RAJA AMPAT
Papua New Guinea

March 29 - April 15, 2008

Join Beth and Nick in Raja Ampat next April.  If you have never heard of Raja Ampat you are not alone. 
This area is the current darling of the scuba world.  Located in western Papua province of Indonesia
(formerly called Irian Jaya) these sites are home to the most diverse marine life in the world. 
Papua is the western half of the island – Papua New Guinea is the eastern half of the same island.

Raja Ampat's pristine beauty, both above the water and below the water, is truly unrivalled. Its remote location
and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism. This area's staggering abundance of marine life
is due in part to its incredibly low human population density.  Huge schools of barracuda, surgeonfish, fusiliers,
batfish and sweetlips along with all sorts of macro creatures like blue-ring octopus, pygmy seahorses, double
ended pipefish, shrimp gobies, nudibranchs, and loads of reef fish.  This is an underwater photographers dream!

While we have been sending people to these remote islands for over 5 years we have never been ourselves. 
This one has been at the top of our must do list for a number of years.  We have chartered the best boat with
the most knowledgeable crew that plies these waters, the Ondina.  We have put together a special 12 night
itinerary which includes only the best and hottest spots!  In fact the boat must alter its published 2008 schedule
to accommodate our special trip.

We depart the US on March 29, fly via Singapore and touch down in Manado where we spend two nights on our
way to the Ondina.  We disembark on April 14 and arrive home on April 15.  If you want to extend your stay,
either before or after the boat, we have some spectacular resorts in the Manado area that are amazingly
inexpensive.  Bali and, or Singapore are also an easy add-ons. 

Estimated cost for this adventure: $5150.00. 

Includes:
Two nights accommodations in Manado
Air between Manado and Sarong
Twelve nights aboard the Ondina

Does not include
Between the US and Manado
Meals while in Manado
Crew and airport gratuities

We have contract rates for flights to and from Manado for $1145 plus taxes on Singapore Air.

Article about Raja Ampat

All photographs on this page are © 2005, D. Fugitt, City Seahorse, Inc.