The Questions People Ask

Yes. Every visitor to the Raja Ampat marine protected area buys a conservation tag, often called the marine park permit or "PIN Kawasan Konservasi". As of June 2026 the published rate is around IDR 1,000,000 for foreign visitors, valid for the calendar year. The Indonesian-citizen rate is quoted variously between IDR 300,000 and 500,000 depending on the source, so confirm the current figure with us before you travel. Rates are set by the regional conservation authority and change.

Per person. It is usually arranged at the entry point in Waisai or Sorong and your guide can help with the process. Keep the physical tag or receipt with you — rangers check it at popular sites like Pianemo and Wayag. We can fold it into your arrangements or leave it to you on arrival; just say which you prefer when you book.

In two steps: a deposit to lock your date and boat, then the balance before or on the day of departure. We confirm the exact split in writing before you pay anything. Everything is quoted and settled in IDR; USD equivalents are estimates that shift with the exchange rate.

Boats carry life jackets for every passenger, and the crew checks the weather before departure. We may delay, shorten or reroute a trip if conditions on open-water crossings look rough. Raja Ampat is remote with limited medical facilities, so we keep groups together and brief you before each stop. Travel insurance covering boat activities is strongly recommended.

October to April generally brings calmer seas and clearer water. May to September can bring stronger wind and more swell, and routes may be adjusted for safety. Water stays warm year round at roughly 28 to 30°C, and rain can fall in any month. Book ahead for the peak weeks around December and January.

Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a dry bag for your phone and camera, a swimsuit, a light rain layer, and cash for the permit and extras — there are no ATMs at the viewpoints. Bring any personal medication. For multi-day trips, pack light and add a quick-dry towel. We provide drinking water and snorkeling gear.

No, and we will tell you which parts we do not. We are an independent operator working with licensed local boat owners and guides across the Dampier Strait and the Misool and Wayag areas. We plan the itinerary, arrange the boat and handle the booking; the captain and crew are the local partners who own and run the vessel.

The captain decides on the morning, from the tide and the sea state. A route can be reordered, swapped for sheltered sites, shortened or postponed. If a trip is not safe or sensible for your dates we will say so before you pay, not after.