Indonesia · Raja Ampat
The richest reefs on earth, and almost nobody there
Raja Ampat is a yacht charter for the water first: 1,500 islands off Sorong in West Papua with three quarters of the world's coral species and more reef fish than anywhere measured, dived and snorkelled from a phinisi that moves every night. The season is October to April, the boats are the same ones that work Komodo in the northern summer, and a week is the minimum that makes the flights worthwhile.
Season
Mid October to April. Our pick: November to March
How long
7 to 14 nights. Seven is the minimum; eight adds Misool
Fly into
Sorong (SOQ): direct from Jakarta, one stop from Bali. From North America via Singapore, Dubai or Doha to Jakarta
Board at
Sorong harbour, minutes from the airport. Most boats sail the same day
Cruising
One anchorage a day and one overnight passage; the south adds a second
Water
28 to 30°C. Currents in the strait, which is why the fish are there
Fleet
Six boats from 30 to 45 metres, three to seven cabins, every one with dive crew
Raja Ampat is where the fish are. Cape Kri in the Dampier Strait holds the record for species counted on a single dive, the manta cleaning stations at Batanta and Kawe work almost every day, and Misool in the south has reefs so dense there is no sand between the coral. It is also, from a boat, remarkably easy: short hops between anchorages, calm water inside the islands, and a viewpoint to climb most afternoons.
The trade-off is the journey. Sorong is a day from Sydney and half a day from Singapore, so we do not send anyone for less than a week, and the best trips are eight nights or the seasonal crossing to the Spice Islands. Once you are on board, though, nobody wishes they had gone somewhere nearer.
Where we actually go
Dive
Cape Kri, Mansuar
The record-holder: 374 species on one dive. Barracuda, batfish, reef sharks and turtles on a running tide. The first proper dive of every northern loop.
Swim and anchor
Piaynemo and the Star Lagoon
Melissa's Garden below, coral with no sand between it, and the wooden stairs to the lookout above. Go up early or late; the day boats come at midday.
Do
Wayag's Mount Pindito
A scramble, not a walk, to the view on every Raja Ampat poster. Juvenile mantas and blacktips in the lagoons below, and the crew set a barbecue on the beach for the evening.
Swim and anchor
The Passage, Waigeo to Gam
A saltwater river under jungle where the tide runs both ways. Kayak it, or drift it with a mask. Red birds of paradise display at dawn on the Gam side.
Dive
Misool: Boo Window and Magic Mountain
The south, quieter than the north and richer. A swim-through in a coral wall, and a seamount where oceanic mantas pass through the schooling fish. Worth the extra night's passage.
Do
Arborek jetty and the pearl farm at Aljuy
The two village stops we always make: a jetty with a reef under it and children who will beat you at anything, and a working pearl farm that explains what the bay is for.
Good to know before you book
Diving is included, mostly
Every boat carries a divemaster and the equipment. Bring your own dive computer and torch, or rent them on board. Nitrox is free on some boats and a small daily charge on others; the currents here reward experience, and the guides pick the tide for the group.
Learn to dive on the trip
The crews can teach and certify guests to PADI Open Water and beyond during the charter, as long as the theory is done beforehand and we book the instructor in advance. Intro dives for the curious are usually free.
Bring the wine
The bar on board is house and local, and the good bottles run out. Tell us what you drink and we arrange the order or the import six to eight weeks ahead, so it is chilled when you board.
There is a spa therapist
Most of the fleet carry a massage therapist and include two or three hours a day. Ask when you book and the table is set up on deck between dives.
Itineraries
Raja Ampat itineraries
Three routes written by the boats' own teams: the northern loop, the longer one that adds Misool, and the seasonal crossing to the Spice Islands. Each names the boat it runs on.
Raja Ampat, the north: Wayag and the Dampier Strait
Sorong8 stopsSorong
Cape Kri, the Passage, Piaynemo's stairs, Wayag's karsts and the manta stations at Batanta. THE ORACLE's seven-night loop out of Sorong.
Open
Raja Ampat, north and south: Misool to Wayil
Sorong9 stopsSorong
Eight nights that add Misool's lagoons, a jellyfish lake and soft-coral caves to the strait's mantas and viewpoints. No anchorage repeated.
Open
The Spice Islands, Sorong to Ambon
Sorong8 stopsAmbon
Four days in Misool, then the nutmeg islands: forts, a volcano before breakfast and the island traded for Manhattan. ALIIKAI VOYAGE's seasonal crossing.
OpenThe boats
The phinisi that work Raja Ampat
Six of the fleet cross to Sorong for the season. Photos and rates are live from each listing; the card opens it.
CELESTIA
45 m · 7 cabins · 14 guests
Two dive professionals, Nitrox free of charge, three hours of massage a day and a Breville in the saloon. The one we send serious divers who still want to be looked after.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Banda Sea in September and October
Her listing
$95k
ALIIKAI VOYAGE
40 m · 7 cabins · 14 guests
Two owner's cabins with private balconies, a family suite that takes a cot, and a crew of 14 including a cruise director who speaks nine Indonesian dialects. Our pick for three generations.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Spice Islands on the crossings between
Her listing
$74k
THE ORACLE
35 m · 3 cabins · 6 guests
Six guests, ten crew. Yoga on the foredeck, a spa therapist, Starlink, and the routes below written by her own team. The most looked-after six people in Indonesia.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat November to April
Her listing
$44k – 48k
JAKARÉ
33 m · 5 cabins · 12 guests
A French and English speaking cruise director, dive guides included, and a route list that runs to Halmahera and the Togeans. The diver's phinisi at a sensible price.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Banda Sea and Alor in between
Her listing
$34k – 39k
SEQUOIA
31 m · 3 cabins · 6 guests
A 31-metre wooden dive yacht run by Dive Explorers Nusantara on the Komodo to Raja Ampat circuit. Built for people who want to be in the water three times a day.
Komodo May to September, Raja Ampat October to April
Her listing
$78k
ANNE BONNY
30 m · 3 cabins · 9 guests
Three cabins, a bonfire on the beach and Starlink when it works. The boat for one family or six friends who would rather have the whole thing to themselves than a bigger one shared.
Komodo June to September, Raja Ampat October to April, the Spice Islands in October
Her listing
$31k – 33k
Questions we get asked
Chartering in Raja Ampat, answered
Common questions
When is the best time for a Raja Ampat yacht charter?
October to April, with November to March the sweet spot: dry, calm inside the islands and the manta cleaning stations working most days. October and April are quieter and cheaper. From May to September the fleet moves to Komodo.
How do you get to Raja Ampat for a yacht charter?
Fly to Sorong on the western tip of West Papua. Jakarta is direct in about four hours; Bali is one stop. From Sydney allow a full day and arrive the night before. The boat's crew meet you at the airport and the harbour is a short drive.
How long should a Raja Ampat charter be?
Seven nights is the minimum we recommend and covers the northern loop: the Dampier Strait, Piaynemo and Wayag. Eight nights adds Misool in the south. The eleven-night crossing to the Spice Islands in October or April is the trip for people who have the time.
Can we learn to dive in Raja Ampat?
Yes. Every boat carries divemasters and full equipment, and can run PADI courses and certify guests during the charter if the theory is done beforehand and the instructor is booked in advance. Bring your own dive computer and torch or rent them on board.
Is alcohol available on board in Raja Ampat?
House and local drinks are on board, but choice is limited and good wine and spirits are hard to source in Sorong. Tell us what you would like and we arrange a pre-order or import six to eight weeks before you board.
Do you need to be a diver to charter in Raja Ampat?
No. The reefs are shallow enough that snorkellers see most of what divers do, every boat carries kayaks and paddleboards, and the viewpoints, lagoons and villages fill the afternoons. Intro dives are usually free on board if you want to try.
What kind of yacht do you charter in Raja Ampat?
Phinisi: traditional Indonesian wooden sailing ships rebuilt with modern cabins, dive decks and crews of ten to fourteen. Ours run from three cabins for six guests to seven cabins for fifteen. Every one carries dive professionals and most offer Nitrox.
How do Raja Ampat and Komodo fit together?
They are the two halves of Indonesia's charter year. Raja Ampat's season is October to April, Komodo's is May to October, and the same boats do both, crossing via the Spice Islands in between. Whichever month you have, one of them is in season.
Want this shaped around you?
Tell us the dates, who is coming and how much you want to dive. We come back with the boat, the loop and the flights into Sorong.