Departing from the port of Wasei onboard the traditional wooden boat Mikumba 2, our home for the next 7 nights. Travelling by liveaboard enables us to get into some truly remote locations whilst still enjoying all of the comforts and security of home.
Raja Ampat, meaning the Four Kings, is a highly protected, pristine National park and one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world. A freedivers playground, expect colourful walls, a fantastic diversity of fish, rich coral and marine life. We'll be exploring Raja Ampat's stunning underwater world on one breath, freediving swim-throughs, coral gardens, caves, drop-offs, manta points and jetties.
Starting in Waisei means we are right in the epicentre of Raja Ampat freediving - The Dampier Strait. With lots of epic dive sites in close proximity to each other starting here means we waste no time in getting you in the water and can be freediving just a couple of hours after arrival. We’ll spend a day or so here before slowly making our way North, past Kawe all the way up to the iconic Wayag , known for its beautiful lagoon ecosystem and breathtaking view points.
Wayag is the perfect place to lose ourself in Nature and we’ll be encouraging guests to take the paddleboards and disappear into the areas waterways or perhaps find a private beach to truly appreciate the serenity of it all. See blog posts below about Raja Ampat.
Blog postsAfter saying our farewells to Wayag we’ll then make our way South, cherry picking the best dive sites and anchorages along the way. We love the variety of dive sites that Raja Ampat offers and we’re sure you will too, Whilst we will mainly be diving on Raja’s beautiful reefs we can also make some time for line diving and will definitely do a night freedive in order to experience the often strong bioluminescence that can be so prevalent there.
The trip will finish in Wasei , so we will still have time to dive on the morning of the final day before getting off the boat at 13.00 and making our way back to Sorong.
This adventure is open to all level of freedivers/snorkelers but If you have never been freediving before and have the time we do recommend taking a short course before joining in order to get the most out of your trip here.
We’re excited to be returning to Raja Ampat for this 8 days freediving adventure in Central and North Raja Ampat. A trip to Raja Ampat is always special and is the perfect opportunity to unplug and connect with the nature that is so abundant there.
Standard shared cabin $2400* USD per person
Master shared cabin $2800* USD
*plus park fees and pass $150 per person, flights & hotel not included
· 06.30 Meditation / Yoga or Sunrise SUP
· 07.00 Breakfast
· 08.30 Freediving / Snorkelling
· 12.00 Lunch
· 14.00 Freediving / Snorkelling
· 16.00 Snack
· 17.00 Trek to viewpoint for Sunset
· 19.00 Dinner / Beach BBQ
We are passionate Freedivers that have over 10 years experience of running freediving retreats in Raja Ampat. This ensures that not only that we know exactly where to take you, but importantly the ingredients that combine to make this a trip of a lifetime. We have many hidden gems away from the main dive sites and we are willing to go that extra mile to make your trip extra special.
If you’re an individual joining a scheduled charter you can trust that we are very comfortable managing group dynamics, our charters always flow nicely as we tailor each trip to suit the needs of our guests. We aspire to create a relaxed friendly vibe onboard where everyone feels safe, supported and are having fun.
In the water you’re well covered, our charters always have very experienced instructors to facilitate the freediving and all water sessions are supported by two speedboats that keep an eye on you and the conditions so all you have to do is enjoy being in the water.
Whilst freediving and snorkelling are obviously a big focus of the trip, we’ll also be facilitating a range of other experiences. Onboard we’ll be hosting regular workshops in movement , meditation, breathwork and, if you’re really lucky, maybe even belly dancing! ; )
Other activities may include, sunset treks, paddle boarding, scuba, sailing, skurfing, subwing, lagoon tours, or perhaps a visit to a local village or beautiful waterfall.
Above Below freediving retreats invites you to join with us, take a moment to pause, breathe , connect to this incredible ecosystem and in doing so find a deeper connection to self.
We have been using Mikumba II for a number of our charters and have found her to be a fast, stable and comfortable home.
She has a vast amount of shaded deck space, bean bags and a large saloon so finding your own private space to lounge, rest or read a book is not a problem.
Eight quality standard double cabins and two luxury en-suite rooms back up an impressive set of specifications for this vessel. In addition, the boat is supported by twin inflatable speedboats (crucial for safely navigating currents)—the boats and crew help ensure a safe, enjoyable, freediving trip.
We'll be bringing buoys for those who wish to line dive, and we'll be planning at least one night dive, which is often genuinely magical.
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