Trip to Raja Ampat planned for December 2023, welcome feedback!

[Kikabock]

Landing Dec 11, Departing Dec 27. It's our first time in Raja Ampat and we want to experience a homestay and a liveaboard. Welcome feedback/input!

I have booked the following:
6 nights at Turtles homestay. Turtle Homestay - Raja Ampat accommodation on Kri Island They are loosely affiliated with Soul Divers SOUL SCUBA DIVERS | Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Dive Center So, landing dec 11 afternoon in Jakarta, flying overnight to Sorong then ferry to Waisea 9am, Turtle grabs us from there around 11am. We also considered a Homestay in Gam near Tarzan divers.

Then come back to Sorong Dec 18 9am ferry. Stay overnight in Sorong, then Blue Manta grabs us from hotel. On Blue manta Dec 19-27. Then leaving Sorong-Jakarta-Singapore-SFO!

Erica

 

[Joneill]

Landing Dec 11, Departing Dec 27. It's our first time in Raja Ampat and we want to experience a homestay and a liveaboard. Welcome feedback/input!

I have booked the following:
6 nights at Turtles homestay. Turtle Homestay - Raja Ampat accommodation on Kri Island They are loosely affiliated with Soul Divers SOUL SCUBA DIVERS | Raja Ampat | Indonesia | Dive Center So, landing dec 11 afternoon in Jakarta, flying overnight to Sorong then ferry to Waisea 9am, Turtle grabs us from there around 11am. We also considered a Homestay in Gam near Tarzan divers.

Then come back to Sorong Dec 18 9am ferry. Stay overnight in Sorong, then Blue Manta grabs us from hotel. On Blue manta Dec 19-27. Then leaving Sorong-Jakarta-Singapore-SFO!

Erica

I was just on Blue Manta from Dec 23-Jan 2 - you’ll love it! It’s an awesome boat and crew - a very well run operation!

 

[Centrals]

Home stay:
1. I use organic repellent so supplement it with coil(whole day especially on the veranda).
2. Needle and thread to repair the net if necessary.
3. I did not bother with snack but should be kept in a metal container. You will hear/see rats running around on the roof especially in the evening. The smell of the coil might put them off?
4. Medication eg. betadine, bands aid etc etc.

Have a nice one.

 

[Kikabock]

I was just on Blue Manta from Dec 23-Jan 2 - you’ll love it! It’s an awesome boat and crew - a very well run operation!

So excited to hear it!!

 

[Kikabock]

Home stay:
1. I use organic repellent so supplement it with coil(whole day especially on the veranda).
2. Needle and thread to repair the net if necessary.
3. I did not bother with snack but should be kept in a metal container. You will hear/see rats running around on the roof especially in the evening. The smell of the coil might put them off?
4. Medication eg. betadine, bands aid etc etc.

Have a nice one.

Fantastic advice! Rats-- ick! I'm mentally prepared. This is a homestay with ensuite flushing toliets and I will not bring snacks i've heard that's the main reason rats enter the sleeping area. Fingers crossed.

 

[Centrals]

Fantastic advice! Rats-- ick! I'm mentally prepared. This is a homestay with ensuite flushing toliets and I will not bring snacks i've heard that's the main reason rats enter the sleeping area. Fingers crossed.

Mossie should be your main concern not rats.
Washing line or ropes to hang clothes and towel.

 

[SaltyWombat]

Then come back to Sorong Dec 18 9am ferry. Stay overnight in Sorong, then Blue Manta grabs us from hotel. On Blue manta Dec 19-27. Then leaving Sorong-Jakarta-Singapore-SFO!

You can probably have Blue Manta pick you up in Waisai instead of Sorong. Most (all?) of the liveaboards seem to go through Waisai their first day anyhow. This is what I did with different resorts and liveaboards from you. Just ask Blue Manta about this. This will save you a trip back to Sorong. If you need a hotel in Waisai, consider Meridian Adventure Dive. You can even dive with them if you want to check out a different operation from your homestay. Oh, and just check with Turtle about how to get from their homestay to Waisai. Or, Meridian can pick you up on Kri/Mansuar if you're staying with them. That's what Meridian did for me.

Bring a reef hook. Also bring a first aid kit, as someone else mentioned. Band-Aids and antiseptic at the very least. Prescription drops for ear infections too, if you can. My doc just writes a prescription for this without even an office visit.

Sorong is not nice at all. I recommend minimizing your time there.

I did pretty much the same itinerary as you in Nov 2022.

You might consider extending your layover in Singapore for a few days. I recommend the Parkroyal Hotel on Upper Pickering. I mention the street because there are several Parkroyal properties in Singapore. The street food is very good and inexpensive in SG. Consider booking a food tour guide. I didn't, because the good ones were already booked by the time I thought of this.

 

[SaltyWombat]

Heads-up that Soul Scuba and your liveaboard will likely repeat several dive sites.

 

[SaltyWombat]

Not sure if you plan to see much of Jakarta, but in my opinion it's not worth it. The traffic is unbelievable. I hear Bandung, a neighboring city, is nice though.

I stayed in the Anara Hotel in terminal 3 in CGK and liked it.

In Sorong, I recommend the Swiss-Belhotel. That's the only place I would eat, if I were you. If you need provisions, get a taxi to a supermarket called Saga. I also stayed at the "favehotel" in Sorong, but the Swiss-Belhotel was far superior. The Rylich Panorama hotel might be an OK second choice behind the Swiss-Belhotel.

If you need a taxi driver in Sorong, I recommend "Pak Nur". This means Mr. Nur. Rp 100.000 (approx $6) will get you anywhere. Reach him on In WhatsApp teilen. If you don't already have WhatsApp, definitely sign up.

 

[cetacean]

@Kikabock

Sorong is a growing provincial town, much different that it was even 10 years ago. Parts will feel modern (like the airport) and other parts will seem very run down/chaotic.

As an alternative to the Swiss-Belhotel, the Aston is an option (it is both cleaner and newer, and much closer to the airport). We just stayed there a few weeks ago after spending 10 days at Sorido Bay. Rather than eating at the hotel, we ordered food through one of the local food delivery services. Many more options, very quick delivery.

You will dive many of the sites around Kri Island and a little of the surrounding area (the best dives all had current, some requiring the use of reef hooks to stay near the fish/shark action). Some of the farther away spots (like the Fam islands) are worth the extra cost. The Passage would be worth it as well, although no one is diving it any more because of the salt water crocs in the area (we did this dive ~10 years ago - amazing).