Papua Diving

Frequently asked questions

Useful tips and information for your trip

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How to get here?

The main ports of entry are Jakarta, Bali or Manado with regular flights to Sorong.

Click this link for more info: http://www.papua-diving.com/home/getting-there-and-away

Bookings are on a Sunday to Sunday basis only with arrivals and departures on Sunday.
This day we offer free boat transfers to and from the resort. We can arrange non Sunday transfers upon request at a fee of 350.00 euro per boat one way. Saturdays is a day of rest, please note we do not operate boats on that day.
If you choose to stay for 10 nights, you have 2 options:

Arrive wednesdays, spend 1 night in Sorong Meridien Hotel, and be transfered thursday morning to the island and depart the following sunday.
Or
Arrive sundays and be transfered to the island the same day and depart the following wednesday.

We do recommend the Sun-Wed option. Like this you will be transfered to the island the same day with no overnight stay in Sorong.

Upon arrival at Sorong airport you will be met by our Guest Relations staff who will assist you from that point on. The boat transfer from Sorong to Kri Island will take about 1.5 ‐ 2 hours (weather dependend)
We can arrange domestic flight tickets within Indonesia and can provide details of reputable ticket agents who you can contact by yourself to purchase your tickets.

Please note:
At Sorong Airport you’ll be charged Rp.16,000. departure tax. At the International Airport in Manado where you leave Indonesia the departure tax is Rp.100,000.-, in Denpasar/Bali Rp.150,000.-.
Baggage fees for overweight luggage vary from airline to airline. Please check the latest regulations.
The airport taxes and luggage fees can only be paid in IDR Rupiah. Please make sure you carry sufficient cash with you.

What if I have to spend the night in Sorong before the trip?

We can arrange a Hotel Package for you. We will collect you at the airport, take you to your hotel and pick you up again the following morning to bring you to the departure jetty.

What day and time do i arrive on the island?

Our packages (7, 14, 21 nights) run from sunday to sunday. We offer free boat transfer from Sorong to the Island on those Sundays.
If you choose to stay for 10 nights, you have 2 options: Arrive wednesdays in Sorong, spend 1 night in Sorong Meridien or Luxio Hotel  and be  transfered thursday morning to the island
Arrive sundays in Sorong and be transfered to the island the same day

We schedule the arrivals/departure to and from Kri Island according to the different arrival/departure times. Usually the Sunday boats leave Sorong at 09:00 am (arrival Kri island ETA 11:00 am) and at 1:00 pm (arrival Kri island ETA 03:00 pm in the afternoon). Please take into account that times can vary. We do schedule the boat hours to the arrival times of the different airlines.
If one airline has delay we will wait for the other guests to depart from Sorong.

The boat that takes you back to Sorong is also scheduled according to the different arrival/departure times of the guests. As a rule of thumb the boats departs Kri island 4 hours before your scheduled flight.

When is the best time to visit?

Diving conditions in the Dampier Strait are good here all year round. Diving in Raja Ampat is not particularly seasonal. Water temperature is a constant 28°-30°C (82°-86°F), with visibility averaging 10-20m.

How are the weather conditions?

The Raja Ampat area does not have any real rainy season, but sometimes we do have heavy rain.
However, rarely will it rain the whole day. In case it does rain, umbrellas are provided in your bungalow.
The sea is usually flat all year round. The average Temperature at sea level is about 31 °Celsius or 80 °Fahrenheit during the day time and 24 °C or 76 °F during the night.
Watertemperature various from 24-30 degree celsius. Most divers dive with a 3 mm fullsuit.

What is the time zone?

Indonesia has three Time Zones :

Western Indonesian Time   :  GMT +7 (Jakarta)
Central Indonesian Time     :  GMT +8 (Manado / Makassar)
Eastern Indonesian Time    :  GMT +9 (Raja Ampat)

Please beware of that when taking domestic flights.

 

Can i pay with credit cards?

Credit Card payments (master/visacard) can be processed at both our resorts and our office in Sorong.
Settlement payment is usually the evening before departure.
We also accept cash in US$ (issued in 2006 or after) Euro/€ and IDR Rupiah.

Is there internet & mobile connection?

Although it can be intermittent, both resorts have mobile phone signal.
Wi-fi Internet access is available at Sorido Bay Resort.

What do I need to bring along?

We are in a very remote area so please bring along all you`ll need.

Do not forget to bring/arrange:

  • Dive Certification card & Dive insurance
  • 3 passport photos and 3 copies of your passport for your travel permit which we will arrange for you
  • A passport valid from 6 months from the time of entry. Nationals of most countries will be granted a 30-day Visa on Arrival for 25 USD. Please be sure you have one full empty page in your passport in which to put the visa sticker. Please check latest regulations. You may be asked by Indonesian Immigration officials to show a copy of your airline ticket out of Indonesia within the 30-day period.
  • A reefhook, if you have.
  • Sunprotection, hats and sunglasses. We are situated only 50 km South of the Equator; you will burn easily if unprotected.
  • Insect repellant & light coloured clothes. Although there are very few mosquitoes on the island, Malaria is present in Papua. Take special care in the early morning and just before sunset. Long sleeves and long pants and mosquito repellent will help to protect you; common sense and normal precautions apply.
  • Your favourite tipple & cigarettes. It’s very difficult (and very expensive) to get alcohol in Sorong. We encourage you to bring your favorite bottle of wine or spirits from the Duty Free shop in your home country.
  • Good walking shoes & binoculars (especially if you want to join visit the Birds of paradise)
  • Please bring all necessary medication. We recommend to bring antibiotic eardrops & antihistamine tablets.
  • Batteries
  • Please plan carefully to minimise your rubbish. When possible, choose rechargeable batteries. We also encourage you to take them back to your home country since we try to minimise rubbish and cannot easily deposit it.

What can i leave at home?

  • Your dive gloves. We do follow the code of conduct for diving the area and apply a strict no glove rule.
  • Bath & Beach towels. We provide you with towels in your villa & dedicated dive towels for after the dive.

What if I get sick or injured?

Please be aware that we are located in a remote area and your safety and health are of highest importance, and we recommend that you take all safety precautions. The closest hospital is in Sorong (1-2h by boat). We kindly ask you to check with your insurance company. Although, we have almost every kind of emergency and first aid equipment, we aim to prevent any unexpected accidents. The closest recompression chamber is in Malalayang Hospital, Manado so we encourage you to dive conservatively, not doing any deco dives.