Raja Ampat Islands

Finally off on our adventure – not without yet more disruption’s.  A couple of weeks before leaving we find out that the liveaboard boat we had booked in 2019 and re-booked when the resumed running in Dec 2022 was now in a bad way. Looked like it was sinking in a muddy estuary. One group turned up to board and the boat was not even in the water, let alone sea worthy. 

They proceeded to report to police and were threating action – we assume they settled privately as all went quiet.  Our booking agent tried to follow up and we were told yes there had been an issue but all now resolved – money spent etc etc. 

There were pictures of the boat underwater, but they no longer exist.

Found out from facebook about a group going on the March trip (ours was April) and contacted one of them.  Low and behold their first day at sea he said was a disaster, no working toilets and many other issues.  Day 2 – engine broke down and back on shore.  Back to our booking agent to say we were not prepared to go to sea in an unseaworthy boat, luckily, we did eventually get our money back.
But of course, this left a gap of 7 nights to fill in between other booked homestays to fill with more homestays as no other boats have the same dates. Not quite as good as a boat as we will not be able to get to the most pristine areas but will still be good, I am sure.

Not my pic below, but a view from the hike we will miss.

Our travel partner was delayed and would not now be joining us till a couple of days into Raja Ampat. I thought that I should inform the homestay in Sorong that there would now be only 2 people not 3 as booked.  Owner requested we cancel and rebook to save him the fees, happy to oblige but once cancelled Booking.com would not let me re-book, kept trying for about 1 hour then off on a boat trip for the day.  Tried again in evening, still no luck then I receive an email from owner saying someone else booked but he had another room.  Tried to find out if it had en-suite and other things about it with no response so I said we were cancelling.  He was very mad sent some very rude messages and then also cancelled our booking for on the way back, saying we were obviously anti Muslim…. No idea where that came from, nothing mentioned even vaguely plus the islands and Sorong are 90% Christian so no idea that he was not (not that I had even thought about it).  Very strange.

Booked into a more central hotel in Sorong and went for a walk around town. The Papuan people are so friendly and cheerful, enjoyed all the smiles and hello’s when we wandered around town. Restaurant in town did great food in the evening (not so breakfast), Interestingly though a vegetarian lady who asked about veggie options was told rice and water spinach only.

After a 2 hour ferry ride from Sorong to Waisai we get met by a longboat for the 30 min ride to our first homestay – Corepen on Gam Island.  Great weather, calm sea and a lovely trip over.  Scenery is fantastic.

For information, homestays in Raja Ampat are woven bungalows usually on the beach or overwater, basic set up, bed, chairs, mozzie net.  Shared bucket toilet and shower (cold water).  All food is full board and varies from day to day, usually veggies, rice, eggs and fish(even had chook occasionally).  One place always had some form of Cake for breakfast – nothing else.  The settings though are amazing, great views and really quite comfortable overall.

Corepen House Reef was really good in the afternoon.  The next morning however when going out there were a couple of jellyfish to start – no big deal as we wear stinger suits, but further out it became a jellyfish soup, so thick like a wall that it was no longer pleasant and we came in.  Amazingly in the afternoon the tide had turned and there were none – found a Crocodile Flatfish which was new to me.  As were many of the fish species and corals were too. It is so very pretty, amazing variety of fish and coral.

Disaster – Steve left the charging cover on his underwater camera open and although he noticed within seconds it was too late, his screen no longer works and he can not change any settings or even know when it is switched on.  Strangely enough though it takes pictures and charges – a real point and shoot now.

After another couple of days snorkelling on the house reef and from boat at Friwen Wall (absolutely amazing corals) we were off to our second homestay and to meet up with Chris.

We went with the driver to meet Chris from the ferry, she was so glad to be here, especially after her run in with Virgin Australia.  Arriving at Adelaide airport the staff told Chris she had an incorrect visa and her return date was too late. They were really rude and all though the Visa was correct, no one would listen, not even the line manager.  Chris was told she could not get on the flight due to her return flight being on 6^th May and her visa expiring on 2^nd May.  What the staff did not do was read or understand the visa – the dates printed on that are the dates between which you can enter Indonesia – so Chris had from February to 2^nd May to enter, then on entry you get a visa for 60 days.  All our visa’s were dated the same and we had no issue – all our actual visa’s now say we have till mid May to leave.  Anyway in the end Virgin forced Chris to buy a whole new ticket leaving Indonesia on 2^nd May, tried to make her cancel the other one too but, luckily she could not get hold of agent who booked it.  Ridiculous that the airline does not understand a visa and stop people travelling etc.  Mad.  Email has gone to Virgin and new flight cancelled (expensive exercise).

Travelling is always fun, sometimes just Steve and I but also often Chris, Steve and myself.  Different dynamic and good fun and in the evenings we do lot’s of quizzes.

Warmimpurem homestay (named after natural springs flowing all along the coast around into the sea) also has a pleasant house reef but is mainly a base for birding to find 2 special species of Birds of Paradise.  First day, found the Wilson’s BOP, displaying with 4 females around, amazing to watch.

Not many other birds seen due to inclement weather, heard a lot though.  The jungle is unspoilt and very beautiful.  The first 2 nights here there were a group of 8 fishermen, nice guys (quite noisy} but there is only 1 western toilet and it had a shower in it so between them they just hogged the toilet morning and night for up to an hour – not the best.

Days are filled with snorkelling, reading and looking for birds. 

We were lucky to see a Spotted Cuscus in the homestay grounds. Early next morning (5.30) off to find the Red BOP – walked about 1km and the heavens opened and we had to turn back.  Try again this evening.  Evening comes and Steve not feeling great so I go off with the guide alone.  What a trek – very steep, very slippery but worth it. 2 males displayed for a short time but no females appeared – get back down to homestay and female in tree there….

Another funny thing that happened here was we opened a pack of kit kats and left 2 on the table in the room – when coming to pack not much left (rats). Saw them running through rafters and could hear them at Night.

Off to Friwen Island for 2 nights to snorkel the wall again, great weather this time, blue sky, incredible coral.  We also hopped to see Dugong here but they were being elusive.

Our longest boat ride to next homestay – transfers are all by longboat, would not be much fun in rough seas but we have been lucky so far. This island is a small island called Biryei, off from Batanta, Biryei Homestay is just lovely and the owners great people. 

Birding from a boat was fun and we got our best shots of Blyth’s Hornbill. Having a snorkel guide was also great, Wobbegong sharks, Crocodile fish, Lionfish and other things we would never have seen without him. 

The house reef is excellent too, so much variety of fish and coral.  Every day the brothers took us to a different snorkel spot, each one quite a change from others. Again we tried to find the Dugong but no luck.

Another long boat ride to our West Mansuar Homestay on Mansuar Island. Unfriendly welcome, in fact they did not even speak to us, spoke to our boatman, told him which rooms and then they all walked away, odd.
This place also has a rat problem, there were big plastic containers in the room for any food – no problem, but it all in there we thought.  I forgot thought that I had a tiny packet of sugarfree lollies in a side pocket – now have a hole in my bag and no lollies….

House reef nearly all dead, food the worst of any homestay – plus we never knew when it was ready (no set time, no-one telling us and we could not see from room, had to keep walking down to dining area).  One day they put the fish for lunch out at 10.30, and the rest out at varying intervals up to 12.30.They ran out of drinking water so they put hot water from flasks that had been left out overnight into drinking water container, yuk warm bore water very unpleasant.

There are  some great snorkelling spots that they took us to though, Manta Sandy for Manta Ray.

Village Jetty for masses of really huge fish.

Drift snorkel place with turtles and sharks.  

All 3 spots were very impressive. BUT unlike the other homestays, they did not even watch us while snorkelling or keep the boat anywhere close, lucky we were all competent.  The worst thing though is where all other homestay’s had been super careful of protecting the reef, here they trod all over it and took the boat onto it.  We decided (mainly due to drinking water issue, but also other factors) to cut our time here short by one day.  
One of the things I love about the homestays is no need to lock doors or worry about anything.  We slept with doors and windows open all night and left all valuables in unlocked rooms, or anywhere around homestay.  Such a safe and honest place, such a change in the modern world.

Transferring back to Waisai via boat we saw 2 whales, the boatman from our last homestay though was not like the other homestay transfers and would not stop or go a little closer (too much of a rush to get back).  They were apparently either Sperm or Humpback – most likely Sperm so we are told.

Before leaving Raja Ampat we stayed for 2 nights in a dive resort (would have been only 1 if not leaving prior place early) on the main island near ferry a little expensive but bliss to have hot water, flushing toilets and a choice of food.

Chris has finally received a response from Virgin – still telling her she is wrong and that she has to cancel her flight on 6^th.  Picture of visa attached and passport stamp and yet another email back to virgin.

Still by the second day we were really wishing we had more time here, to go to some of the more remote homestays where the reef’s are even better.  Maybe another time.  Such an amazing adventure, a boat would certainly be good and help with spotting the larger species.  In fact the day after we left our last place the boat from there had a Whale Shark come right up beside the boat, incredible.

Not such great photos this time, moving water, dark forests, rain and generally not ideal conditions.  To see names, open picture fully and browse through.

Purple Dots on map below are destinations or points of interest that we went to, orange are where we would have gone (extra) if boat had run, not counting places that are just reefs along the way but do not show on map.