FAQ RAJA AMPAT

Getting this far often raises many questions. In our FAQ Raja Ampat list, we have summarized all the questions our customers have asked us over the years. Here you can get an overview of all important information such as Information about the travel formalities, what you should know on your first trip on Raja Ampat or Indonesian and much more.

If you still can not find your answer in  Frequently Asked Questions, please use the link below to send us your questions.

Bordered by Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia, Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country in the world. Consisting of five main islands (Sumatra, Jawa, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua) with 33 provinces and 30 smaller archipelagos, it has a total of 17,508 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. The Republic of Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia and stretches 5,150 km between the Australian and Asian continental mainland, dividing the Pacific and Indian Oceans at the Equator. Jakarta is Inonesia’s capital. The title “Indonesia” is derived from Greek words meaning “Indian Islands”.

It wasn’t until the 16th century that knowledge of Raja Ampat began to develop among Europeans, with the arrival of the Portuguese.
In 1545, Ynigo Ortiz de Retes arrived, naming New Guinea and claiming it for the King of Spain. Several failed gold explorations followed, but it was only in 1714 that Spain was forced to relinquish control to Holland and England.
The Dutch and English had long been interested in Irian Jaya’s trade commodities of nutmeg, massio bark, trepang (dried sea cucumbers), tortoise shells, pearls, birds of paradise skins and slaves. The British finally proclaimed a Protectorate in the east in 1884, and the Dutch established two permanent posts in the west in 1899. The boundaries were settled in 1895 and 1910.
It was World War II that finally put New Guinea on the map in Western history, when it became a fierce battleground between the Japanese and Allied forces. When the end of World War II came, the Dutch handed over the territories to Indonesia.

Above the shorelines of Raja Ampat, there lie sand banks, cliffs between 500 and 900 meters tall, mangroves, and lush green vegetation on all the islands scattered throughout the archipelago. The contrast of colors between the oceanic turquoise and the deep green jungle create a complete feeling of peace and fascination.

Some villages in Raja Ampat still practice an indigenous conservation method called “sasi,” where certain areas are closed to fishing activities during certain periods. The opening of this sasi ritual is usually celebrated with a traditional harvest and is very interesting to watch.
The religion of Raja Ampat is Christian. There are a number of mosques in Waisai, Sorong and other locations of Papua, for the Indonesian population.
Culture: Papua people are very friendly. If you do not know any local words, we recommended that you nod your head (like nodding a responsive “yes”). This is a typical way of addressing people. So, just nod your head!

The Indonesian climate is distinctly tropical. Because this region is so close to the equator, it is normal to have rain, and short, intense thunderstorms, at any time. The eastern monsoon, from June to September, brings dry weather, while the western monsoon, from December to March, is moisture-laden, generally bringing rain. The transitional period between these two is marked by occasional rain showers, but even in the middle of the western monsoon season, temperatures range from 21 degrees C (70 F) to 33 degrees C. (90 F), except at higher altitudes, which are much cooler. Heaviest rainfalls are recorded in December and January. Humidity is between 60-100 %.
Raja Ampat is generally hot, but after a long day of diving, you might feel cool enough to wear a long-sleeved shirt.

Raja Ampat is covered by Eastern Indonesia Standard Time and is 9 hours ahead of GMT. Papua is one hour ahead of Bali and two hours ahead of Jakarta.

The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (Rp). The exchange rate fluctuates frequently. The currency used by most of Asia is the US$. Currently the exchange rate is around Rp 13.000 per US$.
If you need local currency, there are a number of ATM machines and banks in Sorong.

Be sure to bring your dive certification or other proof that you are a diver; since there is minimal Internet connection, we will not be able to check on-line. We also recommend that you bring a torch for nighttime walks or animal viewing; the Kus-Kus are frequently out on our grounds at night.
Bring a hat, sunglasses, sun block, insect repellent, a sarong, extra batteries, a towel and tampons! You can’t find them in Sorong. Our dress code is extremely casual.
It is recommended that all travelers bring their own set of medicine (ibuprofen, cortisone, antihistamine, and medicine for fever, cold, diarrhea, etc), since it is really difficult to get here. You should include antibiotic ointment and bandaids, to treat all skin irritations as soon as possible.
You should bring anything that you cannot live without. This includes all cash (preferably Indonesian Rupiahs) that you will need for your entire stay in Raja Ampat. Remember that you will be very remote.
Finally, remember that all airlines have a maximum 20kg of baggage allowance. So, just pack the essentials.

We use 3G or what we call 1/2G, which is enough to check emails and Whatsapp messages but not enough to support multiple voice or video calls. We open the signal from 5pm-7pm for guest use. If you would like to have internet access all day, you can purchase an Indonesian Sim card (Telkomsel) and buy one of our internet packets.

Please be aware that our signal relies on a local mast which, due to it´s remoteness, can be unreliable. Very occasionally we lose signal for few days.

Sorry, we do not have Nitrox yet.
Shore Diving
Yes, we have a wonderful house reef: unguided dives cost USD 15, and guests must be at the Advanced Open Water level or the equivalent.

There is a post office in Sorong (next to Saga Supermarket)

The nearest hospital is in Waisai, 40 minutes away by boat. In Waisai there is no one familiar with diving medicine and treatments. In the case of a dive accident, it is likely that they could do no more than give you Oxygen and Basic Life Support to keep you alive. In case of a serious emergency, we will take you to Sorong, where you can find a better equipped hospital. The nearest Hyperbaric Chamber is in Waisai Hospital. Again, remember that the other chamber is in Manado, which means that you will need to fly. In Sorong (2-3 hours away) there is Angakatan Laut Naval (Bahari) Hospital.

Yes, absolutely! Papua is a malaria area, and you are advised to take precautions and follow the advice of your local doctor or health center. Note that the medication Lariam has limited effectiveness in this area, due to a resistant strain of malaria. Lariam is thus not recommended. Alternatives could be Malarone or Doxicycline. Please be aware that some malaria pills have adverse reactions in scuba divers. Check with Divers Alert Network (DAN) about treatments for malaria or any other medication, before taking them while diving.
It is also recommended that you sleep under a mosquito net (which we have in all of our cottages) and use a repellent if you need to.

Our tanks only have yoke fittings. If you use DIN, we do have a few adapters available. However, you cannot buy them here, so it is better to bring your own adapter, if you have them, to make sure that there is one available for you.

We are running a 24hrs fully solar photovoltaic electricity solution, to satisfy our electricity needs. This is a great improvement and continues to move us forward in our “Eco-Concept” Model. Of course, the electricity from the sun is very precious, so we kindly ask all of our guests to be mindful and not leave any unnecessary lights turned on.

The power supply is 220 volts. The outlets are for plugs with two rounded pins.

Yes, we have a phone signal on the island, but it is not always good. The best operator for the area is Telkomsel.

With the exception of visitors from the countries of Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam (who are permitted up to 30 days’ entry to Indonesia without an Indonesian visa), all visitors to Indonesia must obtain a VISA in order to enter the country.

A VISA on arrival will be given to citizens of Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America, Austria, Belgium, India, Ireland, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Maldives, Egypt, Oman, Portuguese, Qatar, The People of Republic China, Russian, Saudi Arabian, Spain, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece , Iran, Iceland, Laos PDR, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nederland, Suriname, Sweden, Aljazair, Czechoslovakia, Fiji, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Panama, Slovakia, Slovenia, Rumania, Tunisia.

The visa on arrival is valid for 30 days and may be extended (only once) if conditions in Indonesia permit.
The fee for this visa is payable upon landing. It is US$35 for a 30-day visa.
The official entry requirements for the issuance of a 30 or 7 day visa-on arrival:
1. The passport must be from one of the countries listed above.
2. The passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 (six) months from the date of entry into Indonesia.
3. Payment of US$10 or US$25 must be made at the gateway, depending on the length of visa required.
4. Onward or return tickets are compulsory.
5. Visitors must enter and exit through one of the 15 airports or 21 seaports officially approved as an “international gateway” by the Indonesian Immigration Department.

VISA Application at Indonesian Embassies or Consulates
Other nationals must apply for a visa at Indonesian Embassies or Consulates in their home country. In addition, the visa cannot be replaced with any other immigration documents. A Visa Officer shall administer the visa in the presence of the applicant concerned.
You may find information on contact details for Indonesia embassies and consulates at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on the following direct-link: http://www.deplu.go.id/
Do you want to stay longer?
You have two options;
1. – Extend your visa on arrival, in any Immigration office in Indonesia, for up to 30 days. There is an Immigration office in Sorong. The office phone number is +62951321915. You must apply for this extension before your visa expires. This usually takes around three days and costs US$50. You can extend your visa on arrival only once.
2. -You can apply for an Indonesian Tourist visa at any Indonesian Embassy around the world. It usually takes three working days and it costs around US$50.
An Indonesian tourist visa has a maximum validity of up to 3 months, but permits a stay of no longer than 60 days within this 3-month timeframe.
NOTE: Since the situation may change, we recommend you contact an embassy to confirm the latest information relevant to you.
The penalty charged for overstaying a visa is typically $20 US per day.

There are many hotels in Sorong: Belagri, Mambreramo, Swiss Belhotel…For a cheaper alternative, try Lovensia Hotel.
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