Raja Ampat charges two separate government fees, not one. Foreign visitors pay a marine park entry permit of IDR 700,000 plus a regency visitor entry ticket of IDR 1,000,000 — roughly IDR 1,700,000 in total, about USD 105 at mid-2026 rates. Indonesian citizens pay IDR 425,000 and IDR 300,000. Figures are as of July 2026 and confirmed at booking.
Almost every argument about Raja Ampat’s entry cost comes from the same misunderstanding: people quote one number when there are two charges, collected by two different offices, for two different reasons. Once you separate them the confusion disappears — and so does the suspicion that someone is overcharging you.
What are the two Raja Ampat fees in 2027?
| Charge | Foreign visitor | Indonesian citizen | Validity | Collected by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine park entry permit (kartu TLPJL, often called the “PIN masuk”) | IDR 700,000 | IDR 425,000 | 12 months from issue, multi-entry | BLUD UPTD marine park authority, office in Waisai |
| Regency visitor entry ticket (tourism levy) | IDR 1,000,000 | IDR 300,000 | Per visit | Raja Ampat Regency Tourism Department |
| Typical total | ≈ IDR 1,700,000 | ≈ IDR 725,000 | — | — |
The visitor entry ticket is the newer of the two and was reported as effective from 1 January 2026. Because it arrived recently, a large amount of travel content published before that date still shows only the marine park fee — which is why you will find pages confidently telling you Raja Ampat costs IDR 1,000,000 to enter, and other pages equally confidently saying IDR 700,000. Both are describing half the picture.
Fees are set by government bodies and can change without much notice. Treat every number here as a planning figure, verified as of July 2026, and confirm the current amount when you book.
Why does Raja Ampat charge two fees instead of one?
Because two different institutions manage two different things. Raja Ampat is not a national park — a mistake repeated across a surprising number of travel sites. It is a network of regionally managed marine protected areas (Kawasan Konservasi Perairan Daerah, KKPD), with no-take core zones, sustainable-use zones and tourism zones drawn across the archipelago.
The marine park permit funds that conservation system: patrols, zoning enforcement, monitoring, and a share returned to communities inside the protected areas. The regency visitor ticket is a tourism levy collected by the local government of Raja Ampat Regency and works more like a destination tax — it funds regional tourism administration rather than the marine park itself.
Practically, this also explains the validity difference. The marine park permit is good for twelve months and multiple entries, so if you sail in December and return in August you use the same card. The visitor ticket is per visit.
Where and how do you actually pay?
Three realistic routes:
- Your boat arranges both. This is the norm on sailing charters and liveaboards. The crew collects payment before or on departure, usually in rupiah cash, and handles the paperwork with the authority. It is the least stressful option and the reason most guests never see the office.
- In Sorong before boarding. Some guests pay through an agent or at a collection point in Sorong. If you are doing this independently, allow time — it is not a two-minute transaction on a busy morning.
- At the Waisai office. The marine park authority’s office is in Waisai, the regency capital on Waigeo. Practical if you are arriving by ferry and staying at a homestay; irrelevant if you board a boat in Sorong and never touch Waisai.
Bring cash. Card acceptance is inconsistent and ATM reliability outside Sorong and Waisai is genuinely poor. Guests who plan to draw cash “when we arrive” occasionally find themselves borrowing from crew. Our page on Raja Ampat sailing permits covers the document side in more detail, and the 5D4N sailing package and 7D6N sailing package both show the fees as a separate line rather than burying them in the fare.
Keep your permit card — here is why
The permit is a physical card. Rangers and village authorities do check it, particularly around the Dampier Strait and at popular viewpoints like Piaynemo. Entering the protected area without one breaches park regulations and can result in you being turned back — an expensive way to learn a lesson at the halfway point of a holiday.
Because it runs for twelve months, keep the card if there is any chance you will return. Divers who come back for a second trip inside the year save the full IDR 700,000. Photograph it as well; a laminated card that spends a week in a dry bag on a dive deck does not always survive in pristine condition.
What do the fees NOT cover?
| Not included | Typical handling |
|---|---|
| Village entry or viewpoint contributions (e.g. Piaynemo staircase, some village landings) | Small local charges, usually settled by the crew or a modest per-person amount |
| Homestay, resort or boat accommodation | Separate, obviously — but check whether your operator quotes fees inclusive or exclusive |
| Domestic flights and the Sorong–Waisai ferry | Ferry tickets are published around IDR 250,000 VIP and IDR 125,000 economy |
| Dive equipment rental, nitrox, night dives | Vessel-dependent extras |
| Crew gratuities | Customary, never compulsory — see our tipping guide |
What rules come attached to the permit?
Paying is only half of it. The permit is effectively a conduct agreement, and the rules are the reason the reefs still look the way they do:
- No fishing, spearfishing or collecting inside no-take zones.
- No touching, standing on or holding coral — including for photographs.
- No feeding or chasing wildlife, mantas and sharks included.
- No anchoring on reef. Responsible vessels use moorings or drop in sand, and a good captain will move rather than risk it.
- Respect village customs, ask before photographing people, and dress modestly ashore.
These are not decorative. Raja Ampat’s community-backed protection model is why the fish biomass here recovered while so many Indonesian reefs did not. Our longer piece on responsible sailing in Raja Ampat goes through the practical version of each rule.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Raja Ampat entry fees in total for a foreigner in 2027?
Around IDR 1,700,000 — IDR 700,000 for the marine park entry permit plus IDR 1,000,000 for the regency visitor entry ticket. Figures as of July 2026; confirm at booking, because both are government-set.
Is the Raja Ampat permit valid for more than one trip?
The marine park permit is valid for twelve months from issue and allows multiple entries. The regency visitor ticket is charged per visit.
Do children pay the Raja Ampat entry fee?
Children under twelve are generally exempt from the marine park permit. Ask your operator to confirm the current position on the regency ticket for minors, as it is newer and less consistently documented.
Why do different websites quote different Raja Ampat fees?
Two reasons: many pages predate the visitor entry ticket introduced for 2026, and some commercial sites bundle both charges into a single figure without saying so. Two separate fees, two separate offices.
Can I pay the Raja Ampat entry fee by card or online?
Assume cash in rupiah. Digital payment options exist in some channels but are not dependable, and ATMs outside Sorong and Waisai are unreliable. Bring the cash with you.
Does my liveaboard include the park fees?
Sometimes. Most operators quote the fare excluding government fees and collect them separately — which is more transparent, not less. Read the inclusions list; if fees are not mentioned at all, ask before you pay a deposit.
Is Raja Ampat a national park?
No. It is a network of regionally managed marine protected areas (KKPD), which is exactly why there are separate regional charges rather than a single national park ticket.
What happens if I enter without a permit?
You are in breach of park regulations. In practice this means being required to pay, and potentially being removed from the area. Enforcement is real, particularly at the busier central sites.
Planning a 2027 trip?
Send us your dates and we will give you a written cost sheet with the fare, the government fees and the local extras shown separately — no bundling, no surprises on the dock. Bookings are handled by Komodo Luxury, the Indonesian charter operator behind this site and part of Juara Holding Group, sailing since 2015.
WhatsApp: +62 811 3823 875 · Email: sales@komodoluxury.com
