The Mermaid I liveaboard 12D11N Raja Ampat is the best way to explore the Coral Triangle. It is a top-notch adventure designed for divers who want full access and proven performance. This 12-day trip on the famous Mermaid I will take you to the most famous parts of the archipelago. You’ll spend more time in the famous Dampier Strait, the beautiful southern paradise of Misool, and the stunning karst seascapes of the Fam Islands and Wayag than you ever thought possible. You will dive at famous places like Cape Kri, which is full of fish, and Manta Sandy, which has beautiful manta cleaning stations. You will see the amazing biodiversity that makes Raja Ampat so special. You will be aboard a boat that is known for its expedition-level stability and professional crew. This 12-day Raja Ampat liveaboard is the best option for serious divers who want to go deep into the world’s richest marine habitat and have a great time doing it.
The 12-day itinerary for the Mermaid I Liveaboard Raja Ampat is a lesson in strategic routing. It uses its long duration to give you a thorough, in-depth look at both famous places and hidden jewels. The time period lets you dive at each top spot more than once, explore distant bays at your own pace, and go on unique land excursions like the climb to Piaynemo’s viewpoint with its stunning views. Life on the Mermaid I is all about the diver’s experience. The ship has large decks for relaxing and a crew that is dedicated to making sure that exploration goes well, depending on the weather and the activity of marine life. This 12-day trip is the best option for underwater photographers and marine enthusiasts who want the most complete Raja Ampat liveaboard package that combines proven expedition capability with unmatched access. It will give you a life-changing and deep connection with this underwater paradise.
More About Mermaid IDives: Approximately 36 dives in total
Experience: Open Water – 4 minimum logged dives required.
Check-in on board MV Mermaid. As our guest arrivals take place all through the day depending on flights, you are welcome to board when you arrive and spend some time unpacking and setting up your equipment, etc. Following the boat and safety briefing, Mermaid will start cruising to the area of Misool. The first cruising will be done overnight, 90 nautical miles.
It is almost impossible to put together a daily itinerary due to the magnificent diving everywhere Mermaid goes. No trip is the same, with so many different sites to visit and explore. If there is somewhere, in particular, you really have your heart set on, please discuss with the Cruise Director who will do their utmost to get you there – conditions, ship, and your safety allowing!
Misool is the southern island of Raja Ampat. Misool has many groups of islands and there are literally hundreds of dive sites around this magnificent area for all our guests. This is the entrance to divers’ paradise and we will be here for a few days.
Soft coral heaven and gorgeous gorgonian sea fans are the highlights of Misool. Pygmy seahorses are easily found in almost all the dive sites of Misool! Pinnacles and underwater seamounts with masses of fish, and visits of pelagics such as Giant Manta Rays, sharks and more await you in Misool.
Some of the best areas in Misool include Sagof, Wagmab, Farondi, Boo, Fiabacet, Yuliet, Wailbatan, Warakaret, and Pele.
After the third dive of the day in Farondi or Sagof, there is a chance to spend some time going around the lagoons in the dinghy. Enjoy the natural beauty of this area and look for some amazing wildlife. Then, Mermaid will start heading towards the northern part of Raja Ampat.
Perhaps, you will spend a day around the southern part of Batanta Island, where the diving is done in a black sand environment. This is where all the weird and wonderful creatures that you have seen in coffee table books like to live!
Dive around the island of Kawe, a great place for schooling fish with beautiful reefs covered in black coral bushes and a very good chance to have encounters with Manta Rays.
There is a pearl farm in Aljui Bay, where you can take a tour to learn about the entire process of pearl farming. You can even buy pearls if you wish! Diving in Aljui bay is good for macro as well as wide-angle. You will find walls covered in soft corals and sea fans, lots of nudibranchs, and pygmy seahorses. There is also a great night dive at the jetty where some of the highlights are the Raja Epaulette shark (a species of “walking shark”), wobbegongs, crocodile fish, toadfish, frogfish, and more.
Heading to the central part of Raja Ampat dive around the island of Yanggefo, with beautiful mangrove areas, stunning reefs covered in orange and purple soft corals, and submerged reefs with lots of schooling fish.
Arborek and Sawanderek Villages are some of the most beautiful islands to visit and great to dive under their jetty! The jetty pillars are covered in soft corals – a photographer’s delight and also good for macros such as signal gobies, nudibranchs, pipefish, blue-ringed octopus, and more.
The Mantas are then calling Mermaid to visit the famous Dampier Strait in the central part of Raja Ampat. Here Mantas hang out at their cleaning stations along with all the schooling fish that the sites have to offer. At some of the sites in the Dampier Strait, the macro marine life is amazing with critters such as the sea moth, Pontohi pygmy seahorse, pipefish, and more.
The Dampier Strait is also well known for an incredible amount of schooling fish. There are several pinnacles with zillions of fish. The tips (capes) of several islands are also home to lots of schooling fish – barracudas, bigeye jacks, snappers, zillions of fusiliers and surgeonfish, and much more. As if that weren’t enough, here you can find lots of wobbegongs too.
The last two dives of your cruise will be done in the Dampier Strait area, where big schools of fish and glorious corals are simply amazing! After the second dive, MV Mermaid must go back to Sorong. The crew will take care of rinsing your equipment and there’s time to pack during this 5 – 6-hour run.
After breakfast, the Mermaid staff will transfer you to the airport.
Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.
Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (160-320 EUR per trip), National Park Fees (225-275 EUR per trip).
Optional Extras: Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox, Nitrox Course (175 EUR), Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (75-250 EUR).
Lembeh, Togian Island
34 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
No minimum logged dives
Raja Ampat, Banda Island, Alor, Maumere
49 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
4 minimum logged dives
Raja Ampat, Halmahera, Lembeh
32 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
No minimum logged dives
Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo Island
26 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
4 minimum logged dives
Ambon, Banda Sea
24 Dives
Certificate: Advanced Open Water
50 minimum logged dives
Triton Bay, Raja Ampat
33 Dives
Certificate: Open Water
30 minimum logged dives
Swimming next to the graceful mantas, our new dive pals, and seeing beautiful macro and biodiversity while being a guest with this fantastic, perfect team!
