Misool Resort, Raja Ampat

The diving in Raja Ampat can be broadly divided into two main areas. The north with its nutrient-rich currents, denser fish life and better hard corals. While Misool Island in the south offers divers better visibility and more plentiful soft corals. 

Mansuar Island and the Dampier Strait

Mansuar Island and the Dampier Strait are the heart of Raja Ampat’s northern diving. This area is home to Raja Ampat’s original dive resorts and many of the famous dive sites. Here, divers can explore sites such as Chicken Reef, Sardine Reef, Batu Lima, Blue Magic and Cape Kri in the east, and Manta Ridge, Manta Sandy and Arborek Jetty in the west. Raja Ampat’s northern dive sites feature fantastic biodiversity, large numbers of schooling fish and plenty of action when the currents are running. Due to the popularity of the Dampier Strait, there is now a ranger station at Manta Sandy to ensure divers follow the correct rules when diving with manta rays.

North of the Dampier Strait

North of the Dampier Strait are the islands of Waigeo and Gam. This area is home to the aptly named Mayhem dive site and the famous Passage - a narrow channel that cuts between the two islands. The tidal flow through the Passage creates the ideal conditions for filter feeders. Divers can drift between huge soft corals and sea fans which reach for the surface beneath the overhanging mangroves.

Misool Island

Located to the south of the main islands, Misool’s diving is characterised by dramatic underwater landscapes, stunning reefs and manta rays. Divers will find lots of pinnacles and ridges carpeted in beautiful fans, soft corals and sponges. Dive sites such as Boo and Fiabacet have become famous for glorious reef diving, whilst Magic Mountain attracts divers in search of giant oceanic manta rays. A large number of the dive sites around Misool Island now lie within the Misool Marine Reserve, a protected area twice the size of Singapore! And the results of this protection are clear, with fish populations booming and the number of sharks increasing every year.