Pearl of Papua

7N8D - Northern Raja Ampat

• Day 1 : Sorong Arrive in Sorong Airport.
• Our crew will be waiting outside the arrival hall and ready to escort you to the ship for immediate boarding. After 15 minutes of driving we onboard the vessel, refresh with the welcome drink. Your official check in time is 1PM. Cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departure. Take this opportunity to familiarize yourselves with the vessel, make yourself comfortable. Lunch and dinner will be served while departing towards Raja Ampat National Park.
• Day 2 : Dampier Straits
• Welcome to Dampier Straits areas. We will have check dive at Mioskon. Monitoring your buoyancy skill and make yourself comfortable with water and your gear. For some of you who have not dive for a long time, check dive is always a good way to refresh your skill.
• We have many excellent dive spots around the area. Cape Kri is a great start of the day with most fish and coral species accounted on a single dive site. Truly dive sites like Cape Kri, of Dr. Allens 30-year lifetime record fish count. Cape Kri has probably the largest concentration of big fish of any sites in northern Raja Ampat. Mioskon, Cape Kri and Mikes point are among the sites for day two.
• Day 3 : Wayag
• We will be arriving in the morning in Wayag Island one of must see itinerary for Raja Ampat cruise. We park the boat in the front of Mount Pindito where we make the famous hike. Bring your camera, your hat and your walking shoes. You will about to view the breathtaking scenery over the island group here. After taking load of pictures from above we will have nice and easy picnic on the beach, having relaxed morning, swimming and snorkeling. Take our tender boat to marvel at the spectacular hidden bay and little lagoon. We will make time to have a couple of dives around northern part of Raja Ampat Aljui Bay or Gam.
• Day 4 : Sel Pele Bay
• Sel Pele is a very large bay located on the western side of Waigeo Island, and is renowned as the best
• place in Raja Ampat for critter hunting. The bay has a large mouth with a small island in the center. Sometimes between our dives we make tour and visit the pearl farms. Dinding Selatan; Kebung Kerang; and Pearl farm Pier (The Jetty) are among our selection for day and night dives in the area.
• Day 5 : Fam and Penemu Island
• Spread over nearly 700 square kilometer of ocean just above the midway point on Raja Ampats north-south axis, Pam and Penemu vivid corals thrive while withstanding, indeed reveling in, some of Dampiers strongest current.
• We will have fun drifting away with current at Melissa Garden, Barracuda and Angelina Passage.
• Day 6 Dampier Straits
• We cant get enough of Dampier Straits. It contains some of Raja Ampats most action packed dives. This times we dive Chicken Reef, Sardine, Blue Magic. The dive spot that offers an unforgettable diving experience where you could spot huge schools of fish parade by barracuda and pale or blue tail surgeonfish patrol the reef top, while below schools of trevally and fusiliers whiz past and encircle you. Manta is usually seen. Sheer numbers of fish here. Of course there are great schools of trevallies and tuna in numbers that practically block out the light. But you can also be enthralled by vast numbers of bumpheaded parrotfish as they charge around and devour the coral.
• Day 7 : Arborek
• On the way back to Sorong we will stop by at the famous Arborek, the dive spot selection in this area are abundant. Manta sandy and Manta Ridge will be among our dive spot selection where you can spot a group of Mantas circling and swimming. For safety precautions, we will have only two shallow dives in our last dives day.
• Day 8 : Sorong
• After breakfast, prepare for disembarkation. Your official check out time is 10 AM. Be ready to leave the boat and you will be transferred to Sorong Airport for you next destination.

10N11D Misool To Wayag Island (South To North) Itinerary

• Day 1: Sorong
• When you arrive at Sorong Airport our crew will be waiting for you in the arrival hall, after collecting your luggage we will escort you to the harbor where our tender boats will take you out to the Pearl of Papua and our friendly crew will greet you with a cold refreshing towel and drink. This will be followed by cabin allocation and boat orientation. When all guests are on board the Cruise Director will give you a presentation about the Pearl of Papua and diving recommendations. Depending on departure time there may be an opportunity to have a check dive just outside Sorong Harbour. Lunch and dinner will be served during the sail out to South Raja Ampat (12hrs)
• Day 2 - 5: Misool
• One of the many fascinating diversities of Raja Ampat, with some of the most amazing landscapes imaginable, deep mangroves to ravines and canyons, the Misool Islands have been shaped by the powerful forces of nature, underwater the vibrant variety of color of the hard corals / soft corals / fish species is wonderful. Diving at the Boo Windows, Nudi Rock, Goa Farundi and Magic Mountain (Reef Bayangan) are just some of the awesome sites you can see
• Day 6: Fam and Penemu
• More great examples of Raja Ampats diversity. The Penemu Islands very recently became a Marine Protected Area and we spend most of our time here in the M.P.A. Melissa's Garden has probably the best complete coral coverage you will ever see and no visit to these islands is complete without seeing the Hidden Bay
• Day 7: Wayag (Northern Hemisphere)
• After your tour of The Hidden Bay, we set off for a 12hr drive up to the north of Raja Ampat and dive
• around the Kawe Islands and Aljui Bay.
• The entire Aljui Bay has been leased out by Atlas Sea Pearls and the dive sites include White Arrow, Tear Drop Corner and the infamous Cendana Pearl Farm Jetty. It is also possible to tour the pearl farm
• Day 8: Yanggefo
• After a 12hr drive back down to the south / middle of Raja Ampat we will dive at Yanggefo. Here we will dive Mayhem, Citrus Ridge and Gam Ridge followed by some snorkelling in the mangroves looking for the Archer Fish and seeing the unique corals that grow in front of the mangroves (normally corals grow 100m plus away from the mangroves), followed by a night dive at either of the ridges, we will overnight in the mangroves
• Day 9: Arborek & Mioskon
• On the way back to Sorong we will stop by at the famous Arborek, the dive spot selection in this area are abundant. Manta sandy and Manta Ridge will be among our dive spot selection where you can spot a group of Mantas circling and swimming. If possible, we will have a barbeque dinner at the island.
• Day 10: Dampier Strait
• Finishing off your great trip with two shallow dives in the Dampier Strait which has some great action packed fish dives, like Cape Kri and Blue Magic. After your busy diving schedule has come to a sad end we will have a lazy afternoon on Pulau Pasir (Sand Island) before returning to Sorong
• Day 11: Sorong
• After breakfast, the Cruise Director will escort the guests to either the airport / hotel and will assist with checking in.

3N4D (Non-Diving) - Raja Ampat Itinerary

• Day - 1 (Thursday) Sorong - Fam & Pianemo Island
• 6.30 AM Arrival at Dominique Eduard Osok - Sorong Airport
• 7.00 AM After collecting the luggage, directly transfer to Pelabuhan Usaha Mina - Pearl of Papua
• 7.30 AM Breakfast served onboard Pearl of Papua
• 10.00 AM Heading to Waisai, it will take + 6 hours sailing
• 12.00 PM Lunch served onboard Pearl of Papua
• 4.00 PM Snack time onboard Pearl of Papua
• 6.00 PM Arrive at Fam Island. Relax by the Sundeck until dinner time
• 7.00 PM Dinner served onboard Pearl of Papua
• Day - 2 (Friday) Fam & Pianemo Island - Arborek Village
• 7.30 AM Breakfast onboard Pearl of Papua
• 8.30 AM We park the boat in the front of Mount Pianemo where we make the famous hike, bring your camera, your hat and your walking shoes. We will enjoy one of very special breathtaking view in Raja Ampat, a cluster of small coral islands surrounded by a lovely blue-sea and several green vegetation. Once we get down from the mountain, we will have a nice and easy picnic on the beach, having relaxed morning, swimming and snorkeling.
• 11.00 AM We will take our tender boat to marvel at the beautiful little lagoon Penemu Island, and then back to the boat
• 12.00 PM Lunch served onboard Pearl of Papua
• 2.00 PM Visit the local village of Arborek. Arborek has been famous for its handcraft that produces
• hats and traditional bag " Noken"
• 3.30 PM Snorkeling at the Arborek
• 5.00 PM Snack time onboard Pearl of Papua and relax by the sundeck until dinner time
• 7.00 PM Dinner served onboard Pearl of Papua
• Day - 3 (Saturday) Mansuar & Kri - Pasir Timbul - Mioskon Island
• 7.30 AM Breakfast onboard Pearl of Papua
• 8.30 AM We're heading to Mansuar to do snorkeling, the crystal clear of the sea water allows you to see the underwater life up to the depth of 5 to 10 m.
• 10.00 AM Heading to Pasir Timbul for swimming and snorkeling (according to ocean tides timing)
• 12.00 PM Lunch served onboard Pearl of Papua
• 2.00 PM Visit the local village of Yenbuba.
• 2.30 PM Swimming and snorkeling at Yenbuba beach
• 4.00 PM Snack time onboard Pearl of Papua
• 5.00 PM Heading to Mioskon Island for sunset trip
• 7.00 PM Barbeque Time served on island (Dinner)
• 9.00 PM Heading to Sorong
• Day - 4 (Sunday) Sorong
• 3.00 AM Arrive at Pelabuhan Usaha Mina - Sorong
• 7.00 AM Breakfast served onboard Pearl of Papua
• 8.00 AM Preparing for disembarkation, our crew will drop you to the airport as your flight schedule.

7N8D Cendrawasih Bay Itinerary

• Day 1: Manokwari
• When you arrive at Manokwari (Rendani Airport) our Cruise Director / Dive Manager will be waiting for you outside the arrival hall, after collecting your luggage we will escort you to the harbour where our tender boats will take you out to the Pearl of Papua and our friendly crew will greet you with a cold refreshing drink. This will be followed by cabin allocation and boat orientation. When all guests are on board the Cruise Director will give you a presentation about the Pearl of Papua and diving recommendations. After Lunch you will have your check dive at Pulau Mansinam immediately after the dive we will depart to Pulau Roon and dinner will be served on route.
• Day 2: Pulau Roon
• Tanjung Ayami is a sloping reef with huge slabs of rock and Pulau Auri is a cluster of small islands with a similar topography but Groovy Passage is a sloping reef but has no slabs of rock.
• Dive 1. Tanjung Ayami WIDE ANGLE (huge blocks of rock & hard / soft corals)
• Dive 2. Pulau Auri WIDE ANGLE (huge blocks of rock & hard / soft corals)
• Dive 3. Groovy Passage WIDE ANGLE (fan corals, soft corals, sponges, turtles, Cenderawasih endemic Caitlins dottyback / Pictichromis caitlinae)
• Dive 4. Groovy Passage MACRO
• Day 3: Mangguar
• Tanjung Mangguar is a cape on the main island of Papua. There are several small islands formed from volcanic rock making interesting dives, with slopes, walls, small caves, cut backs and overhangs.
• Dive 1. Tanjung Mangguar WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (soft corals, whip corals, fusiliers, snappers, reef sharks, rays)
• Dive 2. RocknRoll WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (soft corals, whip corals, fusiliers, snappers, reef sharks, rays)
• Dive 3. Kwatisore WIDE ANGLE (whale sharks)
• Dive 4. Lemon Slope WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (Cenderawasih endemic Epaulette Shark / Hemicyllium galei)
• Day 4: Kwatisore
• Welcome to Kwatisore, the high light of diving in Cenderawasih. This is where you shall see whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), normally they are seen on their own when they are feeding and when they are not feeding they live in more than 1,200 meters below the surface of the water. But here we see them together (adults and juveniles) below the bagans (fishing platforms). Originally when the locals brought up their nets in the early morning catching millions ikan puri (small bait fish) the whale sharks followed the nets and were seen sucking on the nets. This is strange behavior for the worlds largest fish which normally only eats plankton is
• truly unique to Kwatisore, it is believed that they get nutrients and oils from the bait fish. So now liveaboards buy the bait fish from the bagan fishermen and then we ask them to slowly throw them back in (on top of the whale sharks), then the whale sharks swim around taking the bait fish in their mouths but the bait fish come back out again via their gills. The whale sharks stay within 10m of the surface so it is really easy to snorkel with them.
• Dive 1. Bagan WIDE ANGLE (whale sharks)
• Dive 2. Bagan WIDE ANGLE (whale sharks)
• Dive 3. Lemon Slope MACRO / WIDE ANGLE / (Cenderawasih endemic Epaulette Shark / Hemicyllium galei)
• Day 5: Tridacna Atoll
• Small caves, cut backs, overhangs, this area is where we can find some of the best hard corals in the Cenderawasih Bay National Park.
• Dive 1. Tridacna Wall WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (hard corals, sponges, fan corals, endemic fusiliers)
• Dive 2. Spag Point WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (hard corals, barrel sponges, vase corals, jacks, barracuda, surgeon fish)
• Dive 3. Boomerang Atoll WIDE ANGLE / MACRO (hard corals)
• Dive 4. Boomerang Atoll MACRO / WIDE ANGLE
• Day 6: Pulau Purup
• A group of small islands / islets close to mainland Papua.
• Dive 1. PP1 WIDE ANGLE (hard corals, fusiliers, snappers, Cenderawasih endemic Damsel Fish / Chysiptera pricei)
• Dive 2. PP2 WIDE ANGLE (hard corals fusiliers, snappers, red tooth trigger fish, reef sharks)
• Dive 3. PP3 WIDE ANGLE (elephant ear sponges, fan corals, whip corals, fusiliers, Cenderawasih endemic flasher wrasse / Paracheilinus walton)
• Day 7: Sungai Omi
• Black quartz sand beach mixed with small stones and here there is a small river that enters the sea creating different bottom marine life.
• Dive 1. Tanjung Mupi MACRO (Cenderawasih endemic mantis shrimps / Odontodactylus)
• Dive 2. Sungai Omi MACRO (nudibranchs, estuarine sea horse)
• Day 8: Manokwari
• After breakfast the Cruise Director will escort the guests to either the airport / hotel and will assist with checking in. Sorry to say that your Pearl of Papua trip has come to an end and we look forward to welcoming you on board again.