Destination
Duration
Price
Trip Type
Difficulty
Raja Ampat Kayaking Guesthouse Experience
Each day on this Raja Ampat kayak expedition, we’ll paddle to a new destination, exploring the breathtaking beauty of the archipelago’s limestone islands, crystal-clear lagoons, and vibrant coral reefs. Along the way, we’ll seize every opportunity to snorkel and discover the wonders of the underwater world that make sea kayaking Raja Ampat so unforgettable.
Our experienced guiding team includes one Western kayak guide and a knowledgeable Papuan guide. Your Papuan guide will share the rich cultural heritage and history of Raja Ampat, offering insights into local traditions and leading you to hidden gems—secret coves, quiet villages, and remote beaches—that make this region one of the most unique paddling destinations in the world.
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
Highlights
- The undisputed centre of marine diversity in the world
- Paddle among stunning limestone islands and white sand beaches
- Snorkel with 1200 different species of fish
- View 600 species of reef building coral
- Unique cultural experiences
- six nights in locally run Guesthouses
Itinerary
You will arrive in Sorong and get a taxi to the Swiss Bel Hotel. This is a three star hotel in the heart of Sorong. We will meet at 5 pm for a trip Briefing.
Accommodation provided. No meals provided.
We transfer to the Sorong Harbour to board the ferry to Waisai. Upon arrival in Waisai, we will take a boat to the village of Saporkreng where our kayaks await and our guesthouse has been prepared for us. In the early evening we’ll go for a short paddle along the coast of Waigeo Island, this will allow us to get acquainted with equipment and make any necessary adjustments.
Guesthouse. B-L-D.
DAY 3
We’ll pack and launch the kayaks and paddle to Gam island. We’ll explore small inlets and coves and take time out from paddling to snorkel over reefs. We will make our way to Yenbeser Village. After a full day of paddling and snorkeling, we will enjoy the simple pleasures of village life.
Paddling distance – 15 km
Guesthouse. B-L-D.
Paddle Distance 18 km
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We will spend two nights at Besir Bay, so can settle in and soak up the sights and sounds. This guesthouse is nestled on the shores of a narrow passage, and boasts incredible bird life above, and nudibranchs and massive schools of fish below. We will spend day 5 exploring the nearby limestone Island mazes, where, if we are lucky, will poke our heads into a bat cave, and find a series of arches leading into deeper and deeper lagoons.
Paddle distance: 18km
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Today we will cross from Gam to Mansuar and explore either the south or north coast, depending on conditions. Our guesthouse for the evening is on a secluded Island, where the sunset views are absolutely incredible!
Distance: 15 km
Guesthouse. B-L-D
We will make our way to Friwin Island, where we will enjoy a drift snorkel along a cliff wall with an incredible array of soft and hard coral, and many species and schools of fish. Lunch on a lovely white sand spit, will then find us paddling the last few km to our original homestay in Sapokren on the south coast of Gam..
Distance: 18 km
Guesthouse. B-L-D
We will have a very early morning wake up and hike to view the Red Bird of Paradise. Every morning at dawn, these birds gather at a specific tree to perform their mating rituals, dancing and calling. After breakfast, we can enjoy one final snorkel and the peaceful, pristine setting of the Raja Ampat Islands. Around noon we will depart on the local village boat back to Waisai ferry, and then back to Sorong.
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Accommodations
We’ll spend one night in a three star hotel in Sorong and six nights of the trip in local guesthouses. These are run by local families who provide the rooms, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most families do not speak English. The guesthouses are comfortable but basic. Each one is a little different but they are all traditional huts made with materials locally sourced. Many of them are built over or near the ocean providing an incredible atmosphere as well as a cool place to sleep. Some have private bathrooms and some are shared. All have a bed with a comfy mattress and pillows as well as a mosquito net. Participants are expected to bring their own sleeping sheet. Rooms are twin share with one queen bed or two single beds per cabin. All Guesthouses have a flush toilet and fresh water showers.
Meals
The group will enjoy three meals and snacks throughout the day. All meals are provided by the homestays and are generally made up of rice, chicken fish, eggs and greens for lunch and dinner as well as muesli, real coffee and tea for breakfast. The meals are tasty and plentiful.
Dates & Rates
Prices from
What's Included
- 1 nights accommodation in Sorong (Twin Share)
- 6 nights accommodation in Guesthouses (Twin Share)
- Meals for the duration of the trip
- Kayaks and all equipment
- Western kayak guide and Papuan kayak guide
- Ferry transfers to Waisai
- Raja Ampat Marine Entry Permit
Not Included
- Meals while in Sorong before and after trip
- light weight sleeping sheet
- light weight towel for beach use
- snorkel, mask and fins
- Indonesian Visa
- Travel insurance
- Taxi to and from the airport
Weather
October to February is considered the dry season. Rainfall during the dry season consists of short but intense downpours that can occur during the heat of the afternoon. There is very little wind during these months.
Ocean Conditions
We’ll paddle in very protected waters, generally we expect light winds and no swell.
Activities
The Sea Kayaking
With so many islands to explore it feels like you are paddling through a maze of stationary icebergs, each rock formation more bizarre and astonishing than the last. Each paddle excursion is unique, and you will never tire of the view. We paddle through mangrove forests with hidden channels and bays. We will explore bays with thousands of mushrooms shaped limestone islands rising straight from the depths. We will explore coastlines with incredible rock formations and see a variety of the bird life that Raja Ampat has to offer.
The Snorkelling
The snorkelling is world class. Thousands of fish and coral can be seen on each snorkel outing and there are thousands of incredible sites to snorkel during our trip. All of our homestays have incredible reef’s a stone’s throw away from where we sleep. Each day we will snorkel from our guesthouse, as well as have a snorkel along the way during the day.
Birds of Paradise Tour
This is a moderate to hard hike, one hour one way. The hike takes us through steeper, rocky terrain but rewards us with views of Birds of Paradise as the males dance in the canopy overhead attracting females. This is an early morning hike on our last day of the trip.
Trip Map
Pictures & Videos
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FAQs
The meals that are served at the guesthouses are generally traditional Indonesian fare. This includes fish, chicken, rice, noodles, a spinach like vegetable, a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Our Raja Ampat trips occur in the northwest Monsoon season. What this means is its less rainy than any other time of year. One out of every four afternoons there may be a quick downpours during the late afternoon in Raja Ampat. They do not last long but are intense.
There is very little wind during the northwest monsoon season. Most of the excursions we go out on there will be calm to light winds. Not very often do winds exceed 15 knots.
The area we will paddle is fairly protected from swell and there may be a day where there is light swell.
Air temperature average is 31C.
Average ocean temperature is 29C.
Average humidity is 83%, and this makes the air temperature feel much hotter than it actually is.
Cloud cover is rare but welcome.
We have a fleet of Rainbow kayaks.
The single kayaks are Lazers 5.15 and the double kayaks are Atlantis boats. The boats are plastic, have forward and rear water-tight hatches, rudders, and padded seats.
Type Width Length Cockpit Volume
Laser 5.15 59 cm 515cm 84×48 395L
Atlantis 64 cm 545cm 84×48 470L
We have two types of paddles depending on your paddling style. We have a low angle touring blade, Werner Skagits and high angle touring blades, the Werner Tybee. Both are fibreglass reinforced nylon blades.
Skirts are all nylon with an adjustable waist bungee.
The PFD’s are NRS (Northwest River Supplies) We have four different sizes of PFDs for guests which are highly adjustable. Wearing PFDs is a mandatory safety aspect of the trip.
A typical day is as follows. This will depend on weather conditions:
7:30 am breakfast (option for a snorkel)
9:00 on water paddling and exploring the area
11:30 lunch and snorkel
13:00 afternoon paddle
15:00 pull into beach or homestay and go for a snorkel
The distance each day varies. The shortest day is day 3 with a 7km paddle, the longest days are 15km, and there are three of these days.
We will kayak between 3-6 hours a day with lunch breaks and rest stops during that time.
Yes, a snorkel, mask and fins is a must on this trip! The snorkelling is phenomenal and we often see species endemic to this area on outings, as well as thousands of fish, brightly coloured coral. It is easy to spend hours snorkelling in this amazing place.
The water temperature is an average of 29C.
Yes, It is nice to have a stinger suit to protect against possible sea lice or stingers. It is possible to get chilly on the snorkel outings, depending on how long you spend in the water.
There are a few snorkel sites with some current, so it is nice to have fins. All of the snorkels are from a beach.
Yes, we will have the opportunity to visit multiple villages on this trip.
Yes, women should wear shorts past the knee, pants or a sorong and a conservative t-shirt or long sleeve shirt. Men should wear shorts or pants and a t-shirt in the villages.
Some of the villages make coconut oil, hats or carvings for sale to tourists. Most villages will have a small convenience store where guests can buy treats if they want.
School supplies are always welcome in the villages. Pens, pencils and notebooks are welcome if you want to help support the villages. Sunglasses for the kids is something much needed. They spend so much time on the water, and the sun is very harsh on their eyes.
When we go ashore for breaks from kayaking or for short hikes, mosquitos are always a possibility so mosquito spray and optional long pants and shirt are a good idea. In the evenings the mosquitos do come out. It is nice to have a long sleeve shirt and pants to fend them off, as well as mosquito spray. Mosquito populations are surprisingly low in Raja Amapt.
There are sharks in Raja Ampat. The majority of sharks that we will encounter are reef sharks and they are non-aggressive and curious. It would be very uncommon to encounter an aggressive shark in Raja Ampat.
There are crocodiles in Raja Ampat. Unfortunately for the crocodile species, the local villages and people have hunted most of them out of the area. There are a few sighted every season and these are generally seen in remote mangrove forests or many kilometers up rivers, far from villages and fisherman. As staff in Raja Ampat, we have not seen a single crocodile since we started coming to Raja Ampat in 2010.
Malaria does exist in West Papua. The risk is relatively low due to the absence of large numbers of human carriers in Raja Ampat itself. There are surprisingly low numbers of mosquito populations. Malaria transmission rates are currently low in Raja Ampat, it is currently recommended to take malarial pills, wear long sleeves and pants when onshore, and use mosquito spray. Please consult with your doctor about malarial medication for your trip in Raja Ampat.
Participation in any trip is subject to each participant reading and signing our Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement and any additional waivers that are trip specific (the “Waiver(s)”). If the Waiver(s) are not completed, participation in the trip will not be permitted. PLEASE READ THE WAIVER(S) CAREFULLY! By signing, you will waive or give up certain legal rights, including the right to sue for negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any Occupiers Liability Act or claim compensation following an accident.
The Waivers are provided for review and completion at the time of booking. A sample of our Waiver can be reviewed here.
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