Wai Resort, Raja Ampat
Intimate, private island dive resort in Raja Ampat’s Dampier Strait offering secluded scuba getaways
per person, full board
Overview
- Private island resort with just seven beachside guest cottages
- Close to many of Raja Ampat’s iconic dive sites in the Dampier Strait
- Discover a WWII plane wreck on the island’s own house reef
- Search for unique wildlife including birds of paradise and cuscus
Nestled amongst lush tropical scenery on Wai Island in Raja Ampat’s iconic Dampier Strait, Wai Resort is the ultimate island retreat. The resort’s small size ensures personalised service at all times, while its commitment to conservation and other sustainable practices bring peace of mind and a sound night’s sleep. Offering plenty of relaxing activities - from scuba, snorkelling, and stand-up paddleboarding, to spa treatments set to spectacular sunsets - Wai Resort guarantees relaxation and rejuvenation within one of the most sublime natural settings imaginable.
Rooms
Bungalow
1 x King bed, sleeps 2
Ensuite bathroom, Fan, Private terrace...from $177 /night
Resort checklist
Meal plans:
- Full Board
Free transfers
Free transfers are scheduled on Mondays and Fridays only.
Diving in Raja Ampat
WobbegongNot frequently
Reef sharksYear round
Manta raysYear round
Schooling reef fishYear round
Pygmy seahorsesYear round
Healthy reefsYear round
Plentiful reef lifeYear round
Soft coralsYear round
Walls & pinnaclesYear round
TrevallyFrom April to February
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.
