Kri Eco Resort – Raja Ampat
Travel period
Features
Starting at
Kri Eco Resort - Raja Ampat
The Kri Eco Resort was Raja Ampat’s first dive resort and one of the reasons why diving there has become so famous.
Raja Ampat is an archipelago of about 1,500 small islands and coral reefs in the Indonesian province of West Papua. This area is considered one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world. For many divers, Raja Ampat is number one.
This is partly because Raja Ampat is estimated to have more than 1,700 species of fish, representing about 75% of all fish species in the world. There are many endemic species, meaning they are found only in this area.
Raja Ampat also has some of the highest coral reef diversity on Earth, with more than 600 species of hard corals. The reefs are healthy and colorful, attracting divers and snorkelers from all over the world.
The Kri Eco Resort’s jetty is famous because a record number of fish species (374) were once counted on reef around the jetty. The jetty is the “house reef” of the Kri Eco Resort and also the place where you can dive unguided at your own pace and as much as you want!
Best travel time: Diving and snorkeling can be done year-round. There is no specific season that is particularly dry or rainy. The summer months can be rougher and windier, but do offer the best visibility. A good season is also October to April but then there is less visibility due to plankton.
The Kri Eco Resort is built of natural materials and there is a relaxed bounty atmosphere. This resort has many repeat guests and wins several awards every year.
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
Day 1 & 2 - The journey to Sorong
At the Kri Eco Resort, there are two “standard” arrival days. Thursdays 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 it comes down to starting your trip on Tuesday or Friday evening and then arriving in Sorong on Thursday or Sunday morning.
We admit it, you really are traveling for a while…. but it’s so worth it.
Day 3 - Arrival in Sorong & Check in.
This morning you will arrive at Sorong early in the morning. Kri Eco Resort’s crew will pick you up at the airport. Depending on whether to wait for more guests, you will first go to a hotel in Sorong to recover for a while or go directly by boat to the Kri Eco Resort.
The boat normally leaves Sorong around 09:30 and then you will arrive at the Kri Eco Resort around 11:00. Here the staff is already waiting for you and you can check into your cottage after a long journey.
The rest of the day is at your discretion. Perhaps you are very tired after the long trip and want to relax more than anything else. However, it is also possible to go snorkeling or even diving.
Day 4 to 11 - Unlimited Diving
For the next 8 days, you will be doing unlimited diving on Raja Ampat. Daily you can do 3 guided boat dives and one night/sunset dive. In addition, you may also edge dive with your buddy (not solo) on the house reef unmolested.
The Kri Eco Resort is located in the middle of all the dive sites and therefore you can just rest in the resort between dives and not on the water.
Cape Kri: Cape Kri is the house reef of Sordio Bay and is less than a 3-minute boat ride from Kri Eco Resort. This is the dive site that put Raja Ampat on the map when Dr. Gerry Allen smashed his record for total number of fish species on a single tank dive: 374 different species
Blue Magic: From Wobbegong sharks to tiny 2-inch Pygmy seahorses. The top of the reef is covered with hard coral with a number of large coral heads and some tabular Acropora corals over 3 meters wide. There is a resident school of Large-Eyed Trevallies and many large Barracudas. Green turtles can be found here, as well as Black Tips, White Tips and occasional gray reef sharks. If you are very lucky even a Giant Manta Ray. The magnificent dive ends with a safety stop in blue water drifting over and away from the reef.
Manta Sandy: This sandy slope, just 25 minutes from Kri Island, is known for its manta rays. It is a polishing station. Here we see huge black manta rays 4 meters wide, looking like a negative photographic image, their gills marked white, along with the other more common white-bellied variety.
The Passage: As seen in many articles, including by David Doubilet in the September 2007 National Geographic, The Passage is a completely unique dive site. The narrow gorge 40 minutes away between Gam and Waigeo can be described as a river flowing between the two islands, as well as a marine environment, a haven of peculiar and unique micro-habitats. Above water, the steep limestone cliffs make this a place where the sights above water are also extraordinarily beautiful. Guests combine this trip with a visit to the labyrinthine Hidden Bay, a maze of towering islets, and Kabui Bay, where literally hundreds of mushroom islands create a stunning landscape.
Day 12 - Excursions and packing up
Kri Island is home to amazingly diverse flora and fauna. Today you cannot dive but can explore above water.
Probably the cutest inhabitants of the island are the Cuscuses. These furry marsupials are nocturnal animals and can often be seen at dinnertime when they visit the restaurant or walk along the rooftops to steal a banana they like to eat. If you are lucky, you may even come across our house tree kangaroo “Stinky.” There are also lots of birds. From loris, eclectic parrots, kookaburras and birds of paradise to glossy mantle manucodes and cockatoos – they all live on Kri. Don’t forget to bring your hiking boots, your binoculars and, of course, your camera.
Today is an ideal day to book a birding excursion. Unfortunately, the vacation is also almost over, and so you will also have to pack your bag today because tomorrow morning you will leave early for Sorong.
Day 13 & 14 - Return home
Early in the morning, you will be transferred to the mainland by boat transfer to Sorong airport. From Sorong, you fly first to Jakarta and then to Europe.
Good to know, there is also a direct connection between Sorong and Manado. So should you want to extend your diving trip you can do so by diving with the smallest special critters in Lembeh, the critter capital of the world. Or you can go to Bunaken, diving along steep drop offs with sea turtles and colorful fish. It’s all possible!
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 US$ 2.790 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 price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about the possibilities? Get in touch with us!
Included in this trip, from US$ 2.790 p.p.
- 10 nights in a Papuan Water Cottage
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Return transfers
- Unlimited Diving dive package
- Free Nitrox Upgrade
- VZR, Calamity Fund & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Sorong from US$ 1.267 p.p.
- Marine Park Fee of IDR 700,000 = approx. US$ 45
- Retribution Fee of IDR 300,000 = approx. US$ 20
✈︎ 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 US$ 227 p.w.
- 15L tank US$ 4 per dive
- Dive light US$ 8 per dive
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Frequently asked questions about this diving vacation
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.
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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