Sorido Bay Resort Raja Ampatl Reviews & Specials - Bluewater Dive Travel
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Sorido Bay Resort Raja Ampat (Papua Diving)

5
(2 REVIEWS)

 

Destination: Indonesia

Kri Island, Raja Ampat 98413, Indonesia | Full-board + unlimited diving from $478++/ppn

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Sorido Bay Resort Quick Pitch

Deeply rooted in its local settings, Kri Island is an integral part of Sorido Bay. It is around and within it – whether in the form of materials in the bungalows, resources in the kitchen or brightening your day with an original Papuan smile that stays with you years after. The resort offers a selected and personalized service and is – without any compromise on comfort – nestled in the lush green jungle overlooking a kidney-shaped lagoon, meters away from the world’s most famous dive site ‘Cape Kri’.

 

Quick Information 

  • No of Rooms: 7
  • Dive Center: On-site.
  • Amenities: Air Conditioning, refrigerator in room, minibar, Wi-Fi
  • Internet: Free Wi-Fi
  • Nearest Airport: Sorong Airport
  • Airport shuttle: Yes, free scheduled transport service is available
 

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Accommodations - Resort Facilities - Packages & Rates

Dive Information - Other Information - Dive Center Facilities

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How to Get There

Sorido Bay is situated on Kri Island which is 75km from the port of Sorong on the northwest coast of West Papua, Indonesia. The typical route to get there is to first take an international flight to one of the recommended International airports in Indonesia Jakarta or Ujung Pandang (Makassar, Sulawesi). After that, you connect to a domestic (Indonesian) flight to Sorong (SOQ- Domine Edward Osok airport). You can then connect to their transfer service between Sorong airport and the resort. The resort provides free transfers on Sundays, Thursdays and Wednesdays. Terms and conditions apply.  

 

Dive Overview

Raja Ampat has one of the highest numbers of fish species of any place on the planet. Expect great macro and pelagic sightings, wonderful reefs and amazing corals. See wobbegong sharks, (skittish) reef sharks, Raja Ampat's endemic walking shark, jacks, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse, trevally, bumphead parrotfish and more. Pygmy seahorses are found at most dive sites, along with a good variety of nudibranch.

[Read More: Raja Ampat Dive Travel Guide]

 

Check Out This Great Video!

 

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Accommodations

Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos

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Sorido Bay Resort Room Overview 

Sorido Bay Resort counts a total of 7 spacious bungalows (in 2 styles: “5x Sentani” and “2x Kaimana”) in a private setting with excellent service and modern amenities in closest proximity to Raja Ampat’s dive hot spots and the richest reef in the World.

 

Sorido Bay Resort Sorido Bay Resort

Kaimana Bungalow

A family sized room – ideal for 1-4 guests. The Kaimana bungalow (90m2) offers additional space for even more comfort. Just like the Sentani bungalow the room offers splendid ocean views. The bungalow has a separate living room that can also be transformed into an additional bedroom for adults with children. A very popular option for families or two couples spending their holidays together. Each bungalow features:

  • Air conditioning
  • Wi-Fi (unlimited data usage)
  • Kingsize bed
  • Extra bed on request
  • Sitting area
  • Electric fan
  • 24/7 power supply with 220V & 110V outlets
  • Shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel
  • Minibar
  • Safety box
  • Camera workstation
  • Camera taxi
  • Laundry service
  • Private sun deck
  • Kayak and stand up paddleboard available for free

 

Sorido Bay Resort Sorido Bay Resort

Sentani Bungalow 

A spacious double room – ideal for 1-2 guests. The Sentani bungalow (60m2) offers you all the comfort you need with splendid ocean views. Each bungalow features:

  • Air conditioning
  • Wi-Fi (unlimited data usage)
  • Kingsize bed
  • Electric fan
  • 24/7 power supply with 220V & 110V outlets
  • Shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel
  • Minibar
  • Safety box
  • Camera workstation
  • Camera taxi
  • Laundry service
  • Private sun deck
  • Kayak and Stand up paddleboard available for free

 

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Resort Facilities

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Sorido Bay Resort Sorido Bay Resort

 

Sorido Bay Resort Features

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Spacious dining area
  • Bar and lounge
  • Sundecks and wet lounge close to the lagoon
  • Wide variety of plant and wildlife
  • Kayak and Stand up paddleboard available for free 

 

Sorido Bay Resort Activities

  • Diving
  • Snorkeling
  • Kayaking
  • Wildlife and birdwatching tours

 

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Packages & Rates

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RATES & AVAILABILITY 

For information on rates, availability and to book, drop us an email at bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us today at 310-915-6677 and let us help you plan your dream dive vacation!

 

 

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Dive Information

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Raja Ampat Dive Overview

  • Diving Season: All year round. Best in October to April for pelagic encounters
  • Visibility: Best in summer. 15-30 meters
  • Currents: Can be strong
  • Water Temperature: 28-29 C
  • Recommended Wetsuit: 3 mm

 

Sorido Bay Resort Dive Sites

Here are some of the most popular dive sites in Raja Ampat. Feel free to ask us if you would like to know more about these and other dive sites. 

  • Cape Kri - One of the favorite dives, Cape Kri is Sorido Bay’s house reef and less than 3 minutes by boat from Kri Eco Resort. This is the dive site that put Raja Ampat on the map when Dr. Gerry Allen smashed his record for the total number of fish species on a single tank dive: 374 different species!
  • Sardines - Only 10 mins from Kri Island, this submerged reef with a reef top at 5 meters, contains a very high biomass, one of the highest in Raja Ampat.
  • Blue Magic - Only 15 mins from Kri Island, this small pinnacle has almost everything. From Wobbegong sharks to tiny 2cm Denise Pygmy seahorses. The reef top is covered in 
  • hard coral with some big coral heads and some tabling Acropora corals well over 3 meters across.
  • Manta Sandy - Only 25 mins from Kri Island, this sandy slope is famous for its Manta Rays. It is a cleaning station where they come in to get cleaned.
  • The Passage - As seen in many articles, including recently by David Doubilet in the Sept 2007 National Geographic, the passage is completely unique dive site. The narrow canyon 40 minutes away between Gam and Waigeo can be described as a river flowing between the two Islands, but also a marine environment, a haven of peculiar and unique microhabitats.

 

[Read More: Raja Ampat Dive Travel Guide]

 

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Dive Center Information

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Sorido Bay Resort Sorido Bay Resort

 

Papua Diving Overview 

Papua Diving is unique when compared to other land-based and liveaboard operators in Raja Ampat. Not only thanks to the outstanding location – Today they may pride themselves on having a unique knowledge about the area thanks to working so closely together with the Papuan people for many years. Choosing to stay with Papua Diving is more than an amazing tropical island and aquatic world experience. You will also directly contribute to local marine & community conservation activities.  MoalboalSampaguita Resort Moalboal

 

Diving Facilities & Services

  • Free Nitrox
  • Only 1-15 minutes to the dive sites
  • Unlimited diving package available
  • 3 guided dives scheduled daily - from Saturday evening to Friday evening
  • Towels and fresh water on the boats
  • Experienced and service-oriented diving staff
  • Unguided jetty diving available 7 days a week
  • Diving insurance (mandatory) available at an extra charge
  • Available diving courses include: PADI Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver and other specialty courses

 

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Other Information

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Practical Information

  • Electricity: 220V and 110V
  • Time zone: UTC+09:00
  • Payment methods: Cash or Credit Card
 

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Got Questions? Ready to Book?

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

And let us book your dream vacation!

 

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Underwater Videos

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Cape Kri

 

Sardines

 

Blue Magic

 

Manta Sandy

 

The Passage

 

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Reviews (2)

Merrill McCauley
Ventura, CA
United States
3 Reviews
Mark as helpful 
5
5
5
5

Sorido Bay Resort was a superb place to stay, the staff were very friendly and attentive and the food was amazing. Buffet-style meals with freshly made local and western-style meals to choose from. The rooms were right on the beach in a beautiful location with a porch and hammock where you could sit outside and have a beer and watch the monitor lizards walk by and see the sunset. Just beautiful. The rooms have a nice AC and they were very spacious and had comfy beds. The staff would give you fresh towels and clean your room twice a day.

The dive operation was very professional, the divemasters really knew the reefs and where to take you depending on the conditions. They only put you with one or two other people so you weren't feeling cramped on your dive boat which made it even more pleasant. The resort also offered other activities other than scuba diving, like going to look for the bird of paradise or hiking up to a lookout for an amazing view. The house reef is also very nice and you can see blacktip reef sharks and giant trevally swimming right underneath the pier! The diving itself was, of course, amazing, being that it is Raja Ampat and I saw lots of marine life like mantas, tuna, a dugong, barracuda, cuttlefish and I even swam with a pilot whale! One of the best things about this resort is that it is literally less than 10 minutes from like all the top Raja dive sites, do yourself a favor and stay at Sorido Bay Resort!

Visited on 03/2020 - Submitted on 05/07/2020
Monitor lizard
  • Reviewer
hugha
5 Reviews
Mark as helpful 
5
5
5
5

We were visiting Raja Amapt as part of a 45 day visit to Indonesia. We spent five days in the Ubud area of Bali before traveling on to Raja Ampat via Jakarta.

We were looking for places to visit in Raja Ampat where we could dive a lot of diverse dive sites. Based on our preference for small resorts rather than liveaboards, our travel agents, Anne and Scott with Blue Water Dive Travel (who did a great job), recommended that we start our Raja Ampat adventure at Sorido Bay. That recommendation turned out to be superb.

Sorido is located on Kri Island in the Dampier Strait. The resort is a stone’s throw from Cape Kri, which is world renowned for its biodiversity. While the resort is on the ocean, I would not consider it a beach resort. With its setting in a heavily wooded area, it has more of a high end jungle resort feel. In addition, each guest cottage faces the lagoon with a sandy beachfront providing beautiful water views as well.

Everyone who works at Sorido is laser focused on making sure that the guests have a fantastic experience. We have been to many nice resorts over the years, but few places where the service matched that at Sorida. It is truly world class.

The current onsite management team is made up of a Brit and two South Africans. All three were delightful. They worked very hard and seemed to love what they do. The rest of the staff was mostly Indonesian. Everyone was warm and friendly, notwithstanding the occasional language barrier.

Each evening the dive master plans the next day’s dive schedule for the following day taking into account personal preferences. Each couple is assigned to a dive guide for the entire stay. Our guide was Usal, a young woman from a neighboring island. She was extremely competent and delightful to dive with. The dive boats are custom designed for Raja Ampat conditions and are built at Sorido’s on-site boat yard. The boats are basic but reasonably fast, have reliable outboard power, plenty of sunshade and good ladders. There is limited storage space on the boats. Bring a dry bag.

We typically did three to five dives a day with some night dives. Special excursions were offered on some days. Don’t miss the excursion to the Fam Islands which includes a dive at Melissa’s Garden, which has to be one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. I have been diving over 40 years and thought I would never again see coral as healthy as the coral at Melissa’s Garden.

The Sorido house reef was nothing special and had a surprising amount of macroalgae, especially compared to most of the other sites in the Kri area, which were generally very healthy. But there was little reason to dive the house reef as there were more boat trips offered than most guests could handle. The exception to this rule, is Saturday, when the dive boats do not go out (so the staff can observe their religious day of rest). On Saturday, you can make a self guided dive at the house reef with the tanks left out on the dock near the entry.

Many guests skipped dives so the they could have more downtime, but for me the diving was so good that I was hesitant to skip dives. I stayed busy but still found some time to relax in the afternoons.

In early March, the water temperature ranged between 80 and 84 F. We never wore wet suits, but most people did. Most dives were around an hour, which was plenty. Nitrox was available at no additional charge.

In general, the diving lived up to Raja Amat’s reputation with healthy and diverse coral and marine life. There were plenty of big animals, including mantas. And plenty of very small and unique animals.

In general, the visibility was ok, but not great. The conditions varied considerably from day to day and dive site to dive site. We were glad that we stayed for 11 days as some marginal weather days were offset with some beautiful days. Currents varied widely from site to site and day to day. A reef hook was mandatory on Manta Ridge (but we saw a lot of mantas). Most other dives did not require a reef hook, but some did. I got in the habit of keeping one in my BC pocket just in case.

As with the rest of Raja Ampat, the amount of trash floating near the surface, particularly plastic, was disappointing. But underwater most sites were mostly pristine.

There were always many liveaboard dive boats in the area around around Kri (for good reason) but Sorido’s nimble outboard boats allowed us to mostly have each dive site to ourselves.

The resort is very small with about 10 waterfront “bungalows.” The bungalows have large, comfortable beds and nice waterfront porches (although the lounge chairs were a bit hard). For photographers, each bungalow has a large work counter with plenty of electrical outlets, bright overhead lighting and a dedicated sink. The A/C worked great, although we only used it at night. We did not find that we needed much bug repellant, if any.

There are other small resorts and homestays on Kri Island besides Sorido, including Kri Eco, Sorido’s sister facility. However, none of the other facilities are visible from Sorido and it would be difficult to visit them except by boat. We tried to hike though the jungle to Kri Eco but give up before we made it. The staff apparently does it all the time, but they are quite a bit younger.

The free internet was marginal, which is to be expected in such a remote place. Cell coverage with Telkomsel was also marginal but we could usually get a little data using our Telkomsel sim cards (purchased in Bali).

Meals are buffet style. The restaurant/lounge is a second story, open air facility with elegant Indonesian architecture and stunning views. The food was excellent as was the entire dining experience.

In summary, for world class diving, great facilities and concierge level service it would be hard to beat Sorido Bay. The fact that it even exists in such a remote and pristine area is remarkable. A big thanks to Anne and Scott at Bluewater Dive Travel and the entire Sorido Bay team for providing us with a trip we will never forget.

After Sorido our next stay in Raja Ampat was Cove Eco Resort which I will review separately.

Note: The photos included with this review are not necessarily my best photos. I took hundreds. I am still sorting them out. These are just a representative sample.

Visited on 03/2023 - Submitted on 07/12/2023
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving
Sorido Bay Resort Review - Diving

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