Day 1 – Sorong/Waisai
We will collect you from the airport or your hotel between 7 am – 8 am on the day of departure. From the collection point, we will head to the harbour where we will then transfer to La Galigo. After a refreshing welcome drink and a safety briefing of our ship, we will aim to anchor up around 10:30 am from the harbour. Once finished we will grab a small lunch before getting in the water for your check out dive. After the checkout dive, we will anchor up and head straight to the southern part of Raja Ampat, which is Misool.
Day 2 – Goa Farondi – Misool
After the long haul south we will arrive in Misool for a 2/3 dive day. The dives generally consist of a light cave dive, named Goa Farondi, where there is a chance to do some swim-throughs and maybe meet the bump head parrotfish population, and 3 Rocks, collection of submerged pinnacles home to Barracuda and Trevallies. The afternoon we take in the site No Contest, a ridge that is home to an abundance of marine life, soft corals and overhangs. The evening dive can be taken at many sites located in the vicinity of No Contest, including pet rock, Plateau, and Love Potion.
Day 3 – Daram
Daram is one of the areas less frequented by liveaboards in Misool due to its location in the far east, however, it is home to what many local professionals consider to be one of the finest dive sites in the Misool, ‘Candy store’. Not so far from dive one another critically acclaimed site Andiamo, a submerged reef with two islets, and home to amazing fan corals. Both aforementioned dive sites can easily be dived twice due to their size and qualities. Night diving here is often conducted at un-named slopes or ridges due to the sheer abundance of healthy coral growth and fish populations.
Day 4 – Jamur Boo – Misool
The diving in this part of Misool is filled with the pristine coral life in the heart of Misool and Giant Pacific Manta Rays, close to the Eco Resort. Whale rock and Nudi Rock are both abundant in beautiful soft coral and schools of fish, and conditions and logistics with Misool Eco Resort will decide which of the sites are dived. Magic mountain is located in the unprotected southern waters of Misool, but you can often find huge Manta Rays gliding across this fast-becoming-favourite dive site of ours. The afternoon dive is at the dive site Boo Windows, unique in topography, the reef has a window like swim-throughs, and a great chance for some wide-angle photos. Yellit kecil is the night dive around here that is not to be missed, with excellent sea fan growth and stunning bommies to explore.
Day 5 – Central Misool
This is the last full day we spend in Misool, and the morning is spent on an isolated interlinking submerged reef system known as the Three Kings. Difficult to locate without GPS, this site is as awesome in topography as it is in fish life. Giant Trevally, Napoleon Wrasse, and large Snapper are all often found here. Up next is Barracuda, a dive site which might be better known as Trevally, with its large schools of predatory pelagic species. Dive three of the day is taken at Wedding Cake, so named for its tiered topography, which is home to some of Misool’s Pygmy Seahorse community. Wedding cake makes for an awesome, calm night dive also, and a chance to see species using the reef at night for protection from the local Trevally residents.
Day 6 – Goa Farondi – Misool
This morning the sun rises once again against the sheer limestone cliffs of Farondi island, where we plan to make two early dives here, allowing us enough time to make it back to the central part of Raja Ampat. Razorback ridge is a series of layered ridges home to a variety of critters. Grouper Rock is a small island with a shallow swim through in the shallows. After this swim through you are met with sea fans and soft coral covered walls. After these two dives, we set course for Penemu, approximately 90 miles from northern Misool. This large crossing can be slowed down if the weather is rough, so a decision will be made by the Cruise Director or Captain to only do one dive, leaving enough time to make a time-efficient crossing to our next destination.
Day 7 – 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, who named Melissa’s garden on behalf of his daughter. The large colourful reef system at the top of the dive site, with its thousands of Anthias dodging predatory species is what gives the site its garden reference. 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.
Day 8 – Wayag Island
You awake in the morning cruising between limestone formations on the way to the now infamous lookout of Mt. Pindito. 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 endeavour to dive either Way-out-Rock or Figure 8 Rock, both submerged pinnacles home to large pelagic fish, and the occasional passing Manta.
Day 9 – Kawe & Aljui Bay
In Kawe Island we will do 3 dives. 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 10 – Gam – 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 11 – Eastern Dampier Strait
On the penultimate day of the trip, we start the day by diving the world-renowned Cape Kri, with its huge schools of fish life on its current ravaged slopes. The final dive of the trip will be at Blue Magic, for a chance to hang out with the Manta Rays and the Wobbegong sharks that call this place home. The afternoon can be spent snorkelling or relaxing on the beach whilst we prepare a beach BBQ, before setting course for Sorong around 10 am.
Day 12 – Disembark
From around 05:00am La Galigo will be anchored in Sorong in preparation for you to catch your flight, or check in to your hotel. Guests are welcome to stay onboard until 11:00am, whereupon we will assist you with transportation to your desired location.
