Welcome to Raja Ampat, the Realm of the Four Kings

Raja Ampat casts a spell on all who visit – scientists, photographers, novice divers, and crusty sea-salts alike. This group of majestic islands, located in the northwestern tip of Indonesia’s Papuan “Bird’s Head Seascape”, lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the most bio-diverse marine region on earth. Come adventure on Dewi Nusantara’s Raja Ampat liveaboard to dive aboard a luxurious, spacious ship.

Only a limited number of Raja Ampat liveaboards obtained the operating license to dive the Raja Ampat Indonesia area, making this adventure even more unique and special.

Dewi Nusantara is the perfect platform that delivers modern comforts and outstanding service to adventurers exploring this remote outpost of civilisation.

Nudi Rock, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Raja Ampat is all about diversity – not only the diversity of species but also of dive sites. There are some areas where soft corals and sea fans dominate, others with amazing diverse hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, drop-offs, caves, black sand, white sand… Then there are the fish, lots of them, in more shapes and sizes than anywhere else in the world. Not only are there loads of fish, but all the levels of the food chain are well represented – from pygmy seahorses to top predators. In many places, brightly coloured soft corals can be found close to the surface, illuminated by natural sunlight, making these dive sites spectacularly colourful—the reefs in Raja Ampat buzz with life.

Raja Ampat is huge, 50,000 sq km, with hundreds of islands and an astounding diversity of habitats, translating to wildly different diving experiences. They range from pelagic drift dives to magic muck dives and even some habitats that are special to Raja Ampat, such as clear water mangroves with corals growing right next to them! There are thousands of potential dive sites. Exploration is still continuing, and there are chances for new and amazing discoveries on every trip. Even on a 12-day cruise, you will only have an opportunity to see some of what Raja Ampat offers.

Sweetlips, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Raja Ampat: more than diving

Raja Ampat is also known for its spectacular above-water scenery. Sparsely inhabited, most of Raja Ampat still has pristine rain forests atop dramatic limestone cliffs, uninhabited bays with white sand beaches and all sorts of hidden treasures to greet the intrepid explorer. It’s a kayaker’s dream, an intricate coastline with caves, bays, gorges, and hidden rivers—all buzzing with exotic tropical wildlife. Dewi Nusantara has two kayaks for two people and two paddleboards onboard.

A birdwatching hike on Gam Island might take you through scenic forests, past fragile orchids growing from cracks in the stone, and finally, to the unforgettable experience of witnessing male birds of paradise doing their elaborate courtship dances to attract females.

The friendly people of Raja Ampat have primarily been able to maintain their traditional ways of life and values, making it an exciting destination and an anthropological haven. There is a wide variety of community celebrations, including various types of music, dancing, singing performance and other fun!

For more adventures, you can also browse our other Indonesia cruise itineraries.

Raja Ampat diving is true “Frontier Diving”.