Hey!
Today I'm bringing you one of the most spectacular places in the world: Raja Ampat. Still untouched and undiscovered, the islands of Raja Ampat are not easy to reach, and information about them is quite limited.
This place is a must-see on your trip to Indonesia if you're looking for pristine landscapes, tranquility, and, above all, diving. Yes, because Raja Ampat is one of the hotspots for marine biodiversity, boasting the greatest variety of coral in the world and nearly 1.5 million hectares of protected land, creating an explosion of underwater life worthy of a visit for any diving enthusiast.
Lorenzo Ferretti, one of our collaborators ( @lorenzowanderlust ), was there a few months ago, exploring the magnificent islands of Raja Ampat for 10 days, and he brought us all the necessary information to plan the trip and lots of tips that, once there, come in handy!
The places we saw were the following (links to the days):
ARRIVING AT RAJA AMPAT
FROM SORONG TO WAISAI .
FROM WAISAI TO KRI ISLAND
TRAVELING TO KRI ISLAND
GOODBYE BONUS
As always, I'm leaving you a mymaps with the route so you can find your way around the map!
ARRIVING AT RAJA AMPAT
Raja Ampat is located off the coast of West Papua, which is a remote area of Indonesia.
The first step, from wherever you are, is to get to Sorong, the largest and most important city near Raja Ampat.
The easiest way to get to Raja Ampat is by flying to the city of Sorong in West Papua.
If you're coming from another country, the best option to get to Sorong is to fly to Jakarta (Java) first. Direct flights operate daily from Jakarta, although the cheapest includes a stopover in Makassar. They cost around €100 one way.
If you're already in Indonesia, you can also consider Surabaya (East Java) and Makassar (Sulawesi), from which direct flights also operate daily.
Surabaya in East Java is the best option for those who don't want to miss Mount Bromo (which we visited on our trip to record the new LINK collection). We opted to visit Raja Ampat first and then fly from Sorong to Surabaya to visit the Bromo area. If you're in Bali, the best option is to fly from Denpasar to Makassar and then take another flight to Sorong.
Anyway, you have to arrive by plane! Once there, your next destination will be Waisai, the main city of the Raja Ampat Islands.
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FROM SORONG TO WAISAI
Unless you're staying at a resort (which may include a private transfer directly from Sorong City), you'll need to get to Waisai on your own.
Located on Waigeo Island, Waisai is Raja Ampat's main town and essentially a gateway to all the islands of Raja Ampat. There are two main options to get here:
BY FERRY:
The first (and cheapest) option is to take the Express Ferry, which departs twice daily from the port of Sorong.
**Taxi drivers will ask you for around 100,000 IDR ($7 USD) for a 3km ride from the airport to the port. You can bargain it down to 50,000 IDR or less if you're patient enough!
Boats depart twice daily from Sorong, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Sunday to Friday) and at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. (Saturday), and take approximately 2 hours. Tickets cost 100,000 IDR (US$7) and can be purchased directly at the port, or even on the boat itself, so don't worry about booking in advance.
BY AIR:
The other option to get to Waisai is by air. Although websites like Skyscanner don't list them, two airlines operate this route: Susi Air and Wings Air (Lion Air Group).
Susi Air, which flies three days a week; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:40 a.m.
Wing's Air every day 10:20 am
And as you may know if you've traveled a bit in Southeast Asia, flight times can change at any time and without notice, so it's always best to call and confirm your flight schedule!
FROM WAISAI TO KRI ISLAND
And just when it seems like you've arrived, there's still a little bit more to go! There are many journeys and it takes a long time to get there, but it's paradise... you didn't expect to arrive by plane, did you?
(Well, before continuing, stop and take my advice, go to the supermarket next to the port, and buy the beer you need for the days in Raja Ampat, since on the islands there is nothing but the food cooked by the homestays!)
There are different options here, depending on the island you want to visit and how much time you have. Since we had practically a week, we decided to divide our days between two destinations: Fam Island and Kri Island.
These are the two main destinations in Raja Ampat, so whatever your route, we recommend you visit them!
Regardless of your destination, you must change ports to catch the boat that will take you to your island. So, after exiting the ferry, you'll have to walk to a different port (a two-minute walk) where you'll have to pay the "Environmental Service Fee." What does the fee include?
In 2014, the Raja Ampat Environmental Service Fee was introduced to generate the significant funding needed to effectively manage Raja Ampat's Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
This means that each traveler must pay a fee upon arrival. Keep your ESF purchase receipt because there are strict controls and they may require it at any port, island, airport, etc.
The entry permit is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
International Visitor Fee: 1,000,000 IDR ($65 USD)
Domestic Visitor Fee: 500,000 IDR ($32.50 USD)
After this break, we continue! Once at the port, your chosen resort (which will include private transportation) or the homestay family will pick you up by boat. The price is always shared per boat, so, although it's not easy, it's best to find other people traveling to the same island/homestay as you to share the costs.
Locals generally don't live near homestays. Most of them live in villages on different islands, and they only visit their homestays when they have reservations. Therefore, unlike the rest of the country, in Raja Ampat it's advisable to book accommodations well in advance.
TRAVELING TO KRI ISLAND
If you're traveling to Kri, like we were, since it's the most popular of the islands outside of Waisai, you'll find other boats that go there fairly easily, so you can save some money by sharing the boat.
Finally! We've reached our destination! Kri Island, a 1.5-square-kilometer island in the middle of the archipelago. There's no public transportation between the islands from here, but it's not hard to find other travelers willing to share the cost and explore the surrounding area.
Especially to go to Pianyemo, the famous viewpoint of the islets.
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When we arrived, we went straight to our accommodation, a homestay. You see, in Raja Ampat, there are two types of accommodation: either stay with a local family or go to a luxury resort (which we couldn't afford, at the moment).
So we stayed at a homestay. These are very basic bungalows built on the beach or over the water and run by local families. Raja Ampat has a website where you can book. The website is www.stayrajaampat.com; all the homestays are listed there. You can filter by location, price, activities, and other features. The most common price is 350,000 IDR ($23 USD) per person per night, including three meals.
On the islands, there are only accommodations; I mean, there are no restaurants, warungs, or anything like that. Your homestay "mom" will be the one who cooks for you and your travel companions during your stay. That's why we can't recommend enough that you LOOK AT the REVIEWS of each homestay to see if they have a variety of dishes, since they always (and we mean ALWAYS) include rice and steamed vegetables, sometimes with eggs or fish. Breakfast was the hardest part, and you usually have a choice between fried plantains or white bread (literally, nothing else).
TIP: When you buy your beers, buy a jar of jam too—it can save your breakfast! (You're welcome.)
Keep in mind that when you stay with a homestay you won't have any other dining options, so shop around!
Most homestays don't have 24-hour electricity. Power is typically provided from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. by generators, so we recommend bringing a headlamp or small flashlight; it came in very handy for us! Water usually comes from wells and is then pumped and collected in large buckets. So don't expect much. The hardest part was adjusting to the shower, which in many homestays can be saltwater.
And as expected, forget about Wi-Fi if you're not at a nice resort! Take advantage of the opportunity to unwind, and you'll post stories when you get back home!
We spent a few days relaxing in paradise, and from Kri we took a few island-hoping trips, easy to plan through the homestay. We toured the surrounding islands, snorkeling and exploring islets. The underwater visibility is excellent, and the marine life is incredible. And best of all, the trips are super cheap—around 50,000 IDR if you get a good group of people or travel with several friends.
On these day trips, the sun is devastating; avoid sunburn! Even if you're used to beach life, you're not in Fuengirola; the Raja Ampat sun is very strong! Make sure to buy a sunscreen free of chemicals that harm coral; you can find them under the name "reef save."
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We also did a few dives. We wanted to take advantage of being in a diving mecca, and Kri Island is one of the most popular spots in Raja Ampat, and for good reason. The reef at Cape Kri is simply incredible and well-known for its healthy and diverse coral. The average price we found for a dive was approximately IDR 450,000, €25, including equipment rental. The lowest price we found was IDR 350,000, €18, including equipment rental, for a dive right in front of the dive center. |
But if you don't want to or don't have a diving license, don't worry, the snorkeling in Raja Ampat is also impressive... take an Island Hopping trip and you'll see!
*The Raja Ampat area is known for strong ocean currents between the islands, so be careful!
After a few days exploring Kri and its surroundings, we booked a boat to our next destination: Fam Island. There, our daily plan was going to be the same, but we had a different objective: to visit Pianyemo, the most famous island in the area; some very photogenic islets surrounded by turquoise water.
So as soon as we arrived at Fam Island, we booked the boat that would take us there, and the next day we spent the day exploring the area, the blue is out of this world and having it all to ourselves made it even more special.
Wonderful! We enjoyed the views and a great snorkeling session, and packed our bags to continue our trip through Indonesia. These were undoubtedly very special days, during which we learned a lot about the local culture and literally immersed ourselves in their homes. Grateful for everything we had experienced and eager for more, we boarded a plane to Surabaya to explore a completely different landscape: the volcanic region of Bromo National Park.
Here's a summary of the minimum expenses for the trip to give you an idea of your budget:
3,000,000 IDR, 170€ per person, round trip (Jakarta - Sorong flight), although it depends a lot on when you take it, maybe you can get it a little cheaper.
200,000 IDR, 12€ per taxi, from Sorong Airport to Sorong Port to take the ferry to Wasai and the same return trip (7€ each way)
200,000 IDR, 12€ per person, one way ferry ride (Sorong - Waisai), the same return journey (7€ each way)
100,000 IDR, €60 per person for the Environmental Service Fee, yes, it's very expensive, but it's the price to pay for having a well-protected site with such a wide biodiversity.
2,000,000 IDR, 115€, for the boat from Waisai to Piaynemo, but it's per boat, so the more people you find to share, the cheaper it will be!
600,000 IDR, €35, for the boat from Waisai to Kri, one way.
350,000 IDR, €25 per person, per night, including 3 meals – roughly the cost of the homestay.
We, who were 2, making the trip from Waisai to Piaynemo - Piaynemo to Kri - Kri to Waisai (sleeping on Kri and Piaynemo islands), the total cost of transportation was around 4,300,000 IDR, which is 2,150,000 IDR, 125€ per person, but remember that the more you are, the less you will pay.
Our trip in particular was 10 days long, we spent approximately €650.
This price does not include diving and day trips that can be arranged from the homestays to explore the surrounding area:
A day trip can cost anywhere from IDR 100,000 to IDR 10,000,000 per boat, depending on where you're staying and where you're going. Typically, if you plan to spend the night on different islands and take day trips near your homestay (10-15 km), the cost of a day trip is approximately IDR 400,000-600,000 ($27-$40 USD) per boat.
GOODBYE BONUS:
- Overwater bungalows! Overwater bungalows are amazing, but besides being beautiful, they have a couple of practical advantages. It's windier, which is a real relief since temperatures are quite high year-round. Plus, there are fewer mosquitoes than on land, and the price is very similar, so I wouldn't think twice if I were you!
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