What you Need to Know Before Traveling to Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat is one of the most beautiful and remote clusters of islands! They’re starting to become more developed and popular, but it’s easy to see why — the scenery here is absolutely stunning. The region is famous for diving and snorkeling, and there’s a magical, special feeling that comes from its remoteness. With few tourists, small villages, and a strong local presence, the islands still feel authentic and untouched.
This is a destination for adventurous travelers, as it’s not what most would consider an “easy” vacation. The logistics of getting to, from, and around the islands are long and expensive, and most lodging options are simple homestays with very basic amenities.
Although the region is breathtaking, it may not stay this way for long. Development is happening quickly, but without the infrastructure to support it. All trash here is burned, so please take any plastic waste with you — otherwise it will either end up in the ocean or be burned. It’s disheartening to see coral beginning to die, and during high tide, trash and oil wash into the water.
Important things to know:
Bring cash, as there aren’t any ATMs on the islands.
After June is low season, and the islands have very few tourists, I was the only guest or one of only 3 in some of my homestays.
Bring everything that you could possibly need, such as sunscreen, mosquito spray, as there are not even shops on the island! I recommend brining your own wine and beer and snacks!
Plan to take your trash and plastic with you!
There are so many mosquitos! Bring deet mosiquito spray and also bring coconut oil which makes a physical barrier and less bites.
There is a little bit a scammy feeling here so do be careful – when I arrived a local tried to get me to pay money for carrying my bag even though I carried it from the ferry myself. On one of the boat trips, another boat with locals in it forced us to pay extra money even though we arranged the tour with our homestay.
Logistics / Transportation:
Boats between islands are expensive, so it’s best to connect with other guests at your homestay to share the cost. Keep this in mind if you’re traveling solo.
Much of the information online is either incorrect or outdated, so I recommend reaching out to your homestay directly and booking tours or boats once you arrive. For example, during low season, the ferry from Waisai to Sorong doesn’t always run at both the 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM times each day.
Most flights to Sorong are operated by budget airlines, and many guests mentioned that their flights were delayed or even rescheduled to an earlier day. I recommend flying Garuda over Lion Air. Personally, I flew directly from Bali to Sorong on a 1:00 AM flight, which allowed me to land early enough to catch the 9:00 AM ferry to Waisai. From Waisai, you’ll need to take another boat to whichever island you’re headed to.
Homestays:
It’s difficult to know which homestays are good, as quality can change quickly. Some places with 4.9 stars and 50+ reviews on Google Maps have still given travelers terrible experiences.
A few homestays are listed on Booking.com, but most are found on StayRajaAmpat.com.
Accommodations are very basic — most without Wi-Fi, electricity only during certain hours, bucket showers, and high humidity.
