Indonesia / Raja Ampat (West Papua) / Raja AmpatRaja Ampat
The Richest Coral Reefs on Earth, Far Out in West Papua
About 1,500 jungle-covered limestone islands off the western tip of New Guinea, with the most varied coral reefs ever surveyed: manta rays at their cleaning stations, walls thick with fish, and the lagoon viewpoints of Piaynemo and Wayag. Getting there is a journey: a flight to Sorong (non-stop from Jakarta or Bali, or via Makassar), the two-hour Express Bahari ferry to Waisai, then a boat to your homestay or resort, so allow a full day each way and never a same-day onward flight. Stays are family homestays on stilts with simple full board, or dive resorts. Every foreign visitor pays the marine park card (IDR 700,000) and the regency levy (IDR 1,000,000 from 2026). Calmest from October to April; the June to September winds make crossings rough.
Highlights
- Piaynemo karst lagoon viewpoint
- Manta rays at Manta Sandy
- Snorkelling the Arborek jetty
- Diving Cape Kri's fish walls
- Red bird of paradise at dawn
- Kayaking Kabui Bay
- Homestay on stilts over the reef
- Wayag day trip (calm days only)
Things to do
- Piaynemo viewpoint and lagoon boat dayMorning · 8h
- Manta Sandy snorkel or diveMorning · 4h
- Two dives at Cape Kri and Sardine ReefMorning · 5h
- Arborek village and jetty snorkelAfternoon · 3h
- Birds of paradise dawn walk on WaigeoMorning · 3h
- Kayak through Kabui BayAfternoon · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: October – April
Worth knowing
Raja Ampat Windy Season: Rough Crossings
From about June to September the south-east winds make Raja Ampat's open-water crossings rough: the Sorong–Waisai ferry and the homestay boats are delayed or cancelled, the liveaboards stop, and Misool in the south closes. The reefs round Waigeo in the north are still dived. Keep two spare days before your flight out of Sorong, or go between October and April.
Worth knowing
Raja Ampat Fees and Registration
Every foreign visitor pays two fees, about IDR 1.7 million in all: the marine park card (IDR 700,000) and the Raja Ampat regency tourism levy, raised to IDR 1,000,000 in January 2026. Register on the SIPARI system before you arrive; the card is sold in Waisai and most homestays and resorts arrange both. Carry the cash: there are ATMs in Sorong and Waisai only.