Things to do & places to visit in West Papua, Indonesia

West Papua #10 destination in Indonesia 2023. The average rating score is 4.80 based on 1.894 traveler reviews, of 76 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Makassar, current date and time: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 16:31.

West Papua Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in April

85°F - 80°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Very warm, muggy

Feels like

76%

Chance of rain

375.0 millimeters

Amount

7.4 mph

Wind speed

77%

Humidity

12.1

Daylight length

6:12 AM

Sunrise

6:17 PM

Sunset

23%

Cloud cover

Sleeveless shirt, rain coat and rain boots

What to wear

Top things to do (29)

Top destinations in West Papua 13

See more 1 destinations »

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Raja Ampat Islands (594 reviews)
- Best snorkeling we have done
Reefs

We spent a week each at two different dive resorts. The snorkeling is the best we have every done. The house reefs (next to resorts) were just so-so Needed to take boat trips to get to the good stuff. The heat and humidity can be a problem, so best is to have a room with air conditioning. We did encounter many jellies (but most were non-stinging). Sometimes the water was somewhat cloudy, so limited visibility. One must buy a year long park pass for 750,000 local currency. See more..
5.0 Pianemo Islands (227 reviews)
- Stunning beauty
Spent More than 3 hours Islands

What an amazing experience i had. The whole islands are just beautiful and untouched with nature and water. We did the expedition of this islands for 3 weeks and what can i say i loved everyday. See more..
5.0 Cape Kri (145 reviews)
- one of the best diving stie around Kri
Spent More than 3 hours Reefs

we dove there a coupld of times during our stay in Yenkoranu and both of them were amazing, with current )not to strong, but better with a hook to keep from flaying under water) very very nice! See more..
5.0 Pulau Wayag (137 reviews)
- Spectacularly Amazing!
Nature & Wildlife Areas

Wayag Island is one of incredible place i ever seen in Indonesia. Must go hiking to view a spectacular real picture of Raja Ampat, its 30 minutes trekking of 45 degrees slope, for sure you'll get tanning when you reach the top, its a worth experience indeed. Make sure you wear hiking foot wear and glove is recommended. Stay overnight at Concervation International (CI) as a base camp. You can just jump into a clear blue water where you can snorkle with fishes & 3 sharks that didn't give any attention with your presence around them, then a stunning sunset awaits you in the afternoon. The next morning do islands hopping and take a beautiful unspoiled pictures, the water is so calm so you can see its mirroring the reefs. Beautiful!! Best month to visit Raja Ampat is on Sept - Dec See more..
5.0 Cruising Raja Ampat - Wisesa Liveaboard (69 reviews)
- What an amazing experience!
Scuba & Snorkelling • Surfing & Windsurfing • Boat Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We were a group of 8 friends on a snorkeling trip in northern Raja Ampat. The crew, the boat, the service and the whole experience was wonderful. The 10 days were a combination of water activities, on shore visits and snorkelling and each day was better than the last. The boat is lovely and large enough that everyone could have their own space but without losing a sense of being connected to the crew and the running of the boat. The food was delicious, varied and very high quality, our cruise director, Dylan was very proffessional while still keeping everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. He was also really flexible and happily accommodated all our requests without hesitation. A trip that we want to repeat very soon it was such a great experience ! See more..
5.0 Painamo Star Lagoon (28 reviews)
- Ms. Iyut
Sunday: Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water

Star review is challenge amd beauty, i'm not a climber but my dad who has heart problem can manage to the top and worth it See more..
5.0 Expedition Engineering (24 reviews)
- Unforgettable trip to one the few places where marine diversity is increasing
Scuba & Snorkelling • Stand Up Paddleboarding • Kayaking & Canoeing

I participated in the Raja live aboard trip with EE in December 2019, and have done 2 other trips with this company. All the trips have been an incredible experience and both Angela and Matt are totally professional , their trips were conducted by them personally, no subcontractors. Their clients are their primary interest with a mind towards sustainable travel. Partaking in their trips has been a joy. Specifically, the Raja trip was well organized and thoroughly enjoyable. Angela and the boat crew went beyond what would be expected to to insure all participants enjoyed the experience. I highly recommend this company as they are devoted to their clients and truly care about the experience provided. See more..
5.0 Travel Papua (19 reviews)
- An amazing three weeks in Papua!!
Multi-day Tours • Cultural Tours • Eco Tours • Hiking & Camping Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We had an amazing three weeks in Papua! Travel Papua was very helpful in pulling together an itinerary that contained all of the places we wanted to visit: Manokwari, Arfak mountains, Jayapura, Baliem Valley, Lake Habema and Raja Ampat. The team organised everything in great detail, so that we got to take most out of our visit and didn’t have to worry about anything. The guides spoke good English, took good care of us (e.g. nice food and fresh water) and were very kind. Overall, Papua itself has beautiful nature and lovely people - we are definitely coming back. And of course we really recommend Travel Papua when visiting this beautiful destination! Terima kasih banyak! See more..
5.0 Harfat Peak (19 reviews)
- Stunning
Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Lookouts

Stunning views that are worth the climb, it's a very hot day, the climb was short but some area quite steep and rocky, we stopped few times to rest. See more..
5.0 Millekul Adventures (16 reviews)
- Includes everything
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Multi-day Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing

If you can afford the cost? This is a once in a lifetime experience! Nobody will take you closer to the wonders of the karst islands paradise Misool. From the day you set your foot at the airport in Sorong Vest Papua Indonesia everything is paid for and everything is cared for. Four star hotel in Sorong. Marine park permits, all transport, lodging, food and snacks. Indonesian english speaking and international seakayking guides.and they really know the area and the lokals. I was also impressed about the equipment: Swediish brand kayaks and tents. Highlights whith Seaturtels at Panun caves, gelyfish-lakes, coral reefs and a maze of karst islands; and you are in the middle of it all. Just remember to take enough suncream and mosquito repellant. I did take one week extra prior to the trip and stayed at Mandos homestay on Waisai and a week after the kayaking and stayed at Lalelkai homestay close to Yelu on Misool, This new homestaynin managed by owner Edhi. He speaks english and has written the book about birds in the rain forrest on Raja Ampat, You can just relax and read books in the shadow or you can go deep sea diving and be awarded to see sharks and mantras. Sigurd Wenneberg See more..
5.0 Raja Ampat Adventures (16 reviews)
- Wonderful Experience on our 10 Days Trip to Misool
Scuba & Snorkelling • Boat Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing

We had an Blast on this Trip with so many Impressions we will never 4get. If you dont mind to sleep in fairly basic Conditions and be together with 12 Ppl and 6 Crew for some Nights this is the Trip 4 You. The Pricing is absolutely correct and you won't find anything comparable in Sorong. The Crew and the Guides are ALL good hearted and fine People and the Boss Deni cares a lot about his Crew. We had an excellent Cook on Board who's Name was Marvil and we enjoyed every Meal. The Tourleader Roli is such an great Guy and his daily Briefings are legendary.He is also one of the best underwater Photographers i ve seen. We did an 10D10N Trip to Misool and the Speedboat was operated by Roja and Ciko the two Guys who kept us safe during every Snorkeltrip and Trekking to Caves and Mountains and showed us an incredible and intact Eco System above and under Water. We highly recommend to book your Trip with this Guys..you wont find anything better in this Priceclass See more..
5.0 Pianemo Hill (16 reviews)
- Worthwhile climbing
Spent More than 3 hours Lookouts

Nice wood made stairs to climb the hill to have the greatest view of Piaynemo island. Easy access and breathtaking view. See more..
5.0 Fenides Liveaboard (11 reviews)
- Prepared to be pampered.
Multi-day Tours • Boat Tours • Fishing Charters & Tours • Private Tours

11 of us spent 10 days liveaboard diving the Banda Sea. The quality of the boat and the crew has been spectacular…food quality, service quality, the stocked bar, the bartending, housekeeping…all of that has been spectacular, and we are all seasoned travellers for decades, and have been on other liveaboards and everywhere. Well done! See more..
5.0 Yeben Island (7 reviews)
- Amazing Diving Experience with Cove Eco Resort
Islands

We stayed in Cove Eco Resort for 11 days and we did 29 dives (3 dives per day). Every dive was a unique experience with the very nice and skilled dive masters. My girlfriend got her open water certification there. The whole team from Cove eco were incredibly warm and friendly to us. The food was incredible, we always were impressed with the meals we got, the taste of the food and variety of the dishes always kept us wanting more and wondering what would be next. The diving was also great, the team was incredibly helpful and they showed us some really amazing places to dive. The accommodation was very comfortable and cozy, they would help us spraying the room before dinner to make sure there would be no mosquitoes. On one of the last evenings we even had a camp fire and some live music from the team which was a great surprise. All in all we would highly recommend you to book your holidays in Cove Eco, you will not regret it, we would love to go there again! See more..
5.0 Sea Sanctuaries Trust (7 reviews)
- Penemu, a true adventure
Spent More than 3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas

I can honestly say my Trip with www.seasanctuaries.org was one of the most memorable of my life. We set sail from Sarong and spent a couple of weeks exploring some of the most unique dive spots in Raja Ampat. The adventure also included working with the local villages of Saukabu, Saupapir and Fam which made the whole experience feel so much more real than simply being on a Dive holiday. We busied ourselves each day with diving and conservation work which involved fish id and transecting. Steve did an excellent job of co-ordinating the volunteers and both Simon and Whitney really helped us understand the importance of what SS is doing in Raja Ampat. Aswell as conservation work we relaxed under the stars on the top of the boat or had beach bbq's on the local sands. This is a unique experience and one i cant recommend highly enough - incredible diving, great people and you come away feeling you've done something truly altruistic, amazing. See more..
5.0 Friwen Island (6 reviews)
- A paradise for children
Islands

In the beginning we met a boy who dared to jump from the big tree. I gave him a present for that and he was excited. I asked him to collect his friends. We would like to share the cotton bags, some amount and smarties chocolates. As he needed times walking around the village, we did snorkelling. So sorry, we saw some broken corals around Friwen. It’s not so deep, that was why our children were happy to snorkel. But Friwen wall is deeper and just amaze me. Kids preferred to be on the speed boat. The white sands, the colourful corals and the fishes are the best. It was a bit shock to be underwater when suddenly those black fin sharks came and haunted the fishes. Thanks God nothing was happened. The turtle was cute. Ps: there are little shops on the seashore. Try Pisang goreng the fried banana and sukun goreng the fried breadfruit. The local people who sell them are very friendly. See more..
5.0 Ilike Liveaboard (6 reviews)
- Amazing dive trip in Komodo NP on board of liveaboard Ilike
Multi-day Tours • Scuba & Snorkelling • Boat Tours

Amazing dive trip in the Komodo National Parc on board of a traditional phinisi. Superb diving with lots of fish life (from small critters to the majestic manta's). Our charming accommodation on board of liveaboard Ilike was top! Nice food, and the best crew and dive guides I ever had!!! See more..
5.0 Dafalen Peak (5 reviews)
- Beautiful and lovely scenery at Dafalen Peak Misool-Raja-Ampat
Spent 2-3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Lookouts • Scenic Walking Areas

The scenery up there is as lovely and beautiful as the Harfat Peak nearby, but going up there is more challenging, NO stairways provided yet. Simple wooden tracks is available, however. A unique love shape lagoon is visible to be photographed as a background enhancing the already lovely scenery. See more..
5.0 Wallacea Dive Cruises (3 reviews)
- Exceptional diving and service. Great value!
Multi-day Tours • Scuba & Snorkelling • Boat Tours • Sightseeing Tours

I have dived with Wallacea Dive Cruise about 4 times, 3 times on MV Ambai, and once on MSY Seahorse. Both boats are beautiful, the staff professional, and the food super beautiful. I like both boats equally since each one offers a different touch. - MV Ambai is an exceptional boat, designed for diving. The staff's been together for a really long time. The 3 times I boarded the boat, everything always went smoothly: from the diving to the rest of the time when I chilled on the boat. The cabins are very comfortable and just spacious enough for me and my partner. The dive guides are just amazing. They're really talented, good at pointing marine life, and I feel super safe with them! - MSY Seahorse is their latest addition. A very pretty and photogenic phinisi with spacious dinghies. Equally friendly and capable staff, as well as great food. I loved my cabin on the Seahorse, as they offer a seaview. Apart from Raja Ampat I've dived with them in the Banda Sea, Alor, Komodo and Triton Bay. Wherever I dive they offer the same professionalism and exceptional service. The diving is always spectacular with them as they're really experienced and know where and when to go for the best experience. The boats are luxurious for the price you pay. Worth every penny and highly recommended! I wouldn't choose a different liveaboard company. See more..
5.0 Raja Ampat Liveaboards - Premier Liveaboard Diving (2 reviews)
- Best Customer Service Ever
Scuba & Snorkelling

Jez is an absolute pro. Never seen any better customer service - especially from the top of a company. Jez has been spectacular in answering any question our crew had - even if we could have found it easily online under FAQ. He even went out of his way and accepted i Division payments as nobody wanted to advance the total amount for our group. Can’t recommend enough. See more..
5.0 Tiare Cruise (2 reviews)
- What a great week!!
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Multi-day Tours • Scuba & Snorkelling

When booking I was unsure about being on a boat for 5 days. Well it was amazing!!!! The boat and cabins were beautiful!! The crew was incredible!! The food was so delicious and varied!! And to top it off...the best coral and variety of fish I have seen in my life. Highly recommend spending time on Tiare in Raja Ampat See more..
4.5 Arborek Village (91 reviews)
- A beautiful place for snorkelling
Points of Interest & Landmarks

The corals are wonderful and the fishes are just beautiful. After snorkelling in 4 places (Friwen, Arborek, Friwen Wall and Yenbuba) I can say that the fishes were the most friendly ever. Children were very excited, feeling like in an aquarium. We enjoyed snorkelling there very much. I did feeding the fishes with the rest of our lunch (rice). Funtastic! Moreover we saw some locals painting the gate “Arborek.” It was orange. Later we met some children and shared cotton bags, stuffed animals, colourful pencils and chocolates. It was our pleasure to see how happy they were like at Christmas. I recommend you to bring small things for them too when you’ll make a visit. There will be big and nature smiles around you. See more..
4.5 Pasir Timbul Beach (62 reviews)
- One of the nice place for taking pictures
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

Pasir timbul beach is one of the interesting place in Raja Ampat for you to stop by and take pictures See more..
4.5 Wicked Diving Raja Ampat (52 reviews)
- Great experience with Wicked!
Scuba & Snorkelling

I just completed the 7d/6n Manta Liveaboard dive trip in Raja Ampat--what a great trip and relaxing vacation! I read several positive and negative reviews on TripAdvisor before selecting Wicked Diving...and post trip, I'm very happy with my decision and recommend ignoring the negative reviews. Understand, the boat accommodations cover your basic needs--its not luxury--but its a great dive trip at a reasonable price point. As for the trip, recommend getting into Sorong the day prior. The trip was well organized and well executed for everything from the initial meeting, through the ferry to Waisai, throughout the trip, and the return. The dive sites were excellent--the guides added to the experience both in the water and out. All of the diving aspects of the trip were handled safely and professionally. The accommodations were small and basic, but I spend almost no time below deck. There was plenty of good food throughout the trip. The boat crew was professional in all of their support. There was a good balance of a few land-based activities spread through the week. Overall, if you're looking for great liveaboard diving at a reasonable price, this is a good trip for you. I hope I get to come back and go on another dive trip with Wicked Diving soon. See more..
4.5 Sawinggrai Village (30 reviews)
- Great village and great homestay close by!
Points of Interest & Landmarks

My girlfriend and I have spent 4 days right by Sewinggrai village at Methos Homestay and we had a great time. The water and the sealife around there was great and also the local people were extremely friendly and we had an amazing snorkle around the area. I would certainly recommend to stay at Methos Homestay which is only walking distance from Sewinggrai - we had a great spacious bungalow (the best bungalow that we had in Raja Ampat) with an hammock and sunlongers and it was right on the water with open views of Gam, Mansuar, Arborek and Pianemo in the distance. Methos and his family were very welcoming, Methos himself was very knowledgable and the food that we had was delicious. See more..
4.5 Saporkren Village (18 reviews)
- BIRD WATCHING
Points of Interest & Landmarks

yeah! i saw many birds dancing in Saporkren Raja Ampat. we need to go there at 5 am in the morning but it's worth!! See more..
4.5 Yenbuba Village (15 reviews)
- Consistently good snorkelling. Highly recommended
Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks

I have snorkelled off Yenbuba Village for the last 5 years and it consistently performs as one of the best snorkels in Raja Ampat offering a range of options including the pier, the lovely corals and the drop off. It’s common to see shark, turtle as well as a range of fish and corals. Very highly recommended. See more..
4.5 Manta Sandy (14 reviews)
- Fantastic
Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas

One of the easiest cleaning stations I've dived at. Have a nice sandy area to wait for the mantas to arrive with coral behind you to keep you interested till they do. Sitting at 16meter you can send your hour there easily. About an 30min boat ride from Biodiversity nature resort. Which have excellent dive guides that really have a great knowledge of mantas and how to respect with them. But getting you up close to them in the correct manner, and no harrassment of mantas. Really great place to dive See more..
4.5 Goa Keramat Pulau Misool (12 reviews)
- Hidden Paradise of Misool
Spent < 1 hour Caverns & Caves

A stunning cave with a magnificent view. It's like teasing to be explored deeper. Clearwater view and cold air can help clear your mind for a while. See more..
4.5 Lenmakana Jellyfish Lake (10 reviews)
- One of the rare stingless jellyfish lake in the world
Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water

People probably heard about jellyfish lake in Palau island, or Kakaban East Kalimantan. Lenmakana jellyfish lake allegedly has just been discovered few years ago. The location is quite remote (S 01 58.111', E 130 31.225'), only the local people can guide you there. You need to approach the karst by small speed boat and climb the steep reef. A glove is highly recommended. Best place to visit is just after 1 PM when the lake is glowing by thousands of golden jellyfish floating near the surface. Swimming with them is definitely once in a lifetime experience. Please refrain from doing silly behaviour at this place. See more..