or US Dollar are accepted most places. We exchanged Sterling for Rupiah at the Jakarta airport for an attractive rate.
- Electricity :230V with European style (round pin) two-prong plugs. Our room and the camera room had extension leads with UK plugs so no adapter was needed.
- Internet and Wi-Fi : There is wifi in resort and worked well in our room. We were able to email, WhatsApp and post on social media without issue.
Price Guide: A week at Dive into Raja Ampat, including flights from the UK with baggage and transfers, on a 3 dive per day package including full board accommodation in a Garden terrace room, costs from £2599 per person, based on double occupancy. The bulk of the cost is the flights, so the cost of staying longer is surprisingly low! Extras: Indonesian Visa on Arrival, NITROX, soft drinks and adult beverages, and tips.
Our Advice: Indonesia is an amazing destination. Dive into Raja Ampat was the second top on our three-centre trip and the perfect stop for the big stuff in between our macro destinations of Ambon and Lembeh.
Packing tips :
- Rechargeable fan(s) :Perfect for warm planes, stuffy transfers and still evenings. We can’t believe we travelled without them for so many years! Join the fan club and grab one off Amazon… you won’t regret it!
- Travel laundry line : We find this comes in handy for any mid holiday hand washing and definitely at the end of the trip to hang SMBs, reels, dive socks etc.
- Insect repellent : We’ve made a habit of throwing some repellent in our dive bags every trip!
Sunscreen : Don’t forget to protect yourself when you’re in the sun and on the water!!
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
The second day’s diving was a day full of wreck diving at Abu Nuhas, which included the Chrisoula K, Carnatic, and Ghiannis D. The first dive of the day was onto the Chrisoula K, also known as the wreck of tiles. The 98m vessel remains largely intact where she was loaded with tiles which can be seen throughout the hold. The stern sits at 26m and the bow just below the surface. One of the highlights of the wreck is heading inside and seeing the workroom where the machinery used for cutting the tiles are perfectly intact. The bow provided some relaxing scenery as the bright sunlight highlighted the colours of the soft coral reef and the many reef fish.
Following breakfast, we then headed to the next wreck, which was the Carnatic. The Carnatic is an 89.9m sail steamer vessel that was built in Britain back in 1862. She ran aground on the reef back in 1869 and remains at 27m. At the time, she was carrying a range of items, including 40,000 sterling in gold. An impressive wreck where much of the superstructure remains, and the two large masts lay on the seafloor. The wooden ribs of the hull provide structures for lots of soft corals, and into the stern section, the light beams through, bouncing off the large shoals of glass fish that can be found using the structure as shelter from the larger predators that are found outside of the wreck.
The final wreck at Abu Nuhas was the Ghiannis D, originally called ‘Shoyo Maru,’ which was 99.5m long and built in Japan back in 1969 before becoming a Greek-registered cargo ship in 1980. The ship then ran aground on the reef on April 19th, 1983, and now sits at the bottom at a depth of 27m. Heading down the line, the stern of the ship remains in good condition compared to the rest of the hull. The highlight of the wreck, though, is heading into the stern section and down the flights of stairs to enter the engine room, which remains in good condition and is definitely worth exploring. After exploring the interior section of the ship, we then headed over to see the rest of the superstructure, where it’s particularly interesting to see the large table corals that have grown at the bow relatively quickly considering the date the ship sank. After surfacing and enjoying some afternoon snacks, we made sure everything was strapped down and secured as we would be heading north and crossing the Gulf of Suez, where the winds were still creating plenty of chop.
The next morning, it was a short hop to Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve for the next couple of days of diving. The 6am wake-up call came along with the briefing for the first site we would be diving, which was Shark & Yolanda. The low current conditions allowed us to start the dive at Anemone City, where we would drift along the steep, coral-filled wall. These dives involved drifts, as mooring in Ras Mohammed wasn’t allowed to protect the reefs. As a dive site, Shark & Yolanda is well-known and historically had a lot of sharks, but unfortunately not so many in recent years, especially not so early in the season. However, there was always a chance when looking out into the blue.
The gentle drift took us along the steep walls of the site, with plenty of anemone fish to be seen and a huge variety of corals. It wasn’t long into the dive before we were accompanied by a hawksbill turtle, who drifted with us between the two atolls before parting ways. Between the two reefs, the shallow patch with parts of coral heads surrounded by sand provided the chance to see a few blue-spotted stingrays that were mainly resting underneath the corals and are always a pleasure to see. With this being the morning dive, the early sunlight lit up the walls, providing tranquil moments. Looking out into the blue, there was very little to be seen, but a small shoal of batfish shimmering underneath the sunlight was a moment to capture as we watched them swim by as they watched us.
Towards the end of the dive, we stopped at the wreck of the Jolanda where the seafloor was scattered with toilets from the containers it was carrying. This provided a unique site to make a safety stop, which was also accompanied by a large barracuda slowly swimming by, along with a hawksbill turtle calmly swimming over the reef as the sun rays danced in the distance.
For the next dive, we headed north to the Strait of Tiran to explore the reefs situated between Tiran Island and Sharm El Sheik, which were named after the British divers who had found them. We started on Jackson before heading to Gordons Reef, where we also did the night dive. All the atolls at these sites provided stunning, bustling coral reefs close to the surface and steep walls to swim along, which always provided the opportunity to keep an eye out for some of the larger species that can be seen in the blue. Midwater around Jackson Reef was filled with red-toothed triggerfish and shoals of banner fish, which at times were so dense that you couldn’t see into the blue. Moments went by peacefully as we enjoyed the slow drift above the reef, watching these shoals swim around under the mid-afternoon sun.
The night dive at Gordon’s Reef was mainly among the stacks of corals surrounded by sand, which was great to explore under the darkness. After some time circling the corals, we came across what we were really hoping to find, and that was an octopus hunting on the reef. We spent the majority of the dive just watching it crawl among the reef, blending into its changing surroundings through changes in colour and skin texture. It’s always so fascinating and captivating to watch these incredibly intelligent animals, in awe of their ability to carry out these physical changes to perfectly blend into the reef. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat to enjoy a well-deserved tasty dinner prepared by the talented chefs onboard.
Check in for the 3rd and final part of this series from Jake tomorrow!
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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