Day 1 – Sorong / Waisai
Day 1 starts with your pickup from either your Hotel or the Airport. If we are collecting you from your Hotel it is generally around 07:30 – 08:00, if you are arriving on the day of departure, it is important that your arrival time is before 07:30. When we have collected you, we will head directly to the Ferry Port, where you will be met by a member of staff who will accompany you to Waisai. The ferry crossing is around two hours. Upon your arrival in Waisai, it is only short walk to transfer to La Galigo.
Once onboard you will be met by the Cruise Director and a welcome drink. After you have been shown to your rooms and unpacked your luggage, it’s time for a welcome briefing before we have some lunch, then you have some time to relax and soak up the amazing surroundings on route to our first dive of the day.
Day 2 – Penemu
Whilst in Penemu we will conduct 3 dives, allowing us time to trek the outlook of Bintang lagoon. Dive sites visited will depend on the conditions but we never miss a chance to dive the site made famous by Max Ammer, Melissa’s garden. The large colourful reef system at the top of the dive site, with its thousands of Anthias dodging predators is what gives Melissa’s garden its name.
There is also and an opportunity to dive Kerou channel, which is located close to Leo’s reef, a fish breeding farm funded by Hollywood legend, Leonardo DiCaprio. Overnight we sail to the northernmost part of Raja Ampat, Wayag, a Manta Ray and Black Tip Reef Shark breeding ground and home to the infamous lookout from Mount Pindito.
Day 3 – Wayag Island
Awake bright and earthly to witness sunrise on the equator, cruising between the limestone formations that make up the island of Wayag, in preparation for the mornings hike. This small mountain has become synonymous with Raja Ampat, and the bay is also home to a Manta breeding station. The best time to hike this hill is early morning, before temperatures rise, but the rewards for climbing are well worth it. The beaches here are also pristine, with fine white sand and turquoise waters surrounding the limestone cliffs of the islands.
After trekking, we will endeavor to dive either Way-out-Rock or Figure 8 Rock, both submerged pinnacles home to large pelagic fish, and the occasional passing Manta. While you have lunch, the boat will cruise to the eastern side of Wayag. Here is where we plan to dive the legendary dive site, Cathedral, which is renowned for its spectacular topography and swim throughs. Following the dive, we take a short trip to the Wayag Ranger station, which is also a Black Tip Reef Shark breeding area. Here we will hopefully get the chance to do some snorkeling with these baby sharks under the ranger jetty, and also conduct a night dive on the same stretch of reef.
Day 4 – Kawe & Aljui Bay
Kawe is an island located exactly on the equator, and is the owners favourite island to dive on in the north of Raja Ampat. Dive sites visited here are very heavily dependent on day-to-day unpredictable conditions such as swell, but one of our favourite sites in the area is Changgo, located on the equator in the east of Kawe Island. Black Rock and Eagle Rock are both well known for their currents and their Manta populations, and we will dive these sites late morning and early afternoon. Around 4 pm, La Galigo will move into Aljui Bay, one of the world’s most spectacular bays to watch the sunset, and also do some great muck diving, at sites such as the Fuel Dock or the Pearl Farm Jetty.
Day 5 – Gam & The Western Dampier Strait
We wake up just off the coast in Gam Island. There are some great dive sites around this area with vibrant fish covered reefs and plenty of stunning macro subjects. Two sites we regularly visit in Gam are Mayhem and Citrus Ridge. As we have lunch we will cruise down to the Western Dampier Strait, to a dive site named Manta Ridge, for an opportunity to dive with the Manta Ray population often located here. In the late afternoon, we take a land tour onto the peaceful Arborek Island. The village itself is tranquil and surrounded by beautiful beaches. Arborek is also home to what we consider to be one of the best night dives in the world, Arborek Jetty, for a chance to find Walking Sharks, Blue-ringed octopus, and many other critters.
Day 6 – The Central Dampier Strait
Day 6 is almost like a highlights reel of Raja Ampat, and in the morning we often visit Cape Kri, with its schools of Barracudas and Snappers, as well as passing Manta Rays and Sharks. After Kri, we take a visit to another world-class dive site, Blue magic, a submerged reef with Mantas and Giant Trevally nursing the currents, to Wobbegong sharks hiding under bommies. Our afternoon is often spent at either Mikes Point or Sardine, dependent on the currents in the area, but either dive site is memorable in its own right. Our night dive is conducted on the island of Saonek, and it’s world renowned jetty dive, where shallow lush sea grasses hide amazing macro photography subjects such as the Lembeh Sea Dragon.
Day 7 – The Eastern Dampier Strait
Over the years on the penultimate day of our Raja North trip, we have received countless requests to revisit guests favourite dive sites from the day before….so that’s what we now do! Early morning, we will head to one of these sites, and then onto Mioskon Island for a shallow dive, allowing us ample time to gas off in preparation for your flight the next day.
You are welcome to spend the afternoon onboard, or bathing and swimming on Mioskon Island, allowing our hard working crew the time to prepare for you a BBQ feast on the beach.
Day 8 – Disembark in Sorong
La Galigo will be anchored in the morning around 05:00am in Sorong, in preparation for you to catch your flight, or check-in to your hotel. Guests are very welcome to stay onboard until 11:00am, whereupon we will assist you with transportation to your desired location.
