How to get the most out of your time in Raja Ampat

You will find paradise like dive sites all around Central Raja Ampat @Josh Edwards

Raja Ampat is the dream destination for divers and adventurers all over the world – we’ve noticed more and more people visiting us in recent months, which is awesome! To help you plan your trip with us and really get the most out of your time diving in Raja Ampat, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks that will greatly increase your enjoyment when exploring the last paradise.

Focus less on the dive site names

Due to decades of liveaboard marketing and Instagram virality, certain dive sites in Raja Ampat tend to hog the limelight. Everyone wants to go to Cape Kri, Blue Magic and Manta Ridge. The truth is, there are hundreds of incredible dive sites throughout the region and at any given time, these offer an even better dive than the top hits.

Here at Soul Scuba Divers, we focus on the currents and tides. These two factors will always determine which dive sites we head to, giving us the best chance of seeing all of the incredible creatures on your bucket list. 

Additionally, this way of diving is far more sustainable for Raja Ampat in the long term. If you have 100 divers passing through Cape Kri every single day and a handful accidentally knock or break the coral, you can imagine the negative impact that can have on a reef over a number of years. By diversifying the sites we visit, we help to protect and preserve this precious ecosystem.

Pay attention to the moon calendar

Plan your travels depending on the moon @Yann Kohl

Yes, really. The moon dictates the currents and tides, so it can be very useful to pay attention to the cycle and plan your holiday around this. If you’re an experienced diver looking for crazy currents, then consider booking around the full and new moon, when tidal exchanges are at their largest. Meanwhile, if you’re a beginner diver and want less currents, booking outside of the full and new moon windows would be more preferable. 

Consider getting a minimum number of dives under your belt

If we’re being honest, we’d advise that you have a minimum of at least 30 dives under your belt. With each dive you build up vital experience and practice which helps you to fine tune your skills and become an even better diver. After doing a certain amount of dives, you’ll find that the process is becoming second nature – a bit like driving a car. 

This means that when it comes to your dream holiday in Raja Ampat, you’ll spend less time worrying and focusing on the diving and more time actually enjoying it. In short, the more dives you can do before you visit Raja Ampat the better! 

Become a certified advanced diver

For the same reasons we advise getting a minimum number of dives under your belt, we also reckon it’s a great idea to do your advanced diver qualifications before visiting Raja Ampat. This helps you to hone in on several different skills that are vital to master if you’re hoping to dive in this part of the world. Particularly important is your ability to:

• Be comfortable with currents. There are all kinds of currents out here in Raja Ampat. To really enjoy your time here and see some of the best sites, you need to be comfortable with strong currents, including knowing how to use a reef hook safely.

• Control your buoyancy. Having full control of your buoyancy at all times is vitally important for a safe, enjoyable dive. Additionally, if you can’t control your buoyancy, there’s a high chance you could accidentally damage some of the pristine corals we have out here in Raja Ampat

• Manage your air consumption. Everyone breathes at a different rate, but there are certain techniques to help with slowing air consumption. When you’re exploring some of the greatest dive sites on earth, you want to make that tank last as long as you can! Additionally, you don’t want to have to cut a dive short because it’s not just you who’s impacted but the others in your group, too.

With all of this mastered, you’re going to be a much more confident and comfortable diver, which sets you up for a really memorable Raja Ampat adventure!

Come with no expectations

Paradise like surface interval locations just 5 min away from dive center

Everyone has an idea of what they’d ideally like to see in Raja Ampat, but there are no guarantees. We can’t just press a button and have all of the wildlife come to us. We are out here diving, experiencing the natural world in its most raw, untouched form. For example, there are times when there won’t be any mantas and Manta Ridge, yet we randomly see a huge Oceanic Manta at Lao Lao dive site. 

To avoid disappointment, it’s best to come with no expectations. That way, everything is a beautiful, memorable surprise!

The longer time you spend with us, the more you see

If there’s one thing our guests always learn about Raja Ampat, it’s that the longer you spend here, the more it gives. To ensure the best chance of seeing all of the incredible creatures that live out here, book for as long as you can. We’ve had guests only visiting for as little as two or three days, which in our opinion isn’t really enough time to truly experience what this region has to offer.

Writer Josh Edwards