A Raja Ampat diving tour cost has five parts: park fees, guided dives, nights ashore or aboard, Sorong–Waisai transfers, and extras such as nitrox, gear hire and dive insurance. Luxury dive liveaboards are quoted on request for the specific vessel, dates, duration, guest count and inclusions.
Every figure here is dated 2026 and can change. Use it to budget, then confirm at booking.
What goes into a Raja Ampat diving tour cost?
Almost every quote has the same five line items, whatever the format.
- Park-related fees. Two separate government charges, paid per guest.
- Guided dives. Led by a licensed partner dive centre or dive master.
- Base nights. A resort or homestay room, or a liveaboard cabin.
- Transfers. Sorong airport (SOQ) to the harbour, then ferry or fast boat to Waisai.
- Extras. Nitrox, rental equipment, dive insurance and gratuities.
Komodo Luxury, a boat and tour operator in Labuan Bajo, arranges the trip. It is not a PADI dive centre; licensed partner dive centres and dive masters guide your dives.
How much are the Raja Ampat park fees in 2026?
Since 1 January 2026, visitors pay two charges. The first is the marine park card (Tarif Layanan Pemeliharaan Jasa Lingkungan), run by the Raja Ampat MPA Management Authority under Southwest Papua Governor Regulation No. 32 of 2024. The second is the regency visitor entry ticket, set by Regent Regulation (Perbup) 34/2025.
| Charge | International visitor | Indonesian citizen | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine park card | IDR 1,000,000 per person per year under Southwest Papua Governor Regulation No. 32 of 2024, in force since 30 December 2024, as listed by the Raja Ampat MPA Management Authority (checked 2026-09-16) | IDR 500,000 per person per year, or IDR 250,000 for Papua-area ID holders from outside Southwest Papua and IDR 150,000 for Southwest Papua ID holders (same regulation and listing) | 12 months; under-12s exempt |
| Regency entry ticket | Confirmed at booking | Confirmed at booking | One visit only |
For Indonesians, the total depends on which marine park rate applies. Every guest pays the fees, diver or not, even on a single day trip.
How do costs compare across day tours, dive-and-stay and liveaboards?
| Cost component | Day dive tour (Waisai or Sorong) | 5-day dive-and-stay | 7-night dive liveaboard | Luxury dive liveaboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park fees | Full per-guest amount, even for one day | Full per-guest amount | Usually billed separately from base price | Usually billed separately |
| Guided dives | Priced per dive day by the partner centre | Dive days bundled with the stay | Daily dive schedule in the cabin rate | All-inclusive; the daily dive count is set by the operator and partner dive centre |
| Base nights | None; you book your own hotel | 4 nights, per person per night | 7 nights, per person per night or per cabin | Quote on request, whole vessel |
| Transfers | Boat to and from the dive area | SOQ pickup, harbour, crossing to Waisai | Set by departure port | Set by departure port |
| Extras | Nitrox, gear, insurance | Nitrox, gear, insurance | Nitrox, gear, insurance, gratuities | Check what “all-inclusive” covers |
| Typical minimum level | Open Water on sheltered reefs, 18–20 m | Open Water to Advanced | Advanced plus drift experience | Advanced; some ask for about 50 logged dives |
Your certification affects value. Operators treat Cape Kri, Blue Magic and the Misool pinnacles as Advanced Open Water sites, so an Open Water diver on a liveaboard may pay for dives they can’t join.
Why are prices quoted per person per night, with fees itemised?
Nights vary the most, and group size decides how a cabin or vessel is shared. A per-person, per-night rate lets you compare a resort room with a liveaboard berth fairly. For whole-vessel trips, divide the nightly rate by your group size.
Fees get their own line for two reasons:
- Regulation sets them, not the operator. They can change.
- Capacity is limited. A 2026 travel-calendar article cites a ceiling of around 5,000 permits per month, and Misool’s co-managed area may add its own contribution and daily diver caps. The money pays for patrols, moorings and reef rehabilitation.
When does the season change what you pay?
- December–February: peak 30–40 m visibility and manta high season at Manta Sandy. These are the busiest and most expensive weeks.
- October–April: main season, calm Dampier Strait, 25–30 m visibility, 28–30 °C.
- May and September: shoulder months, 20–25 m visibility, strong currents that bring pelagics.
- June–August: rougher seas in the north and 15–20 m visibility, while Misool stays more sheltered. Many liveaboards move elsewhere or run fewer trips.
Guides advise booking October–April liveaboards and luxury packages 4–6 months ahead.
How does booking work?
- Send your brief. Dates, divers and non-divers, certification level, logged dives.
- Match the format. We check it against your level and the season.
- Receive a line-item quote. Each component is shown separately and dated.
- Confirm in writing. Deposit and balance follow the terms in your quote.
- Permits. The operator usually processes them. You supply certification cards, logbook and dive insurance.
- Travel. Fly into Sorong, cross to Waisai or your departure port, and dive.
Which booking terms apply?
| Term | What it covers | Where it is set |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | Amount and due date to hold dates, rooms or a vessel | Confirmed in the written quote |
| Balance | When the remaining payment falls due before departure | Confirmed in the written quote |
| Reschedule | Whether dates can move, and any cost to do so | Confirmed in the written quote |
| Cancellation | Refund scale by notice period, including partner dive centre and vessel terms | Confirmed in the written quote |
| Park fees | Per-guest charges and how regulatory changes are passed on | Confirmed in the written quote |
Terms differ by vessel and partner. Nothing is binding until it’s in the written quote.
Ready for a line-item quote?
Message the Komodo Luxury reservations team with your dates, group size and certification level. You’ll get every cost listed separately and dated, matched to a licensed partner dive centre or dive liveaboard.
WhatsApp: +62 811-3823-875 · Email: [sales@komodoluxury.com](mailto:sales@komodoluxury.com)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do non-divers pay the Raja Ampat park fees too?
Yes. The marine park card and the regency entry ticket are both charged per guest, whether or not that person dives, even on a single day trip. Children under 12 don’t need the marine park card. Check the regency ticket rule for children at booking.
Are park fees included in a Raja Ampat liveaboard price?
Usually not. Most liveaboards list the marine park card and regency ticket apart from the cabin or vessel rate, because the government sets and changes them. Ask for them as their own line on your quote. If a price says “all-inclusive”, check in writing whether fees, nitrox and gratuities are really covered.
Is a Raja Ampat diving tour cheaper between June and August?
Not reliably, and you’ll have fewer boats to choose from. Many liveaboards move elsewhere or run fewer trips from June to August, and northern sites get rougher seas and 15–20 m visibility. Misool stays more sheltered. Park fees don’t drop in the off-season, so any difference comes from nights and dives.
How much should I budget for a day dive tour from Waisai?
Start with park fees, charged per guest. You pay the full amount even for one day. Add the partner dive centre’s dive-day rate, your boat transfer, gear or nitrox if needed, and dive insurance. Dive rates vary by centre and season, so ask for a dated line-item quote before you commit.