Combination trip Raja Ampat • Kri Eco Resort & Sorong Rainforest
Dive into the world’s most biodiverse waters, then discover the unspoiled nature of West Papua above water. A unique combination of Raja Ampat, birds of paradise, and tropical rainforest.
Travel period
Features
Starting from
Diving in Raja Ampat from Kri Island and to the Malagufuk Rainforest
Raja Ampat is on many divers’ bucket lists. This remote archipelago in the Indonesian province of West Papua is considered one of the most biodiverse marine areas in the world. With more than 1,700 species of fish, over 600 species of hard corals, and an impressive variety of dive sites, it’s not hard to see why. From colorful coral gardens and schools of reef fish to reef sharks, sea turtles, and manta rays, every dive brings new surprises. During your stay at the Kri Eco Resort, Raja Ampat’s first dive resort, you’ll discover the immense biodiversity of this extraordinary area. The famous house reef beneath the jetty is also a must-see. As many as 374 fish species were once counted here—a record that perfectly illustrates Raja Ampat’s exceptional biodiversity.
But West Papua has more to offer than just a spectacular underwater world. After a week of diving, you’ll leave the coral reefs of Raja Ampat behind and head to the pristine rainforest of Malagufuk, located on the mainland near Sorong. Here, a whole new adventure begins. Via wooden boardwalks and jungle trails, you’ll venture deeper into the lowland rainforest, a habitat for countless bird species, butterflies, reptiles, and other animals found only in this region. Among other things, you’ll go in search of the birds of paradise for which New Guinea is world-renowned.
This trip combines the best of both worlds. First, you’ll discover the colorful underwater world of Raja Ampat, a destination that many divers consider the highlight of their diving careers. Next, you’ll explore the unspoiled natural landscape above the water and experience a side of West Papua that few visitors get to see. A unique combination of diving, wildlife, and adventure in one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary regions.
Best Time to Visit Raja Ampat for a Diving Trip
The best time to take this trip is from October through April. During this period, diving conditions in Raja Ampat are generally excellent, and there is a good chance of spotting birds of paradise during their active courtship season in the Malagufuk rainforest.
Average temperatures
Wetsuit advice for Raja Ampat
Our recommendation is a 3mm wetsuit, shorty or skin.
What will you experience on this trip?
View itinerary here
Days 1–3 | The Trip to Kri Island in Raja Ampat
At the Kri Eco Resort, there are two “standard” arrival days. Wednesdays and Sundays. The trip is from Europe via Jakarta to Sorong. From Sorong, you will then sail by boat the final leg to beautiful Raja Ampat.
Usually, this means you start your trip on Monday or Friday evening and arrive in Sorong on Thursday or Sunday morning.
On Day 3, you’ll arrive at the airport in the morning. The staff from the Kri Eco Resort will pick you up at the airport. Depending on whether you need to wait a bit for more guests, you’ll either head to a hotel in Sorong first to rest for a while or go directly by boat to the Kri Eco Resort. The boat usually departs from Sorong around 9:30 a.m., and you’ll arrive at the Kri Eco Resort around 11:00 a.m. The staff will be waiting for you there, and after your long journey, you can check into your cottage.
The rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish. You might be very tired after the long trip and just want to relax. However, you can also go snorkeling or even scuba diving. We’ll admit it—you’re really on a trip right now… but it’s absolutely worth it.
Days 4–9 | Unlimited diving in Raja Ampat
The next few days will be all about diving in Raja Ampat. Each day, you can participate in up to three guided boat dives and one night or twilight dive. In addition, you’ll have unlimited dives with your buddy on the resort’s famous house reef. This means you get to decide for yourself how much time you spend underwater.
The Kri Eco Resort is centrally located in the Dampier Strait, putting many of Raja Ampat’s most famous dive sites within a short boat ride. Between dives, you return to the resort to relax, rather than spending hours on a boat.
During this week, you’ll visit a diverse selection of Raja Ampat’s most beautiful dive sites. A dive at Cape Kri is a must. This world-famous dive site gained international recognition when no fewer than 374 different fish species were recorded here during a single dive. The enormous biodiversity makes every dive here a journey of discovery.
Blue Magic is also one of the absolute highlights. This underwater pinnacle attracts an impressive array of marine life—from colorful pygmy seahorses and wobbegong sharks to schools of barracudas, giant trevallies, sea turtles, and reef sharks. With a little luck, you might even spot a manta ray swimming past the reef.
Another iconic spot is Manta Sandy, a cleaning station where manta rays regularly gather. Here, you’ll have the chance to observe these elegant creatures up close as they glide over the reef and are cleaned by small cleaner fish.
For lovers of macro photography and extraordinary landscapes, The Passage is a unique experience. This narrow passage between the islands of Gam and Waigeo resembles a tropical river more than a traditional dive site. The combination of mangroves, limestone walls, and unique microhabitats makes this one of the most extraordinary dive sites in Raja Ampat.
Exactly which dive sites we visit depends on weather conditions, currents, and the group’s experience. One thing is certain, however: every day brings new encounters with the incredible underwater life for which Raja Ampat is world-renowned.
Day 10 | Back to Sorong & Hike Through the Lowland Rainforest
After breakfast, you’ll check out of the resort on Kri. You’ll travel back to Sorong by boat, where your next adventure begins. From Sorong, you’ll continue your journey by jeep to the Klasow Valley, a vast area of lowland rainforest known as one of the best spots in the Sorong area for observing birds of paradise and other rare bird species. The drive takes about an hour and a half and follows roads with very little traffic.
From the road, you’ll continue on foot to the village of Malagufuk, located in the heart of the Klasow Valley. You’ll walk about 3 kilometers through the rainforest along a wooden boardwalk. Parts of the trail may be damaged or slippery, especially after rain. Local porters will carry your luggage to the village.
Malagufuk is a small-scale ecotourism project and serves as an excellent base for exploring the Klasow Valley. The surrounding forests are home to various species of birds of paradise, including the little bird of paradise, the king bird of paradise, and the twelve-barred bird of paradise. In addition, the area is home to numerous other bird species, butterflies, reptiles, and mammals characteristic of the rainforests of West Papua.
You’ll be staying in a simple wooden cabin surrounded by nature. Don’t expect luxury: the accommodations are intentionally small-scale and basic, with simple bathroom facilities and no electricity. That’s exactly what makes this place so special. You’ll be surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest and far from civilization. Meals, drinking water, coffee, tea, and simple snacks are included during your stay. In the afternoon, there’s time to explore the surroundings and the rainforest.
Days 11 & 12 | Birds of Paradise and Wildlife of Malagufuk
These two days are entirely dedicated to the unique natural beauty of West Papua. Early in the morning, you’ll head into the rainforest with local guides in search of some of the world’s most extraordinary bird species. From carefully selected observation points, you’ll have the chance to admire the Lesser Bird-of-Paradise, the King Bird-of-Paradise, and the impressive 12-Wired Bird-of-Paradise during their spectacular courtship rituals.
The hikes wind through the lowland rainforest of the Klasow Valley, home not only to birds of paradise but also to other animals, such as colorful butterflies, reptiles, marsupials, and countless bird species. With a little luck, you might also spot the Victoria crowned pigeon or even a cassowary. Along the way, the guide shares his knowledge about the rainforest’s flora and the traditional uses of various plants and tree species by the local population.
After sunset, a walk through the rainforest offers the chance to look for wallabies and other nocturnal animals. The combination of early excursions, jungle walks, and wildlife observation makes these days a special experience that reveals a completely different side of West Papua.
At the end of Day 12, you’ll hike back to the main road, where the jeep will be waiting to take you back to Sorong. Here, you’ll spend the night at the comfortable Swiss-Belhotel Sorong—a pleasant way to end your trip after two days in the heart of the rainforest.
Day 13 & 14 | Return home
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Sorong Airport. Then, the return trip to the Netherlands begins. Along the way, you’ll have plenty of time to reflect on the spectacular dives in Raja Ampat, the colorful reefs, and the extraordinary encounters with birds of paradise in the Malagufuk rainforest.
The accommodation
The stay and surroundings
Kri Eco Island Resort
Deeply rooted in the local environment, the Kri Eco Resort is an integral part of Kri Island. The resort is made of locally produced and low-impact materials; shaped and equipped to withstand the excesses of natural forces characteristic of the coastal and tropical climate. The setting provides fantastic sunrise and sunset views and a gentle breeze in the evening.
Shady paths wind through the trees to the restaurant. The atmosphere is one of natural tranquility and total relaxation. The resort grounds boast a wide variety of plants and wildlife:
Wild orchids, monitor lizards, hairy marsupials, tropical birds such as parakeets, eclectic parrots, birds of paradise to glossy mantle manucodes and cockatoos. Eventually, you might even spot a Tree Kangaroo or Sugar Squirrel.
At the Kri Eco Resort, stay in a water cottage or beach cottage. There are a total of 12 rooms in 3 categories (2x Papua – 5 x Superior – 5 x Deluxe). The use of local Papuan materials gives it a special charm. Free Wi-Fi access is available and all cottages are equipped with electric fans for those quiet nights when a breeze is not strong enough.
Papuan Water Cottage, (photos 1 & 2) located on the jetty with twin beds and a (shared) bathroom with western toilet and “mandi” (a rain shower).
Superior Water Cottage, (photo 3) located on the beach on stilts just above the water. Same as Papuan Water Cottage only with shared bathroom with max 4 guests with western toilet and hot shower.
Deluxe Papuan Cottage, (photos 4 & 5) located on the beach with lots of privacy. It has a private ensuite bathroom with hot shower. Large terrace and access to the beach by stairs. Otherwise, it is the same as the Papuan Water Cottage.
All rooms have a fan, mosquito nets, 24-hour electricity, fresh drinking water, soap, tissues and towels, camera table, free wifi up to max 250MB per week, free laundry service and free use of kayak.
Travel costs
What is included
This travel package is € 2.650 per person based on two people in one room. The trip can be extended as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package.
Prices are subject to change, including price increases or fluctuations in exchange rates. Prices for 2027 have been taken into account. Flights are always based on the lowest possible booking class.
Want to know more about the possibilities? Get in touch with us!
Included in this trip, from € 2.650 p.p.
- Kri Island
- 7 nights in a Papuan Water Cottage
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Return transfers
- Unlimited Diving dive package
- Free Nitrox Upgrade
- Rainforest
- 2 nights at Klasow Valley in a Simple Cabin
- 1 night in Sorong in a Deluxe Double Room
- Meals as listed in the itinerary (dinner on Day 10, full board on Day 11, breakfast and lunch on Day 12, breakfast on Day 13)
- Local guide for 3 days
- Round-trip transfer by jeep
- Distributions, Land Fees, and Travel Permit
- General
- VZR & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Sorong from € 1.200 p.p.
- Marine Park Fee of IDR 700,000 = approx. € 43
- Tourist Retribution Fee of IDR 1,000,000 = approx. € 60
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe. However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide. Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
- Diving equipment € 230 p.w.
- 15L tank € 4 per dive
- Dive light € 8 per dive
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Frequently asked questions about this diving holiday
Diving general
You can do shore diving (from the jetty) and boat diving here.
Most dive sites can be reached between 5 and 30 minutes by boat.
Normally you make 3 boat dives a day here, 2 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. It is also possible to book a night dive in consultation.
Do you have the unlimited package? Then, in addition to boat dives, you can do as many shore dives as your no-limit allows.
Good to know: on Saturdays the dive guides have the day off. There are no boat dives then. However, you can have unlimited shore diving if you have the unlimited package, or if you don’t have it you can charge for shore diving. This is not a punishment, they have a fantastic house reef that you will definitely want to do several dives on!
Yes, you can book this on the spot.
Yes, perhaps even the most beautiful house reef in the world with gigantic biodiversity.
Yes definitely, there are several PADI courses:
- Discover Scuba
- Open Water Diver
- Advanced Diver
- Rescue Diver
- EFR
- Nitrox
If you want to learn to scuba dive and get your first scuba certification then take the PADI Open Water course. For this you can start learning at home, ask us about the possibilities.
The diving school is located at the resort.
Diving equipment
There are both DIN and INT tanks.
Yes definitely, and also 10L tanks (in addition to the standard 12L).
Yes, Nitrox is included as standard in the dive package. Of course, you must be certified.
Yes definitely, prices on request.
Other activities & excursions
For all non-diving guests, there is plenty of fantastic snorkeling available. Just from the shore of the resort you can already discover the beauty of the reefs of Raja Ampat. Even close to the jetty, you can see blue-spotted stingrays, turtles, crocodile fish, blacktip reef sharks, batfish, a huge school of jackfish and sometimes even a school of humphead parrotfish.
If you want to explore more of the surrounding reefs, they also offer guided snorkeling packages.
At Papua Diving Resorts, in addition to diving and snorkeling, you can participate in excursions to the beautiful islands of Raja Ampat. Explore the breathtaking coral gardens of the Fam Islands, admire manta rays at Manta Sandy, and discover the hidden beauty of Hidden Bay and the Mushroom Islands. For lovers of wreck diving, there is the P47 plane wreck at Wai Island. Or take an adventure trip to the Blueriver through the jungle. Free for guests staying at least 7 nights. These tours offer a unique combination of underwater and above-water experiences in a paradise setting.
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