Best time to visit Raja Ampat
Unlike some parts of Indonesia, the weather in central Raja Ampat is pretty stable, with less distinct dry and rainy seasons.
This is a year round destination, but for divers, the best time to visit Raja Ampat is September to April, when large numbers of manta rays are present at cleaning stations. For the very calmest waters and best visibility, visit in November, December, January, February and March. In July and August, the usually calm seas can get rough so diving may sometimes be limited or suspended. Water temperature, though, is a constant 28°C-30°C, with 10-20m visibility. The windiest months are June to October, which can make jungle walks treacherous. For divers, May to August is low season as it is unusual to find manta rays at the cleaning stations.
Call us for the best time to go to Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
24
31
221
FEB
25
31
218
MAR
24
31
223
APR
25
31
236
MAY
24
30
336
JUN
24
30
335
JUL
24
30
309
AUG
24
30
265
SEP
24
30
221
OCT
24
31
196
NOV
25
32
182
DEC
24
31
194
What to do in Raja Ampat
What not to do in Raja Ampat
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Raja Ampat diving project, Indonesia
Dive and conserve the stunning coral reefs of Raja Ampat
From £1095 15 days ex flights
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Small group travel:
2024: 27 Mar, 24 Apr, 22 May, 19 Jun, 17 Jul, 14 Aug, 11 Sep, 9 Oct, 6 Nov, 4 Dec, 31 Dec
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Raja Ampat travel advice
What diving experience is needed?
Ben Stokes is co founder of our leading supplier of Raja Ampat holidays, Dive Safari Asia. He dived and travelled around the world for 10 years before setting up the company and has ample advice on visiting Raja Ampat:
For Raja Ampat, 30 open water, Advanced Certification dives are recommended. Its not really an entry level destination. The diving is quite shallow and you get rapid currents moving around the islands, so it can be quite challenging for divers. Obviously it depends a little bit on where you dive; what kind of areas. You can stay at resorts and get taken to more sheltered areas. But really, because of its location and the cost of getting here, its worth having experience otherwise you wont be able to go to the best sites, which tend to get a bit of current.
Who travels to Raja Ampat?
On our small group diving holidays, clients tend to be 40-plus years old. Diving here is for fanatical and enthusiastic divers who dive for three or four hours a day, every day. You can get trips tailored for families though, as the snorkelling is incredible here. You can see manta rays, amazing coral, baby reef sharks, turtles, all just by snorkelling. The reef comes up very close to the shore, and its very shallow, 3-4m. You can also take boat trips to different islands or go sea kayaking. So, theres snorkelling that might appeal to families, and full on diving for experienced divers. Those are the two groups that enjoy Raja Ampat.
What to do beyond the water
Raja Ampat has stunning scenery its a really incredible island paradise but theres not a huge amount to do thats land based. Its very much a destination for water based holidays. The way the topography works, you cant really get into the islands, theres beach then jungle then cliffs and really steep ridges, so theres not much trekking and you cant really get into the interior. There are some viewpoints which are lovely, you can do bird watching and there are one or two waterfalls, but really its a marine destination.
Responsible tourism tips
Responsible tourism tips
We encourage people to be aware of how they use sunscreen, how much they apply, and to buy sunscreen from responsible brands. People are often applying it several times throughout the day because its so hot, and its not properly absorbed, and all the chemicals wash off and can harm the reef. Also, anything you take with you should have minimal impact, so thats shampoo, shower gels, that kind of thing. Try to use products without harmful ingredients in them and take away all your rubbish. Some resorts are more environmentally conscious than others, so aim for those that are doing good work.
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