Raja Ampat Aggressor Liveaboard Reviews & Specials - Bluewater Dive Travel

Raja Ampat Aggressor

4.25
(4 REVIEWS)
A cabin interior with bunk beds
A cabin interior with a double bed
A cabin interior with twin bunks
A dining room with tables
A salon and dining area with tables and couches
Two people view a photo on a computer
People enjoy wine and fresh fruit on the Raja Ampat Aggressor
A man offers snacks to a man
A crew member holds a tray of fruit juice on the Raja Ampat Aggressor
A chef presents a platter of seafood and vegetables
People look at a camera
An outdoor lounge area with couches and sunbeds
A nighttime view of the outdoor lounge with couches and sunbeds
Underwater cameras on a table on the dive deck of Raja Ampat Aggressor
A welcome mat and set of stairs on the Raja Ampat Aggressor
A scuba diver is helped onto a tender boat
The Raja Ampat Aggressor ship sits in the water

Destination: Indonesia

Itineraries: Raja Ampat, Derawan Islands, Halmahera, Lembeh & North Sulawesi  (7-12 nights) | From $460++/night

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Raja Ampat Aggressor Quick Pitch

The Raja Ampat Aggressor is designed and equipped for optimal comfort, safety, and steadiness. 

 

DIVE OVERVIEW

Raja Ampat diving is characterized by its mindblowing diversity, featuring a plethora of medium to large size fish, good macro, and great hard and soft coral reefs, along with some muck and mangrove sites. The water temperatures hover at around 89°F (31°C) year-round--so warm that a wetsuit is hardly needed. The archipelago's topside scenery is also stunning.

[See: Raja Ampat Dive Travel Guide, Lembeh Dive Travel GuideDerawan Islands Travel Guide]

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Accommodations

Types of Cabins, Amenities and Photos

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Raja Ampat Aggressor Accommodation Details

The Raja Ampat Aggressor provides a variety of accommodation options, including one Master stateroom with a queen bed, two Deluxe staterooms with a queen bed and a twin bunk bed, and five staterooms with twin beds arranged in an L shape. Each stateroom boasts either port holes or picture windows, climate control, a TV with movies, and a private bathroom.

 

Raja Ampat Aggressor Raja Ampat Aggressor Raja Ampat Aggressor

From Left to Right: Master, Deluxe & Twin Staterooms

 

Raja Ampat Aggressor Cabin Details

  • Master Stateroom (#5)
  • Queen bed. All with private head and shower, picture window, individual climate control, monitor with media player and hair dryer.
  • Deluxe Stateroom (#3 & 4)
  • Queen bed (lower) and twin bed (upper) bunk-style. Private head and shower, picture windows, individual climate control, monitor with media player and hair dryer.
  • Twin Stateroom (#1, 2, 6, 7, 8)
  • (#1, 2) Twin (lower) and twin bed (upper) L-Shaped and elevated. (#6, 7, 8) two twin (lower) beds L-Shaped. All with private head and shower, port hole in #1 & 2, picture window in #6, 7 & 8. Individual climate control, monitor with media player and hair dryer.

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General Facilities

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Raja Ampat Aggressor Raja Ampat Aggressor

Raja Ampat Aggressor Raja Ampat Aggressor

 

Raja Ampat Aggressor Boat Features

  • Air-conditioned salon and dining area
  • Shaded sundeck complete with lounge and deck chairs
  • TV, DVD player and stereo in the main salon
  • Mini-boutique

 

Raja Ampat Aggressor Dive Facilities

  • Nitrox ($150 per 10-night charter)
  • Camera table
  • Freshwater showers
  • Up to 5 dives each day
  • Full line of Aqualung rental gear including regulators, BCs, dive computers, and nightlights
  • Diving specialty courses

 

Food & Drinks Aboard Raja Ampat Aggressor

The menu onboard is varied and plentiful, with a variety of Indonesian feasts and local cuisine. The Aggressor’s selection includes fruit juices, soft drinks, iced water, iced tea, coffee, and a limited selection of local beer and wine (wine is served with dinner), which are complimentary. Due to the high duty charged on liquor, we suggest you bring your special brand from the U.S. Due to local regulations; the bar will be closed while the boat is in port. 

 

Raja Ampat Aggressor Raja Ampat Aggressor

 

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Raja Ampat Aggressor Liveaboard Deck Plan

Raja Ampat Aggressor

 

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Schedule, Rates & Availability

Raja Ampat Aggressor Schedule & Rates

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Prices are in USD, per person and are based on the lowest-priced cabin. Port and park fees are not included.

[See also: Inclusions & Exclusions]

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INCLUSIONS

  • Accommodations aboard the yacht
  • All meals and snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, local beer and wine
  • Diving
  • Compressed air tanks, weights & belts
  • Transfers are complimentary on the charter start/end dates. 

 

EXCLUSIONS

  • Airfare (international and domestic)
  • Insurance
  • Equipment rentals
  • Nitrox fills
  • Certification or specialty courses
  • Hotel stays/day rooms
  • Dinner on final evening
  • Crew gratuity
  • Port and park fees (paid onboard: Raja Ampat $250 USD per person; Raja Ampat & Banda Sea $260 USD per person; Derawan Islands $250 USD per person)

  

RATES &  AVAILABILITY

For more information on rates and availability email us at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at +1-310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!

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DIVE INFORMATION & DESTINATIONS

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ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Seven and ten-night adventures aboard the Raja Ampat Aggressor depart from Sorong exploring the Raja’s main islands, Batanta, Misool, Salawati and Waigeo, also known as the “Four Kings.” Select Derawan Islands excursions to depart from Berau diving the Maratua Atoll, Sangalaki Island, and Talisayan, which is known for its prolific whale shark population.

 

There are 4 itineraries with 7, 10, and 12-night charters offered.

  • 7 night -  average up to 22 dives including night dives.
  • 10 night - average up to 33 dives including night dives.
  • Water temperature averages 82 - 86°F/28 - 30°C
  • 3mm wetsuit recommended
  • All dives are made from 2 dive tenders

 

RAJAAMPAT - 7 & 10 NIGHT ITINERARIES

  • Raja Ampat Aggressor II Liveaboard
  • The Raja Ampat itinerary combines the best dive sites of Dampier Strait, Fam, Mansuar and the awesome dive sites of Misool, the best diving area of Raja Ampat. The great highlights are the manta cleaning station near Mansuar and the huge schools of fish near Farondi.
  • The Dampier straight separates the Birdhead Peninsula from Waigeo and Mansuar. The name comes from the Dutch colonial times. It refers to the shape of the peninsula on the map, but it is also a paradise for many rare bird species.
  • Here the Pacific Ocean meets the Halmahera Sea, with an explosion of marine life as consequence. With regular strong currents, big fish feel especially comfortable. Manta rays, reef sharks, different schools of mackerel, tuna and barracuda, dolphin and whales.
  • The night dives under the Arborek or Cape Mansuar jetty is a favorite spot with peculiar creatures such as wobbegongs, epaulette sharks (walking sharks), nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses, frogfish, scorpion fish and the list goes on.
  • Misool is the southeast of the four big islands of the Raja Ampat archipelago. At the same time it is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. The rich variety of reefs are also not to be overlooked with vertical walls, slopes, dry rocks, caves and lagoons; some covered with hard corals while the others are covered with brightly colored soft corals. Also renowned as the center of pygmy seahorses and gorgonians, everywhere you go you will be amazed by the profusion of marine life that Raja Ampat has to offer you.
  • Raja Ampat Dive Sites
  • Arborek: Manta Sandy, West Mansuar, Arborek Jetty
  • My Reef Dampier: Mioskon, Sardines Reef, Blue Magic, Friwinbonda, Nudis Rock, The Passage, Batu Lima, Friwonda, Cape Kri, Chicken Reef, Cape
  • Batanta: North Batata, Algae Patch
  • Penemu: Melissa’s Garden, Keruo Channel
  • Mansuar Misool: Magic Mountain, Boo Windows, Nudi Rock, Barracuda Point, Tank Rock, Whale Rock, Three Sisters, Killer Cave, Farondi Wall

[See: Raja Ampat Dive Travel Guide]

 

DERAWAN ISLANDS - 7 NIGHT ITINERARY

  • Raja Ampat Aggressor II Liveaboard
  • The Derawan Islands (Kepulauan Derawan) are located off the eastern coast of Borneo (East Kalimantan Province) in Indonesia, in the famous Celebes Sea. Derawan is an archipelago with the main islands being Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban and Sangalaki, forming small and remote atolls with sandy banks. This special place is considered the second most biodiverse place in the world.
  • Derawan Islands are part of the Coral Triangle, which features 872 species of reef fish, 507 species of coral, and invertebrates, including protected species (5 giants clam species, 2 sea turtles, coconut crab, etc.).
  • Sample Seven Itinerary (22 Dives)
  • Day 1: On the charter start date, guests will be picked up from one of the host hotels and transferred to the Raja Ampat Aggressor. Once all guests are onboard, the adventure begins to the Derawan Islands (approximately 10 hours). No diving this day.
  • Day 2: 4 dives in Sangalaki Island
  • Day 3: 4 dives in Kakaban Island
  • Day 4: 4 dives in Talisayan Whale Sharks
  • Day 5: 4 dives in Maratua
  • Day 6: 4 dives in Maratua
  • Day 7: 2 dives in Derawan.
  • Day 8: Disembark and transfer to the Berau International Airport or partner lounge in the area.
  • Diving Highlights:
  • Kakaban: Kakaban is known for the non-stinging jelly fish lake, located in the middle of the island and a brisk 15 minute walk. The non-stinging jellyfish have inhabited the lake for centuries as there are no known predators. The outer ring of Kakaban island offers divers a wide variety of dive sites that includes corals, large pelagic and thrilling caves.
  • The most famous area is Barracuda Point which has schooling barracuda which are visited by large tuna and sharks.
  • Sangalaki: This area is famous for the large population of turtles and manta rays year round and guests will frequently see them feeding. The island has a turtle nursery run by the local government which can be visited. Whale sharks are frequently seen off the coast of the island.
  • Maratua Atoll: The Raja Ampat Aggressors favorite dives are "The Channel" and "Big Fish Country" which has tornadoes of barracuda, grey reef sharks, thresher sharks, loads of turtles and schooling eagle rays schooling. Maratua Island has at least 13 caves with hundreds more that have yet to be explored.
  • Pulau Panjang & Pulau Derawan: This is an area known for amazing macro life such as satomi pigmys, sea dragons, ghost pipefish, frogfish, blue ring octopus, harlequin shrimp and tiger shrimp. This is a macro haven with the weird and wonderful.
  • Talisayan: A large population of whale sharks can be found here during the diving season. Similar to Cenderawasih Bay, the whale sharks can be found swimming under the fishing platforms of the local fishermen.

[See: Derawan Islands Travel Guide]

 

RAJA/HALMAHERA/LEMBEH - 12 NIGHT ITINERARY

  • Raja Ampat Aggressor II Liveaboard
  • The Raja Ampat itinerary combines the best dive sites of Dampier Strait, Fam, Mansuar and the awesome dive sites of Misool, the best diving area of Raja Ampat. The great highlights are the manta cleaning station near Mansuar and the huge schools of fish near Farondi.
  • The Dampier straight separates the Birdhead Peninsula from Waigeo and Mansuar. The name comes from the Dutch colonial times. It refers to the shape of the peninsula on the map, but it is also a paradise for many rare bird species.
  • Here the Pacific Ocean meets the Halmahera Sea, with an explosion of marine life as consequence. With regular strong currents, big fish feel especially comfortable. Manta rays, reef sharks, different schools of mackerel, tuna and barracuda, dolphin and whales.
  • The night dives under the Arborek or Cape Mansuar jetty is a favorite spot with peculiar creatures such as wobbegongs, epaulette sharks (walking sharks), nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses, frogfish, scorpion fish and the list goes on.
  • Misool is the southeast of the four big islands of the Raja Ampat archipelago. At the same time it is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. The rich variety of reefs are also not to be overlooked with vertical walls, slopes, dry rocks, caves and lagoons; some covered with hard corals while the others are covered with brightly colored soft corals. Also renowned as the center of pygmy seahorses and gorgonians, everywhere you go you will be amazed by the profusion of marine life that Raja Ampat has to offer you.
  • Halmahera
  • Divers will experience warm, shallow reefs resplendent with colorful reef fish and exotic invertebrates and, in the deeper waters, current-cooled seamounts, walls, and pinnacles with sharks and tunas.
  • The remote island of Halmahera is located between the Molucca Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east and has a unique geography with its four peninsulas enclosing three great bays and three volcanoes. Divers will find exciting dives with plenty of weird and wonderful creatures and pinnacles encircled by massive schools of barracuda and other pelagic fishes.
  • Lembeh Island
  • Divers will experience warm, shallow reefs resplendent with colorful reef fish and exotic invertebrates and, in the deeper waters, current-cooled seamounts, walls, and pinnacles with sharks and tunas.
  • The remote island of Halmahera is located between the Molucca Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east and has a unique geography with its four peninsulas enclosing three great bays and three volcanoes. Divers will find exciting dives with plenty of weird and wonderful creatures and pinnacles encircled by massive schools of barracuda and other pelagic fishes.

[See: Lembeh Dive Travel Guide]


LEMBEH/NORTH SULAWESI/DERAWAN - 12 NIGHT ITINERARY

  • Raja Ampat Aggressor II Liveaboard
  • Lembeh Island
  • Divers will experience warm, shallow reefs resplendent with colorful reef fish and exotic invertebrates and, in the deeper waters, current-cooled seamounts, walls, and pinnacles with sharks and tunas.
  • The remote island of Halmahera is located between the Molucca Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east and has a unique geography with its four peninsulas enclosing three great bays and three volcanoes. Divers will find exciting dives with plenty of weird and wonderful creatures and pinnacles encircled by massive schools of barracuda and other pelagic fishes.
  • North Sulawesi   (To Be Announced)
  • Derawan Islands
  • Derawan Islands are part of the Coral Triangle, which features 872 species of reef fish, 507 species of coral, and invertebrates, including protected species (5 giants clam species, 2 sea turtles, coconut crab, etc.).
  • Diving Highlights:
  • Kakaban: Kakaban is known for the non-stinging jelly fish lake, located in the middle of the island and a brisk 15 minute walk. The non-stinging jellyfish have inhabited the lake for centuries as there are no known predators. The outer ring of Kakaban island offers divers a wide variety of dive sites that includes corals, large pelagic and thrilling caves.
  • The most famous area is Barracuda Point which has schooling barracuda which are visited by large tuna and sharks.
  • Sangalaki: This area is famous for the large population of turtles and manta rays year round and guests will frequently see them feeding. The island has a turtle nursery run by the local government which can be visited. Whale sharks are frequently seen off the coast of the island.
  • Maratua Atoll: The Raja Ampat Aggressors favorite dives are "The Channel" and "Big Fish Country" which has tornadoes of barracuda, grey reef sharks, thresher sharks, loads of turtles and schooling eagle rays schooling. Maratua Island has at least 13 caves with hundreds more that have yet to be explored.
  • Pulau Panjang & Pulau Derawan: This is an area known for amazing macro life such as satomi pigmys, sea dragons, ghost pipefish, frogfish, blue ring octopus, harlequin shrimp and tiger shrimp. This is a macro haven with the weird and wonderful.
  • Talisayan: A large population of whale sharks can be found here during the diving season. Similar to Cenderawasih Bay, the whale sharks can be found swimming under the fishing platforms of the local fishermen.

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Other Information

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Boat Specifications

  • Year built: 2009
  • Length: 100 feet (30 meters)
  • Beam: 26 feet (8 meters)
  • Speed: 10-12.5 knots
  • Engine: 3 x Hino V10 420Hp
  • Passengers: 16
  • Number of cabins: 8
  • Number of bathrooms: 9
  • Crew: 13
  • Tenders: 2 x RIB 6,5 metres with Yamaha 40hp
  • Fuel capacity: 35,000 litres
  • Water capacity: 12,000 litres
  • Watermaker: 5,000 litres per day

 

Practical Information

  • Time Zone: UTC+8 & UTC+9
  • Local Currency: IDR (Indonesian Rupiah)
  • Language Spoken: English & Indonesian
  • Electricity: 220-volt
  • Payment Onboard: Cash, Visa & MasterCard

 

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Call us today at 310-915-6677 or email us info@bluewaterdivetravel.com

And let us book your dream vacation!

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Underwater Gallery 

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Reviews (4)

4
4
5
2

The staff aboard the Aggressor is terrific and super friendly. It goes without saying that the diving here is amazing. Our dive guides, Jemy and Herry, knew all the best places to go and where all the good stuff was. They are especially adept at finding nudibranchs, which are a new view of the underwater world for me and a new obsession. Michal, our cruise director, is an excellent underwater photographer and I highly recommend taking the photography course from him if he is here while you're here. He is an excellent teacher and will show you how to get the best shots of the best stuff. Michal is first class.

A couple of issues occurred in a few rooms (air conditioning went out in one, a shower leak in the another, my toilet leaked). Aside from that, the hotel experience was good. Each of these issues was handled professionally and quickly, but would have been a serious issue if the boat had a full compliment of guests.

I am a vegetarian and my only negative experience here has been the food. And since it was an ongoing issue for 10 days, it was a big one. When I booked the trip, I made it clear that I was a vegetarian and was told it would not be an issue. But it was. If you are NOT a vegetarian, you will likely consider your meals to be excellent. Beef stroganoff, fish with white wine sauce, sirloin steak, chicken parmesan, calamari, and many more restaurant quality menu items - all prepared and presented with great care and attention to detail.

If you are a vegetarian, you'll get nothing like this. The kitchen staff clearly has little or no experience with vegetarian foods and doesn't even seem to try. I brought it up with the staff on the second day, and they said they would serve me better food. But from that point, my "main courses" ended up being ALL fried foods. I even once received fried tempeh covered in sauce that had bits of meat in it from the entree others were eating. While others were dining on fish, I got deep-fried tofu. While they ate steak, I ate deep-fried corn cakes. While they ate a nice Italian dish, I got deep-fried vegetables or tempeh. It's not like the tofu or tempeh was prepared in an entree. It was simply a plate of plain tofu or tempeh. That was it. And even though Michal constantly told the kitchen staff to prepare me proper meals, they were obviously uninterested in doing so, always serving me the same fried foods. Eventually, I just stopped eating it and ate more side items instead. It was only on the last full day of the trip that the chef finally prepared me a vegetarian lunch, which was great!

I'm assuming the food issues were just growing pains and I am fully aware that sometimes it just takes a good push to get things done. Having said that, I highly recommend the Raja Ampat Aggressor if you have no dietary restrictions. It really is fun and first rate. After 10 days at sea though, I was glad to get on land and eat a proper meal.

The TOTAL experience for me was amazing. It was still a trip of a lifetime. And, even with those issues I would go on this exact boat and do it all over again. That's how good it was, and it's why my star rating is high.

Visited on 02/2016 - Submitted on 02/08/2016
4
4
5
5

We had hoped to be on a traditional style of vessel for our Live-aBoard experience, but the boats got switched right before our trip. We were on the Ocean Rover, just signed on with Aggressor. The owner was aboard making sure everything ran smoothly and we enjoyed getting to know him. The boat is undergoing a bit of updating-the bathroom and carpet in our room needed a refresh, But the staff were super helpful and the common quarters were roomy and adequate. I liked having a canopy over the sun deck to keep us a bit cooler from the hot sun. I also loved some little excursions that our cruise director worked into our experience to see some of the islands close up. The diving was exceptional and we enjoyed all the dive sites we visited.

Visited on 03/2023 - Submitted on 03/27/2023
4
4
5
4

Booked 10 days on the new vessel operated by Aggressor in June.
The boat in itself was well equipped and comfortable enough. The room was clean and everything was working well.
I really enjoyed the food throughout the stay as well. Gluten free options on the boat were very very limited but I expected that before coming.
The crew was really helpful and friendly. Loved our dive guides - they showed us some incredible marine life that I would have never spotted by myself and that really made some dives extra special. Herry, one of the dive masters, also had a board with him so he could tell us exactly what we were looking at (made it so much easier to understand when he showed us the tiniest bobtail squid!)
We weren’t so lucky with the visibility during the 10 days so some dive sites were maybe a little less impressive to see however overall I did see everything I went there for (Acroporas as far as eyes can see, Mandarin fish, blue ring octopus and so many more!).
I also really loved that we had small groups for diving since the boat wasn’t full - we were told June is the beginning of low season so even though conditions weren’t as good as during high season, we had groups of 3-4 divers only
Overall, I really enjoyed the trip and the staff, and would do it again!

Visited on 06/2023 - Submitted on 06/26/2023
4
5
5
4

This was my first liveaboard experience so take this perspective with a grain of salt. That being said, the boat, crew, guides, and diving were all awesome. We were on the Raja Ampat Aggressor for 11 nights and 12 days during the crossing from Sorong to Bitung.

The crew was very friendly and professional. They were very accommodating of requests and made every effort to make the stay memorable and pleasant. Rooms were cleaned and checked daily. The dive guides were fun and knowledgeable. They were able to identify everything underwater and find many creatures that would be very difficult to spot without a ton of local experience and knowledge of the sites.

The food was great. I am a bit of a picky eater and I was able to find an enjoyable plate of food for every meal. Lunch was family-style, dinner was exquisitely plated with attention to detail. Everything came out well cooked and hot right off the stove.

I expect that this trip may have been the best coral and muck diving I will do in my life, and I have a lot of diving left to do. Every dive we came up laughing, smiling and shouting about how great the dive was. If you are looking for endless corals Raja will not disappoint. If you are into weird critters for macro photography you will love Lembeh. This trip is really unique with its itinerary of a few days of coral diving, a few days of pinnacle diving, followed by a few days of muck diving. If you are looking to see a sampling of the variety of island geologies, seascapes and marine life that Indonesia has to offer, this trip is really unique in being able to provide that experience.

If you're on the fence with the Raja Ampat Agressor, I vote you book the trip. The only thing that will disappoint you is that you can't stay longer!

Visited on 06/2024 - Submitted on 07/12/2024

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