Damai I Itinerary
Cenderawasih Bay to Raja Ampat13 days / 12 nights
About Damai I
- Indonesia's most diverse selection of liveaboard diving itineraries
- Explore some of Indonesia's remote regions like Cenderawasih and Triton Bay
- Make the most of unlimited diving, superb camera facilities, and small groups
- Little luxuries like master cabins, gourmet cuisine, and spa services
Dive Damai’s original vessel, the Damai I liveaboard is a luxurious traditional phinisi custom-built for scuba diving. This liveaboard offers a staggering variety of itineraries visiting classic destinations including Komodo and Raja Ampat, as well as remote and seldom visited areas like Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay. Dedicated divers will love this boat's fantastic facilities and outstanding service underwater, including unlimited dives and small guide-to-guest ratios.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 13 days / 12 nights
Number of dives 37
Experience Open Water - Minimum 10 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- One-way trip linking the marine parks of Cenderawasih and Raja Ampat
- Dive with the whale sharks of Cenderawasih Bay National Park
- Explore ghostly remains of WWII shipwrecks
- Discover the remote and protected waters of Mapia
- Dive the well known and action-packed Dampier Strait
- Encounter both reef and oceanic manta rays in Raja Ampat
- Stroll around the village of Arborek
- Possible night dive with whale sharks included in the schedule
Day 1: Arrive into Nabire
The flight usually arrives in Nabire in the morning, and you will go directly to Damai and make yourselves comfortable. We will start moving late in the afternoon towards our first destination.
No. of Dives: 0
Days 2 and 3: Teluk Wororomi
This is the whale shark bay, and the local fishing platforms attract many of the ocean's largest fish. After local reporting is complete, divers will be offered an open dive deck so that they may spend as much time as possible in the water with these amazing creatures.
The whale sharks here are a resident population of pre-adolescents, mainly males, who come to the platforms to feed on the small bait fish that sit in the nets that hang beneath. They are apparently unconcerned by divers and tirelessly circle back again and again to feed upon morsels of fish hand-fed to them by the fishermen, who regard them as good luck.
No. of Dives: Unlimited dives/snorkeling + 1 night dive
Day 4: Tanjung Manguar / Pulau Nusir
Tanjung Mangguar is an extensive dive site with a wall on one side and a plateau of hard corals on the other. There are some magnificent sponges and lots of plump soft corals to add some colour to the reef. This is a good chance to see some of the endemic fish species and there is a school of resident blackfin barracuda.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 5: Outer Atolls
The outer atolls of Cenderawasih Bay are some of the fishiest sites of the area, located inside the national park. Wild Fish Ridge and Spag Point are two particular favourites. It is here that we can view so many of the endemic species that led this to be called “the Galapagos of the East.”
No. of Dives: 4
Day 6: Pulau Manim
Manim is home to calm waters and 7 sunken landing craft left behind after WWII. These are in a variety of depths from 5 to 25m and are covered in a variety of hard and soft corals.
No. of Dives: 4
Days 7 and 8: Mapia
The last atoll in Indonesian waters, very close to the border with Palau, too remote for fishermen to go, and protected by a small navy post, The combination of all these factors mean only one thing: superb diving: pristine waters, hard corals and drop offs and a tremendous amount of fish. Rare opportunity to see reefs in the way they were many years ago, and a delight to all our senses.
No. of Dives: 4 and 3
Day 9: Pulau Dua
Halfway between Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih bay we will make a stop in these small islands where remains of second world war were thrown into the sea making small, but superb reefs where life concentrates in large numbers. Big schools of yellow grunt, large napoleon fish or barramundis find shelter. In the evening, if the conditions are right, we will go to the beach to see the leatherback turtle nesting.
No. of Dives: 2 or 3
Day 10: Kri & Dampier Straits
At the eastern end of the famous Dampier Strait, there are many signature dive sites. Cape Kri is a sloping reef on the eastern end on the island of Kri; Blue Magic and Sardine Reef are seamounts covered in schooling fish and cruising sharks and rays; Mioskon is a great spot for the endemic wobbegong shark and Pontohi pygmy seahorses.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 11: Manta Sandy & Arborek
Manta Sandy is a signature site for experiencing the grace of reef mantas. They are frequent visitors to the cleaning stations dotted along this sandy channel. Feel free to explore the sand for small critters while you are waiting for an appearance.
Arborek Jetty is part of a sloping reef in front of the island. There are schools of fish, excellent wide-angle photo opportunities under the jetty itself, and good critter hunting to be done along the slopes.
In the late afternoon take a stroll around the village on the island and maybe join in one of their soccer matches or buy a locally made sunhat.
No. of Dives: 4
Day 12: Penemu
The signature sites in Penemu are Barracuda Point; a seamount on the north point; Melissa's Garden, a beautiful example of a hard-coral plateau; and Keruo Channel, where you can drift along this colourful slope watching the seascape go by.
The highlight of Penemu is a lagoon tour in the tender boats amongst these turquoise waters and limestone bays. For the energetic, there is a short walk to the top of one the hills to be rewarded with an amazing view over the lagoon with Damai moored in the distance. Long Crossing to Farondi.
No. of Dives: 2
Day 13: Departure
Guests will be escorted to the airport in Sorong and assisted with check-in procedures, no doubt full of talk about the wonders of the most popular dive destination in the world.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
Transfer details
Departure
11:00am
Nabire
Douw Aturure Nabire Airport: NBX
Return
10:00am
Sorong
Sorong Airport: SOQ
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/damai-i/itn-2011140738371-cenderawasih-bay-to-raja-ampat