Snorkeling Raja Ampat: When to go and how to get there?


Raja Ampat is considered one of the best places in the world for snorkeling and diving.

The best time to visit is during the dry season, from October to April.

This area is located in a remote part of Indonesia, and it's necessary to get to Sorong, which is about a five-hour flight from Bali. After arriving in Sorong, you need to take a two-hour ferry to Waisai and from there another one to four hours by boat to your specific island, generally arranged by your host.

It's possible to reach Sorong by plane from Bali and Jakarta, as well as from several other cities in Indonesia. I chose Manado because it had an island nearby: Bunaken, which is also a true snorkeling paradise. Manado has direct flights from Singapore, which was my gateway to this part of the world.

It was an excellent choice, as the snorkeling experience in Bunaken was incredible; I'll leave the video of that part of the trip here:




So I ended up taking the following route by plane: Lisbon - Dubai - Singapore - Manado - Sorong. After arriving in Sorong, I took the ferry to Waisai, from where I took another four hours by boat to the island I had chosen to begin exploring Raja Ampat.


Where I Stayed:


Raja Ampat is a large area, so I chose to explore two points: one central in Mansuar, and another in Ambower, a small island in the Fam Islands, further away but close to Piaynemo, a must-see.

Upon arriving in Waisai, I went to Ambower by transport provided by the accommodation. The journey took almost four hours because we used a smaller replacement boat, as the main one was under repair.

In Ambower, I stayed at Meos Ambower Homestay. The place has incredible natural beauty, but the facilities are very basic. When I arrived, some guests were leaving because they didn't think the place had adequate conditions. There is only one toilet for all the guests and no shower, just a bucket. The food is very basic, and I had some stomach issues. Additionally, the owner wasn't there, leaving the management to a staff member with little experience and limited communication skills.

Despite this, the snorkeling at the house reef is excellent, and the view from the bungalows is fabulous. The location near Piaynemo is also very convenient.

See the videos about the conditions in Ambower and the tours I did on the way to Piaynemo:




From Ambower, I went straight to Mansuar. I stayed at Nyande Raja Ampat, which had much better amenities, especially the bathrooms, food, and effective communication.

I found the house reef even better than the one in Ambower. Watch my video about Nyande:





Manta Rays and Crocodilefish:


What makes me explore are the places, but also the species I find. On this trip, I encountered Manta Rays for the first time. I've swum with large stingrays and devil rays many times, but never Mantas until now.

For the first time, I saw a crocodilefish; here are the images I captured of both.






Conclusion:



Raja Ampat is one of the best snorkeling spots in the world, but the choice of location can dictate very different experiences, so careful consideration is important.

Here's a final general video about the snorkeling experience in this paradise:





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