Updated May 13, 2023
This is the third in a series that introduces and describes the various dive services and sites for worldwide liveaboard dive safaris. This one will focus on Indonesia liveaboard diving, specifically the trips that include the Raja Ampat Islands, an extremely popular and world-class area to dive.
In addition to this series on liveaboards, the best worldwide dive resort locations and services are reviewed in their own series. To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.
Have you been diving in Raja Ampat before? If so, I’d love to know about your experience. What dive shop or liveaboard did you use? Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.? Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.
Raja Ampat Liveaboards
The Raja Ampat Archipelago and the surrounding areas are recognized worldwide as fantastic dive destinations. Located at the western end of Irian Jaya in the Papua Province of Indonesia and consisting of over 1,500 islands, Raja Ampat is one of the richest regions of biodiversity in the world. There is a vast variety of hard and soft corals, reef fish, extraordinary macro life, such as pygmy seahorses, and pelagics that include manta rays, giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, blacktip, whitetip and wobbegong sharks, sea turtles, pods of dolphins, and even whales. Wrecks such as a P-47D Thunderbolt are there for exploration, as well. Be sure to check out the videos below.
Typically, visibility is more than 10 m (33 feet) and up to 40 m (130 feet), great for photography, and the water is warm (above 27 degrees C/80 degrees F) year-round. There are all types of underwater terrain in calm waters suitable for all levels and sites that have more current or are deeper that are best left to the more advanced. From May to December you can expect more rain.
It is a remote area and generally more expensive to get there. Once you have arrived, a liveaboard is the best way to take in many different dive sites in a short time in comfort and with like-minded diving companions.
For more detailed information on the situation in Raja Ampat regarding the undersea world, seasons and conditions, dive sites, local dive shops, lodging, and transportation, please check out this review:
Raja Ampat Liveaboard Dive Boats
Raja Ampat and the surrounding region are richly serviced by 25 different boats for liveaboard scuba diving vacations of 2 to 12 days at rates of $152 to $571 daily. Below are lists of the vessels. After that are a recommended example of 6 great boats.
For details on all the boats in the lists below, click here.
Low Budget
- Calico Jack
- KLM Kira Kira
- KM Raja Manta
- Mermaid II
- SMY Ondina
- KLM Mari
- MV Empress II
- MV Panunee
- Jaya
- MSY Ilike
- Epica
- Gaya Baru Indah
- Akomo Isseki
Middle Budget
- Calico Jack
- KLM Sea Safari 6
- Mermaid I
- MSV Amira
- MSY Seahorse
- Raja Ampat Aggressor II
- La Galigo
- MV Ambai
- KLM Euphoria
- KLM Sea Safari 8
- Blue Manta
- Seaisee
- Coralia
- Solitude Adventurer
- Manta Mae
- Ratu Laut
- SMY Ondina
- Lady Denok
- Jakare
- Mikumba 2
- Carpe Diem
- Mari
- Leyla
- MSV Amira
- Neomi Cruise
- Kurabesi
- Emperor Harmoni
- Pearl of Papua
- Raja Ampat Explorer
- Putri Papua
- Wisesa
- White Manta
- MS Wellenreng
- MV TemuKira
- Mischief
- Samata
- MSY Aurora
- Panunee
- Amaya Explorer
High Budget
- Dewi Nusantara
- SY Indo Siren
- The Seven Seas
- MSY Damai I
- MSY Damai II
- MV Pindito
- Scubaspa Zen
- Tiare Cruise
- MV Samambaia
- Mutiara Laut
- MV Adelaar
- Fenides
- Gaia Love
- Tiger Blue
- Seven Seas
For details on all the boats in the lists above, click here.
- Visits Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Sulawesi, Wakatobi
- Complimentary nitrox for certified divers
- Can join 7 or 11-night Raja Ampat trips
- Cabins with ensuite bathrooms
- Air-conditioned restaurant – Indonesian and international main meal dishes
- Wet room with table for cameras, rinse tanks
- Dives are made from one of the 2 aluminum tenders accommodating 10 divers each, in comfort
- 14 crew for a maximum of 16 divers
- Visits Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih, Triton Bay, Banda
- Extra-large cabins with ensuite bathrooms
- Dedicated air-conditioned restaurant and outdoor dining area
- Complimentary glass of wine with dinner
- Large boat with a masseuse, video/photo pro
- Large dive deck
- 2 powerful dinghies to ferry you to the exact point of entry.
- Nitrox available onboard
- International cuisine, Chinese and Japanese cuisine, local specialties, and BBQs
- Visits Raja Ampat, Komodo, Wakatobi
- 14 guests maximum, with 13 crew members
- All cabins have ensuite bathrooms
- Grand Suite has TV, DVD, panoramic windows, balcony
- Cameras: table, rinse tanks, charging outlets
- 14 guest maximum
- 13 crew on hand enables personal attention and small dive groups
- Dive deck features 3 freshwater showers and a toilet
- Air-conditioned saloon and dining area on the main deck are beautifully finished in Indonesian teak and have TV, DVD, music system, computer, games, and library
- Nitrox onboard
- The dive deck has a camera table and rinse tanks
- Power charging outlets throughout the common areas
- Space in the sun (and shade) on the upper deck
- Asian and international cuisine
- Visits Komodo National Park, Raja Ampat
- 8 crew for a maximum of 8 guests only, small dive groups
- Uses solar panels and a battery bank
- Budget-friendly option, popular with young divers
- Activities: trekking, kayaking, beach BBQs
- Communal bathrooms
- Indonesian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, international, and BBQ main dishes
Best Small Group – Calico Jack
- Visits Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda, Ambon & Alor
- 11 crew for a maximum of only 10 guests
- En-suite cabins
- Beautiful teak interiors
- Chinese, Italian, BBQ, and international main dishes
- 2 motorized dinghies
- Dive deck with ladders 2 fresh hot water showers
- Air-conditioned saloon & dining area with TV, DVD player, music system and computer, fish ID & general books, diving magazines
- Shaded open-air social area, sundeck with deck chairs, water dispenser
Full-Service Comfort – MSY Damai I
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- Visits Komodo, Raja Ampat
- Maximum of 10 guests only
- Unlimited diving, 4 divers to 1 guide
- Nitrox available
- Very spacious air-conditioned cabins with large beds and en-suite bathrooms with separate toilet
- Large boat with spa, varied menu choice, free local beer, soft drinks, and laundry service
- Wi-Fi internet service
- Large dive deck with individual rinse tanks for each diver
- Dedicated camera room, replacement digital cameras, video cameras, and housings are available should anything go wrong with yours, plus a professional underwater photographer/videographer is on hand to assist and give advice
- Air-conditioned lounge with movies
- Sundeck with sun-beds
Raja Ampat Map
Raja Ampat Liveaboard Dive Boat Comparison Table
| MSY Seahorse | Dewi Nusantara | La Galigo | KLM Kira Kira | Calico Jack | MSY Damai I | |
| Length | 33 m | 57 m | 33 m | 22 m | 30 m | 40 m |
| Passengers | 16 | 18 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Crew | 14 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 18-20 |
| Equipment | $40/day | $300/trip | $30/day | $24/day | $38/day | $10/day |
| Nitrox | free | $10/fill | $25/day | no | no | $10/day |
| Single Rm | +65% | +65% | +65% | +100% | +80% | $175/night |
| Spa | no | no | no | no | no | yes |
| Price/Day | $379 | $571 | $302 | $152 | $310 | $512 |
Scuba Diving Insurance
A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation. I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.
Feedback and Comments
I hope you found this post on Raja Ampat liveaboard scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section. I’d love to know of any experience you have. If there is no comments section directly below, click here: >>comments<<
I’ve been reading all your liveaboard posts and the diving looks wonderful at all three places. In Raja Amat it is mostly pretty expensive compared to the others. Is the diving that much greater? What’s the story with the pricing?
Thanks for all the information. It was very interesting.
Randal
Hi Randal,
Thanks for your questions and comments.
The diving arguably is pretty spectacular in Raja Ampat, but there is a lot to say for the Similans in Thailand and Malapscua and the Visayas in the Philippines. They all have their own special things to see that warrant going to each. The big difference in pricing is due to the facilities and service on many of the vessels going to Raja Ampat and the relative remoteness of the region.
If price is a concern, I would like to point out that several boats going to Raja Ampat are pretty reasonable in comparison to those of the other areas. There are 6 boats under $300/day, among them the Kira Kira at only $148/day. I suggest for you to check out the full services and features and additional videos using the worldwide search feature in my posts.
Let me know if you have any other questions, comments or concerns. I’d love to see you do some diving here in our general Southeast Asia region. By the way, where are you located and what is your diving experience?
Good luck!
Joe
I just want to drop you a note to let you know I have booked a trip on the Kira Kira for December. It’s a great price and the dive sites you show in the video look fantastic. I am really excited about it. Thanks a lot for showing me the way.
Fred
Thanks a lot, Fred. It’s great to get the feedback. I hope your liveaboard lives up to expectations. Please let me know how it goes. Happy diving!
Joe