The turquoise and cobalt blue waters of the bay shimmered under the light of the morning sun. Rocky outcrops, black as ink and sharp as razor blades broke through the warm tropical waters. Small beaches of golden sand broke up the jagged coastline, abutting the thickly wooded lowlands of Wayag Islands. In a semi-circle surrounding the bay and topped with sparse vegetation were sheer cliffs that rise hundreds of feet into the air. I sat there quietly on the peak, like an eagle, taking in the panoramic view below me. Moments like this is what traveling is all about I told myself.
Raja Ampat is like a modern El Dorado, except that this is no fabled city of gold, but an environmentalist and backpackers dream holiday destination. The rich biodiversity, world-class diving, amazing landscapes, isolated golden beaches and awesome coral reefs are the perfect holiday destination from anyone who wants to get away from it all. The problem of course was that I had always been told that Raja Apat is expensive and that it is impossible to do on a backpackers budget. I was wrong of course; my holiday in paradise cost me less than a $1,000 and here’s how to do it.
Of all the different ways to explore Raja Ampat on a budget, there are only three options I would consider; organize everything yourself, take a cruise or join a group tour. I will talk more about these three options in a bit, but first I want to focus on how to actually get to Raja Ampat.
The easiest way to get to Raja Ampat is to fly to Sorong. There are no direct flights to Sorong from Bali and Jakarta. Instead all flights go via the Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi. Express Air, Merpati, Sriwijaya and Lion Air all have daily flights here from Jakarta (if you’re lucky you will see Bill Bailey at the airport like I did, but I make no guarantees). Return tickets cost between $150-$500, depending on when you book the ticket and the time of year you are flying.
Once you arrive in Sorong you will need to get to the commercial port, which is a short 20 minute drive away by taxi. From the port you can catch a public ferry to Raja Ampat. Tickets to Raja Ampat from Sorong cost $15 and goes to Waigeo.
Any tourist who wants to travel in Raja Ampat needs to buy a permit from the local offices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Raja Ampat. A tourist permit costs $60 for foreigners and $25 for Indonesians. If you are joining an organised tour or a cruise then someone should arrange this for you (make sure to check). However, if you are traveling alone then you will need to go to the Departemen Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata by yourself.
From Waigeo you will need to take a boat to explore Raja Ampat; a small vessel with crew and gas will cost $220 a day, while the larger ships used by group tours that can hold up to 20 people cost $800. Cruise ships, which normally have facilities for diving, cost a lot more if you want to rent it privately. At this point I want to do a quick breakdown of prices for the different options for exploring Raja Ampat on a budget.
The only way you can explore Raja Ampat on a budget if you are doing everything yourself is by traveling in a group; $220 a day just for travel is simply not possible for backpackers. However, $45 per day, which is the price of five people sharing transport on a small boat is much more realistic. It is for this reason that you should must travel in a small group. Additional costs for independent travellers include food ($10 per day) and accommodation ($40 per night if you sleep in a bungalow, free if you decide to camp).
Group tours are the cheapest way to explore Raja Ampat. The best place to find information about group tours of Raja Ampat is on the Internet. Prices start from as low as $400, however most group tours cost between $600-$1,000. This price does not include the price of airfare.
Raja Ampat is one of the best diving spots in the world divers can swim with whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, turtles or just gaze in wonder at the pristine coral reefs. Obviously a diving holiday in Raja Ampat will be more expensive that any of the other budget options that I have talked about. A quick search of google will give you plenty of options for diving holidays in Raja Ampat to choose from. A budget five-day dive cruise with two dives a day costs as little as $2,000.
Raja Ampat is one of the few places in the world that I would recommend to every backpacker and I think anyone who has visited here will agree that it is a holiday of a lifetime. If you are interested in a real adventure holiday in a tropical paradise then you should definitely visit, and I hope this information proves to you that it is possible to do Raja Ampat on a budget.
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