Raja Ampat Snorkeling Liveaboard
A Raja Ampat snorkeling liveaboard puts you on the reef before the day boats arrive: up to four sessions a day from a traditional phinisi, over shallow coral that starts a metre below the surface, with guides who have read these tides for a decade. No certification, no tank, no course — a mask and the reef.
Why snorkel from a liveaboard
Every shallow reef in Raja Ampat, reached before the day boats
Raja Ampat’s best sites sit hours apart by boat. Diving Raja Ampat from a liveaboard means you wake up already moored at the site, dive it at slack tide, and move on while day-trip groups are still crossing from Waisai.
That difference compounds. A resort-based diver in Dampier Strait typically manages two dives a day and never reaches Misool at all. On a scuba liveaboard in Raja Ampat you dive three to four times daily, including dusk and night dives on the house reef, and the southern sites open up entirely.
Yenbuba & Kri Jetty
The reef where Dr Gerald Allen recorded 374 fish species on a single dive. Schooling jacks, sweetlips and blacktip reef sharks on almost every drop, with wobbegong resting under the plate coral.
Friwen Wall & Friwenbonda
Current-fed pinnacles in Dampier Strait. Oceanic manta pass the cleaning station between October and April, with grey reef sharks and barracuda working the ridge line below.
Manta Sandy
A cleaning station where reef manta queue in line behind the marker stones. Kneel on the sand, stay still and low, and they pass within a few metres. One of the calmest dives on the route.
Misool soft corals
The southern reefs — Boo Windows, Magic Mountain, Nudi Rock. Denser soft coral than anywhere else in the archipelago, and the marine reserve here has been closed to fishing since 2007.
Snorkel deck & tenders
Individual kit stations, two compressors, nitrox fills between dives, and a camera table with low-pressure air, freshwater rinse tanks and a charging bank for strobes and housings.
Guides and safety
PADI and SSI guides at a 1:4 ratio, emergency oxygen on board, a DAN-linked evacuation plan, and a tender following every drift dive.
Dampier Strait
5D4N — the classic north route
Four diving days concentrated in Dampier Strait and the Penemu area. The right Raja Ampat liveaboard diving trip if you have a week including flights and want maximum time in the water without long crossings.
- Up to 14 dives across Cape Kri, Blue Magic, Sardine Reef and Manta Sandy
- Sunset trek to the Penemu lagoon viewpoint between afternoon dives
- Night dive on the house reef at Arborek, walking shark and bobtail squid
- Departs and returns Sorong — airport transfers included
Misool & south
7D6N — north to Misool
Six diving days lets you cross south to Misool, where the soft coral walls and the shark sanctuary sit. Longer crossings, far fewer boats, and the diving most people come back to Raja Ampat for.
- Up to 20 dives including Magic Mountain, Boo Windows and Nudi Rock
- Overnight crossing to Misool on day three
- Kayak the karst lagoons between afternoon dives
- Jellyfish lake and the rock-art panels at Yefnabi Kecil
Timing your trip
When to snorkel Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat is diveable year round — water sits between 27 and 30 °C and visibility rarely drops below 15 m. What changes is wind, crossing comfort and what you are likely to see.
| Months | Conditions | What you see | Route we run |
|---|---|---|---|
|
October – April |
Peak season, calm crossings, best visibility |
Oceanic manta at Blue Magic, reef manta at Manta Sandy |
5D4N and 7D6N, both north and Misool |
|
May – June |
Shoulder, occasional swell in the south |
Reef manta, quieter sites, fewer boats |
Mostly north, Misool on request |
|
July – September |
Southeast wind, choppier southern crossings |
Strong fish action in Dampier, plankton-rich water |
North routes only |
How it works
From first enquiry to first swim
01
Tell us your dates
Send your travel window and certification level. We come back with the boats free on those dates and what each one costs, per diver and as a whole-boat charter.
02
Pick your phinisi
Choose a cabin on a shared departure or take the whole boat. We hold the space for seven days without payment while you sort flights.
03
Plan the reefs
Our cruise director builds the route around the moon phase, tides and your group’s experience, then shares the dive plan before you fly.
01
Board at Sorong
We meet you at Domine Eduard Osok airport, arrange the Raja Ampat marine park permit, and get you in the water the same afternoon.
Reef fish species recorded in Raja Ampat
0
+
Species on one dive at Cape Kri
0
Water temperature year round
27
°C
Species counts from Conservation International’s Raja Ampat marine rapid assessment and the single-dive record set by Dr Gerald Allen at Cape Kri. See Conservation International.
Updated for 2026
Raja Ampat entry fees and what the trip actually costs
The short answer: as of 2026 there is one tourism levy, not two. International visitors pay IDR 1,000,000 per person and Indonesian visitors pay IDR 300,000. Children under 12 are exempt. Registration is online through SIPARI before you arrive, and payment is cashless.
Most English-language guides still quote the old figures. We have seen four different numbers published in the last twelve months — IDR 300,000, IDR 425,000, IDR 700,000 and IDR 1,000,000 — often presented as two separate fees that both had to be paid. That is out of date.
The current rate is set by Regent Regulation (Peraturan Bupati) Raja Ampat No. 34 of 2025 on the revision of recreation and tourism levy rates. The Raja Ampat Regency Government held the operator briefing on it at the Wayag Hall in Waisai on 7 January 2026. A companion regulation, Perbup No. 33 of 2025, governs the registration procedure itself.
| Visitor category | Rate per person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
International (WNA) |
IDR 1,000,000 |
Roughly USD 60–65 depending on the rate |
|
Indonesian (WNI) |
IDR 300,000 |
Up from IDR 75,000 under the old PIN system |
|
Children under 12 |
Exempt |
Still requires SIPARI registration |
Where the money goes is published in the regulation: 60 per cent to regional revenue, 15 per cent to tourism development at village level, and 25 per cent to operations — sea and land patrols, coral reef rehabilitation, and waste management.
What a Raja Ampat snorkeling liveaboard costs door to door
Cabin rates are the number everyone compares. These are the costs that sit on top of it, from leaving Jakarta to standing on the dive deck.
| Cost item | Typical amount | Who pays it and when |
|---|---|---|
|
Jakarta – Sorong return flight |
IDR 3.8–6.5 million |
Booked yourself; cheapest with one stop in Makassar or Manado |
|
Tourism levy (WNA) |
IDR 1,000,000 |
SIPARI online before arrival, or via your operator |
|
Local community and harbour contributions |
around IDR 500,000 |
Varies with trip length and route; usually bundled by the operator |
|
Night in Sorong before boarding |
IDR 400,000–1.5 million |
Needed if your flight lands late; ask whether it is included |
|
Nitrox supplement (Deluxe tier) |
Charged on board |
Included on Luxury and VVIP; ask in advance for Deluxe |
|
Crew gratuity |
Discretionary |
Cash at the end of the trip |
On flights, three things are worth knowing. There are roughly 25 flights a week from Jakarta to Sorong, so there is more availability than the route’s reputation suggests. Monday departures are the cheapest day on average and Saturday is the most expensive, by around 17 per cent. Booking about 40 days out tends to land the best fare — earlier than that and the airlines have not opened discounts, later and prices climb.
Registering through SIPARI
SIPARI (Sistem Informasi Pariwisata Raja Ampat) is the Regency Tourism Office’s registration system, and it is mandatory. Under Perbup 33/2025, tourists must register online before the visit, payment is cashless through official channels, and the electronic receipt is personal to you and must be produced on inspection.
- Register at the official portal before you fly, using your passport details
- Select the correct visitor category even if your operator will settle the payment
- Save the digital receipt to your phone — it is checked at sea and at tourist sites
- Send the confirmation to us once you have it, so we can clear you at the harbour
We handle this for guests on our departures. If you have already registered, forward the receipt and there is nothing further to do.
One change that affects liveaboards specifically. Perbup 34/2025 also regulates the movement of cruise, phinisi and liveaboard vessels inside the Raja Ampat marine conservation area, including designated official anchoring points intended to prevent reef damage. In practice this constrains where boats may overnight, so itineraries built before 2026 may no longer match what operators can legally run. Ask any operator whether their published route reflects the current anchoring rules.
Packages
Explore our Raja Ampat Liveaboard Packages
Prime Snorkel Sites
Access to Misool, Cape Kri, Blue Magic, and other top Raja Ampat spots.
Free Trip Consultation
Get help choosing the right dates and itinerary for your dive level.
Flexible Booking
Open trip or private charter options to match your group size.
Full Support Onboard
Experienced dive guides, safety briefings, and equipment assistance throughout the trip.
Private Charter
from $3,500 /night per boat
- Full boat exclusivity
- Custom itinerary
- Ideal for groups of 8–20
- Flexible departure dates
- Break-in protection
Open Trip / Shared Cabin
from $340 /night per person
- Shared cabin
- Fixed departures
- 3–4 dives per day
- All meals & guiding included
- Break-in protection
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Tell us your dates and we will send the boats that are free
Reply within one working day, with routes, cabin availability and the total for your group. No deposit until you have seen the itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a strong swimmer for a Raja Ampat snorkeling liveaboard?
Open Water is enough for most Dampier Strait sites, but Advanced with around 30 logged dives makes the current-fed pinnacles and the Misool crossing far more comfortable. Tell us your level and we route around it — we will not put an Open Water diver on Blue Magic at full flow.
When is the best time to snorkel Raja Ampat?
October to April is peak season, with the calmest crossings and the highest chance of oceanic manta at Blue Magic. May to September brings southeast wind, so we keep those trips in the north and skip the Misool crossing.
How much is the Raja Ampat entry fee in 2026?
IDR 1,000,000 per person for international visitors and IDR 300,000 for Indonesian visitors, with children under 12 exempt. This is a single tourism levy set by Perbup 34/2025, not the two separate fees that older guides describe. Register through SIPARI online before you arrive; payment is cashless. See the full fee breakdown above.
What snorkeling gear is provided on board?
Yes on Luxury and VVIP boats, included in the rate with unlimited fills. On Deluxe departures nitrox is a paid add-on and subject to compressor capacity, so tell us in advance if you want it.
How many snorkel sessions per day will I get?
Three day dives plus an optional night dive on most days, so up to four. Crossing days drop to two. Across a 5D4N trip that is typically 12–14 dives, and 18–20 on a 7D6N.
Can snorkelers and divers travel on the same boat?
They can. Snorkellers travel at a reduced rate and follow the same route, with the tender running them over the reef while the group is down. If your whole group prefers to stay on the surface, our Raja Ampat snorkeling liveaboard is the better fit.
How do I get to the boat?
Fly into Sorong (SOQ) via Jakarta, Makassar or Manado. We meet every guest at the airport and transfer you to the harbour, and the Raja Ampat marine park permit is arranged on your behalf before you arrive.
What about insurance and safety?
Dive insurance covering hyperbaric treatment is required — DAN or equivalent. Every boat carries emergency oxygen, a first-aid kit and satellite communication, and the nearest recompression chamber is in Sorong.