Top Things to do in Raja Ampat
Top Hotels in Raja Ampat
The 10 Best Things to Do in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Discover the best top things to do in Raja Ampat, Indonesia including Pulau Wayag, Arborek Village, Raja4Divers, Pianemo Islands, Sawinggrai Village, Papua Scuba, Cape Kri, Wicked Diving Raja Ampat, Raja Ampat Tour & Travel, Pasir Timbul Beach.
Restaurants in Raja Ampat
1. Pulau Wayag
Overall Ratings
5 based on 109 reviews
Reviewed By rohizani - penang
Definitely a MUST GO when you visit Papua. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. It takes about two hours from the jetty in Waisai to reach there. After braving the 320+ steps...you will be awarded with this beautiful scenery that will automatically take away all your fatigue.
2. Arborek Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
Reviewed By travelerxhan - California
Arborek Village is very picturesque--beautiful blue waters and a very nice little local village set up for tourists. We dove for 2 weeks around the Dampier Strait and visited Arborek several times. It's a great surface interval rest area for those who just dove at Manta Ridge and Manta Sandy. There are covered pavilions with benches while resting and munching on some cookies and fruits and gorgeous views. For those who would like, you can visit the village itself (there is a fee but your dive resort/live aboard should have already paid for you).
If you do enter the village, please be mindful of what you wear. There are 2 large signs in Indonesian and in English about attire. The villagers are slightly on the conservative side and they ask you to not wear just bikinis or swim trunks while walking around the village. Your dive guides should tell you this as well but we still saw many people walking around in bikinis and swim trunks despite big notices asking people not to.
The diving around Arborek jetty is very nice--large clams, electric clams, some nice macro--overall, very nice and relaxing diving.
3. Raja4Divers
Overall Ratings
5 based on 9 reviews
Raja4Divers dive resort in Raja Ampat is run by an experienced, qualified and motivated team, under Swiss management. Started to build in October 2010, the beautiful resort has been opened to the guests since June 2011. The dive resort nestles along a palm fringed, west facing beach, with spectacular sunsets right on front of the bungalows. With only maximum 18 divers and the unrivalled service levels it’s one of the most exclusive diving resort in Raja Ampat.
Reviewed By explrdvr37 - Singapore
Raja Ampat is Indonesia's ultimate scuba destination - the area is getting increasingly popular. A new airport terminal in Sorong is nearing completion as I write this, to deal with the influx. I just hope the area will be able to cope with the numbers.
We'd been on a Live-aboard the year before and were keen to return to the region - this time land-based.
We'd chanced upon a 1-week opening at Raja4Divers and booked it with little hesitation.
Good thing too - the resort is small (max 18 divers at any one time) and seems populated with (frequently) returning guests - 2 divers we met there were on their 3rd stays and had just booked their 5th (!!??), 2 others on their first visits and booked to return at the same time next year.
The resort is Swiss-run/owned with a predominantly Swiss and German clientele. All the guests were very friendly and made the effort to include us English-speakers in their conversations – over the week, we made some good friends.
Pulau Pef where Raja4Divers is located, is in the northern part of a vast area – diving-wise, macro-life is abundant but it is possible to travel further afield to see pelagics like manta rays.
It is an eco-resort, so rooms are not air-conditioned – we woke up with a start from the heat and sweat most nights. The rooms have ceiling fans but the resort’s generators are turned off from midnight to 5 in the morning.
Bathing is with the Indonesian “mandi” scoop. The tapped water is from the island’s groundwater and depending on whether it has rained recently, it is brackish, so it took a few days for us to adjust to the feeling of being a bit sticky from the salt even after a wash.
Drinking water is brought in from Sorong and depending on which container you dispensed it from, can sometimes taste a bit stale.
Food is limited but this is not unexpected - considering how remote the resort is but the most remarkable thing about Raja4Divers is that it’s where it is at all.
A very special place – with waves lapping at your front step; the dawn chorus of exotic birdlife serenades you as you wake and some of the best diving in the world.
4. Pianemo Islands
Overall Ratings
5 based on 140 reviews
Reviewed By Nishan P - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Visited it as part of a day trip from our dive resort. Its a long boat ride and extra cost but worth it for many reasons. The view from the top is amazing (even if it was raining when we went) and travelling by boat through the forested Islands is an experience in itself. On top of that the dive sites around the island are top notch so as a diver it was worth it for that reason alone.
However if you visit, please avoid buying souvenirs made from endangered or protected animals. Some locals sell live coconut crabs to visitors. These amazing crabs are disappearing from much of its native range due to overexploitation. Hope the local authorities take steps to stop this practice.
5. Sawinggrai Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By WilliamLow - Jakarta, Indonesia
Visit this fisherman's village in Raja Ampat to feel the hospitality of the locals and interact with them. You can do fish feeding here, or snorkel around the island to see the beautiful underwater life. You can even see the famous Cendrawasih bird, but it had to be done early in the morning and its not a guaranteed show because the bird's appearance is quite random.
6. Papua Scuba
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Papua Scuba is just recently open on Raja Ampat, West Papua Indonesia with the years of experience in handling scuba dive trip and full facilities of dive center. The favorite dive sites is only minutes away from our place and next to the local village where you can blend with the local people and enjoying the culture. Giving you the memorable and unforgettable experience.
Reviewed By Anton S
We stayed from 9-17 Oct 2015. Had some great dives with Marcelle and his team of professional and experienced Indonesian Divemasters, Zakarias, Ongko, and Andrew. The food is probably the best you can find in Raja Ampat! Mama Maria always cooks them fresh and the...MoreHi Anton, Thank you for using our service and also appreciated for your positive review. We will keep our good work and you are always welcome to be our guest. Hope to see you soon. Regards, Marcelle
7. Cape Kri
Overall Ratings
5 based on 100 reviews
Reviewed By Dovman - Sydney, Australia
We went twice to Cape Kri to snorkel and compared to other places we visited in Raja Empat the snorkeling here is average at best. It may be an awesome diving location but it is not amazing for snorkeling. However the second time we visited our boatman took us to snorkel at the reef around the tiny island called KOI which is just off the tip of Cape Kri and easily visible with its white sand beach. Now this reef was stunning with very alive coral, heaps of sharks and turtles, massive schools of fish and really a highlight. So if they want to take you to snorkel at Cape Kri go just a little further to Koi Island and you will be very happy indeed.
8. Wicked Diving Raja Ampat
Overall Ratings
4 based on 49 reviews
Described as the very heart of the world's most diverse marine life - Diving Raja Ampat is an experience like any other. The healthiest reefs found anywhere host hundreds of species of marine life and the currents passing through bring some incredible migratory visits. Wicked Diving Raja Ampat offers day trips, snorkeling trips and liveaboards throughout this vast region. As a leader in Community Based Tourism, we dedicate a percentage of our revenue, time and effort towards training, empowering and employing members of the local community. When you dive With us, you make a difference. We hope to share this amazing place with you!
Reviewed By JCA10000
When we decided to dive in Raja Ampat aboard the Jaya, we knew, because of the price, that we could not expect a first class service. Any liveaboard diving trip has specific aspects to evaluate:
-The trip plan was very good, but was limited because of the bad weather.
- Diving logistics: the ship is not very well prepared to allow the divers to put on the equipment. Tanks are filled with variable final pressure, some time below 180 bar, which is no good for the diving group.
The diving gears are not washed during the whole trip.
- Diving guides and briefings: perfect. Very good guides, experienced and safe. One can rely on them. Special mention to Rachel, Emma and Matt. They know very well their job and are always watching for your safety
- The ship: the rooms at the Jaya are in a lower level at the front of the boat. They are very small making difficult for more than one person to be standing at the same time. By fortune, there are individual air conditioners that make possible to sleep in a fresh environment.
Toilets, located in the back lower level, are terrible. Only three of them for all the people on board. Allways dirty and wet floors look very disgusting.
Should you go to the toilet at night, you have to use a ladder to go up to the main deck, and other ladder down to the lower back side, crossing the kitchen. A long way if you are sleepy.
On board you are bare feet, which is ok, but the floors are slippery making them very dangerous.
-food: average, nothing special but ok.
-Crew: very friendly and smiling trying to make your trip better.
9. Raja Ampat Tour & Travel
10. Pasir Timbul Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By Apuspita - Darwin, Australia
In the middle of the blue water, there you find a surface with white sandy beach. So beautiful, you can take good pictures here. Walk as if you walk on the water, you can feel you own the universe it is so beautiful and calm. The best part was to sit and watch the sunset in silent.
TAGS
