Papua Explorers Resort, Raja Ampat

Diving at Papua Explorers Resort

Papua Explorers’ PADI 5 Star Dive Centre is located at the end of the main jetty, directly above the house reef. Dive packages typically include three guided boat dives each day, with two morning dives followed by lunch at the resort and an afternoon boat dive. Guided sunset and night dives are available on the house reef, except on Saturday evenings, and nitrox is included for pre-booked dive packages but not for sunset or night dives. The dive centre has gear storage, rental equipment, a dedicated camera room, rinse tanks, briefing boards and water access. Dive groups are kept to a maximum of six guests, and the resort operates daily dive boats as well as larger dive-and-transfer boats. Snorkellers are well catered for at the resort, with guided snorkelling on suitable dive sites and the option to join dive boats for a surcharge. 

The resort is positioned for easy access to the central sites in the Dampier Strait, with many regular sites within around 30 minutes by boat. Nearby highlights include Otdima, Mike’s Point, Cape Kri, Manta Point, Blue Magic, Sardines Reef, Chicken Reef, Mioskon, Hidden Bay and The Passage. Diving here is known for prolific marinelife, soft and hard corals, schooling fusiliers and anthias, trevally, tuna, barracuda, reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish and manta rays at cleaning stations. Currents can range from mild to strong depending on the tides, so divers are grouped by experience and eased into more current-prone sites gradually. 

Diving in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle and is regarded as one of the planet’s richest reef ecosystems, with surveys recording more than 1,400 reef fish species and over 600 coral species. The region’s main diving areas include the Dampier Strait, Waigeo, Batanta, Misool, Fam and the surrounding island groups, with a mix of current-swept reefs, manta cleaning stations, jetties, mangroves, channels, submerged pinnacles and sheltered bays. Papua Explorers is best suited to divers focused on central Raja Ampat and the Dampier Strait, rather than southern Misool, which is too far for day diving from the resort.

Learn more about diving in Raja Ampat on the ZuBlu site here.

ZuBlu’s dive travel experts will help you create the ideal package at Papua Explorers Resort, including your preferred room type, diving, excursions, equipment rental, transfers and any special requests. Share your travel dates, group size, diving experience and budget, and we’ll recommend the best options for your trip.

We’ll also help with practical travel planning, including flight routes, arrival timings and resort transfers, making sure your itinerary works as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

Once you’ve finalised your plans, your travel expert will put a complimentary hold on your preferred room and send a final quote that includes accommodation, meals, diving, transfers, rental equipment or excursions. This quote will also show any extras paid in advance or at the resort - there are no hidden fees - as well as a payment schedule and cancellation terms and conditions.

Your booking is confirmed once the required deposit, or full payment when necessary, has been received.

After confirmation, your dedicated guest concierge will take over and assist with flight routes, transfers, any personal information required by the resort, and questions about your reservation. They are there to make the entire process as straightforward as possible.

Ready to start planning you trip? Chat with a travel expert now.

Looking for some more information about dive resorts in Raja Ampat? Read more in our guide here.

Getting there

Guests fly into Sorong, which can reached by domestic flights from Jakarta, Denpasar or Ambon. The resort operates scheduled boat transfers between Sorong and Gam Island on Sundays and Wednesdays using its own transfer boat. On arrival at Sorong airport, guests are met by resort staff and taken to a nearby hotel for clean bathrooms and breakfast while the boat is prepared. The boat from Sorong leaves no later than 12:00 noon, so flights should arrive earlier the same morning. For departures, the boat leaves the resort at 06:00 to connect with Sorong flights departing after 10:00.

Other activities

Non-divers have plenty to do, especially if they enjoy nature and quiet island exploration. Activities close to the resort include snorkelling the house reef, kayaking, spa treatments, relaxing on the sundeck, walking to Yenwaupnor village, beach walks at low tide, and guided birdwatching for the Red Bird of Paradise. Boat-based excursions may include Fam Islands and Penemu, Wayag, The Passage and Batanta, often combining sightseeing with diving or snorkelling. Full-day trips depend on weather, availability and minimum participant numbers, and are usually booked at the resort. 

Good to know

• WiFi - Free WiFi is available in the main resort areas, and iis suitable for emails and messages, but not large downloads.
• Mobile coverage - Phone reception varies with the weather, but Telkomsel 4G is usually available.
• Electricity - 24-hour electricity is provided at 220/230V.
• Plug type - European-style two-round-pin plugs are used.
• Payments at the resort – Payments at the resort are cash only; Rupiah, US Dollars and Euros are accepted.
• Time zone – Raja Ampat uses Eastern Indonesia Time, UTC+9.
• Marine park fee – the Raja Ampat’s marine park fee is payable by all visitors on arrival.
• Dive insurance – Dive insurance covering emergency evacuation and hyperbaric treatment is mandatory for divers.
• Alcohol – Beer, soft drinks, wine and limited spirits are available at extra cost.