missal, raja ampat

Raja Ampat & Lembeh Strait – Feb 27- Mar 11, 2024

/in /by

**These dates do not reflect travel dates.

Travel dates will be added when available.**

raja ampatJoin Steve & Jolene Philbrook on this trip of a lifetime!!  From the incredible muck diving of Lembeh to the spectacular coral reefs of Raja Ampat, these Indonesian destinations deliver an incredible experience you will never forget!

LEMBEH STRAIT – Muck-diving capital of the world!

Your first 5 nights of this trip of a lifetime will be spent at the quaint NAD Dive Resort on the island of North Sulawesi, which has fast and easy access to the best dive sites of Lembeh Strait!  Diving the Strait is something all divers should experience!  Its black sand bays and coral outcrops hold an outstanding amount of marine life. Especially if you are an underwater photographer, the Lembeh Strait should be on your “must-visit list”…likely multiple times!

Divers visiting Lembeh will have the opportunity to see a vast list of must-see critters:  frogfish, Rhinopias, a huge array of Nudibranchs and Octopus, including the highlights of the Blue-Ringed Octopus and Mimic Octopus. Lembeh is not just muck diving though!   The group will explore all around the island and beyond to experience some of the best reef diving in South East Asia.

RAJA AMPAT

After 5 nights in Lembeh Strait, we will fly to Sorong to board the Damai I liveaboard for a week-long trek through the unforgettable waters of Raja Ampat.  Raja Ampat is breathtaking, with the marine life thriving from the sea floor to the surface and the colorful reef teeming with activity. There are sites that are so pristine and packed with growth, that a photographer is hard-pressed to find a spot to place a steadying finger. Exotic sea life and macro critters abound and photo opportunities border on overwhelming.pygmy seahorse

The vessel will cruise from the Dampier Strait, where manta rays frequent, to Misool to find the Tasseled Wobbegong shark swimming along some of the world’s most majestic and overwhelming reefs – a wide angle photographers playground!

This tour offer divers the opportunity to explore the entire region. You have the colorful soft coral areas around the southern islands of Misool with the opportunity to see massive schools of fish as well as various species of sharks, including the Epaulet shark (walking shark), Wobbegong shark, and mobula rays. In the north, you have the world famous current rich Dampier Straits with iconic dive sites like Cape Kri and Blue Magic. In the east you can visit pristine coral gardens and venture topside to climb to the viewpoint above the lagoon at Penemu. In the north you can dive with mantas at Kawe and go critter hunting in Aljui Bay.  Raja is truly a diver’s paradise!

Want to sign up?

Trip Sign up Form

Trip Price:

  • Double Occ Diver: $TBD

(Payment Schedule – coming soon!)raja ampat

Trip Includes:

  • Round trip Airfare from LAX
  • Round trip ground transfers
  • Lembeh Strait (Feb 27-Mar 4) – 5 nights Beachfront NAD
    • 11 boat dives
    • 2:1 guest to guide ratio
    • 3 meals per day
    • Snacks in between dives
    • Unlimited drinking water, coffee, tea
    • WiFi
  • Raja Ampat (Mar 4-11) – 7 nights on the Damai I Liveaboard
    • Up to 4 dives per day
    • 4:1 guest to guide ratio
    • All meals and snacks
    • Drinks onboard (excluding wine and Spirits). One glass of wine/pp each night will be complimentary
    • Land tours organized by Dive Damai
    • First spa treatment onboard

Not Included:

  • Passport
  • Day room on travel days (optional)
  • Airline baggage fees
  • Incidentals/personnel items
  • DAN dive medical insurance (mandatory)
  • Trip Insurance (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
  • Tips & gratuities

NOTE: $500 Non Refundable deposit holds your spot for this trip. Final trip payment is due by TBD.  Airfare rates are based on early sign up, future rates are approximate, call for current price. Due to rising fuel costs, airlines have been imposing additional charges without notice, prices subject to change.