Loading Now
×

How to go to Raja Ampat

How to go to Raja Ampat

how-to-go-to-raja-ampat How to go to Raja Ampat
One of the frequent questions several travellers ask is how to go to Raja Ampat in West Papua, Indonesia. I will share my personal experiences of getting there.I visited Raja Ampat for the first time in September 2017 and wrote this article to share the information I obtained from my trip. You should also note that since then, many new flights and schedules have been added.

How to go to Raja Ampat in West Papua

First of all, where is Raja Ampat? Have you heard of the exotic island of Papua? In that case, Raja Ampat is located on the Indonesian side of Papua, known as West Papua, and is an island towards the Northwest side.

In summary, the best way to go to Raja Ampat is;

1. Flight from Makassar, Jakarta or Manado to Sorong, West Papua
2. Ferry from Sorong to Waisai
3. Ferry from Waisai to Raja Ampat

how-to-go-raja-ampat-papua How to go to Raja Ampat
Where is Raja Ampat? The map above shows that it is in the far east of Indonesia.
There are several ways to travel to Raja Ampat, and I will list them for the convenience of different types of travellers. The fastest and easiest way is to fly there, and the most extended way is to take a boat or ferry there.
Below are various ways to travel to Raja Ampat. Please consider all your options before you decide on the best way to get there.
domine-eduard-osok-airport-sorong How to go to Raja Ampat
The Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong, West Papua.
flying-to-raja-ampat How to go to Raja Ampat
Currently, Wings Abadi Airlines flies the Sorong to Waisai route.

Flying to Raja Ampat

Makassar in Sulawesi, Indonesia, is the connecting city where you can catch a direct flight into West Papua. This means you need to fly from Jakarta or Bali into Makassar. From here, there is a direct flight to Sorong in West Papua.

The airport in Sorong is called Domine Eduard Osok (Airport code: SOQ) and is relatively modern with up-to-date facilities. Just before the main departure hall, there are cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, and foot massages.

You have two options from Sorong for getting to Wai Sai, the main island of Raja Ampat in the west of Papua, Indonesia. From Waisai, you can either fly or take a fast boat to Raja Ampat.

9-min How to go to Raja Ampat
Garuda Airlines flies only from  Makassar to Sorong in West Papua.

Airlines that fly to Raja Ampat


From Jakarta To Sorong, West Papua – 4 Hour Direct Flight

Airlines:

  • Batik Air
  • PT Nam Air
  • Wings Abadi Air (1 Stop)
From Makassar to Sorong, West Papua – 2 Hour 10 Minutes Flight
Airlines:
  • Batik Air
  • Sriwijaya Air
  • Garuda Airlines
  • Lion Air (1 Stop)
Flight from Manado to Sorong, West Papua – 1 Hour 15 minutes Flight
Airlines:
  • Lion Air
  • PT Nam Air
  • Garuda Airlines
  • Batik Air (1 Stop)
  • Sriwijaya Air (1 Stop)
Denpasar (Bali) to Sorong, West Papua – 8 Hour + Flight (Transit)
This is only recommended for those who are already in Bali. However, you must fly to Makassar to connect to Sorong and Raja Ampat.Please monitor the flight timings. If there is a delay and you miss your flight, the next flight is the following day.

I do not recommend flying to Bali and Raja Ampat for those coming out of Indonesia. It will be tricky. It is better to fly to the cities mentioned above and then to Raja Ampat.

My group and I took the late morning flight for my trip and stayed a night at the Makassar Novotel Hotel in the airport. The following morning, we caught the Sorong flight, so we were relaxed and not in a rush.

sorong-city-papua How to go to Raja Ampat
View of Sorong from the aircraft landing.

How to get from Sorong to Raja Ampat

Once you arrive in Sorong, you will have two main travel options for Raja Ampat. Depending on your time and budget, I will list both ways down, as I tried them both on my recent trip in September 2017.

1. Flight from Sorong to WaiSai (Marinda Raja Ampat Airport RJM)

This is the fastest option, and it takes only 30 minutes to fly to Raja Ampat, but it can easily cost around US$25 to $30 one way. You need to observe the window between your connecting flight from Makassar or Jakarta, as sometimes delays could cause you to miss your flight.

Wings Air is the only airline that flies this route, and once a day at 1.45 PM. The plane they use is an ART-72, meaning only 72 passengers for one flight. Sometimes, minor delays, like waiting for the connecting flight to land or weather conditions, can occur.

fast-boat-sorong-waisai How to go to Raja Ampat
The fast boat from Sorong to Waisai, Raja Ampat.

2. Fast Boat or Ferry from Sorong to Waisai, Raja Ampat

This is the most common way. It is much cheaper and more efficient, but it takes about two hours to travel one way.

Once you arrive in Sorong, you must take a 15-minute taxi ride to Sorong Harbour and catch the ferry to Raja Ampat on Waisai Island.

A few ferry companies operate this route, but I would recommend using the Bahari Express ferry to Raja Ampat as they are the most reliable. The Bahari Ferry Timetable for 2017 is;

  • Daily – 2.00 PM
  • Mon, Wed, Friday – 9.00 AM & 2.00 PM
  • Time: 2.5 Hours Journey
  • Normal Ticket: IDR 130,000 per person
  • VIP Ticket: IDR 220,000 per person (Recommended)
  • Go a little early
  • It does not operate on Indonesian public holidays (please check with them).
  • The time and prices may change slightly from time to time. So, if you plan to use the ferry both ways, you must buy your return ticket from the Waisai Harbour or Port. They have a ticket counter at the port.
boat-to-raja-ampat How to go to Raja Ampat
This is Bahari Express, the most popular way to get to Raja Ampat from Sorong.
raja-ampat-port-harbor How to go to Raja Ampat
Some of the types of private speed boats in Raja Ampat.

Private Speedboat from Sorong to Raja Ampat

This is the most expensive way. However, if all else fails and you have no other option, a privately chartered speedboat can easily cost around USD 600 to USD 1000 per boat from Sorong to Waisai.

This also depends on the engine size, so for the well-heeled or those strapped for time, this would be a quicker way to get directly to your dive resort in Raja Ampat.

How to go from Waisai to Raja Ampat

From the Raja Ampat Airport or Marinda Airport in Waisai, you can take a taxi to Waisai Harbor or Port to catch your arranged resort boat, which usually comes and picks you up.

You need to inform the resort of your arrival as it may take 10 to 20 minutes to and from the resort by boat.

This also depends on which resort you are booked for. The closer resorts take only five to ten minutes, while further resorts may take 10 to even 45 minutes. I recommend you arrange this part of the final travel to your homestay or resort.

raja-ampat-map How to go to Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat in West Papua, Indonesia.
waisai-airport How to go to Raja Ampat
The tiny Marinda Airport or Raja Ampat Airport in Waisai, West Papua.

The best and Fastest Way to get to Raja Ampat

Because there are no direct flights to Raja Ampat, everyone must do at least one transit and boat ride to get here. There is no shortcut to this. I have spoken to many locals, and everyone says that Makassar is still the best connecting city.

They may eventually have a direct flight, but I doubt it. Unless they revamp and renovate the Raja Ampat airport in Waisai, larger planes will be able to land here. Currently, only the Wings Abadi ATR-72 propeller planes land here.

sorong-harbour-west-papua How to go to Raja Ampat
Passengers at the Sorong port in West Papua.
ferry-terminal-raja-ampat How to go to Raja Ampat
Bahari Express fast boat ticket counter at Waisai Harbour in West Papua.

Raja Ampat Marine Park Entry For Visitors

For those of you heading here, please remember that every local or foreign tourist requires a special marine park permit or Raja Ampat PIN.

I have written about it, and you can find the information on how to get the Raja Ampat Marine Park Permit from Sorong or Waisai. Many people are aware of this once they reach the harbour area. Some of the locals or ticket counters may ask you if you have the permit.

Please note that this is mandatory for anyone visiting Raja Ampat on the west side of Papua. The permit fee for international travellers is IDR 1,000,000, and for local Indonesians, it is IRD 500,000.

The fees collected go directly to the Raja Ampat Marine Park conservation and is managed by the ministry here. There are no third parties that sell the permits.

raja-ampat-conservation-fees How to go to Raja Ampat
The Raja Ampat Marine Park entrance permit fees.

Conclusion

As Raja Ampat is one of the desired destinations for many travellers, this information provides valuable, up-to-date details on how to get there. Over the years, much of the information has been changed over and over, hence this was obtained in September of 2017, which is very recent.

Many scuba divers are planning to visit here as well, and if you are one of them, you can check out this article on the best guide for scuba diving in Indonesia, which covers most of the popular places.

One of the most iconic places to visit in Raja Ampat is Piaynemo, a beautiful island karst in a lagoon. The view from the top of the hill makes this place one of the must-visit places here. I have also written an article on how to get to Piaynemo when you are here.

Share this content:

Travel to Raja Ampat

0 comments

comments user
Aisy Ameena

Hi! Great article! Thank you for sharing the traveling tips.
If I am from Malaysia, how many days I have to spend to go holiday at Raja Ampat including travel days?

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Hello Aisy,

Thank you for the kind words. Depending on what you want to do, a minimum would be at least 6-7 days, inclusive of travel days.

But since this destination is unique and remote, I would recommend you take a minimum 7 days, so you will have at least 4-5 full days there.

Please do not consider 4-5 days as it will be a huge regret. Hope this helps.

Post Comment