Day 1
Our meeting point is at the Marina Star Café in Sorong Harbour at 7:30am, where we’ll have a coffee or tea and wait for all our guests to arrive.
Once everyone is ready we’ll then get on our speedboats and board Jelajahi Laut.
While enjoying a fresh juice or coconut, we’ll hold a welcome briefing, followed by a general safety briefing and explanation of the boat, and all crew and guests will introduce themselves, so everyone starts to get to know each other.
You’ll then put your belongings in your cabin, and we’ll set up the diving area, followed by a light lunch and soon after, at around 3pm we’ll head for our check dive outside Waisai harbour, on the slopes of Mioskon Island.
The rest of the afternoon will be spent on the boat where we’ll have plenty of time to really get to know our fellow travellers and enjoy a beautiful sunset, while the captain navigates to the south of the Raja Ampat Marine Park, to Misool.
Day 2
Today it’s an early wake up, with fresh brewed coffee or a cup of tea for the first dive briefing of the day while the crew is busy in the diving area making sure everything is ready before we gear up.
We’ll spend the day around the northern islands of Misool, where the dive sites lay in a labyrinth of small islands which are spread out everywhere.
Beautiful walls and slopes await us, where we’ll be looking for Pygmy Seahorses and hunting Mobula Rays trying to snack on some sardines.
Later in the afternoon, while having a snack, we’ll move the boat a bit further south, into the Misool Eco Reserve area where we’ll anchor up and shelter between the islands of Romeo and Yillet.
Day 3 to 7
In the Misool Eco Reserve area, we plan the dives accordingly with the schedules of other boats, to guarantee more protection of the reefs and to be able to have the dive site to ourselves.
The Eco Reserve has some of the most colourful corals on the planet, with vibrant reefs full of life in every direction you look.
You’ll need to check your remaining air supply often, you might lose track as your breathing rate rises because of all the beautiful sights here!
Boo Window, Magic Mountain, Nudi Rock, 4 Kings, Puri Pinnacle, Tank Rock are just a few site not to be missed.
We can encounter Oceanic and Reef Manta Rays, Blacktip, Whitetip and Grey Reef Sharks, Wobbegong Sharks, hunting Giant Trevallies, Tunas, Eagle Rays – the list keeps on going.
Make sure to follow your dive guide as he points out the little critters – here we can find up to 5 different types of Pygmy Seahorses, loads of different Nudibranchs, Crabs, Frogfish and Octopus.
Cruising back to the northern parts of Misool, we might explore some underwater caverns and depending on the season, visit a lake full of stingless jellyfish – one of only a few worldwide!!
Day 8
After a 13-hour crossing, we are now between islands of the Fam group where we can see endless Staghorn Coral fields at Melissa’s Garden, hunting grey reef sharks on My Reef, or the pinnacle of Batu Rufus looking for Fusiliers, Rainbow Runners and Barracuda.
In the afternoon we’ll go for a little land adventure and climb the stairway to heaven – well actually to the viewpoint of Piaynemo! This is the most breath-taking view over the lagoon where sometimes we can see baby blacktips cruising around.
Later, some like to enjoy a beer after the climb, some are excited for the night dive that evening, where we have the chance to find the famous Walking Shark along with some different types of Pipefish, Decorator Crabs, Bumblebee Shrimp and maybe a Wunderpus.
Day 9
We are back in the Dampier straight today, and it’s all about action-packed dives again, as we jump in at Cape Kri, Sardine Reef and Mike’s Point.
Endless corals, sometimes so full of fish it becomes hard to see your dive buddies – we’re looking for current and we’ll jump the split, right where the current gets divided by the reef and hang in there to watch the fish hunting for prey.
In the afternoon, once we’re out of our wetsuits and have had a snack, the speedboats will take us a short hop over to the Island where it all started, Mioskon, to enjoy some beers and a beach barbeque set up by our amazing Chef.
Day 10
4.30 am wakeup seems hard, but it’s worth it.
After tea and coffee and a small breakfast, our speedboats will take us over land, where we’ll go for a little hike up a hill in the jungle. With a bit of luck, the red Bird of Paradise can be spotted on top of the trees looking for a mating partner while “singing” above the trees.
We’ll then get back on the boat for healthy breakfast, after which it’s time to gear up one last time and go for our last dive of the trip. It can be either Blue Magic to look for some more Oceanic Manta Rays and Grey Reef Sharks, or the reef of LauLau with its pinnacle.
After the dive it’s time to wash all the gear, pack up, have a tasty lunch, and take some group pictures with all our crew before heading back to Sorong where we can meet up for dinner and go for some pool and karaoke afterwards.
The Itinerary of the trip and dive sites can change due to certain circumstances.
Weather and tides play a big role in safety and planning, which is why the Cruise Director and Captain plan every day accordingly.
For any special requests, please don’t hesitate to contact us beforehand or chat with the Cruise Director on the boat.