Raja Ampat, the most diverse biological hearth on the planet. The islands above ground, in particular, INTRO ON DIVING AND THE ENTIRE ARCHIPELAGO The surrounding Raja Ampat islands…stunning. Although Papua Diving has been around since the early 1990s diving, there has been scant infrastructure in place to develop the Raja Ampat archipelago and make diving affordable for the avid diving enthusiast – backpacker – explorer on a budget. However, now there is a guide on how to do it!
Waisai: Welcome to Waisai, the largest village on Waigeo, the largest island of the Raja Ampat archipelago. The great thing about Waisai is that it comes travel-equipped. You can find great lodging, great food, and even internet here. The village itself is relatively new, but its a bit rough around the edges in appearance because the area has so recently opened up and you will find scant tourists here. So, the town itself --[ It’s not the most beautiful! But there is fresh fruit and food and friendly locals. And the underwater….the real reason for the visit...its glorious!
Population: Waigeo: 60,000. Waisai: 19,900.
History: In 2000, a new regency was put in place and on the island of Waigeo, the most prominent of the 4 islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago, the capital, Waisai was founded shortly thereafter. In 2003 there were several social houses set up on the flanks of the current government headquarters, where civil servants resided to help develop the local government. However, most of the local government still worked out of Sorong your probable gateway to the Raja Ampat islands. Nonetheless, as word got out of the local government developing Raja Ampat, farmers and fishermen saw the opportunity that government support presented and started to establish and expand Waisai on their own accord. These days, there are no less than 9 guesthouses/hotels, with warungs, minimarts, printing shops, and supply stores scattered around the area.
Land rights: Land rights are administrated through an archaic system whereby squatters or natives lay claim to their purported land, and sell/rent/dole out parcels to relatives and the open market. A small airport is expected to be completed in 2012 on Waigeo, to accommodate twin prop engine planes.
Investment Opportunities: While there is a maximum of 40 liveaboards that are allowed to operate and visit the Raja Ampat islands, the local government welcomes resort investments of which there have been a handful to date. The government is also in the process of building and supporting several ‘tourist villages’, villages supported by the government, where guesthouses have received government training to accommodate tourists.
Best Time To Visit: Early summer (May thru June) and November and December are the best time to visit Raja Ampat archipelago, when the seas are calmest, and the weather the most clear. The July-September months often coincide with rougher seas as winds from the west come pouring in, which makes for lower visibilities and less spectacular diving.
Figuring Waisai Out: Logistics for Waisai, Waigeo
Do bring:
1. A cell phone with local SIM. You can pick one up on Waisai but it will set you back a bit more than on mainland. It will serve you well coordinating diving times and such.
2. Cash. Spending 7 days, 6 nights on Waisai, I only brought 1800.000 rupiah with me, thinking there would be an ATM for westerners. Wrong! Closest ATM is on Sorong. Dive shops may take Visa or other cards. I stubbornly refused to waste a day by taking the ferry back to pick up cash and ended up needing to borrow 300.000 for the last day. Be prepared to pay a 500.000 conservation fee as well, to help conserve .
3. Toilet paper from a local mart.
4. Snorkeling or diving equipment. Compared to places like the Gilis off of Lombok, where you can rent snorkeling equipment for a song, it is expensive (as much as 200.000 a day and upwards in Raja Ampat) to snorkel. To dive, bringing your BCD, wetsuit, fins and mask can be a tedium, but if you plan to stay for a while, might be a worthwhile burden to bear as well.
Getting there and other logistics:
Flights: No direct flights from Denpasar or Jakarta to Sorong, connections in Makassar or Manado. Merpati, Expressair, Lion Air run daily to/from Makassar, Batavia Air every other day. Try to arrive in morning before 12 PM to catch ferry comfortably. Especially true because Indonesian flights are notoriously late. If you have to stay overnight, the below are good options:
Hotels on Sorong:
Hotel Waigeo. 0951 333 500. Jl. Yos Sudarso. Excellent, clean rooms, with a nice stuff. Great value for 262.000-375.000, for standard-deluxe, 600.000 for suites. Hot water and breakfast included.
JL Meridien: 0951 327999. 400.000-450.000 for standard/deluxe rooms, 700.000 for suites, 25.000/hour for internet. This is not a budget option, but good value right across the street from the airport. Standard and Deluxe rooms are nicely decorated and clean, staff is very professional. Ask for a room with windows.
Hotel Manise: Jl Jend Sundirman. Nice rooms, 225.000-275.000 for standard/deluxe. They have more expensive rooms with wifi as well.
Hotel Citra. Jend Sudirman Street 11. Dingy-looking, but with decent rooms for under 200.000.
1. A cell phone with local SIM. You can pick one up on Waisai but it will set you back a bit more than on mainland. It will serve you well coordinating diving times and such.
2. Cash. Spending 7 days, 6 nights on Waisai, I only brought 1800.000 rupiah with me, thinking there would be an ATM for westerners. Wrong! Closest ATM is on Sorong. Dive shops may take Visa or other cards. I stubbornly refused to waste a day by taking the ferry back to pick up cash and ended up needing to borrow 300.000 for the last day. Be prepared to pay a 500.000 conservation fee as well, to help conserve .
3. Toilet paper from a local mart.
4. Snorkeling or diving equipment. Compared to places like the Gilis off of Lombok, where you can rent snorkeling equipment for a song, it is expensive (as much as 200.000 a day and upwards in Raja Ampat) to snorkel. To dive, bringing your BCD, wetsuit, fins and mask can be a tedium, but if you plan to stay for a while, might be a worthwhile burden to bear as well.
Getting there and other logistics:
Flights: No direct flights from Denpasar or Jakarta to Sorong, connections in Makassar or Manado. Merpati, Expressair, Lion Air run daily to/from Makassar, Batavia Air every other day. Try to arrive in morning before 12 PM to catch ferry comfortably. Especially true because Indonesian flights are notoriously late. If you have to stay overnight, the below are good options:
Hotels on Sorong:
Hotel Waigeo. 0951 333 500. Jl. Yos Sudarso. Excellent, clean rooms, with a nice stuff. Great value for 262.000-375.000, for standard-deluxe, 600.000 for suites. Hot water and breakfast included.
JL Meridien: 0951 327999. 400.000-450.000 for standard/deluxe rooms, 700.000 for suites, 25.000/hour for internet. This is not a budget option, but good value right across the street from the airport. Standard and Deluxe rooms are nicely decorated and clean, staff is very professional. Ask for a room with windows.
Hotel Manise: Jl Jend Sundirman. Nice rooms, 225.000-275.000 for standard/deluxe. They have more expensive rooms with wifi as well.
Hotel Citra. Jend Sudirman Street 11. Dingy-looking, but with decent rooms for under 200.000.
Money: Go to Mandiri ATM (max 2.500.000 RP for single withdrawal) if you need cash.
Transportation to Raja Ampat: To get from Sorong airport to public ferry, simply hire an ojek (10.000-20.000 RP) or a minivan taxi (50.000 RP or so). 2 ferries from Waisai, leave from Jln. Baru Waisai on M, Th, S.
Ferry: Fast ferry leaving daily from Pelabuhan Rakyat in Sorong at 2PM for 120.000 and returning from Waisai’s main pier at 2PM. Ferry is surprisingly comfortable too – (literally every Indonesian will be asleep stretched across 2-3 seats, and gets in approximately 2 hours later at 4 PM. Ferries leaving from Usaha Mina harbor on Jln. Yani in Sorong arrive approximately 11 AM, on (on W,F,S, returning M, Th, S at 2 PM). There apparently is a free ferry as well that also leaves from Raja Ampat at 2 PM and takes closer to 4-5 hours.
Getting around on Waisai: Everyone on Waisai understands the word ojek - Indonesian for motor taxi. Ojek (10.000-20.000) and a few minivans (30,000-40,000) can be hired to take you from the pier, and ask your guesthouse to arrange transportation if necessary. Dive resorts will pick you up from the jetties.
Hospital/emergency: There is a small field hospital located near the Bupati office.
Police Station: In case there is trouble, there is a police station located in northeast Waisai near the canal as you head to the government center. Streets are very safe, but after dark, be wary of going around by yourself without any Bahasa language skills. Most locals are eager to help you in any way if you can get over the language barrier.
Raja Ampat Culture and Tourism Affairs Waisai: +62 411 402650 or email [email protected]. Ina at [email protected] in the Promotions department can also direct you appropriately and speaks great English.
Tourism Information Center: Connected to government-owned Acrophora cottages. Inactive as of August 2011.
Transportation to Raja Ampat: To get from Sorong airport to public ferry, simply hire an ojek (10.000-20.000 RP) or a minivan taxi (50.000 RP or so). 2 ferries from Waisai, leave from Jln. Baru Waisai on M, Th, S.
Ferry: Fast ferry leaving daily from Pelabuhan Rakyat in Sorong at 2PM for 120.000 and returning from Waisai’s main pier at 2PM. Ferry is surprisingly comfortable too – (literally every Indonesian will be asleep stretched across 2-3 seats, and gets in approximately 2 hours later at 4 PM. Ferries leaving from Usaha Mina harbor on Jln. Yani in Sorong arrive approximately 11 AM, on (on W,F,S, returning M, Th, S at 2 PM). There apparently is a free ferry as well that also leaves from Raja Ampat at 2 PM and takes closer to 4-5 hours.
Getting around on Waisai: Everyone on Waisai understands the word ojek - Indonesian for motor taxi. Ojek (10.000-20.000) and a few minivans (30,000-40,000) can be hired to take you from the pier, and ask your guesthouse to arrange transportation if necessary. Dive resorts will pick you up from the jetties.
Hospital/emergency: There is a small field hospital located near the Bupati office.
Police Station: In case there is trouble, there is a police station located in northeast Waisai near the canal as you head to the government center. Streets are very safe, but after dark, be wary of going around by yourself without any Bahasa language skills. Most locals are eager to help you in any way if you can get over the language barrier.
Raja Ampat Culture and Tourism Affairs Waisai: +62 411 402650 or email [email protected]. Ina at [email protected] in the Promotions department can also direct you appropriately and speaks great English.
Tourism Information Center: Connected to government-owned Acrophora cottages. Inactive as of August 2011.