Ambon or Raja for extending trip

[tendi]

6 of us are doing an 11 night liveaboard from Ambon to Raja in April. Considering extending the trip for a few days on either side. Whatever we do, the group is looking for comfortable (that means AC is required) accommodations. Pros and Cons to doing one or the other? I know we don't want to stay in Sorong. There is interest in seeing whale sharks. Not sure how easy it is to get to Cenderawashi from Sorong or what diving looks like there. Thanks in advance for any info/comments!

 

[dirtfarmer]

Ambon doesn't have alot of tourist infrastructure and can be challenging if you don't speak bahasa. I did do 2 days of diving there in advance of a Ambon-Raja Ampat trip, the hotel was very basic and had to booked thru my dive operator "blue motion" which doesn't have a operation there any more. I'm not sure who is operating in Ambon these days. Maybee Blue Rose is still operating?
Raja would give you plenty of places to choose from, Cenderwashi has a specific season and would take some effort to get to.

 

[Darnold9999]

Spice Island Divers are running in Ambon. Nice rooms and the muck diving in the bay is excellent. When I looked a year ago that was the only option. Things may have changed.

 

[GF99/99]

6 of us are doing an 11 night liveaboard from Ambon to Raja in April. Considering extending the trip for a few days on either side. Whatever we do, the group is looking for comfortable (that means AC is required) accommodations. Pros and Cons to doing one or the other? I know we don't want to stay in Sorong. There is interest in seeing whale sharks. Not sure how easy it is to get to Cenderawashi from Sorong or what diving looks like there. Thanks in advance for any info/comments!

My vote is for Raja.

Main reason is the comfort factor and variety of diving. If you are doing an 11 day trip that is quite a lot of back to back diving so you dont want to get there befor your boat trip smash out a whole bunch of dives and then when your on your boat that you paid a ton of money for be tired towards the end of the trip. If you do your liveaboard then pick a nice beach front island hotel in Raja chances are out of 6 people some will want to relax and recharge some will want to do a dive or two and some will be all out and still want to smash 4 dives a day but you have this flexibility. Next I am not saying that the land based diving around Ambon is horrible but I think you will get more out of Raja. Plus if you ask your boat (especially since there is 6 of you) they will most likely drop you off at your next stop on the last day vs. taking you back to Sorong. Or the hotel your staying can usually organize a boat to come pick you up from your liveaboard when it is close by.

Places like Kri Island are some of the most marine biodiverse regions in the world and your boat can easily drop you off there or you can be picked up. Worst case you have to take the ferry from Sorong to Wasia (there is a morning and afternoon boat) and the your hotel will pick you up in Wasia.

Check out Sorido Bay Resort or across the channel is Yenatar Resort

 

[tendi]

Thanks!

Spice Island Divers are running in Ambon. Nice rooms and the muck diving in the bay is excellent. When I looked a year ago that was the only option. Things may have changed.

I'll check out Spice Island Divers.

 

[tendi]

My vote is for Raja.

Main reason is the comfort factor and variety of diving. If you are doing an 11 day trip that is quite a lot of back to back diving so you dont want to get there befor your boat trip smash out a whole bunch of dives and then when your on your boat that you paid a ton of money for be tired towards the end of the trip. If you do your liveaboard then pick a nice beach front island hotel in Raja chances are out of 6 people some will want to relax and recharge some will want to do a dive or two and some will be all out and still want to smash 4 dives a day but you have this flexibility. Next I am not saying that the land based diving around Ambon is horrible but I think you will get more out of Raja. Plus if you ask your boat (especially since there is 6 of you) they will most likely drop you off at your next stop on the last day vs. taking you back to Sorong. Or the hotel your staying can usually organize a boat to come pick you up from your liveaboard when it is close by.

Places like Kri Island are some of the most marine biodiverse regions in the world and your boat can easily drop you off there or you can be picked up. Worst case you have to take the ferry from Sorong to Wasia (there is a morning and afternoon boat) and the your hotel will pick you up in Wasia.

Check out Sorido Bay Resort or across the channel is Yenatar Resort

We're going from Ambon to Raja so Raja would be at the end of the trip. You're right about some wanting to relax and others wanting to continue diving. Any idea if there are any land based/non diving activities people might want to do in Raja?

 

[tendi]

Ambon doesn't have alot of tourist infrastructure and can be challenging if you don't speak bahasa. I did do 2 days of diving there in advance of a Ambon-Raja Ampat trip, the hotel was very basic and had to booked thru my dive operator "blue motion" which doesn't have a operation there any more. I'm not sure who is operating in Ambon these days. Maybee Blue Rose is still operating?
Raja would give you plenty of places to choose from, Cenderwashi has a specific season and would take some effort to get to.

Effort to get to Cenderwashi...can you elaborate? It's already a lot of effort to get to/from Sorong. How much extra effort are we talking about? I know some are VERY interested in whale sharks and I don't think they will see them on our liveaboard.

 

[matts1w]

Effort to get to Cenderwashi...can you elaborate? It's already a lot of effort to get to/from Sorong. How much extra effort are we talking about? I know some are VERY interested in whale sharks and I don't think they will see them on our liveaboard.

Getting to Sorong and R4 from the US for sure takes time, but it is hardly much of an adventure anymore. A gazliion people do it every year. From Sorong to Cenderwashi whale sharks... That's very different.

I'm not really sure what kind of land-based options there are for whale sharks in Cenderwashi any more...or even how things are done. Best guess is you would need fly from Sorong to Manokwari and then on to Nabire. From there, another 1/2 day of rough transport to whatever village near the fishing platforms to homestay.

Honestly, if one has the flexibility, patience, and mindset, I bet it could be an amazing adventure. If you decide to take the plunge, please come back and let us hear your story.