Raja Ampat Dive Resort
Dive resort or liveaboard? Understanding your options for diving Raja Ampat’s extraordinary reefs.
Resort vs Liveaboard
Choosing How to Dive Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat offers two primary ways to dive: land-based dive resorts and liveaboard vessels. Each has its merits, but for serious divers seeking to maximize their Raja Ampat experience, a liveaboard offers unmatched advantages in terms of site access, dive frequency, and overall coverage of this vast archipelago.
Dive resorts in Raja Ampat are typically located on single islands — Kri, Misool, or Arborek — providing excellent house reef snorkeling and access to nearby dive sites. However, they are limited by boat range and typically offer 2–3 dives per day within a radius of their location.
Why a Liveaboard Is the Better Choice
Full Coverage
Visit both the northern Dampier Strait region and the southern Misool area in a single trip.
More Dives Per Day
Up to four guided dives daily versus the 2–3 typically offered by resort day boats.
Remote Site Access
Reach sites like Blue Magic, The Passage, and outer Misool reefs that resorts cannot access.
Wake Up at the Site
No long boat transfers — your first dive of the day begins steps from your cabin.
All-Inclusive Comfort
Gourmet meals, air-conditioned cabins, sun decks, and professional crew — all included.
Small Group Experience
Maximum 16 guests ensures uncrowded dive sites and personalized attention from guides.
A Typical Raja Ampat Liveaboard Day
Your day begins with an early morning dive as the sun rises over the islands — the reef is at its most active. After surfacing, a full breakfast awaits on the sun-drenched upper deck. The second dive follows mid-morning, often at a signature site like Cape Kri or Manta Sandy.
After a gourmet lunch, the vessel repositions to the afternoon dive site while you relax, review photos, or nap in your air-conditioned cabin. The third dive explores a new reef system, and for the adventurous, a sunset or night dive reveals the reef’s nocturnal inhabitants — Spanish dancers, walking sharks, and hunting cuttlefish.
Experience Raja Ampat the Best Way
A luxury liveaboard covers more of Raja Ampat in one trip than weeks at any resort.
View Raja Ampat Trips