Six nights aboard is the market-standard Raja Ampat trip, and for good reason. It covers the Dampier Strait’s core sites, a full leg through the Fam Islands and Piaynemo, plus Kabui Bay and Telaga Bintang — with room for Kawe if the group wants a northern taste. Expect around 17–19 dives, boarding and disembarking at Sorong (SOQ). Indicative cost: USD 250–400 per person per night on mid-range vessels, USD 600–700 on boutique sailing yachts, plus roughly IDR 1,700,000 in government fees.
Ask ten Raja Ampat operators what their best-selling itinerary is and nine will say the seven-day, six-night loop. That is not marketing convergence; it is the length at which the geography stops fighting you. Six nights gives you three full days in the Dampier Strait, a proper overnight in the Fam group and a lagoon day, without ever needing an open-water passage. Below is exactly what that looks like, hour by hour and dollar by dollar.
What is the day-by-day itinerary?
| Day | Anchorage | Sites and activity | Sailing hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dampier Strait, off Kri | Transfer from Sorong (SOQ), board mid-morning, check dive at Friwen Wall, welcome briefing | 4 – 6 |
| 2 | Kri / Mansuar | Cape Kri at slack water, Sardine Reef, Mioskon; optional night dive | 1 – 2 |
| 3 | Arborek | Manta Sandy on the viewing line, Arborek jetty snorkel, village walk, Yenbuba in golden light | 1 – 3 |
| 4 | Fam Islands | Overnight leg; dawn at the Piaynemo staircase, Melissa’s Garden, Penemu lagoon | 3 – 5 |
| 5 | Kabui Bay | Karst channel cruising, blue-water mangrove snorkelling, Telaga Bintang scramble | 2 – 4 |
| 6 | Dampier Strait | Blue Magic, Mioskon or a second Cape Kri, sunset drinks at anchor | 2 – 4 |
| 7 | Sorong (SOQ) | Overnight return leg, breakfast aboard, disembark for afternoon flights | 4 – 6 |
Two structural notes. First, the Piaynemo leg is run overnight so you wake in the Fam group and reach the viewpoint before the day boats arrive from Waisai — that timing is the single biggest advantage of sailing over a resort stay. Second, day six deliberately returns to the Dampier Strait rather than pushing further north; that keeps the final overnight short and gets everyone to the airport unhurried.
What does a 7D6N package cost?
| Cabin grade | Vessel type | USD per person, 6 nights | Per person per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin / front cabin | Mid-range dive liveaboard, 14–20 guests | 1,500 – 2,100 | 250 – 350 |
| Superior | Mid-range dive liveaboard | 1,800 – 2,250 | 300 – 375 |
| Deluxe / double | Boutique sailing yacht, 10–16 guests | 3,600 – 4,200 | 600 – 700 |
| Master / owner’s suite | Luxury Phinisi, 8–14 guests | 7,200 – 14,400 | 1,200 – 2,400 |
| Whole vessel | Private charter | from ~27,000 for 6 nights | from ~4,500 per night, whole boat |
Do the per-night arithmetic yourself when you compare quotes — it is the only honest basis for comparison, because operators bundle nights differently. A “7-day” trip elsewhere may be five nights; a “week” may be six or seven. Divide the fare by nights aboard and the market becomes legible immediately. More on this in our charter cost guide.
What is included and what is not?
| Usually included | Usually extra |
|---|---|
| All meals, snacks, soft drinks, tea and coffee | Alcohol (some luxury vessels include house wine and beer) |
| Cabin with air conditioning, linen and towels | Marine park permit and regency visitor ticket (~IDR 1,700,000 for foreigners) |
| Three guided dives a day, tanks, weights, guiding | Nitrox, usually a per-trip supplement |
| Snorkelling equipment and guided tender snorkels | Full dive equipment rental (BCD, regulator, computer, wetsuit) |
| Airport transfers in Sorong on embarkation and disembarkation days | Night dives on some vessels; courses and certifications |
| Kayaks, paddleboards and tender excursions on most yachts | Crew gratuity — customary, typically 5–10% of the fare |
The fee line deserves emphasis because it catches people out. Raja Ampat charges two separate government amounts: the marine park entry permit at IDR 700,000 for foreign nationals (IDR 425,000 for Indonesians, valid twelve months and multi-entry) and the regency visitor entry ticket at IDR 1,000,000 for foreigners (IDR 300,000 for Indonesians). Figures as of July 2026, confirmed at booking. Raja Ampat is a regionally managed marine protected area network, not a national park — hence two charges. Detail on the permits page.
How do divers and snorkellers share the same yacht?
Well, if the vessel is set up for it — and badly if it is not. On the boats we work with, the tender runs divers to the drop point first, then returns for the snorkel group, who enter over the shallow shoulder of the same reef with a dedicated guide in the water. At Manta Sandy, divers settle behind the viewing line while snorkellers watch from the surface. At Melissa’s Garden, Arborek and Yenbuba, the snorkel group arguably gets the better experience, since the coral density sits in the top ten metres.
Where it breaks down is on high-current sites: Blue Magic and Sardine Reef are not snorkelling propositions, and honest crews will say so and run a shallow alternative instead of putting a float vest into a two-knot drift. If your group is majority non-diver, look at our snorkelling-led itinerary, which reorders the whole week around shallow sites.
Which boats and cabin layouts?
The Raja Ampat fleet uses fairly consistent cabin nomenclature — master or owner’s suite, deluxe or double, superior, twin, and front cabin — priced individually on open trips. Mid-range dive liveaboards typically carry 14 to 20 guests across 7 to 12 cabins; boutique sailing yachts run smaller, and expedition motor vessels reach 26 to 30 guests. Larger Phinisi in the market reach 9 cabins and 18 guests on a 57-metre hull, though the majority of the fleet is considerably smaller.
Cabin choice matters more on a six-night trip than people expect. Front cabins sit closest to the bow and feel the most motion on overnight legs; lower-deck twins are quietest and coolest; master suites are usually amidships on the main deck with the best light. We match cabins to guests rather than simply selling the cheapest first — see the current Raja Ampat sailing fleet and the liveaboard overview.
When should I book for peak dates?
The season runs roughly October to April with peak demand December to March. For those peak months, six to twelve months ahead is normal, and the pattern is predictable: whole-boat charters go first, then master and deluxe cabins, then twins. Christmas and New Year departures are frequently sold a full year out and price above the standard band. Shoulder dates in October, early November and April are quieter, cheaper and — weather permitting — very nearly as good.
Frequently asked questions
How many dives will I get on six nights?
Around 17 to 19: a check dive on day one, three a day through the middle of the trip, and usually a final morning dive before the return leg. Add night dives where the vessel offers them.
Is six nights enough for Misool?
No. Misool sits on nine- to twelve-night routes because reaching it requires an overnight passage each way. Six nights spent going there and back would leave one day in the south. See the 11-night expedition instead.
Can we add Wayag to a seven-day trip?
Not properly. Wayag needs nine nights minimum on our schedules. Some six-night routes touch Kawe, which gives you northern reef diving without the full northern commitment.
Do I need dive insurance?
Yes. Dive-specific cover including chamber treatment and evacuation is required by most vessels. Raja Ampat is remote and evacuation is expensive.
How experienced do divers need to be?
Open Water with around twenty logged dives is a practical minimum for the current sites; Advanced with fifty is more comfortable. Tell us honestly at booking and guiding is arranged accordingly.
Is there internet on board?
Increasingly, yes. Satellite internet is now a genuine differentiator among Raja Ampat vessels and many carry it, though bandwidth is shared and often scheduled. Mobile signal is patchy to absent outside the Dampier Strait. Ask us which boats in your date range have it.
What is the tipping convention?
Crew gratuity is customary and usually pooled — roughly 5 to 10 per cent of the fare is the widely used range. It is not included and is normally paid in cash at the end of the trip.
Can dietary requirements be handled?
Yes, with notice. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy requirements are routine for good galleys, but provisioning happens in Sorong before departure — tell us at booking, not on embarkation day.
What if the weather closes a site?
The captain re-routes. In the central cruising ground there is almost always a sheltered alternative within a couple of hours, which is one of the reasons this itinerary is so reliable compared with northern routes.
Can I book a single cabin?
Yes. Most vessels sell per person on a shared-twin basis with a single supplement if you want the cabin to yourself, typically 50 to 100 per cent of the second berth. See cabin charter sailing.
Book the classic week
Tell us your travel window, group size and dive certification level and we will come back with live availability by cabin grade — including which departures still have the good cabins rather than only the leftovers. Reservations are handled by Komodo Luxury, our parent operator since 2015, part of Juara Holding Group.
WhatsApp: +62 811 3823 875 · Email: sales@komodoluxury.com
