Raj Ampat BLOW OUT SPECIAL DEAL...$1525 off Normal Price...April 19-30 ONLY! Reg $4495 NOW ONLY $2970...Only 8 Spots!
Its True! SingleDivers.com brings you a BLOW OUT DEAL for Raj Ampat aboard one the most experienced and highly regarded liveaboards in the region...Pindito!
This special is the result of poor times for a dive group unable to fill all their committed spots. Don't miss this great opportunity to save $1525 off normal pricing of $4495. And with air running $1700 for this trip...you almost get your air free!
Where: Raj Ampat aboard MV Pindito
When: April 19-30, 2010 ONLY!
Price: $2970 vs. $4495 a savings of $1525!!!
How: Available ONLY thru SingleDivers.com
What Next: Post you wish to grab one or more of these remaining spots and then pay via the link in my signature. Payment due in full. Let us know if you need help with air...we have air consolidators who can do your bookings for you or you can do it yourself.
Airfare: Our consolidators can get air for about $1700 total for all flights including Manado which is nearly $450 of the total. Or you can do your own.
Extra Days: Consider staying extra days at Thalassa in Manado here.
How to Book & Pay: Either register and join SingleDivers.com (its free) to post in this thread that you want to go or send an email to kamala@singledivers.com saying you want to go and if you want nitrox etc. Then click the payment link in my signature to pay. The entire amount is due in full due to the short departure date.
Trip Agenda:
The Misool route will show you an abundance of the undersea world. Its beauty will carry you away! Thousands of isle, which have been pushed up throughout the thousands of years and build a wonderful scene. Everywhere you come across caves, or caverns, you´ll find rocks as big as cathedrals, over hangs that all together improve the dramatic sight of this breathtaking landscapes.
Misool is a region with thousands of isle, which have been pushed up throughout the thousands of years and build a wonderful scene. You come across caves, or caverns everywhere. You´ll find rocks as big as cathedrals, over hangs that improve the dramatic sight of this breathtaking region.
Of course these sights will continue in no less impressing views under water. Misool is one of the places on earth where you´ll find the most various species of fish, hard and soft corals, sponges, worms, nudibranches, shrimps and crabs and all kind of non-vertebrates, like cuttle fish and octopus. You will as well come across wobbegong shark and epaulet sharks, which you will only find in the region of „Raja Empat“. Giant clams as well as fantastic tiny shells. Photographers as well as Videographers will have the dives of their lifetime for shoot macro all over.
Misool is one of the places with most wonderful and colourful and above all still intact reefs. All kinds of different corals set up the background scenery of the underwater world.
Our Pindito crew knows this region since 1992. Until 2001 was the unique live aboard cruising and offering diving holidays. Nobody else but the Pindito crew knows this place better. All isles, channels, rocks and caves had been explored throughout the years. It is always a great adventure to do land excursions in Misool, on condition that the weather allows it of course.
Day 1
Pick up at the airport of Sorong from our German and English speaking crew member. Short private transfer to the peer and embarking. As soon as all guests are on board and are holding their welcome drink the Pindito is ready to leave the harbour. You will be introduced to the crew members and you will be shown around in order to start feeling at home on the Pindito.
Dinner will be served about 06.00 pm, so you may gather together with our other guests and start your tour!
Day 2
Misool, after our little breakfast we shall have the first at about 08.00 am. The spot we choose is a calm and relaxing place, and gives you the opportunity to get used to the region. After this first check-dive you have the second part of your nourishing breakfast. At 11.00 am we head of the dive spot called „Vrenelies Gärtli“, which has become legendary on the Pindito. Over hangs, huge grottoes and dive troughs, drop offs and all covered in fantastic corals is what makes this place so great. Lunch is served at 12.30 pm and you’ll have time to relax until 3.00 pm to get back to "Vrenelies Gärtli“. Since this spot is so huge and offers so much diversity, we can easily offer several dives here. After this dive there is enough time to go on a trip on our zodiacs in order to admire the wonderful landscape that gives hand to what you have seen under water. Do you feel like giving a try on the wakeboard or on the water-skis, you are ever so welcome. Dinner will be ready at 6.00 pm and at 8.00 pm you better get ready again for our last dive this day!
Day 3
The Pindito will continue to cruise southwards to the group of isles called „Fabiajet“. Picturesque landscapes and wonderful reefs are waiting for you. The abundance of corals, different sponges and fish is nearly unbeatable. We allow ourselves to offer several dives at the same spots, since they have so much to offer. Theses masses of fish swimming around those wonderful coral gardens are an impressive view and will satisfy every diver’s wishes and dreams. Of course we will come across precious macro as well: nudibranches, sea horses, barramundi and lots more are on the program! For the night dive the Pindito will anchor in a very calm and shallow place with hardly any current, but loads of nudibranches, pipe fishes, cuttle dish, ghost pipefish! Want to take a picture? Go ahead; it´s all there for you!
Day 4 & 5
Today we shall go eastwards to „Wayl Batan“. Little island with beautiful reefs full of life in a topographically interesting landscape are tempting. Great schools of fish as well as pygmi seahorses will be shown by our guides, unless your eyes are well trained and you´ll see it all by yourself. Barracudas, batfish and snappers are cruising in the open blue. With the powerful sunshine breaking through the water the rocks, covered in colourful corals are presenting a breathtaking sight. Our night dives will do at the same place as the dives during the day, so you can compare the different creatures!
Day 6
Overnight the Pindito will reach the Misool. We offer an excursion with the zodiac that will last all day. Impressing tombstone of the natives will be on our schedule. This excursion will take us 20 km into the fantastic island labyrinth, where we drive through channels and valleys with our fast zodiacs. Walks to caves on the land, as well as a visit to a cave which we can only enter with the zodiac in order to see tiny bats, that hide from the daylight and sleep during the day. The last cave that we enter is a big as a cathedral and can only be entered by walking. Whoever believes that this program is too exhausting can of course stay on board and go for dives (we can offer this alternative since we have three big zodiacs on board). The dives will be done close to where the Pindito is anchored. Sometimes the visibility is bad and there is a pretty strong current, but of course the underwater world is a temptation as all others in the region.
Day 7
In Waigeo, Sel Pele we have the chance to visit a pearl farm. Depending on where they stand with the pearl production we will be invited to have a closer look on how the pearls are being produced.
Of course we have been diving before and after this visit and the high light of these dives where the pygmi seahorses. Those cute little creatures are hidden in the gorgonias in all colours available: red, yellow and orange! The only creatures that are offering more colours of the rainbow are nudibranches and the pipe fishes.
Day 8
Eagle Rock is just around the corner and is completely different to what you have seen so far. The stand alone rocks in the middle of the sea are always worth a picture or two. Splendid visibility, white beaches with black coral gardens, sweetlips, catfish and different kinds of rays are part of these dives. And since it is such a fantastic area above and under water we shall go back to the bay of Sel Pele again in the afternoon.
Day 9
Around the island of „Jef Fam“ you will have the opportunity to see the wobbegong and epaulet sharks, which are unique to this region. The reef, which seems as if it dressed up in RED is breathtaking scenery and will make all divers’ dreams come true.
Day 10
„Dampeerstret“, the channel between Waigeo and Batanta Island gives the chance to see manta rays. Two dives will be done western of Mansuar Island where a "fish soup" and a fantastic reef are waiting. Our night dive will be south of Mansuar island and offer the variety and abundance of this precious diving region.
Day 11
Before heading back to Sorong we will dive at "Kri“ and „Sardinriff". In Sorong we have a captain’s party on deck. Our crew will sing traditional songs and dance the Boco Boco!
Day 12
Sorong. Already we have got to the end of this cruise. We organise the transfer back to the airport of Sorong and say goodbye to you! Hoping to have you on board the Pindito again! See you next time!
Diving Raja Ampat
This cruise gives you the impressions of the Indopacific and the Pacific Sea. Untouched landscapes and impressing huge coral banks dominate these very thinly populated isles. All this spectaculary things you will see on the Raja Ampat cruise.
Equator: The Pindito crew has explored the dive sites around and near the Equator. This cruise offers you new unexplored areas, where very few people have dived before. The number of isles is immense. Right in the equator and very close to the island of Kawe there is a little island called Batu Jamur. This rocky peak that stands out of the sea is an "eldorado" for every macro freak. Tunicas, feather stars, nudi branches, just as bigger animals like napoleons, wrasse, moray eels and epaulet sharks can be seen. North of the equator lies the archipelago of Waijag. Many different outlying islands offer wonderful coral gardens and many different fishes.
Misool Islands: This is a region with thousands of isle, which have been pushed up throughout the thousands of years and build a wonderful scene. You come across caves, or caverns everywhere. You´ll find rocks as big as cathedrals, over hangs that improve the dramatic sight of this breathtaking region.
Of course these sights will continue in no less impressing views under water. Misool is one of the places on earth where you´ll find the most various species of fish, hard and soft corals, sponges, worms, nudibranches, shrimps and crabs and all kind of non-vertebrates, like cuttle fish and octopus. You will as well come across wobbegong shark and epaulet sharks, which you will only find in the region of „Raja Empat“. Giant clams as well as fantastic tiny shells. Photographers as well as Videographers will have the dives of their lifetime for shoot macro all over.
Water temperature & Dive suit - Raja Ampat
By the Misool islands, the Banda Sea and near the Equator are the water temperatures the whole year 26.-29°. For this cruise is a 3mm thin-wet-suit enough.
Climate & travel season - Raja Ampat
Irian Jaya: In the lowland are dampness heat and heavy rains normal. In the high land we can’t specify clearly rain and draw seasons. We advise the travel season from October until middle of May.
For actually weather information’s please go to www.wetteronline.de
Domestic Flights
For the Raja Ampat cruise you need two domestic flights which will bring you from Manado to Sorong and from Sorong back to Manado. As the flight schedule can amend every time, are these under restriction. Follow domestic flights you must book accessory to your cruise.
destination flight departure arrival flight days
Manado - Sorong Wings Air, IW1178 2.20pm 5.20pm MO / WE / FR
Sorong - Manado Wings Air, IW1177 8.15am 10.05am MO / WE / FR
Prices per person/flight:
Manado - Sorong: ca. USD 209
Sorong - Manado: ca. USD 209
Hotel accommodation
Before the Raja Ampat cruise are two nights and one night after the trip necessary to be spent in Manado, because the domestic flights are not connected to the international flights. For guests who do not follow this procedure and do not catch their onward flights, we do not bear any responsibility.
For our Pindito guests we’re glad to book the hotels in Manado. For transit stays of 1 – 2 nights we recommend the Santika Hotel in Manado. For any wishes regarding a program prior or after the Pindito tour, we’d be glad to advise our recommendations and assist you with the reservations.
Prior or after program Sulawesi
The islands Sulwesi afford a lot of land trips and the best diving around Bunaken Nationalpark and the “Lembeh Street” or by the islands Banka and Selayar.
The celebratet dive spot “Lembeh Street” is for example one hour’s drive from Manado away and is near from the harbour Bitung with the upstream island Lembeh. In this intense running water street you will find the best place for Muckdiving, a paradise for divers which are looking for very small and very rare fishes.
The Bunaken National Marinepark among to the best dive area in Asia and the whole world. Nowhere can you find a huger biodiversity on species as in the waters around Bunaken.
Land program
A Toraja round trip (from/to Ujung Pandang) of several days' duration guide the visitor trough the world of myth and deceased rituals. The Toraja Land has an own interest culture and it is a visit worth.
From Manado you can do a lot of nice tours. Behind Manado you will find the Minahasa Highland with volcano’s and rank green areas with many little villages. One of the most interested villages is Tomahon with his own local market. The Tangkoko Nationalpark you can arrive in one day. The Highlight is the smallest Monkey from south-east of Asia the “Tarsius”. Also you can find hornbills, other monkeys and with some luck you can observe a Python snake.
For prior or after programs and more information’s about round trips please visit the website www.schoener-tauchen.com
