North Raja Ampat
Cape Kri
Where Dr. Gerry Allen counted a world-record 374 fish species on a single dive in 2012. Schools of trevally, barracuda, and sweetlips ride the current in steady motion.
Private Charter Itinerary
Dive Ultramarine
A 10-night voyage across Raja Ampat's most storied reefs.
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Raja Ampat
Route
10 Nights
Duration
388 NM
Distance
Nov to Mar
Season
The Journey
North to Wayag, South to Misool
This is the itinerary for divers who want to see everything. In 10 nights, starting from Sorong, it covers both the northern and southern extremities of Raja Ampat: Cape Kri's record-breaking fish counts, the manta cleaning stations of Blue Magic and Eagle Rock, the pinnacles of Wayag, and then south into Misool where Shadow Reef and Four Kings sit among the most productive reefs on earth.
Designed for experienced, committed divers, this voyage is built around three dives per day. Karst formations, pearl farms, and village walks fill the intervals. National Geographic called these waters "Ultramarine" for good reason: the color of the sea here is not like anywhere else. What took the region's diving pioneers over two decades to fully map, this itinerary covers in 10 nights.
The route includes overnight crossings between north and south Raja Ampat to make the most of the available dive days. This is a charter for those who want the full picture, not a selection of it.
— Nikko Karki, Indo YachtsTen nights is the minimum if you want both north and south. Anything shorter is a trade-off, and we will tell you which dives we cut and why before you commit.
Karst pinnacles rise from still waters at dawn, Wayag, Raja Ampat.
Experiences
Journey Highlights
The dive sites and encounters that define this expedition into the heart of the coral triangle.
Dampier Strait
Blue Magic
A seamount in the Dampier Strait. Negative entry to twenty meters; from the blue, oceanic mantas with six-meter wingspans glide in. Schools of trevally and barracuda wrap the pinnacle.
South Raja Ampat, Misool
Shadow Reef
Also known as Magic Mountain, a seamount where oceanic mantas circle cleaning stations above some of the richest soft coral in the Coral Triangle.
The Route
Sorong Round-Trip
- Day 1
Sorong / Mioskon
- Days 2 to 3
Dampier Strait
- Day 3
Wayag
- Days 4 to 5
Penemu / Aljui
- Days 6 to 9
Misool
- Day 11
Sorong
Click to enlarge
Day by Day
The Dive Expedition
01
Day
Sorong, Mioskon
Embark into the Dampier Strait
From Sorong, West Papua, head west into the Dampier Strait. At Mioskon, get in the water over a shallow reef rich with fish life, then relax on the small beach for sunset.
Cruising
39 NM
Activity
Shallow Reef Dive
Highlight
Mioskon Sunset
02
Day
Blue Magic, Cape Kri, Sauwandarek
The Record-Breaking Reef
Dive Blue Magic, home to over 200 species of reef fish and coral, with possible manta sightings. Dive Cape Kri, where a world-record 326 fish species were once counted on a single dive. After diving Sauwandarek Jetty, stroll the village. Cruise overnight to Wayag.
Cruising
9 NM
Activity
Blue Magic & Cape Kri
Highlight
Possible Manta Sightings
03
Day
Sauwandarek, Wayag
Mount Pindito at Dawn
Wake early to climb Mount Pindito for views across Raja Ampat's islands. Advanced divers can explore Pelagic Rock, where large schools gather to hunt. Explore Wayag's lagoons by tender, then dive The Cathedral, a cavernous underwater chamber.
Cruising
59 NM
Activity
Pelagic Rock & The Cathedral
Highlight
Pindito Sunrise Hike
04
Day
Black Rock, Eagle Rock, Aljui Bay
Equator Crossing and Pearl Farm
Dive Black Rock, which straddles the equator, then Eagle Rock's cleaning station for a chance at more manta rays. Finish at Channel Island inside Aljui Bay. In the afternoon, visit an ecologically sound pearl farm and take a tender ride into the bay before cruising to Penemu.
Cruising
24 NM
Activity
Black Rock & Eagle Rock
Highlight
Pearl Farm Visit
05
Day
Aljui Bay, Penemu
Sunrise Hike and Three Sites
Catch the sunrise from the Penemu hills, a brisk hike well worth the panorama. The day's sites include Melissa's Garden, Keruo Channel, and the reef named Too Many Fish. Cruise overnight to Misool.
Cruising
26 NM
Activity
Melissa's Garden & Keruo Channel
Highlight
Penemu Sunrise Hike
06
Day
Penemu, Tomolol
Silversides and Mobulas
Dive Two Trees Island for spawning silversides, then Sagof Ridge and Emily's Reef for more silversides, squadrons of mobulas, and a chance at an endemic wobbegong shark. Close the day with a sunset beach BBQ.
Cruising
81 NM
Activity
Two Trees & Sagof Ridge
Highlight
Sunset Beach BBQ
07
Day
Tomolol, Yilliet
The World's Richest Reef
The day begins at Shadow Reef, also known as Magic Mountain, often called the richest and liveliest reef in the world. Continue to Nudi Rock and Wedding Cake, then take a tender ride through karst formations in emerald water.
Cruising
16 NM
Activity
Nudi Rock & Wedding Cake
Highlight
Shadow Reef
08
Day
Yilliet, Pelee
Four Kings
Dive the iconic, fish-packed Four Kings, then Gorgonian Passage and Two Sisters. In the afternoon, kayak or paddleboard the lagoons and enjoy a beach picnic.
Cruising
13 NM
Activity
Gorgonian Passage & Two Sisters
Highlight
Four Kings
09
Day
Pelee, Wagmab, Balbulol
Three Towers and the Maze Lagoon
Dive beneath a water ridge at Three Towers, then at Talintung, a tiny island with an outsized reef. After diving Love Potion Number 9, take a tender ride or paddleboard through Balbulol's maze-like lagoon.
Cruising
40 NM
Activity
Talintung & Love Potion
Highlight
Balbulol Lagoon
10
Day
Balbulol, Sorong
Final Dives, Farewell Feast
Dive Farondi Cavern, then explore a lagoon by paddleboard or tender. In the afternoon, climb Arfak Peak for the view, and on the overnight cruise to Sorong, enjoy a last sunset and a feast on board.
Cruising
81 NM
Activity
Farondi Cavern
Highlight
Arfak Peak Sunset
11
Day
Sorong, West Papua
Return to Sorong
Disembark at Sorong and transfer to the airport for onward flights.
Disembark
After Breakfast
Depart
Sorong (SOQ)
Your Charter Team
Guided by Those Who Know These Waters
This is the trip for divers who want all of Raja Ampat, north and south, not a selection of it. Ten nights is the minimum that makes both ends possible, and the pace is honest about that: three dives a day, with overnight crossings to protect the dive time. Tell us how your group dives and how hard they want to be pushed, and we will be straight about what the ten nights can and cannot hold.
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Recommended Yachts
Recommended for This Voyage
Yachts equipped for ten nights of bucket-list diving: dedicated dive operations, generous range, and the underwater pedigree the itinerary demands.
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From the Journal
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Practical Reading
Charter Guides
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Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What dive certification is needed?
Advanced Open Water is recommended for sites like Pelagic Rock and the stronger current dives in the Dampier Strait. Open Water certified divers can access most of the Misool sites, and many of the Dampier Strait reefs are manageable with an active diving history. Your guide will brief conditions each morning and make a call based on your experience and the day's currents.
When is the best time to dive Raja Ampat?
October through April is the prime season: calmer seas, visibility regularly reaching 30 meters, and the best conditions at Misool. The north, including Wayag and the Dampier Strait, can also be good from May to October, when currents feed the big fish sites particularly well. Manta sightings at Blue Magic and Eagle Rock are reported year-round.
How do I get to Sorong?
Fly to Domine Eduard Osok Airport (SOQ) in Sorong. Direct domestic flights connect from Bali, Jakarta, Manado, and Makassar. Your Indo Yachts charter team arranges the harbor transfer from the airport, a short drive to the port. The charter begins and ends in Sorong, so no additional flights are needed during the voyage.
Can the route or sites be customized?
Always. Your cruise director and dive guide plan each day based on conditions, the group's interests, and what's been seen on previous dives. Want to revisit Shadow Reef? Spend a second morning at Cape Kri? Skip a dive for a village walk? The daily plan is a conversation, not a fixed schedule. This is a private charter, not a liveaboard group departure.
Interested in This Itinerary?
Please get in touch to discuss planning your private charter.