Directory of 41 Dive Sites or Spots for Scuba Diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

The Kri Islands in the Northern region of Raja Ampat is a frequented dive destination for most liveaboards. Diving the popular site Sardines you will soon find yourself surrounded by so many fish it’s hard to see past them. You will not find any sardines here, but the schools of Trevallies and Tuna are so tightly packed it’s easy to see where the name came from. Sel Pele, a large bay on the west side of Waigeo Island is known as one of Raja Ampat’s best sites for macro diving. Dive slowly and you can find a variety of cephalopods, nudibranchs, pipefish and pygmy seahorses. Other popular dive sites around Waigeo are Bird Wall and The Corner. Prepare for some currents at the latter one as the site is situated on the unprotected southwest site of the island.

The Jeff Fam group of limestone islands, in the central part of Raja Ampat, create many channels, coves and bays, which will ensure an incredibly varied dive experience. Batu Burung is a great site to spot the strangely interesting tasseled Wobbegong shark. But the area is also great for seeing hard corals, angelfish and giant Tridachna Clams. Manta Ridge, as the name implies, is an excellent site to see the glorious manta ray. This cleaning station attracts large numbers of manta rays, which seemingly line up for their turn. Divers just steady themselves in a spot and stay there to watch the action, while the manta rays glide past them.

Southern Raja Ampat dive site Fabiacet is many diver’s dream reef. This set of pinnacles has a dramatic topography and gets amazing visibility creating a spectacular backdrop for the wide-angle photographer enthusiast. You will find beautiful masses of gorgonians and sponges along the channels and if you keep your eyes on the deep blue, you may spot an occasional Great Hammerhead shark or other pelagic species. Another southern favorite is Boo island, a beautiful vibrant reef that hosts a wealth or marine life including stunning soft corals, octopus and green turtles.