Trip Highlights
Snorkel Raja Ampat’s extraordinary coral reefs, home to a dazzling diversity of tropical fish, hard and soft corals, and other marine life
Look for iconic Coral Triangle wildlife, including manta rays, tasseled wobbegong sharks, sea turtles, and colorful mantis shrimp
Discover Raja Ampat’s dramatic island scenery, with limestone karsts, turquoise bays, and lush tropical forests
Enjoy a more personal expedition aboard a boutique liveaboard, with a small group and experienced snorkeling guides
About This Trip
Join us for an expedition into the extraordinary underwater world of Raja Ampat, where a remarkable variety of marine habitats makes every snorkeling excursion unique. Explore shallow reefs teeming with fish, blue-water mangroves rich with soft corals and macro life, and habitats for iconic Coral Triangle species, from colorful mantis shrimp to graceful manta rays and otherworldly tasseled wobbegong sharks.
Beginning and ending in Sorong, our itinerary includes the Dampier Strait, Kri Island, Gam, Wayag, Alyui Bay, Penemu, Batanta, and more. Aboard a boutique liveaboard, enjoy a small-group experience with dedicated snorkel guides, comfortable accommodations, and the flexibility to explore some of the region’s most remarkable marine environments.
Conservation Impact
As America’s oldest 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation, Oceanic Society designs each expedition to deepen connections between people and nature while empowering travelers to play a direct role in preserving marine ecosystems. Through the Expedition Impact Program, your participation supports local ocean conservation projects in visited destinations, coral restoration, and plastic pollution offset initiatives. Part of your trip fee supports partners in Indonesia, including Planet Deep, the Coral Triangle Center, and the Misool Foundation, advancing reef restoration, protected areas, plastic solutions, and shark conservation.
Dates & Prices
Jan 19-30, 2028 (12 days)
Book This TripJan 31- Feb 9, 2028 (10 days)
Book This TripJan 14-25, 2029
Book This TripJan 27- Feb 7, 2029
Book This TripWhat's Included
Transfers upon arrival and departure, accommodations, daily meals as indicated in itinerary, activities and excursions.
Click here for more detailed trip cost information or read our full expedition terms and conditions.
What's Not Included
International or domestic airfare, optional trip extensions, trip cancellation or travel insurance, visas when applicable, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and optional upgrades. Two master cabins are available for an additional fee, starting from $1400/person on Damai and $2700/person on Dewi. Limited single supplements are available for a fee of $3,800 (10-day) or $4,995 (12-day)
Itinerary
Sample Itinerary
Arrive into Jakarta on your own and stay overnight. If you are originating from North America, please note that you will be crossing the International Date Line. You’ll want to arrive at least 24 hours in advance to adjust to the time change and give yourself a buffer period before your flights to Sorong.
Today is the official start of our trip. Everyone will board an early morning flight to Sorong, West Papua, where we will be transferred to the privately-chartered Damai II, our home for the next 11 nights. Once everyone is checked in, we will set sail.
We’ll spend each day snorkeling and exploring the archipelago’s reefs and tropical landscapes. Each day we will spend 4-6 hours in the water, visiting some of the most pristine, diverse, and colorful coral reefs in the world. Here we may come across soft and hard coral walls, colorful nudibranchs, abundant schools of fish, and productive reef ecosystems full of butterflyfish, angelfish, snappers, groupers, parrotfish, sea turtles, and possibly marine mammals and sharks. We do our best to keep the itinerary flexible depending on external factors such as tides, wind, and weather. Possible snorkeling destinations may include reefs adjacent to Batanta, Penemu, Waigeo, Aljuy Bay, Gam, Fam, Kawe, Wayag, Friwinbonda, Mansuar, and Kri Islands. For those interested in bird watching, there will be some opportunities to go on early-morning outings to look for unique birds and to enjoy the beautiful scenery. We will also visit a lek (mating display site) of the endemic Red Bird of Paradise on Gam Island to see male birds perform their mating displays.
At the conclusion of our trip, the group will disembark in Sorong, West Papua and transfer to the airport in time for our flights back to Jakarta (or Bali). Depending on your return flight schedule, you may fly home this evening or stay overnight (on your own). Please inquire about our post-trip extensions to snorkel in North Sulawesi or trek in Borneo.
Optional trip extensions are available to explore more of Indonesia. Extend your journey and discover even more of the region’s remarkable marine and terrestrial wildlife.
Ship
Dewi Nusantara
Dewi Nusantara, the “Goddess of the Archipelago,” is Indonesia’s largest wooden liveaboard, purpose-built for luxury snorkel and dive expeditions. Delivering a true five-star experience even in the most remote corners of the Indonesian archipelago, thi…
Damai II
Damai II is a boutique liveaboard built for exploring some of Indonesia’s most remote waters in comfort. Constructed in Tanjung Bira, South Sulawesi, in 2011 by master boat builder Pak Hadji Baso, the vessel combines traditional Indonesian craftsmanshi…
Naturalist(s)
Your expedition will be led by one or more of the following expert naturalist guides:
