Sea kayaking in Indonesia

Unforgettable sea kayaking and snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Sea kayaking in Indonesia

Unforgettable sea kayaking and snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Days

Nights

Indoor

34000

SEK

Join us for an unforgettable 11-day adventure, with 9 days of sea kayaking and snorkeling in Raja Ampat, a tropical archipelago not looking like anything else. Over fifteen hundred islands of densely grown limestone, where the eroded tidal zone makes the islands look like mushrooms. Or as if they hover freely, just a little bit above the sea surface. It’s an Avatar landscape in reality. Here the marine life also is more thriving than anywhere else on the planet. In Raja Ampat there are blue whales, pygmy sea horses, manatees, walking epaulette sharks, giant manta rays and whale sharks. And lots of other species.

Underneath the hull of our kayaks there are three thousand fish species and 80% of the world’s known coral species. During breaks from kayaking we land on beaches along the way, put mask and fins on, wade out into the blue, take a few swim strokes, and have a greater variety of underwater species in our field of view than in the whole of the Mediterranean. An absolutely amazing area that we are convinced you will have memories from for the rest of your life.

At the end of every paddle day we aim for the sparsely distributed traditional Paupuan guesthouses (homestays) situated on vanilla-colored beaches, or tucked up against the dense vegetation, offering a home for the night with local families receiving us with great hospitality. As an extra spice of adventure we will pitch our tents one night and and camp on a beach along the way.

The journey begins in the town of Sorong in northwestern Papua, from where we catch a boat to Raja Ampat and the start of the kayaking. Your arrange your own flights to Sorong. It gives you flexibility to decide if you would like to arrive earlier or stay longer. We will meet you in Sorong on the first day of the tour. If you need help and / or advice about your flight, you are more than welcome to contact us, of course.

Dates

Dates for 2023 will be published shortly.

Available dates

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Previous experience

Our ambition is to offer an enjoyable and unforgettable paddle experience in a beautiful environment, led by an experienced guide. You do not need to be an experienced sea kayaker to join, but you should have some previous sea kayaking experience to get the most out of your trip. Expect to paddle daily stages of up to, and sometimes over, 20 km and to deal with paddling in moderate waves.

Another purpose of the trip is to contribute to local community development. By visiting you are contributing to the livelihood of host families in whose homestays we stay overnight, to the local papuan guide that accompanies us throughout our trip and to the skilled workers who build the fiberglass kayaks in the local workshop. By visiting and paying national park fees we also contribute to the protection of the marine environment.

Included in the price

11 day tour, with nine days of sea kayaking guided by Swedish (Upplevelsebolaget) and local guide
All necessary kayak equipment (single or double sea kayak, paddle, spray skirt, bouyancy aid)
10 nights accommodation (2 nights at kayak center, 7 nights at homestay, 1 night camping)
Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the kayaking (9 days) as well as dinner day 1 and breakfast day 11.
Entrance fee to the national park.

Please note that flights to and from Sorong, Indonesia are not included in the price. If you need help and / or tips about your flights, you are more than welcome to contact us, of course. Meals in addition to the ones specified above, you buy yourself.

Accommodation

The character of the tour is adventurous. That means that accommodation is basic and traditionally Papuan. Accommodation is part of a double room or space in a two person tent, except for days 6 and 7 when the homestays where we stay are so small that we need to stay three people per room, if we are a full group (6 participants plus guides). None of the places we stay have enough rooms to let us choose single rooms. This means that as a single traveler you will stay together with someone you do not know beforehand. This means, in turn, that you might make a friend for life. A great opportunity.

Food

Just like the accommodation, the food during the trip is basic and traditional Papuan. Rice, fish and vegetables are the basic ingredients for both breakfast, lunch and dinner, supplemented with coconuts, bananas and maybe eggs. Please make sure to bring your own extra snacks and energy, based on your own experience of how much you need.

Water (hot and cold), coffee and tea are freely available on all homestays.

Program

A sea kayaking trip is always dependent on wind and weather, and a plan is never more than a plan. The following program is therefor preliminary:

Day 1

Travel day. You are responsible for your trip to Indonesia. We will meet you in Sorong, from where we together will catch a boat to the island of Kri, in the Raja Ampat Archipelago, where we check in at our kayak center guest house, go for a snorkeling trip, have a good dinner and start preparing for tomorrow’s paddle start.

Day 2

Our first paddle day. After breakfast, preparation, equipment check and paddle route briefing, we launch and start crossing to the island of Gam. Picnic on a beach somewhere on the island. Our goal for the day is South Gam, where we stay on a nice homestay situated on a sandy beach. A fantastic coral reef just outside our accommodation offers spectacular snorkeling. Dinner with ocean views on our homestay. The day can be divided into two stages, where, if we feel strong, we continue around the Blue Water Mangrove, an exciting paddle in a mangrove area around our accommodation.

Paddling distance, ca 19 km. Anyone wanting a gentle first day have the opportunity to settle for half the distance, ca 9 km.

Day 3

We continue along the southern shore of Gam along beaches, dense rainforest vegetation and mangroves. Perhaps we will make a break in the small village of Yenwaupnor, which gives us an insight into living conditions in the area. The day ends at a homestay in Beser Bay, which is a sheltered spot in a fantastic location. If we have energy, we have the opportunity to continue with an exploration of the islands in the southern parts of Beser Bay, which offers fantastic kayaking.

Paddling distance, ca 20 – 25 km.

Day 4

A day to remember. We leave Gam behind us and aim for Manta Sandy, a shallow area with fantastic snorkeling and good chances to meet with giant manta rays in close proximity. We rest on a wooden platform on stilts in the water and have lunch between the snorkeling sessions. When we are happy we turn west and paddle to the small island of Arborek, an Indonesian version of Bohuslän’s little fairytale island Åstol. A small island containing a small but lively village in the midst of open water. A great place where we spend our evening and night.

Paddle distance, ca 13 km.

Day 5

A relatively early start from Arborek and a crossing back to Gam. Great snorkeling at today’s lunch stop. In the afternoon we will continue north to the beach where we will find a home for our camp night. We pitch our tents and / or hammocks, cook a simple dinner and fall asleep to the sounds of the rainforest orchestra.

Paddle distance, ca 20 km.

Day 6

After breaking camp and entering the cockpits, Hidden Bay awaits, a fabulous secret archipelago hidden in Gam’s landmass, reached through a narrow entrance on the north side of the island. Hidden Bay is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the tour. When we are done with our exploration, a 5 km crossing of open water awaits before we reach the Passage, another of the highlights of the tour. The Passage is an eroded tidal ravine that has created a 2 km long river-like connection with Kaboei Bay on the other side. There we finish the day at Daoud’s homestay.

Paddle distance, ca 18 km.

Day 7

Another spectacular day in the kayaks. The archipelago of limestone islands in the northern end of Kaboei Bay is a sea kayaking dream. We glide along the islands, visit caves along the way and rest on one of the sandy beaches, rare in this part of the area. Here, in Kaboei Bay, the feeling of adventure and exploration has moved up the scale. There is no congestion. Other than a few local fishermen we will probably have the area almost to ourselves. After the longest day of the trip, a homestay awaits on one of the islands.

Paddle distance, ca 25 km.

Day 8

We continue through the spectacular island world and, eventually, along the larger island of Waigeo’s beaches and mangrove on the west side of the bay. Beach breaks with fresh coconut tasting and a great snorkeling stop on one of the small islands in the bay leads us to the day’s destination, one of the nicest homestays of the tour.

Paddle distance, ca 17 km.

Day 9

We set the clock to wake up early. Before the sun rises, we get a traditional Paupan long boat transport to the village of Saprokreng, from where we hike into the rainforest to look for the rare and beautiful bird of paradise, only found in this part of the world.

Back at our homestay we have breakfast before heading out for a relatively short, enjoyable day in the kayaks. We cross from Waigeo back to Gam, jumping along the islands in the bay. Along the shore of Gam we continue to today’s homestay, nicely situated on a beach on the island’s south coast. After a short day, we have plenty of time to chill. And as always, the snorkelling and the sea views are spectacular.

Paddle distance, ca 9 km.

Day 10

Last day of kayaking. We follow the coast a short distance and then cross to the small island of Friwen Bonda, for a snack and snorkelling break. At low tide we will later aim for one of the sand banks that emerge as isolated beaches in the middle of the strait. Eventually we have completed our circle and will land on Kri again. After taking care of our equipment we will have a good dinner at the kayak center and summarize the tour and our experiences, maybe over a cold beer or a cup of coffee.

Paddle distance, ca 13 km.