Papua Explorers Dive Resort
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by divers for divers
Our experts will support
you every step of the way - 24/7
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Rooms starts from
$333
About Papua Explorers Dive Resort
Raja Ampat, Indonesia
How To Get There
Departures to/from Sorong, West Papua, are done on Sundays and Wednesdays. The resort boat leaves Sorong at latest at 12 pm (noon) and we strongly recommend guests arrange their flights to arrive in Sorong earlier than this on the designated date. For assistance booking flights to/from Sorong on transfer days please contact a Bluewater Travel advisor.
Diving With Papua Explorers
Papua Explorers is located near the Dampier Strait, where many of Raja Ampat's best dive spots are located. The dive resort is located within around 10-30 mins to Dampier Strait's best dive sites. Ther are over 50 dive sites accessible from the resort. Some of the best dive sites are:
- Manta Point: 20 min
- Mikes Point: 10 min
- Cape Kri: 15 min
- Sardines Reef: 25 min
- Blue Magic: 25 min
- The Passage: 45 min
The Dampier Strait is known for its nutrient-rich waters and fast-moving currents, which attract a high density of stunning marine life.
Learn more about Raja Ampat Diving or see the full info on Papua Explorer's Dive Sites
Accommodation Overview
The water bungalows blend traditional Papuan style with the comfort of modern design features. They are built by using local natural materials collected from the surrounding villages.
There are two types of bungalows. The Deluxe Water Bungalows are very spacious with their 72 m2 total area, which includes a 40 m2 room, WC, shower and hot water, and a 20 m2 veranda. These bungalows can accommodate 1 to 3 people.
The Superior Water Bungalows are slightly smaller, suitable for up to 2 people, but have the same design and facilities.
Deluxe Water Bungalow
Fan
En Suite Bathroom
Wifi (free)
Towels
from
$367 pp/pn
Room price based on double occupancy
Superior Water Bungalow
Fan
En Suite Bathroom
Wifi (free)
TV
from
$333 pp/pn
Room price based on double occupancy
Family Villa
Fan
En Suite Bathroom
Hot Water Shower
Wifi (free)
from
$735 pp/pn
Room price based on double occupancy
Food & Drinks
Papua Explorers Resort has an incredible on-site restaurant overlooking the beauty of Raja Ampat. Here guests can sample traditional Indonesian cuisine as well as international comfort foods, and re-energize with snacks between dives, chilling out in the restaurant lounge area. The restaurant can easily accommodate dietary restrictions with at least 60 days notice prior to arrival.
Dive Information
Papua Explorers Raja Ampat Diving Overview
What is the diving like at Papua Explorers
The waters of Raja Ampat are highly rich in nutrients, especially in the Dampier Strait due to its fast-moving currents (the resort itself is located on the Dampier Strait). These currents attract a wide variety of species including migrating mammals and pelagic species. However, nutrient-rich often means lower visibility (typically 15-20 meters, or 50-65 feet) and the saying goes, no current, no fish.
The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat has (recorded) 1,309 fish species, 537 coral species - a remarkable 96% of all scleractinia recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands and 75% of all species that exist in the world - and 699 mollusk species: the variety of marine life is staggering. Areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs.
World-renowned dive sites close to Papua Explorers include: Manta Point, Mikes Point, Cape Kri, Sardines Reef, Mioskon, Blue Magic, Odtima, and Hidden Bay (all within 30 minutes by dive boat).
Papua Explorers distributes reef hooks to all divers. All divers are required to bring their safety buoys and whistles with them when coming to the resort. It is also mandatory for all divers to have DAN insurance to be able to dive with Papua Explorers; the closest hyperbaric chamber is in Waisai (45 minutes from the resorts location) and just recently opened. Please contact us if you have more questions on dive insurance and emergency medical facilities in Raja Ampat.
Please note that all dives are planned and executed without deco stops and it is mandatory for all divers to use a dive computer. Since the resort does not have a huge stock of rental equipment, most divers prefer to bring their own equipment. If youd like to rent any equipment, please contact a travel advisor so that we can alert the resort at least 60 days prior to your arrival.
Dive Center Information
Papua Explorers Dive Team
The dive team at the PADI 5 Star Dive Center consists of:
- 11 skilled Indonesian dive guides, which are trained to up-to-date standards
- 4 dive guide trainees from surrounding villages
- 5 multinational PADI instructors, with various specialties
- 1 free-diving instructor
- 10 highly trained and experienced boat drivers
- 10 helpful and attentive boat crew members
- 2 compressor technicians
Dive Boats
The diving fleet is currently composed as follows: there are 8 daily diving boats (with a capacity of 6 divers per boat) and 2 diving-and-transfer boats (for 8 divers or 14 guests during transfer), all of which are equipped with DAN emergency oxygen sets, 2-way-marine-radios, emergency first response medical sets. In addition, the guest transfer boats are equipped with GPS, life jackets, fire extinguishers. On full day trips, the boats are equipped with satellite phones to provide extra safety.
Raja Ampat Sea Center
The Raja Ampat SEA Center is a conservation initiative from the Papua Explorers Resort. Their mission is to protect and preserve the pristine nature and high marine biodiversity that exists within Raja Ampat. Learn more about the Raja Ampat SEA Center here.
Resort features
Resort WiFi On-site
restaurant and lounge area
Resort spa
Transfer services (200p/p)
Laundry services
Resort activities
Diving
Bird watching
Day trips
Special trips
Kayaks and paddle boards available free of charge
Snorkeling
Customize your Stay
Diving, Meals & Extras
Practical information
Electricity
Time zone
Languages
Accept Credit Cards?
Papua Explorers Dive Resort Reviews
thefrys
Papua Explorers is one of the most beautiful places you can want to visit. Well off of the beaten path, you must take a 2-3 hour boat ride from the mainland to get there. The small islands in the area are dotted with little villages. Upon arrival we were greeted with music and song as the staff welcomed us to the resort, escorting us to the main building for a welcome drink served in a coconut shell. The staff continued to be amazing for our entire stay.All of the bungalows are over the house reef which is accessible from the front porch. Here these is a hammock and loungers for enjoying the sea and the sun. The bungalows are very spacious and comfortable. Water is provided in each bungalow as is wifi. Meals are served buffet style in the main building. There are plenty of meal options with meals consisting of soup, salad, entree, sides, and dessert. There is a small gift shop here as well.The resort is the homebase for the Raja Ampat Sea Center. Here they focus on education and preservation. The center is clearing making a difference in the lives of the local community as well as assisting in the protection of the reefs around them.Diving in this area is spectacular. The corals are stunning and the fish amazing. We saw wobbegongs, dugongs, napoleon wrasse, bumpheads and giant sweetlips. There were plenty of rays and shark which can be found on the house reef too. We did not have the opportunity to see the walking shark but they can be seen here too. The dive staff were wonderful. Very helpful and extremely knowledgeable. Safety was of primary importance and the staff paid a great deal of attention to handling our gear. very well.I cannot say enough about Papua Explorers Resort. I would recommend it to anyone who, especially those who enjoy the simplicity of life and the beauty of nature. And of course, great diving.
Joeri
My stay at Papua Explorers for my dive trip in Raja Ampat was just amazing. The staff is very helpful and all the gear is put in place for you. The accommodation is beautiful and clean. The diving in Raja Ampat and the surroundings are outstanding. Also I enjoyed 4 night dives at the house reef and wasn't even charged for them because they were complimentary! The food was good but not amazing.
ilovediving
I stayed in Papua Paradise in March 2016 and loved it! You are within minutes of the best dive sites in the Dampier Strait. The family who owns and runs the resort are lovely people and will make you feel right at home.Keep in mind that you're in a remote location and in the middle of nature. This place is nice, but it's not the Four Seasons. There's no AC in the bungalows and the shower water is brackish. But that's what should be expected of an eco resort. All bungalows are overwater and quite large, with wonderful verandas looking out to the water.The food is good, and plentiful. It's buffet style and most of the tables are communal style, which is nice for solo travelers. My only complaint from my whole stay is that my severe food allergy (Celiac/gluten) wasn't accommodated well. I can't fault the kitchen staff too much though because most people don't really understand what it means to be 100% gluten free (with no cross contamination.) I was told they understood and could accommodate gluten free, and at my first meal I was offered pasta. Then I was offered something with soy sauce. Once we figured out that I would need someone to read and translate all the food labels, it wasn't an issue. I should emphasize that this won't affect the majority of people, but for someone with a serious allergy, it's a little frustrating.I would not hesitate to recommend Papua Explorers, and if I went back to Raja Ampat I would stay here again.
