Raja Ampat, Indonesia

About Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat, in eastern Indonesia, is one of the most biologically rich marine regions on Earth—often called the heart of the Coral Triangle. Its reefs hold an astonishing diversity, with over 500 species of coral and more than 1,500 species of fish, creating dense, vibrant ecosystems where nearly every glance reveals something new. From tiny, brilliantly colored nudibranchs tucked into coral crevices to large pelagics cruising the drop-offs, the sheer variety and abundance of life is what sets Raja Ampat apart.

• Location – Raja Ampat is an island regency in West Papua, Indonesia, in the far eastern part of the country.
• Island Group – The name means “Four Kings,” referring to its four main islands: Waigeo, Misool, Salawati, and Batanta.
• Nearest Airport – The main gateway is Domine Eduard Osok Airport (SOQ) in Sorong, followed by a boat transfer.
• Access – From Sorong, travel to the islands is typically by ferry or speedboat, ranging from 2–4+ hours depending on destination.
• Population – The region is sparsely populated, with small villages scattered across the islands rather than large towns.
• Local People – Indigenous Papuan communities make up most of the population, with a mix of traditional and modern lifestyles.
• Village Life – Many locals live in simple coastal villages, often in stilted homes along the shoreline.
• Language – Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is widely spoken, along with local Papuan languages.
• Climate – Tropical and warm year-round, with high humidity and occasional rain showers.
• Accommodations – Range from basic homestays run by local families to higher-end eco-resorts, often in very remote settings.

Trip Summary

For snorkelers and divers, it’s about as close as you can get to a living aquarium. Shallow reefs are just as alive as deeper sites, making snorkeling exceptionally rewarding—crystal-clear water, healthy coral gardens, and constant movement all around you. Divers can explore dramatic walls, currents rich with nutrients, and cleaning stations where manta rays glide in with quiet grace. Whether floating on the surface or descending into the blue, Raja Ampat offers an immersive experience where biodiversity isn’t just a statistic—it surrounds you in every direction.

We made the long haul over in stages—Portland to Seattle, then across the Pacific in the middle of the night, chasing time zones and eventually hopping the International Date Line. Business class helped; being able to stretch out and actually sleep made a big difference, and we took advantage of every lounge, snack, and quiet corner we could find along the way. There were a few hiccups—misplaced visas that magically reappeared when we needed them, a long walk across Jakarta’s airport to the wrong hotel before finding the right one—but nothing that derailed us. By the time we reached Sorong (somewhere around Sunday, we think), we had met folks from all over—Canada, the Netherlands, the U.S.—all headed to the same place. From there it was ferry, then a smaller boat, and finally Biodiversity, where we were welcomed, fed, and pretty much collapsed into bed, exhausted but glad to be there.

The days that followed had a rhythm—early mornings, coffee delivered to the room, out on the water, then back for food, rest, and a cold beer at Happy Hour—but reality had other plans. We both came down with a pretty good bug, each taking a turn being down for the count for several days. We took care of each other, and the folks at Biodiversity were terrific, helping however they could. In between the downtime, we managed some truly memorable moments: warm, easy snorkeling over huge coral fields, turtles and octopus sightings, sharks cruising in for fish scraps at the dock, and the occasional drift through strong currents that did most of the work for us. Rod pushed through to finish his dive certification (and celebrate his birthday), while Marg explored with new friends from around the world. Toward the end, as we finally felt human again, we got in some great trips—Piaynemo’s stunning views, kayaking through mangroves, Cape Kri, Yenbuba, and a final beautiful day on the water. Not perfect by any means, but one of those trips you remember just the same—maybe even more because of it.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Biodiversity Eco Resort for two weeks. It was a wonderful place to stay, right on the beach, with wonderful food and wonderful people. What can I say, it was wonderful! Every day there was a different snorkeling or diving adventure. They cater to both snorkeling and diving so you can mix and match. I learned to scuba dive there and got a total of 12 dives in. I would highly recommend Biodiversity Eco Resort. The only thing I would change is that I would probably only stay there a week and then go somewhere else, like Misool. Two weeks is a long time to spend in one place. I think we decided to stay there the entire time because it is pretty hard to get around in the islands, so once we were in a place, we really didn’t want to travel around.

How to Get There

Getting from Portland, OR to Biodiversity Eco Resort in Raja Ampat was my biggest challenge in planning the trip. We left PDX (Portland International Airport) at 7:38pm on Jan 15, and arrived at Biodiversity Eco Resort at about noon on Jan 18. We were in the air for about 23 hours, on boats of various sizes for about 1.5 hours, and took taxis for maybe an hour. We also stayed in a hotel room in the Jakarta airport for maybe six hours (and I do recommend getting a hotel room for even that short of a time), and we stayed at a hotel in Sorong the night of Feb 1.

Because flying to Jakarta was 19 hours total with another six hours of layover time, we decided to bite the bullet and pay for Business Class. We had never flown business class before, and let me tell you, on such a long flight it is definitely worth the extra $$. Our round trip tickets for PDX-Jakarta were about $4,800 each. Yes, that is a lot of money, but given that we were able to lie down flat to sleep, got wonderful meals, were able to stay in the airport lounges, and were generally pampered the entire way, yep, I would do it again.

Getting to Jakarta and finding our hotel in the airport was pretty easy. We stayed at the Grand Anara Airport Hotel and I would recommend it for a quick six hour stay. You get showers, sleep, and distance from the noise and chaos of a very busy airport.

1. Take the 12:10am Garuda Air flight from Jakarta to Sorong
2. As part of your deal with Biodiversity Resort, there will be someone there to meet you representing the resort.
3. These people will take you by taxi to a hotel where you can hang out until they come back and take you to the Ferry.
4. As part of the Biodiversity registration before you get there (Biodiversity will send you an email), you should ask for the VIP lounge. Otherwise, it is very hot. However, the VIP lounge is freakishly cold! Take a jacket with you just for the lounge – a heavy one.
5. The ferry takes about two hours to get you to Waisai.
6. At Waisai, you will be met by more Biodiversity reps and they will take you to the Biodiversity dinghy that will take you for about a 20 minute boat rode to Biodiversity Eco Resort.

Really, Biodiversity makes it pretty easy as long as you follow the instructions they send you a few days before your trip begins.

You will also need to get a Visa and a Marine Park Pass. Biodiversity will tell you how to do that as well.

When you begin your journey home, you generally do the Jakarta to Biodiversity part in reverse order. However, you will not get back to Sorong in time to get the plane back to Jakarta. You will need to spend the night. We stayed at the Aston Sorong hotel. It is directly across the road from the airport. But you will want to take a taxi even though it is close. Crossing the road can be an experience you don’t want to experience.

Things to Do

You are here to snorkel and/or dive. You can also go on a morning birding trip to try to find the Bird of Paradise. We decided not to do that because we got sick three days into our trip and would have died trying to climb the hills to find the bird. However, we might have been tempted to try it even with our sickness if any of the folks that went while we were there had seen the bird on their trips. It was not a good time to go birding, at least for the Birds of Paradise.

There are also tours, kayaking and cultural opportunities. Check out their website for more information.

Sites to Visit

• We Wander Why
• Explore with Finesse
• Tropical Snorkeling
• Retirement Travelers Video
• Oceanic Society
• Snorkelventure
• Raja Ampat Indonesia on a Budget
• Homestays Raja Ampat
• Snorkeling in Raja Ampat – incredible article
• Just Google it

Our Itinerary (Marg’s Notes), Experiences, & Thoughts

Of note: Marg did not takes notes every day. We were both sick and didn’t feel like doing much at all for at least three days each. Of course, she got the disease after I got mine. She took care of me and I took care of her. The folks at Biodiversity were also great and helped us a lot.

Jan 15 – 18 (Crossed International Dateline): Our ride to the airport took ~1 1/2 hours in heavy traffic! Rush hour I guess. Checked in, waited & got on our flight with no problem, tho Rod couldn't find our entry visas when we checked in! Flying Business class to Taipei.

In Seattle we waited in the lounge for our flight, scheduled to leave at 12:40 am. We had bubbly & wine & some snacks. Once we were in the air, we were fed dinner. We slept well, nice to be able to lie down! The flight was scheduled for 13 hours, but ended up being ~12. Breakfast was served 2 hrs before landing. We landed in Taipei ~4:00am.

On Saturday, I guess! the lounge opened at 5:00. We hung out there until our flight to Jakarta. We met 2 guys (Jim & Kevin) who were headed out on our flight too. They were diving on a “Live Aboard.” We left at 8:00am. The flight was ~4 1/2 hours uneventful. I slept again! In Jakarta we went thru immigration to Indonesia. When we scanned our passports, the tech automatically found our visas that we couldn't find in Portland (but we did find them in Jakarta). We tromped thru the airport to try to check our luggage, but it was too early. Rod had reserved a room for us at a hotel in the airport, so we went in search of it. Unfortunately, we found the Anara Hotel, but we were registered at the Grand Anara Hotel at the other end of the airport! We walked back again. It was a very nice room! We took showers & slept again before our final leg to Sorong, leaving at 12:10am (we had no boarding to upgrade our seats so were in Economy class). Another 4 hour flight, but I slept again. In Sorong we were greeted by Joli (sp) from Biodiversity. I believe it was now SUNDAY!

In Jakarta we got $$ from the ATM & met another couple from Canada who were on our flight.

In Sorong we also met Judith & Piet from the Netherlands who were headed to Biodiversity too. In Sorong we waited at the Bel-Swiss hotel for all our group to be picked up. After an hour or so we were picked up by Joli & Ray & taken to the ferry! Rod had procured VIP tickets so we were in A/C! We also met our next neighbor and some nice people from Washington. I fell asleep AGAIN but it was cold! After a 2 hour ferry ride we got on a smaller boat for our short trip to Biodiversity. We had a short introduction & then to our room. Number 11. The last of the line! Lunch was served soon after, then another nap! We unpacked, showered & rested until 5:00, then had some beer! Dinner was very good… mahi mahi (for lunch chicken curry!). Met more people & went to bed at 8:30. Exhausted!!

(At 4:30 Rod met with Said, his Dive teacher)

Jan 19 (Rod’s b-day – 73): We slept very well! It was hot but we have a fan. Woke up at 6:10. They delivered hot water to our room for coffee & tea. We had cereal, bread & fruit for breakfast! At 7:45 we were off for our first snorkeling trip. Amazing! The water is really warm, didn’t require much swimming, just drifted in the currents. We went to 3 different spots with snack time on shore at a small island. Saw quite a few new fish. Vast coral fields too! We were back before lunch so had time to shower before we ate at 1:30. Another rest, Happy Hour & beer before dinner. They left Rod a nice Bday card in our room & sang to him after dinner. I went back again but slept pretty well. Rod is coughing!!

Jan 20: We got up around 6:00. I took a shower… warm night. Rod has his first dive lesson at 8:00. We had breakfast before he left. I have a free morning! I washed out some clothes then came to clean the room at 8:15 so I read outside. (When they were done I continued writing about our trip. It is now 9:44 am!)

Rod had a good first lesson. After lunch, we went for a swim on the dock. They were cleaning fish, throwing the parts over the edge. Lots of sharks came in to eat! Rod’s cough is worse & he is not feeling well ☹. Happy Hour, dinner, beer.

Jan 21: Rod is sick. Upper respiratory thing. Down for the count. I am going to hang out & read again! Wash out some clothes, read & rest.
Rod down all day… quite sick!! Ate meals alone & took some food to Rod.

Jan 22 (Charlie 9 today): Rod sick again. I went out on the morning boat to Island I think. Very nice! I found a turtle & an octopus! We had a 45 minute rest, then back in the water. The current was strong so we just rode it. That was fun & beautiful! I teamed up with Judith. Her husband was diving. Back to shower, eat & rest. At Happy Hour/Internet time, I did a lot of banking! Took dinner to Rod again. He seems to be on the mend. It is really HOT. Had a thunderstorm while we were resting. I ate with Austin, Liz & Joni from Denver.

Jan 23: Rod is better today, made it to the meals. Another down day but about 10:30 we went for a swim on the house reef. Very nice! Got done ~ noon. Saw a shark (wobbegong). Shower, eat, rest, Happy Hour. I am now sniffly!

Jan 24 – 26: Marg is down with the sickness. Rod went to see Mantas, Cape Kri, and finished scuba certification. Marg made a snorkel trip on the morning of 26^th. She is recovering.

Jan 27: Fam Trip / Melissa’s garden

This was an all day trip. The boat ride out was ~1 1/2 hour. More beautiful swimming. I snorkeled with Marc & Sue from London. We had our rest at the Piaynemo dock, hidden by a lot of beautiful islands. We actually had lunch. After eating we walked up a lot of stairs to the top of the island. Wonderful views! We got back ~5:30. Great Day!

Jan 28: Kayaking!

We got the double kayak and headed east around the island. Beautiful. We ventured up a little inlet full of mangroves. Pretty neat! I saw a little shark swimming around. The wind was picking up so we headed back. Lots of trash in the water! We were back in time for a shower before lunch. During naptime we had a big thunderstorm!

Jan 29: Cape Kri

Today I snorkeled with the people from Montana: Jeff, Maria, Lonnie & Rhonda. Another great swim. Our rest period was on a sandbar! It got pretty warm, so we got in the water! There was a lot of trash in the water today, maybe from the storm… More rain, just at lunchtime! (1:00)

Jan 30: Yenbuba Trip

Today we went out to Yenbuba. I snorkeled with Sue & Rod dove. Beautiful once again. I saw 7 turtles. Connor took Rod’s camera down on their dive. We had our rest period between swims on the dock. Sue & I walked into the village. There was a beautiful church there. Just as we were all getting ready to get in the boat, our Captain took off down the pier. He waved his arms at the kids standing around, then headed back. Suddenly, the dock collapsed where all the kids had been! Sue & I had just walked over it too!

Jan 31: Friwen Wall & Miroskun

Great last day swim! We had a small group today. I was the only snorkeler. Fernando was my personal guide. Beautiful!! It was not as overcast. Rod also had Jeremy for his personal dive guide. He got to see his octopus! Had our break at Friwen & had a good conversation with Sehna & Ennquo from Holland. They were taking the dive course with Said. Just a little sprinkle so far today. We are trying to dry out all our stuff. I am going to give my rash suit to Sue.