Barefoot Conservation are now able to offer an amazing opportunity to join our liveaboard 'science research & community' expeditions in Raja Ampats Central, North and South locations. By joining one of our below trips, guest will be fun diving each day in some of the worlds best dive sites, while contributing to Barefoot Conservation's science research and community programmes.
This is because all profits from these trips go directly towards the conservation work and community projects Barefoot Conservation runs through our Indonesian Yayasan Foundation (same as a UK Charity), called "Jejak Kaki Konservasi"
Jejak Kaki Konservasi translates to "Footprint Conservation", and often a Marine Biologist and a Community Liaison Officer from the Yayasan and/or from Barefoot Conservation will be on the below trips to liaise with guests on what work/research these two NGO's are undertaking.
Guests will get to see presentations and hear talks on various topics from our resident Marine Biologists. These topics could cover anything from our Manta Ray and Marine Megafauna research to our Reef Check and Climate Change surveys.
The guests on these trips will be taught how to take ID photographs of manta rays, by our Manta Ray Project Scientists, and then get the opportunity to help enter any manta ray they have ID'd, into our Manta Ray Database. If no match is found the guest will get the chance to name the new manta ray.
Cost & Dates Table - 2023/2024
Dive Gear Rental Costs
The following items are available for rental on board (costs are per day and in US Dollars $) :
- Bouyancy Control Device (BCD) - $10
- Full regulator set (1st, 2nd stage, Octopus and SPG) - $12
- Mask, Fins and Dive boot set - $8
- Wetsuit (Shortie or long 3mm) - $6
- Dive Computer* - $10
* For safety reasons, it is now mandatory for all divers to use a dive computer on all dives, and not share one. If you do not own one, you will need to rent one from us.
* Full dive gear package (BCD, Reg set, Wetsuit, Mask, Fins and Dive Computer) for 7 days = $250
* Full dive gear package (BCD, Reg set, Wetsuit, Mask, Fins and Dive Computer) for 10 days = $350
**We DO NOT have any dive torches on board for rental, so please bring a dive torch if you wish to do the night dives**
If you would like to rent any of the above items for your liveaboard trip, please indicate this on your booking form or inform one of our trip advisers, before you go.
10 Days / 9 Nights Central & South Raja Ampat trip itinerary
Day 1
We will first meet you up at 8:00am at Darefan Hotel lobby in Sorong West Papua. Leaving there at 8am we will take you to the small Harbour to catch the 9am ferry to the island of Waigeo, arriving in the small town of Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat around 11am. Here you will join our boat the Ratu Laut and get settled in your rooms while we cruise to the island of Mansuar.
Your first dive will be a check dive at either Soenek or Miskon Island. These are both stunning dive sites and is very easy to dive. You can see everything from mantas to pygmy seahorses on this dive.
After the dive we will start the 18-20hr crossing south to Misool.
Day 2
For the first dive we will go to either Wagmab or Gamfi, two amazing dives sites to ease you in to diving in Misool.
Then, we will do the 2nd dive at Farondi Cave, a dive site characterized with shallow soft coral reef, long sloping tunnel, with a bottom covered in white sand, sea fans and barrel sponges. This brings an ideal habitat for Tiger Shrimp and unusual Signal Gobies. At Farondi Cave, divers can expect to see stalactites and other unusual limestone formations covering the arching ceiling.
We’ll end the day with a 3rd dive at Wagmab, or the three sisters, before moving to the south east.
Day 3
For the opening dive of the day we will be chasing after Yellowtail Fussiliers and other sea critters at the 'No Contest' dive site.
Then the second dive of the day will be at the 'Two Tree' Island. Two Tree Island is very famous for Mobula rays hunting big bait ball of anchovies since it boasts abundant schooling fish.
Finally, we’ll do the last dive at Baby Rock which is full of thousands of bait fish. At the end of the day, we will move further south during an overnight crossing.
Day 4
The first dive of the day will be at the 'Shadow Reef', a famous dive site to encounter manta rays. Shadow Reef is a submerged seamount south of Boo where various fish of all sizes can be found. You can expect to see baby white tip reef sharks sleeping under the table corals, schooling barracuda, and batfish. Manta rays may be seen circling the cleaning stations if you are lucky.
After Shadow Reef, we will continue the journey North West, taking 'Boo Window' as the second dive site of the day. Boo Window is one of the most famous dive sites due to its unique topography. Here, you may see patrolling sharks such as Wobbegong's under the coral tables. If we have good current conditions, we will move to the pinnacle, which is often surrounded by schools of fusiliers and plate-sized Batfish.
Our third dive will take place at the huge island of Yilliet, stretching east to west, home to various sharks, Barramundi cod, Hawksbill Turtles, and schooling Barracuda. At the end of the day, we will move down to the south west.
Day 5
Starting day 5 we will dive around the 'Fiabacet chain', to visit the 'Nudi rock', which gets its name since it looks like a nudibranch from a distance. It is a popular dive site for critter enthusiasts and macro photographers. You’ll have a chance to see numerous nudibranchs lurking among the soft corals. The sea fans here are the home for pygmy seahorses and cowries, shrimp and cling fish. During favorable currents, we will go around pinnacles crowded with larger pelagics, such as Barracuda, Big Eyed Travelly, and Grey Reef Shark.
Next we will continue the trip to the 'Tank Rock' dive site for the 2nd dive and finally the 3rd dive will take place at 'Whale Rock'. Expect to see a healthy amount of fish life, pygmy seahorses galore, nudis, colorful anemones, reef sharks, and perhaps a Wobbegong shark or two. Then, we will move west, to make the crossing from Fiabacet to Wayilbatan.
Day 6
At the Wayilbatan Four Kings, we will do the first morning dive of the day. Then, we will visit 'Baracuda rock', one of the most famous diving sites in Raja Ampat known for its schooling Barracudas spotted around the reef. Our last dive of the day will be at the 'Wedding Cake' dive site. Here you will marvel at the overhangs and bommies within the dive site. Our boat will then take you back north east, aiming for the Wayilbatan Chanel.
Day 7
Starting the day with a dive at either 'Fantasea' or 'Wayilbatan chanel', which has amazing corals, especially huge sea fans.
Then we will take you to 'Yilliet Kecil' for the 2nd dive. This is a very cool dive site near the island of Yilliet. After this dive we will start the 15-18hr crossing from Misool north to reach the famous 'Melissa’s Garden' dive site.
Day 8
Today's first dive will be at Melissa’s Garden one of Raja Ampat’s best hard coral reefs which is rich of underwater biodiversity. Then, after Melissa’s Garden, we will dive Manta Ridge in the Dampier strait which is good to dive during falling tide, with strong current. Here, divers can expect to enjoy the spectacular shows performed by the manta rays. They are found hovering all around the divers, waiting to feed on the plankton in the strong current. If we can not dive at Manta Ridge, we will move to the cleaning station of Manta Sandy where the mantas will get cleaned between two huge bommies.
Next, we move to the west part of the Dampier Strait to visit Arborek Island, that sits between Gam and Mansuar Islands. Arborek is home to our NGO Barefoot Conservation, so you will get a chance to meet the amazing marine biologist scientists and volunteers that work hard every day to protect and conserve the coral reefs and marine life in the region. The community team from Barefoot Conservation will show you around the village introducing you to the Papuan people and their culture.
Dive 3 of the day will then be an amazing night dive at the world famous Arborek Jetty. In the evening the manta ray scientists of Barefoot Conservation will do a presentation on Ratu Laut about Manta Rays.
Day 9
In the morning we will move to 'Cape Kri' at the Northeast point of Kri island. Here, divers can find huge schools of big-eyed trevallies, barracudas, and snappers. You will also have a chance to see a dense school of sweetlips around the bommies. Grey reef sharks, groupers, pygmy seahorse can also be seen on this surprising dive site. Dawn and dusk are feeding time which means divers can witness an awe-inspiring diving moment.
Our second dive will take place in 'Chicken Reef' (Karang Ayam) in the northeast of Kri Island, characterized with various soft and hard corals with some rock formations where numerous schooling fish can be seen.
For the third dive we will explore 'Sardine Reef', in the north-east of the island of Kri in the Dampier Strait. A large underwater pinnacle, with great schools of fish block out the light: jacks, tuna, trevally, and wobbegongs and grey reef sharks. At the end of the day, we can do some small trekking on Kri Island, for those interested.
Day 10
On your final day we have an opportunity for one dive in the morning. Since this is going to be our last cruise day, you’ll have time to dry your equipment on the way back home to Waisai. Normally our guests wish to go to ‘Blue Magic’ dive site or maybe a different dive site around Kri Island. We will do a final briefing after the morning dive on whats going to happen next. You will have lunch on the boat, exchanging emails and photos, and say farewells to the crew.
At around 1pm we will take you to the ferry going back to Sorong. The crew will follow you all the way back to Sorong and organize transportation to your hotel.
*Please note this is just one example of our 10 day trip itineraries, you can see another of our 10 day trip itineraries here