Frequently Asked Questions

The “Exploration package” includes:

• Scheduled boat transfers between Sorong and the resort
• Fullboard (3 meals, snacks and fruits, tea, coffee, drinking water)
• Wi-Fi access from rooms (only at Sorido Bay), lounges and restaurant (only at Kri Eco Resort)
• Laundry service
• Free use of Kayaks and SUP's (Stand-up paddle board) – limited availability
• 1x free special full day boat excursion which we organize once every week. During that day we visit some of the highlights of our region with the possibility to snorkel and/or do 2 dives (diving not included unless in combination with the unlimited diving package)
• Government taxes

The “unlimited diving” package includes:

• Scheduled boat transfers between Sorong and the resort
• Fullboard (3 meals, snacks and fruits, tea, coffee, drinking water)
• Wi-Fi access from rooms (only at Sorido Bay), lounges and restaurant (only at Kri Eco Resort)
• Laundry service
• Free use of Kayaks and SUP's (Stand-up paddle board) – limited availability
• 1x free special full day boat excursion which we organize once every week. During that day we visit some of the highlights of our region with the possibility to snorkel and/or do 2 dives (diving not included unless in combination with the unlimited diving package)
• Government taxes
• weights and belt
• dive cylinders
• Nitrox (For certified Enriched Air divers – PADI Nitrox courses are available at the resort)
• 4 guided boat dives per day (except Friday night and Saturdays)
• Unlimited jetty dives every day (unguided/Buddy team required)

*Kindly note the Unlimited Diving Package can only be pre-booked

The packages do not include:

• International and domestic flights, airport taxes, transit hotel (if needed), visa and excess luggage charges
• Rental dive equipment (limited rental stock: please be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment)
• For your own comfort we recommend to bring your own soft-gear: wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, booties
• Marine Park Fees
• Canned- and alcoholic drinks
• Excursions and specialized services

Saturday is our day of rest. This means no boat activities, including boat crew and dive guides, are available until 6pm. However, guests are invited to dive and snorkel from our jetty as many times as they would like; tanks will be provided FREE OF CHARGE. Night boat diving will be available starting at 6pm.

Only the Red Birds of Paradise Tour is available on Saturday at 3pm, from which all proceeds go entirely to the local guide and village.

Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are available for use throughout the day at the resorts. The restaurant is also open all day, providing 24/7 free coffee, tea, and light snacks. The minibar is open for soda, fresh juice, and alcoholic beverage purchases.

Turn-down service will only be provided once in the evening, before mealtimes.

For all non-diving guests, there’s plenty of fantastic snorkeling around. Just some fun kicks off the shore you can discover the beauty of our reefs. Even just off our Jetty, you can see Bluespotted Stingrays, Turtles, Crocodile Fish, Black Tip Reef sharks, Batfish, a huge school of Jackfish, and sometimes even a school of Bumphead Parrot Fish.

If you like to discover more of the surrounding reefs, we also offer guided snorkeling packages (single trips/half day). See our Snorkeling Page for more information on what to expect when snorkeling in Raja Ampat.

If you need to rent an ABC set we can provide it to you. Please note our supplies are limited, so we kindly ask you to inform us upfront about your needs. We highly recommend bringing your own set to which you are accustomed already. Check out our Snorkeling Packing List for more tips.

On Saturdays (also on any other day of the week upon request) we also offer a small bird-watching trip. If the weather permits we do a hike (30 minutes) to see the Red Bird-of-Paradise which is endemic to the Raja Ampat. This trip is free from our side (free boat transfer to the starting point of the start of 30-minute hike to the birding location) however each participant is asked to pay a donation fee (23 euros) to protect these birds and assist in children's health care initiatives.

A jungle trek will reveal lush pristine jungle rainforest. Bird lovers will love the incredible early morning sounds, and find some spots to do see some Cockatoos, Parrots, Lorikeets, Kingfishers, and Kookaburras … to name a few. Upon special request, we can also organize a half-day bird-watching trip to the island of Waigeo to see Wilson’s bird of paradise.

At low tide, you can walk along the long beach of Kri Island or of course, just relax and enjoy true serenity.

Visit our Excursions Page and Activities Page for more information on water-based and land-based activities around the resorts.

Yes, we do. We are PADI 5* Dive Resorts.
Please see our PADI dive courses page here.

WiFi Internet access is available from lounge areas and guest rooms to keep in touch with you loved ones at home.
Given our location the satellite connection does not deliver broadband speeds but is suitable for email and even video chat with friends and family. If you wish to have a backup internet connection, we recommend to buy a TELKOMSEL sim card including data. Our connection is usually reliable but we cannot guarantee the service. You can also have friends and family email Papua Diving at “info@papua-diving.com” and our staff will forward any messages to you.

Our generators provide us with electricity of 220V, 24/7, with a round two-prong plug (European plug), and we also have 110V outlets (at Sorido Bay Resort only).

• Your reservation invoice, deposit and balance are payable via Bank Transfer. Bank charges must be paid by the sender. Advise the bank to transfer the full amount, inclusive of transfer fees. Any outstanding balance will be added to the guest’s tab at the resort.
• You may also pay using Credit Card.
• Any incidentals at the resort are payable via cash or credit card (master/visa card). A 3% charge applies for credit card processing (by Point of Sales).We also accept cash in US$ (issued in 2006 or after) Euro/€ and IDR Rupiah.

Staying with Papua Diving is more than just an opportunity for an escape; it is also a direct contribution to local marine & community conservation activities. Most of the resorts were built using local materials that were bought from local villagers also offering employment to those communities at the same time.

At the moment more than 89% of the staff are Papuans, many of them ex-sharkfinners and dynamite fishermen. Not only have we gone to great lengths to reduce the impact of our operations, but we also extended our environmental responsibility to the area surrounding our resorts. 10% of the annual profit is donated to the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC) –  adjunct to Sorido Bay Resort, that has been protecting the area for over 20 years. Recent developments like the record diversity count and a visible increase of shark life state the positive effects of conservation efforts.

Visit our Conservation Page for more information.

Free Nitrox available for certified Enriched Air Divers – PADI Nitrox courses are available at the resort

Our tanks are normally fitted with an INT/A-clamp valves so if you have an adapter please bring it along as we have a limited amount of adapters available. All our Nitrox tanks are fitted with a DIN valve with a INT-adapter screwed in.

Life jackets, tool box, GPS, compass and mobile phones

Medical box containing: antiseptic, plasters, gauzes, bandages. cortisone cream, iodopovidone cream, vinegar

Emergency Oxygen Box (DAN System) containing oxygen with demand and constant flow masks

Diving spare part dry bag containing O-rings DIN & Yoke, mouthpieces, finstraps

Yes a Refresher course is:

• recommended if you have not dived within the last 12 months
• highly recommended if you have not dived within the last 24 months

For divers with less than 50 logged dives and haven’t dived within the last 12 months, the dive manager will decide whether a Refresher course is mandatory.

The Refresher course is ideal if you had a break from diving or if you are a newly qualified diver that has not been diving for a few months. It allows you to recollect your skills and theory, promoting your safety as a diver.

The Refresher Program costs €85, or €50 in combination with the Unlimited Diving Package.

We practice a strict non-decompression diving rule, with slow controlled ascents and safety stop, due to our remote location.

We would recommend to book directly with one of the online booking platforms or through a local agent

We are in a very remote area.

Please read our packing guide for some tips. Please bring:

• Dive Certification card (mandatory for all divers)
  • If you wish to use Nitrox, also your Nitrox certification card. (Courses available at the resorts for Non-Nitrox divers)
• Dive insurance (mandatory for all divers). Annual dive insurance policies can be purchased before your arrival. We recommend you consider the Diver Alert Network (DAN) as they are specialists in Diver safety. We can arrange DAN short term (10 or 30 day) insurance for you stay on your arrival if you prefer
• BCD, regulator, wetsuit, torch, (mandatory) dive computer
  • Please inform us in advance if you wish to rent equipment
• Mask, Snorkel, Fins, Booties
  • For your own comfort we highly recommend to bring your own.
• A reef hook, if you have one
• 3 passport photos for registration and administration (not mandatory)
• A passport valid from 6 months from the time of entry. Nationals of most countries will be granted a free 30-day Visa on Arrival. 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
• Toiletries, insect repellent & medications
  Eg: Broad spectrum antibiotics, painkillers, anti-diarrhoea’s, laxatives, antihistamine, decongestant, anti-biotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, cold & flu meds, swimmer’s ear, anti-biotic ear/eye drops)
• (Reef friendly) Sun protection, hats and sunglasses. We are situated very close to the Equator
• Rain jacket or windbreaker. Especially important for full day excursions where we travel on the open ocean and the weather is unpredictable - we may get caught in the rain or get wet from the waves during the trip
• Insect repellant & light colored 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 favourite spirit from the Duty Free shop in your home country, same goes for cigarettes.
• Good walking shoes & binoculars (especially if you want to join visit the Birds of paradise)
• Rechargeable batteries (for torches, strobes, cameras, …) 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

Travel light

• Your dive gloves. We do follow the code of conduct for diving the area and apply a strict no glove policy, as wearing gloves will encourage your tendency to hold onto fragile reef inhabitants.
• Bath & Beach towels. We provide you with towels in your cottage & dedicated dive towels for after the dive.
• For Sorido guests: No need to bring toiletries such as Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower gel & Lotion

Your safety and health are of highest importance to us

• We advise all guests to have travel insurance and for divers it is mandatory to have a dive insurance (ex. DAN), that covers emergency and medical assistance. We kindly ask you to check with your insurance company about cover.
• We are located in a remote area and your safety and health are of highest importance to us. We recommend that you take all safety precautions. Although we have emergency and first aid equipment, we aim to prevent as many accidents as possible and to minimise risk. The closest hospital is in Waisai (1h by boat), Sorong is the next closest (1-2h by boat).
• The closest hyperbaric chamber is in Malalayang Hospital, Manado. We encourage our divers to dive conservatively, and to stay safely within no-decompression diving limits.
• We do not issue refunds for unused or partially used dive packages and/or courses due to illness (e.g. ear problems). For compensation of losses due to medical or other problems outside of our control we advice claiming from your travel/dive insurance company or your travel agent.

Malaria is present in Papua, however there are only few mosquitoes on our island. Mosquito repellent is recommended at dawn and dusk and when passing through greater risk areas such as Sorong. Some malarial prophylactics cause adverse reactions to divers and also with prolonged usage. Please discuss your travel plans with your Doctor and conduct your own risk assessment.