Located in remote Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Misool is known for pristine reefs and abundant marine life. All of the dive sites are protected by the resort's own Misool Private Marine Reserve, including the House Reef, a world-class shore dive with the opportunity to see unique animals including Black Tip Reef Sharks, Bargibanti and Denise Pygmy Seahorses, and even mating Mandarinfish! Renowned for excellent service and attention to detail, Misool Eco Resort is situated on a private tropical island, and each accommodation is built entirely from reclaimed tropical hardwoods and designed with comfort, privacy and sustainability in mind.
Project Focus: This purpose of this trip is to conduct fish surveys to support REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project. Click here to learn more about participating in fish surveys on a REEF Field Survey Trip!
Accommodations: Misool Eco Resort has 8 water cottages, built on stilts over the lagoon and located steps from the dive center and restaurant. The slightly larger Villa Tabisasu (1 available) is located in the same area. All of the rooms feature Balinese-style open air bathrooms, air-conditioning, fresh hot and cold showers, mini-bars stocked with treats from around the archipelago, and handcrafted furniture and fittings.
Diving: There are three scheduled boat dives per day, as well as either a dusk or night dive each evening. The House Reef is open from 8am to 8pm each day for buddy teams or guided dives. Nitrox is included in the package for all certified divers. All of the dive sites are within the protected Misool Marine Reserve. Dives feature a diverse selection of sites, including a busy manta cleaning station, coral covered walls, reef flats, swim-throughs, gentle sea mounts, drift dives, vast hard-coral gardens, placid lagoons, and current-raked pinnacles. Visibility is variable but generally more than 70 feet, with temperatures between 78-82 degrees F.
Trip Leader: Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens is REEF's Co-Executive Director. Christy is an expert at Fish ID and has led dozens of REEF Field Surveys over the years to all of REEF's survey project regions.
Pricing, Inclusions, and Other Fees
$4,459 per diver based on double occupancy in a water cottage.
$5,139 per diver based on double occupancy in Villa Tabisasu. One villa (double occupancy) is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Your Package Includes: The trip package includes 9 nights of accommodation at Misool Eco Resort, unlimited boat diving including tanks and weights, free nitrox for certified divers, fuel charges, four meals per day plus afternoon tea time, most non-alcoholic beverages, free local use of kayaks and paddle boards, free 15-minute massage after first dive, Sorong airport pickup and porter service, overnight hotel accommodation and breakfast in Sorong for one night following stay at Misool (Sept. 27), and government tax.
REEF Program Fee: A REEF Program Fee of $350 will be added to each package to cover the cost of the group leader, seminar and REEF survey materials. REEF Fee applies to all divers and/or attendees age 18 and up.
Other Costs Paid to REEF: A round-trip speedboat transfer fee of $350 per person will be collected by REEF to cover the cost of the transfer to and from Sorong airport.
Additional Fees: The following costs are not included in the price paid to REEF. All flights and associated travel to and from Sorong, optional rental gear (must be reserved in advance), alcoholic beverages, internet, optional excursions like cooking classes, private beach picnics, etc., spa services and laundry. All guests must purchase a Raja Ampat Marine Park Entry permit for $1,000,000 IDR (approximately $73 US.) The tag is valid for one year. Misool Eco Resort will assist with these arrangements. Gratuities are not included in the trip package and are at each individual's discretion.
Registration
To reserve your space or find out more, e-mail us at trips@REEF.org, or call us at 305-588-5869. A $1,000 deposit will be collected at the time of booking. Visit our Trip Policies page for more information on deposit and payment schedules.
Indonesia Travel Info
Insurance: Travel insurance is not included. REEF strongly recommends that each participant purchase adequate dive travel insurance to protect you from unforeseen circumstances. REEF partners with both DiveAssure and DAN to offer travel insurance packages specifically for divers. REEF will receive a portion of the proceeds from travel insurance purchases when you click on the following affiliate links for DiveAssure or DAN.
How to Get There: Participants are responsible for booking flights to/from Sorong Airport. Participants need to be in Sorong on the start date of the trip, Monday, September 18, by no later than 8am in order to catch the speedboat transfer to the resort. On the departure day from the resort, Wednesday, September 27, participants will arrive back into Sorong at approximately 5 - 6pm, and will spend one night there. (This is included in the accommodation package price). Departure flights out of Sorong may be booked for any time the following day, Thursday, Sept. 28.
Transfers: A member of the Misool team will meet all participants at the Sorong Airport. After breakfast and coffee at the Misool Filling Station, participants will be transferred to the harbor for the speedboat transfer, departing around 9am. The transfer from Sorong to the resort island of Batbitim is about 4 hours depending on sea conditions.
Passports, Documentation and Visas: Visitors to Indonesia are required to have a passport that has at least 2 blank passport pages and is valid for at least 6 months after the date of arrival, and proof of return flights. Tourists from most countries do not need to obtain a visa if staying in Indonesia for less than 30 days. Please consult the appropriate consulate for specific travel regulations.
COVID-19 Considerations: It is the participant's responsibility to ensure that they understand and comply with all local requirements (for entry and visit as a tourist) of the host destination, and for exit and entry requirements for their home country. Be prepared for your plans to change. Be sure your travel insurance covers COVID-related issues. No travel is risk-free during the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries may further restrict travel or bring in new rules at short notice, for example, due to a new COVID-19 variant. Please be aware that REEF is not a travel agent. We are doing our best to interpret the information provided by our trip vendor and the host country’s government COVID-19 webpages. We encourage everyone to do their own research, interpretation, and due diligence. Please see REEF’s COVID-19 Considerations and Vaccine Policies section in our REEF Field Survey Trips Policies page for more information.