Flights:

The closest airport to Raja Ampat is in Sorong, Indonesia. There are several domestic flights from Jakarta or Bali - we took Garuda Indonesia.

Getting to Waisai (Gateway of Raja Ampat):

Once you reach Sorong airport, make your way to Waisai ferry terminal via taxi (~Rp100.000) or we flagged down a small yellow minibus and they will charge you a fraction of the cost. It is a carpool minibus.

Note: The ferry only goes 2 times a day at 9am & 2pm, so if you arrive in Sorong after 2pm you will need to stay the night!

At the ferry terminal, you can queue up at the office to buy your ticket. Prices are 125,000 IDR for economy class and 250,000 IDR for VIP. We took economy class, and it generally lacks air conditioning but it's a reasonable option.

The ferry will take 2 hours to reach Waisai.

Once you reach Wasai, follow the crowd and walk to the office to buy your permits and if your accommodation is not in Waisai, that is where your accommodation boats will usually pick you up at.

There will be random people asking where you are staying at and they will alert the relevant boat charter that you have arrived.

Buy your Permits at Waisai or online:

Raja Ampat visitor entry ticket: Price is 300.000 IDR you will get it at the harbor in Waisai.

Raja Ampat Marine Park entry permit: Valid for 1 year, buy online & collect in person Price is 700.000 IDR per person. It’s required to dive and snorkel in Raja Ampat. This one can be purchased in Waisai or online - https://rajaampatmarinepark.com/entry-card 

More details about both permits - https://www.stayrajaampat.com/ultimate-raja-ampat-guide/information/raja-ampat-marine-park-entry-permit/

Where to stay

There are tons of home stays in Raja Ampat which you can find here https://www.stayrajaampat.com. We found and booked the home stays on booking.com. Bear in mind that most of these home stays, don’t come with air conditioner. Fans and 24/7 running electricity/water are a luxury. There won’t be any stores like minimarts etc of sorts in islands off of Waisai, so be sure to stock up on snacks, toiletries and medication.

In retrospect, we would suggest staying in Waisai.

Waisai is further away from the dive sites but most accommodations would come with all the facilities needed. It is the largest island in Raja Ampat so there is an Indomaret (mini mart similar to 7-Eleven) and other food options there.

There are also many luxury liveaboard ships that tour Raja Ampat, that can even sail to more remote places such as Misool.

Where to dive

Generally, reputable PADI certified dive centres are limited and popular, so book way in advance. Diving to specific dive sites would depend on the day itself as it is weather dependent.

Special trips to Pianemo or Wayag depend if theres enough people wanting to go on that day. You may also ask other fellow travellers and plan the trip with them, in that way the cost can be shared. We highly recommend diving at Rufus Island and Melissa’s garden dive site, which is at Pianemo.

Costs

How long to stay in Raja Ampat

We stayed for about a week there, and it depends on how many dive trips you’ll like to go on. We’ve met other fellow travellers who stayed there for 2-3 weeks and kept extending their stay.

Raja Ampat is a beautiful place and heaven for nature lovers! Definitely a once in a lifetime trip that we’ll cherish forever and look back on. If you love diving/snorkelling and nature, this is worth the travel ❤️