Raja Ampat, the north: Wayag and the Dampier Strait

The team meet you at the airport or your hotel and a short transfer brings you to the harbour and the tender. Settle in, meet the crew, a safety briefing over lunch, and the first crossing to Mioskon, a calm introduction to the islands before the reefs proper start tomorrow.

• Airport transfer and boarding from 08:00
• Crew introductions and safety briefing
• Lunch under way
• First anchorage at Mioskon

Mansuar sits in the Dampier Strait and its point, Cape Kri, is where a single dive logged more fish species than any other on record. Schools of barracuda and batfish, reef sharks, turtles. The bays behind are calm enough for snorkelling, a first dive, paddleboards and kayaks.

• Cape Kri, dive or snorkel
• Barracuda, batfish and reef sharks
• Calm bays for beginners and paddleboards
• Overnight in the Dampier Strait

Wake to birdsong and cruise to the narrow channel between Waigeo and Gam, a saltwater river under overhanging jungle where the tide runs both ways and no two passes are the same. Early risers can go ashore for a short jungle trek to see the red bird of paradise displaying before the heat.

• Dawn trek for the red bird of paradise
• The Passage by tender or kayak
• Snorkelling the channel on the tide
• Overnight off Gam

The postcard. Dive or snorkel Melissa's Garden and Anita's Garden, coral so dense there is no sand between it, then climb the wooden stairs to the lookout over the turquoise lagoons and the karst islets. An optional night dive after dinner, or a treatment from the spa therapist on deck.

• Melissa's Garden and Anita's Garden
• The Piaynemo viewpoint climb
• Optional night dive
• Spa treatment on board

Wayag's limestone karsts, white sand and hidden lagoons are what Raja Ampat looks like in your head. Start early with the hike up Mount Pindito for the panorama, then explore the lagoons by kayak or paddleboard; juvenile mantas and blacktip sharks patrol the shallows. The crew set a barbecue on the beach and you go back aboard for the stars.

• Mount Pindito at first light
• Lagoons by kayak and paddleboard
• Juvenile mantas and blacktips in the shallows
• Beach barbecue and stargazing

Two islands joined by a sandbar, with flat clear water on both sides for kayaks and paddleboards. Divers take Black Forest, a slope of black coral with bumphead parrotfish and trevally. Sunset cocktails on deck and dinner under the stars.

• The Wofoh sandbar
• Black Forest dive: bumpheads and trevally
• Sunset cocktails on deck
• Dinner under the stars

The nutrient-rich water of the Dampier Strait draws reef and oceanic mantas to feed and to the cleaning stations, and dolphins are often about. A last morning in the water, and in the evening the boat begins the return towards Sorong.

• Reef and oceanic mantas
• Dolphins in the strait
• Last dive or snorkel of the week
• Evening passage towards Sorong

Breakfast on board, goodbyes to the crew, and the transfer to the airport or your hotel. Check-out is by ten.

• Breakfast on board
• Check-out by 10:00
• Airport or hotel transfer