7N 8D North Raja Ampat Dec 19-26 2019

When you arrive at Sorong Airport our crew will be waiting for you in the arrival hall, after collecting your luggage we will escort you to the harbour where our tender boats will take you out to the Pearl of Papua where our friendly crew will greet you with a cold refreshing towel and drink. This will be followed by cabin allocation and boat orientation. When all guests are on board the Cruise Director will give you a presentation about the Pearl of Papua and diving recommendations. Depending on departure time they maybe an opportunity to have a check dive just outside Sorong Harbour. Lunch and dinner will be served during the sail out to Raja Ampat (08hrs)

The guests’ first dive is a check dive, Mioskon Island is a great place to do this and still be a world class dive. Here the guests can get comfortable with their equipment, buoyancy and refresh some basic skills. The Dampier Strait area has some of the most action packed diving in Raja Ampat and guests can see fish, fish and more fish but it is also the area where the saying ‘No Current = No Fish’ originated from. There are many dive sites to choose from but Cape Kri, Chicken + Sardine Reef, Mikes Point and Mioskon are definitely on the schedule

Fantastic examples of Raja Ampats diversity. The Penemu Islands are presently a new Marine Protected Area (WWF). We shall dive at Reef Bayanggan, Melissa’s Garden which has probably the best complete coral coverage you will ever see and Kerunemo Adik. After your third dive we will take you on a tour of The Hidden Bay (includes a trek up Penemu Hill for the amazing views of The Hidden Bay)

After your tour of The Hidden Bay we set of for a 12hr drive up to the north of Raja Ampat and dive around the Kawe Islands and Aljui Bay. The entire Aljui Bay has been leased out by Atlas Sea Pearls and the dive sites include White Arrow, Tear Drop Corner and the infamous Cendana Pearl Farm Jetty. It is also possible to tour the pearl farm

After a 12hr drive back down to the south / middle of Raja Ampat we will dive at Yanggefo. Here we will dive Mayhem, Citrus Ridge and Gam Ridge followed by some snorkelling in the mangroves looking for the Archer Fish and seeing the unique corals that grow in front of the mangroves (normally corals grow 100m plus away from the mangroves), followed by a night dive at either of the ridges, we will overnight in the mangroves

Our morning dives are at Manta Sandy where there is a manta ray cleaning station and we see both Black / White and the all Black Manta Rays come to be cleaned. This famous site now has a line of dead coral where guests line up and watch the show. Third dive is a beautiful coral / fish dive close to Arborek Island where guests can also have a sun set walk on the beach before the fourth / night dive at the village jetty

Finishing off your great trip with two shallow dives around Sardine and Chicken Reef before returning to Sorong     

After breakfast the Cruise Director will escort the guests to either the airport / hotel and will assist with checking in. Sorry to say that your Pearl of Papua Raja Ampat trip has come to an end and we look forward to welcoming you onboard again.