Indonesia, Raja Ampat

Walls of Colour: Maluku to Raja Ampat 🇮🇩

12 nights on the Ilike Liveaboard 🏝️

Travel details

Available spaces

2 spot(s)

Trip duration

12 nights

Travel dates

21 November, 2027 - 03 December, 2027

Price per person

4.995 € per person

Trip Highlights

Spectacular Diving 🤿 Raja Ampat is an epicentre of marine biodiversity, and arguably one of the world's best diving destinations. 🪸 Being home to more than 75% of the world’s coral reef species and more than 1600 species of reef fishes, this is a place where nature still thrives.

A Sharky Place🦈 These waters are home to over 22 shark species, with a wide array of reef sharks and special ones such as wobbegongs! Keep your eyes open when crossing those amazing reefs: things will get sharky for sure.

Value for Money 🌏 A 12 night trip at the price of a week: those are the deals we live for! Same quality of diving, same top service, same BTM Travel style group. Just cheaper. Who would dare to say no to that?

Trip description

Raja Ampat – Diving at the Heart of the Coral Triangle

Raja Ampat, located in the remote far east of Indonesia, is widely regarded as the most biodiverse marine region on the planet. Situated in the heart of the Coral Triangle, these pristine islands offer diving experiences that are unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Divers can expect explosive reef life: vibrant hard and soft corals, vast schools of reef fish, swirling barracuda, hunting trevallies, and an extraordinary density of species. Macro enthusiasts will find pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, and rare critters, while pelagic lovers are rewarded with manta rays, reef sharks, turtles, and occasional wobbegongs and dolphins.

The underwater landscapes are just as impressive as the life they host — dramatic limestone formations, steep walls, coral-covered pinnacles, and current-swept channels create dynamic and exhilarating dives. Despite the richness, diving in Raja Ampat is suitable for both experienced and advanced recreational divers, with conditions ranging from calm reef dives to thrilling drift dives.

Above water, Raja Ampat remains untouched and wild: emerald jungle-covered islands, turquoise lagoons, and a sense of true remoteness that completes the experience.

Raja Ampat is not just a destination — it is a benchmark for world-class diving.
For many divers, it represents the pinnacle of what underwater exploration can be.

Walls of Colour: Maluku to Raja Ampat 🇮🇩

Nights

Price per person

4.995 €

DATE START

21 November 2027

DATE END

03 December 2027

The ILIKE was built on Sulawesi in Bira in 2010. It is the area where the local tribe is famous for building the strong and reliable phinisi boats, the traditional ships specifically designed and built for travelling the Indonesian archipelago.

Ilike hosts a total of 16 guests in 8 cabins that are fully air-conditioned with ensuite bathroomwith hot water shower, toilet and sink. Indonesian and International meals will be served in the spacious saloon with open kitchen, or in the outdoor sitting area at the stern of the boat, well protected from wind while sailing. The comfortable dive deck in front of the boat is one of the most spacious on Indonesian liveaboards. As a diver you can choose to dive on Air or Nitrox from our membrane Nitrox compressor. Between dives you are invited to catch some sun on our sun deck, where you will also enjoy spectacular sunsets, sipping a cool drink!

The yacht is powered by 2 x 320HP marine engines, allowing us to cruise at an average speed of 9-10 knots across Indonesia. We schedule top diving destinations like Komodo, Alor, Maluku, Banda Sea, Triton Bay, Raja Ampat and Kalimantan. Rich marine life, healthy corals and stunning landscapes may soon become your memories after a stay on board of Ilike. We look forward to welcome you on board!

Boat Specs:

Year built: 2010
Length: 32m
Width: 8m
Capacity
16guests / 16 crew
HullIronwood
BodyTeak
Ratio guests/Dive guide4/1

Included

12 nights twin sharing cabin
Full board (all meals)
Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, snacks, Diving Package
Approximately 32 dives
Land Excursions
Cabin and deck Towels
Complimentary Toiletries

Not Included

Marine Park fee Ambon: 15 EUR for the whole trip, to be paid on board
Marine Park fee Raja Ampat: 80 EUR for the whole trip, to be paid on board
Port and Eco fees: 30 EUR per day, to be paid on board
Dive or travel Insurance
Gratuities
Flights
Alcoholic Beverages
Soft drinks
Nitrox: 99 EUR for the full trip
Rental Gear
Starlink WiFi (24/7) – 15GB – max 2 devices : 90 EUR per item, to be paid on board
Cabin surcharges per person: 300 EUR Superior Room, 600 EUR Suite, 1100 EUR Seaview suite

Day-by-day program

– This is a sample itinerary, actual planning might differ depending on weather circumstances – Arrive in Ambon and transfer to the boat in the afternoon. Welcome aboard, cabin check-in, gear setup, safety and boat briefing. A check dive in the bay if time allows, just to sort weights and trim before the crossing. Dinner on board as the boat lifts anchor for the Banda Islands overnight.

Wake up off the Banda Islands, the original Spice Islands that the whole colonial nutmeg trade was fought over. Dives on the lava flow at Banda Neira, black sand slopes growing back over old eruptions, mandarinfish at dusk. Time ashore to walk the old fort and the nutmeg groves between dives.

Two or three dives around Hatta Island on the edge of the Banda Sea. Sheer walls dropping into deep blue, hard coral in perfect health, schooling fusiliers and the chance of bumphead parrotfish. Big clear water, easy drifts, the kind of reef that reminds you why you crossed an ocean for this.

A remote volcanic island in the middle of nowhere, known as Snake Island. The water here is thick with sea snakes that come up to divers out of curiosity, harmless and everywhere. Hammerheads and other sharks patrol the slopes, and the whole place has a raw, end-of-the-earth feel.

Diving the open-water seamounts of the Banda Sea. Pinnacles rising out of the deep, swept by current and stacked with schooling jacks, barracuda and tuna. Adrenaline diving for the experienced, with big pelagic action in the blue and reef sharks working the corners.

A travel and diving day as the boat works north toward Pulau Koon. Dives where conditions allow along the way, long surface intervals on deck watching for whales and dolphins in the crossing. Briefing in the evening for the famous site ahead.

The site actually called Too Many Fish, and it lives up to the name. Drift along the wall into a corner where the current concentrates the life, and the fish stack up so thick they block the light. Snappers, fusiliers, jacks, sharks and the occasional Napoleon wrasse. One of the best single dives in the region.

Arrive in Misool, the jewel of southern Raja Ampat and the heart of its marine protected area. The reefs here hold the highest fish and coral diversity on the planet. First dives among soft coral gardens in every colour, with pygmy seahorses on the sea fans and reef life everywhere you look.

Two of Misool’s signature sites. Fiabacet’s pinnacles draped in soft coral with sharks and schooling fish, then Boo, where the famous underwater windows cut through a ridge and reef mantas often glide past. Slow, rich diving with something on every square metre of reef.

The eastern Misool sites of Daram and Warna Warni. Ridges and bommies smothered in soft coral, big sea fans, and clouds of anthias over the reef. Macro hunters find pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs and ghost pipefish while the wide-angle shooters work the coral scenery.

A final full day in Misool on its walls and pinnacles. Drop along vertical reef faces hung with coral and sponges, then up onto the shallow pinnacles where the colour and fish life peak in the sunlight. Sunset over the karst islands from the deck to finish.

Up to two relaxed dives in the morning on the way out, easy reefs to round off the trip. Allow at least 18 to 24 hours surface interval before flying. Sail toward Sorong through the afternoon, last dinner on board, group photos and a debrief with the dive team.

Breakfast on board, then disembarkation in Sorong. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight, with a head full of the best diving in the world.

TRIP LEADER

Your Trip Leader

A documentary cameraman by trade, Kalle has worked alongside the likes of BBC and Spiegel TV, and now is in even better company with us. A likeable, wise person with stories to tell, a beating heart for diving and an all round top character!

We are Behind the Mask Travel.

We offer individual tailor-made dive travel and organised group travel to the finest dive spots in the world.