Pearl of Papua Liveaboard

Arrive at Sorong Airport. Our crew will be waiting outside the arrival hall and ready to escort you to the ship for immediate boarding. After 15 minutes of driving, we onboard the vessel, refresh with the welcome drink. Cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departure. Take this opportunity to familiarize yourselves with the vessel, make yourself comfortable. Lunch and dinner will be served while departing towards Raja Ampat National Park.

Check Dive at Pulau Mioskon (regarding the arrival time of the guests).

We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive if possible. When crossing only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Dampier Straits: We have many excellent dive spots around the area. Cape Kri is a great start to the day with most fish and coral species accounted on a single dive site. Truly dive sites like Cape Kri, of Dr. Allen’s 30-year lifetime record fish count. Cape Kri has probably the largest concentration of big fish of any site in northern Raja Ampat.

Fam & Penemu Island: More great examples of Raja Ampat biodiversity, The Penemu Island very recently became a Marine Protected Area and we spend most of our time here in the MPA. Melissa’s Garden has probably the best complete coral coverage you will ever see and no visit to these islands is complete without seeing the hidden bay.

Arborek: We will stop by at the famous Arborek, the dive spot selection in this area are abundant. Manta sandy will be among our dive spot selection where you can spot a group of Mantas circling and swimming.

After breakfast, prepare for disembarkation. Be ready to leave the boat and you will be transferred to Sorong Airport for your next destination. Your diving journey has ended and we shall look forward to welcoming you on board again. Thank you

Sailing itineraries and daily programs are subject to change due to weather and sea conditions, availability of safe anchorage, government regulations, and other factors. Every effort will be made to carry out the program as planned. Program changes may take place during the cruise to take advantage of local cultural events, to adapt to sailing conditions, or in response to other factors.

Experience level: Advanced/intermediate plus, currents: can be strong, water temperature: 27 C – 30 C, visibility: 10 m – 40 m, depth: 5 m – 30 m

We strongly advise you to bring your own dive equipment with a dive torch for comfort and familiarization. The Pearl of Papua has a strict NO GLOVE POLICY and all divers must have dive insurance.

Marine Life: At least 75 percent of all coral species can be found in Raja Ampat, divers can expect a range of topography from soft corals and sea fans, to hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, deep drop-offs, caves, black sand, and white sand. Giant manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, pipefish, various seahorse species, and massive schools of reef fish are the norm, plus the delightful wobbegong sharks and epaulette sharks inhabit these waters too.

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 harbor where our tender boats will take you out to the Pearl of Papua and our friendly crew will greet you with a cold refreshing towel and drink.

Cabin allocation, briefing

Depending on departure time there may be an opportunity to have a check dive just outside Sorong Harbour. Lunch and dinner will be served during the sail out to South Raja Ampat (12hrs)

We offer 3-4 dives daily, including a night dive if possible. When crossing only 2 dives a day can be scheduled.

Destinations : Dampier Straits, Wayag, Fam & Penemu Island, Arborek

Raja Ampat

Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. It encompasses more than 9.8 million acres (40,000 km²) of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named West Papua (province) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya. The islands are the most northern pieces of land on the Australian continent.

According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth. Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. The Coral Triangle is the heart of the world’s coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world.

The area’s massive coral colonies along with relatively high sea surface temperatures, also suggest that its reefs may be relatively resistant to threats like coral bleaching and coral disease, which now jeopardize the survival of other coral ecosystems around the world. The Raja Ampat islands are remote and relatively undisturbed by humans.

The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat’s coral diversity, resilience, and role as a source for larval dispersal make it a global priority for marine protection.

With over 1,070 fish species, 537 coral species (a remarkable 96% of all Scleractinia recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands), and 699 mollusk species, the variety of marine life is staggering. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs.

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.

We arrive in Sorong Port early in the morning. Guests can check out from the boat at 10 am or early should they need to fly out on the morning flight.

The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip at around 4 pm. Divers are recommended to wait for 24hours before flying after the last dive.