Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
Raja Ampat
With over 1,500 islands still unnamed, the Raja Ampat region is remote, undisturbed and relatively undiscovered. Largely off the tourist map, this last frontier is famous for those in the know about diving holidays, as the best underwater ecosystem in the world.
Offering fantastic diving below water, and pristine beaches, BBQ picnic lunches, massage in situ, and friendly tribal villages for the landlubbers, this region has enough appeal to send a shiver of excitement down the spine.
A little more about Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat is located off the northern tip of New Guinea in Indonesia’s West Papua province. The main islands are Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. Sorong is the gateway for many of the cruises to Raja Ampat and is accessed from Singapore, Bali, Darwin or Jakarta.
Currently, the way to see this region is aboard one of the sophisticated yachts sailing the waters of Raja Ampat. Many of these yachts can be privately chartered throughout the year. Operating in West Papua between October and March and then sailing to Komodo/ Flores for the summer months. Silolona and Si Datua Bua, Tiger Blue and Alila have all come on the scene in recent years, with more boats in the pipeline.
North Star and Sea Trek Cruises
Adventurous expeditionary cruises also now operate in these waters, the most well-known being North Star and Sea Trek. The starting point is usually in North Australia.
You will find more marine species in the coral reefs of Raja Ampat than anywhere else on the planet – often referred to as the global epicentre of marine biodiversity. There are upwards of 500 coral species and 1000 coral reef fish species, in glorious multi-colour that is second to none on the planet. Although you do not need to be a diver to enjoy this region. Apart from the reefs, this area also has some of the most stunning top-side views in the world. Next, to that you can spot the dazzling birds of paradise, hear the shrieks of the crested cockatoo and the flapping of the wings of passing hornbills.
When to go
Raja Ampat has an equatorial monsoon climate. It is pretty much the same all year round, with the exception of the windy season – June to September. Lying on the equator, this region enjoys a year-round day length of about twelve hours. For the driest time of year travel between October and November, then February to April.
Experiences
What do you really love doing? We curate your itinerary especially for you.
Indonesia
Aqua Blu
Sailing between the islands of Komodo in the summer months before moving to Raja Ampat during the winter, Aqua Blu is a long-range explorer yacht with a strong naval heritage. Formally the British Naval Explorer HMS…
Indonesia
Misool Eco Resort
Misool is a world-class private island hideaway accessible only by boat. With stilted cottages and villas built entirely from reclaimed hardwoods, featuring Balinese style bathrooms and views of either the lagoon or house reef, Misool offers…
Indonesia
Tiger Blue
With her twin mast sails, Tiger Blue has a swashbuckling feel which is reinforced by the ten-man crew who are outstanding in their attention to detail. The setting and experiences are superlative, but as ever in…
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Clare Wiggins
My love for Asia began with living there. Based in Vietnam and then Malaysia, I also explored the surrounding regions before eventually finding my way back home via China and the Trans-Siberian railway. At Steppes Travel, I get to share that love for Asia every day, helping clients experience the places I know best as if they were locals themselves.
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