Fenides Raja Ampat

We will pick you up either at your hotel or Sorong airport and take you to the harbour where our crew will welcome you onboard. Following refreshments and a short tour of the ship, you will be briefed on safety, the diving operations, and life onboard. We will set sail at approximately 11am (or when the last guest has boarded) and cruise through Sele Strait to reach the East of Misool, a navigation of approximately 12 hours. This will allow time for you to get acquainted with the ship, set up your dive gear & cameras and to meet and socialize with the other guests and friendly crew. During this cruise period we will aim to stop at a remote island area for a late afternoon check dive to get you ready for the next day’s full diving schedule.

Spent in the Misool Island are which is one of the largest islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago. With its crystal clear turquoise sea-waters and visually breath-taking maze of limestone pinnacles that jut sharply out of the sea Misool keeps us occupied for days. This large area is grouped into smaller island chains which provide unique and wonderful diving experiences for multiple days.

These areas include:

Daram Island We will do 3-day dives plus a night dive here. Daram is one of the areas less frequented by liveaboards in Misool due to its location, however, it is home to what many consider one of the finest dive sites in the world,

• Andiamo is a large, bustling reef with an underwater pinnacle covered in bright sea fans and surrounded by schools of fusiliers and reef fish. Reef sharks, barracudas and bump head parrot fish can also be found here. Often under looked, this dive is repeatedly rated the best dive site for many divers.
• Candy Store, named because the first divers felt like kids in a candy store, is covered in huge sponges, beautiful soft corals and sea fans. In the valley with sandy bottom are literally thousands of hard and soft corals. Large schools of barracuda, butterfly fish, and fusiliers as well as many different types of shrimps every colour of nudibranch. Wobbegong sharks rest in the hard corals and turtles eating away at the reef.
• Warna beranda, literally means colourful in Indonesian language, is a very chilled and relaxed dive. Covered in colourful corals and fish life, there is also a chance to see small critter like the rare and elusive pygmy seahorse.

Balbulol Another 3 dive day plus a night dive. Balbulol is a beautiful area full of submerged pinnacles and hidden gems, just a short over night or afternoon sail from Daram. We spend the night a hidden lagoon which is a special anchorage inside a narrow bay enclosed by towering rocks. Take the kayaks and sup boards to explore the lagoon and listen out for the un interrupted sounds of the ocean and the birds in the rainforest above.

• No Contest is a dramatic reef littered with pinnacles and valleys. Currents can get strong here but hiding in the protection of the reef one can easy sit and watch the countless batfish fusiliers and sometimes barracuda
• Love Potion Number 9, a strange name for a strange dive site. An underwater maze of spectacular reefs leading to a ridge and deep pinnacles. Soft corals mix in with hard corals and fish shelter in the crevices of the reef.

Yilliet, Boo and Warakaraket islands. These Three close islands allow for a very varied days diving as we pick and choose the best dives from all three areas before settling down for a macro lovers night dive! A deep underwater ridge connects the islands of Boo in the East, to Kalig in the West. In certain areas, the ridge moves up shallower to form the most unforgettable dive sites of the park 2 days can be spent here if requested. 

• Magic Mountain is one of the top-rated diving sites in Raja Ampat. An offshore pinnacle with a long and narrow ridge, shoals of bannerfish, pyramid butterfly and yellow snappers can be seen cavorting on top of the ridge, persistently stalked by giant trevallies, orange-spotted jacks & longnose emperors. The ridge goes progressively down, with yellowtail barracudas patrolling the upper sector and white tip and grey reef sharks found nestled under the large coral tables. At the end of the peninsular is a cleaning station where oceanic manta rays come to be cleaned from parasites by wrasse and other reef fish.
• Boo Rock is known for the “windows” or rounded openings on the end of the largest rock that completely pierce the reef from the surface down to five meters deep. Although the two rocks appear separate from the surface, they are in fact connected underwater by a magnificent reef draped in soft corals and brimming with fish. Reef sharks, parrotfish, surgeonfish, schooling batfish, fusiliers, snappers and moray eels are all found here, as well as a wide variety of nudibranchs, unicorn fish, octopus and
  green turtles.
• Yillite Kecil’s (whilst sharing all of the attributes of its neighbouring sites) main characteristic is the large number of nembrotha nudibranchs that can be observed Whale rock named after the rocky islands which looks like an enormous whale, this dive site is arguably the most beautiful reef system on the planet. There is not a single barren rock or empty space on the reef here as corals of all types blanket
  the substrate. When currents pick up bait balls form and trevallies dart back and form.

Not to be missed Wayilbatan This area has incredible diversity and topography both above sea and below. In between dive don’t waste the chance to take in the scenic landscapes with some kayaking and SUP boarding amongst the most spectacular hidden lagoons in the region. The night dive here is especially worth jumping in for.

• Wedding Cake, schools of batfish, trevallies, barracuda and pygmy seahorses congregate Four Kings, is made up of four pinnacles covered in soft coral and colourful filter feeders. Turtles are common here and its easy Swim from one pinnacle to the next, enjoying the rainbow colours of the corals and abundant fish life as you go.
• Baracuda Rock, is a very shallow night dive with a chance to see the rare and unique epaulette sharks walking along the reef floor.

Farondi Farondi houses on of the most favoured dive site in Raja Ampat due to its unique and distinctive landscape which consists of tunnels, caverns, boulders and colourful walls. The Island has two large caves with a shallow reef, and a dramatic cliff north of the headland. Generally a 3 dive day in the afternoon after the third dive we will depart North and sail overnight Penemu Island. 

• Goa Farondi, is a wonderfully unique dive site a true gem. Shelves of yellow-coloured soft corals, wall tops blanketed with plate corals, leather corals, and passing mobula rays. Huge Tunnels and swim throughs in the caves contrast with the colors on the reef creating this truly dramatic site.

Penemu experiences some of the strongest currents coming directly out of the Dampier Strait. These currents bring rich nutrient-filled waters right to Penemu’s shores and it is immediately obvious once seeing the island from underwater. We will arrive in Penemu early morning on our way north from Misool. We will do 4 dives here before heading off in the evening towards Waigeo.

• Barracuda, is an oval-shaped reef that extends out for the northernmost tip of Penemu. Depending on currents huge schools of fish aggregate at the ends of the reef, especially barracudas. Chance for pelagic  fish is high here.
• Galaxy is a huge reef with amazing corals and fish life. Macro is also easy to find here ranging from multi-coloured nudibranch and patterned shrimps to eels in the rocky cracks. Galaxy has a lot of everything
• My Reef is a great place to catch a sighting of the weird wobbegong sharks and black tips cruising up and down the reef in a mild current. The shallowest point of this dive is 8 meters so planning and current checking is important.

Dampier Straight (west waigeo). Continuing our trip north towards wayag. We will arrive early morning near the islands of waigeo. During our day in this area we will have the chance to do some exploration dives as there are many many islets and small bays here yet to be discovered!

Wayag is the northernmost marine protected area in the Birds Head Peninsula and we will arrive here and at our mooring position late in the evening. Waking up early ready for a full day exploring the limestone cliffs covered in trees and vines and the diverse dive sites from high adrenaline drift dives to leisurely swim throughs covered in hard corals Wayag will not disappoint. There are at least 11 named dive sites in this area and many more yet undiscovered but whichever sites we cover on our 3 dive day you will not be disappointed

• Two-Hump Rock, is one of three dive sites to the west of wayag. The islands here are more exposed than others in the area and the waves have sculpted the surface rocks into wonderful mushroom shapes give this dive site its name. It is connected to 2 other dive sites by a deep underwater ridge but generally each dive is independent and spend exploring steep walls and overhangs covered in rich coral growth and sometimes passing pelagic fish
• The Bommie Bowl has something for everyone. Wonderful fish life, colourful corals, creeping macro and generally great visibility. As the name suggests this dive site has a bowl like shaped sandy bottom covered in large coral bommies decorated healthily with sea fans and sponges, which in turn attract schooling fish of all sizes.
• Cathedral Rock is a dive site best for experienced divers with a mild current. In the correct conditions, divers can traverse the whole island exploring large underwater tunnels, caverns and caves. Fish play and school in the blue waters just out from the reefs. There is a shallow swim through that dissects the whole island so on days with good conditions one can end in an incredibly unique way.
• Magic Rock. Another dive site full of swim throughs and overhanging reefs, magic rock is one of the top sites in this area. Huge schools of sweetlips are approachable inside the caverns and corals cover every space, attracting macro life of all shapes and sizes. Must do Dive.
• Edi’s Cave, named after one of the original explorers of the area is a really amazing wide-angle dive. A 30-meter-tall split in the rock face lets light stream into the underwater cave below. Keep close to the reef and be careful not to scare the resident grey reef sharks with your torches, they have been known to bump into divers!

Dampier Straight and gam. After heading back from wayag we will stop back in the central are of the Dampier straight for some more favourite and famous diving to end the trip. This area houses world renown dive sites like “Blue Magic”, “Cape Kri”, “Manta Sandy” and “Manta ridge” there is no better way to end a trip through Rajas magical waters than to chill with graceful rays and swim around in a fish soup!

Sail back to Sorong. On our last day we will not be doing any diving as we cruise back to sorong but the rooftop bar will be stocked ready and the dive guides will be ready to give detailed run downs of what we saw for logbooks and picture sharing. After a farewell lunch and de briefing customers leave the boat with memories that will last a lifetime!