This Misool diving cruise starts into the heart of the Raja National Park. The Dampier Strait offers legendary 5 stars dive sites like Blue Magic, Cape Kri and Manta ridge. Oceanic Manta rays, wobbegong and reef sharks, schools of jacks and barracudas are running the show. Penemu hosts one of the largest Staghorn Acropora garden in Indonesia, and some beautiful submerged reefs.
The South East of Misool is a dream destination. Those 425 km2 of Marine Protected Area (M.P.A) have been delineated by the Misool Eco Resort, with the support of the local Papuan communities. Extended in 2010 (now 1220 km2), this place offers to divers a festival of huge sea fans, amazing colorful soft corals, and a massive amount of fishes. A pristine underwater wonderland.
Total navigation: 6,5 hours | 40 miles
Our guide is picking you up at your hotel, or directly to the airport. We host you on board and make sure you feel at home as soon as you step on the vessel. A welcome drink will be offer to you while displaying a quick briefing about security on board. Your Phinisi will then set course for Waisai, and drops his anchor for the night in Saonek Kecil. A check Misool diving will be proposed.
Day 2 | Oceanic mantas rays and Night Critters
Navigation: 1,5 hours | 9 miles
Blue Magic is an underwater ridge located on the south-East of Mioskon. Grey reef sharks, barracuda, wobbegong, giant grouper, schooling jack, and Spanish mackerel keep the show running. Oceanic manta rays are sometimes joining this underwater festival. Mioskon offers a sandy sloping reef with many yellow stripe snappers, bump head parrotfish, and fusiliers. Sapokreng is one of the best night Misool diving of the area. Octopus, frogfish, ghost pipefish, and many kinds of scorpionfish are sharing this fertile substrate.
Overnight anchored in Sapokreng.
Navigation: 3,5 hours | 22 miles
Submerged seamount exposed to the currents of the strait, Sardine attracts large schooling fusiliers, and often gets epic fish action. Hunting blue fins trevallies, reef sharks, and napoleon are commonly seen on site. Cape Kri is a legendary Misool diving site. Hundreds of species are congregating by species along this beautiful reef. An ideal example of the Raja Ampat biodiversity.
The Sawandarek village’s jetty attracts schooling yellow striped snappers, batfish, sweetlips, and barracuda. The super tiny Pontohi pygmy seahorse can also be spotted there, and the wobbegong shark as well. The villagers are involved in rebuilding their coral reef where boats use to drop their anchor. They have installed some funny shaped structure to host Acropora and soft coral colonies.
Overnight anchored in Yangeffo.
Navigation: 1,5 hours | 10 miles
Manta Ridge is one of the best Misool diving sites to dive with Alfredi’s manta rays. This ridge is a cleaning station, where the fierce currents bring the divers to use reef hook to enjoy the spectacle. Lucky onlookers can get surrounded by up to a dozen spinning mantas.
Mayhem is a fishy submerged reef off Yangeffo. Many coral trout can be seen around it, as well as grey reef sharks and schooling fusiliers. Citrus Ridge is an underwater ridge, which stands into the tiny strait between Gam and Yangeffo. The soft coral is absolutely amazing on the top of it, giving some orange and yellow-hued to the seascape. Numerous colorful Sea fans allow divers to test their skills on finding some pygmy seahorses, while some others can seek for hidden wobbegong under large boulders.
Overnight anchored in Yangeffo.
Navigation 15 miles | 3 hours
My Reef is an underwater ridge located in the South of the island of Penemu. The peak is 7 meters deep and is made up of boulders covered with coral. At the right tide, the quantity of fish is impressive. Yellow fins barracudas, jackfish, reef sharks, and groupers can be seen.
The surface interval includes a walk to the panorama of Penemu, with a stunning view of the lagoon and the limestones.
Keruo Channel: This Misool diving site is to be dived during the hottest and brightest hours of the day, to enjoy the perfect light from the sun. The area between 15 and 5 meters is the more interesting. Melissa’s Garden hides a field of unharmed blue, yellow, and pink staghorn coral, wrapped in a cloud of vibrant anthias fish. Offering a cleaning station for napoleon wrasse and giant trevallies, this site is one of the best dive sites in Raja Ampat. Some underwater ridges spread from each part of the Misoo diving site, and guarantee pelagic and shark encounters.
Overnight navigation for Misool. 90 miles | 15 hours.
Navigation: 3 hours | 20 miles
Friendly Canyon linked three rocks together by a reef. Two of them are separated by a shallow canyon. Colonized by flourishing soft coral and huge sea fans, it is a good example of what we can get in Misool.
Starting the second dive, we will pass under a sumptuous arch covered with soft corals. Schools of red snappers and fusiliers are always gathering there, ready to strike a pose for the photographers. Gently pushed South by the currents, divers will then reach a vertical wall with numerous overhangs, to finally end up the dive into the Farondi Cave (around 5 meters deep). Easy to enter, this cave has a unique atmosphere.
Your vessel will then set course to the Wayil area, and drop the anchor for the night.
Barracuda Rock is a nice dive site with overhanging curving wall and slope.
Navigation: 30 miles | 6 hours
One of the distinctive features to witness in Misool diving, are those special and unpredictable underwater hunting scenes. The ephemeral appearance of silverside bait balls gets predators into a frenzy. A squadron of mobulas are joining the show, and feed on this nature’s gift. Wayil and Pele area are regularly offering this kind of fish action.
Pele’s Playground is the Waaf island’s most western cape, and Kaleïdoscope is another submerged reef fully-packed with red gorgonians (melithaea Ochracea) in Pele. Bushes of black coral and giant sea fan are wrapped by glass fish and silversides, in a truly magical atmosphere. Four Kings is one of the best Misool diving sites. This underwater reef offers a dramatic topography, and a spectacular marine life.
Overnight anchored in Wayil.
Navigation: 2 hours | 10 miles
Fiabacet Ridge links the sites of Tank Rock and Nudi Rock. Grey sharks, groupers and yellow fin barracudas are numerous there. You can dive this site in different ways depending on the currents. To explore the close-by Whale Rock, divers cross over a little channel in between two small islands. A gorgonians field bring them to a tiny pinnacle fully packed with soft coral. You can find the same quantity of fish than in Fiabacet ridge.
Overnight anchored in Yiliet, in front of the ranger station. Baby blacktip sharks are commonly seen if you ashore.
Navigation: 2 hours | 10 miles.
Magic Mountain and Eagle Nest brings together all the best you can expect to see in Raja Ampat. Big eyes schooling jacks, bluefin and Giant trevallies, huge napoleon wrasse, giant grouper, barracuda, and all species of reef sharks.
You may see a huge shadow flying over your head. Oceanic manta rays often pay a visit to the divers. Onlookers may catch the manta’s eyes, and interact with them for a long time. An unforgettable underwater experience
Named after its tunnels and swim-through, Boo Windows has a dramatic topography. Following the ridge heading west, you may see grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, schools of batfish but also ghost pipefish or leaf fish.
Back to the anchorage at Yiliet for the night.
Puri Pinnacle is a submerged reef which stands at 7 meters below the surface. Its three outcrops attract large schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, and hunting trevallies. Also called Anchovies, it can offer some spectacular Mobula rays action. No contest, located in the gorgeous Balbulol area, is an underwater ridge is made out of strangely shaped rocky outcrops.
The dinghies whisk you away for the last Misool diving tour into the gorgeous lagoon of Balbulol. By then it will be time for your Misool liveaboard Phinisi to pull up the anchor from Balbulol, and set her course back to the harbor of Sorong.
Overnight navigation to Sorong. 15 hours | 75 miles.
The high season appears in between October and May during the western wind monsoon. Misool diving cruise is not recommended from July to September, as the area is over exposed to the south-eastern winds. The Misool eco resort stops his operations during those months.
The Dampier strait is diveable all year long, and is quite protected from the swell. The northern part of the Park can be cruised all year long but not always diveable in good conditions.
Remember that the Raja Ampat islands are located right under the Equator. The conditions can change rapidly in the area, and is subject to heavy rainfalls all year long. They never last long though. The archipelago mostly offers nice conditions with calm waters and an average 30 degrees temperature.
The water temperature has an average of 28 degrees. A full length 3 mm wet suit is recommended, even more for the drifting animals than the temperature. Sometimes Raja Ampat is subject to blooming of plankton and jellyfish, which can be itchy.
The visibility changes depending of the areas, rainfalls, and plankton’s bloom. The best visibility is in April and can reach a maximum of 30 meters. April gets also the highest water temperature (30 degrees).
Don’t expect a Red Sea visibility in Raja Ampat. Waters are rich and sometimes heavily charged. In the Dampier Strait, for example, it can change from one week to another. The reward is the amazing fish action, and super healthy reefs. A minimum of 20 meters can be expected though.
Most of dive sites in Raja Ampat are subject to moderate currents. But some of them are more exposed, and require a quick entry. It allows divers to be well positionned, and enjoy the best fish action. Like everywhere in the world, tidal currents are stronger the week after the full moon and the new moon. You can try to planificate your trip watching the moon calendar. Be prepared for a bit of current though, as this is one of the distinctive features of the country.
Embarkation from Sorong harbour, after landing at Domine Eduard Osok airport (SOQ).
Most of the people arrive in Jakarta airport, which is more convenient. There is direct Garuda airline flights from Jakarta to Sorong (GA-682 | departure at 00h30am arrival at 06:35am). These flights are quite tiring, as they occur in the middle of the night. This is why we recommend you to arrive the day before the departure of the cruise in order to rest in one of the hotels of Sorong.
If you’d prefer arrive from Bali, you will have to transit through Makassar. From Bali via Makassar we recommend the flight operated by Sriwijaya (SJ-726 | departure at 9:35pm arrival at 10:55pm at Makassar). The only inconvenience for any flights, is that you will have to wait for the next flight at Makasar airport until 3am. You will land at 06:55am in SOQ airport. Garuda and Batik Air operate the same kind of flights.
During your transit at Makassar airport (UPG), seek for one of the two lounge rooms located respectively in front of the Gate 1 and the Gate 6. It will cost you around 10 € for an all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet, and a comfortable seat.
If you wish, Konjo Cruising Indonesia can organize you flights, and hotel booking for you. Contact us for a personalize quote.
We recommand you to stay in one of those hotel, as they are following the international standarts in terms of cleanliness and service. We can help you with your reservation and organize evrerything for you.
MAMBERAMO MARINA: The closest from any supermarket and restaurants. Provides a good bar and restaurant considering the city of Sorong.
SWISS BEL HOTEL : The more comfortable hotel in town. Close form the ferry terminal for Waisai, but far from any restaurant. Correct breackfast, but avoid the dining. An extra charge will be added for early bookings.
VEGA HOTEL. The closer from the airport, and the more recently built. The best thing is that you can checkin anytime withour extra charge.
KASUARI BEACH RESORT: The fursthest from Town, but good to avoid the hectic harbour of Sorong. Free shuttle can be organized from the airport.
We highly recommand the SUNSHINE BEACH RESTO for a sunset drink on their terrasse, and a followed diner. They are specialize in seafood and fish barbecue, but offer many vegetarian option too. Their Chap-Chay is delicious. Come a bit early if you want to avoid the cheezy and loudy local band, or late to blend in with the local color.
For a coffee and some good snaks before your flight, we do recommand the MISOOL FILLING STATION handle by the Misool Eco resort. Go upstairs to be comfortably seatted, and have a look to their sustainably-made souvenirs.
There is no real touristic activities organize in Sorong. If you wish we could organise a little town tour for you. Wandering in the streets of Kampung Baru is already a true immersion, and you’ll hear plenty of friendly “Mister! “warmly chant by locals along your path.
Visiting the fish market could be an option, but you have to know that the clealiness standarts are a bit different from the western countries. It is truly impressive to see those huge yellow tail Tuna getting unloaded from the fishermen wooden boat around the Jimbatan Puri. The Pasar Remu is the main veggies and clothes market and release an authentic atmosphere.
The local supermarket is SAGA. You’ll fins there most of the thing you need. Ramayana or Planet Surf are better if you need any clothes. You’ll find souvenir in Toko Andalas, Kaokanao or Toko Souvenir. Batik Papua id good for local batik printed fabric.
