The Climate and Best Time to Visit
It is possible to dive in Raja Ampat all year round and some of the resorts are open for business in all seasons. However, if at all possible, we recommend you avoid visiting from early-June to mid-September as most rain falls in the Sorong and Raja Ampat region during this time and some of the dive resorts are closed.
Mean lowland temperature is around 27°C all year round. As a general rule expect hot and muggy climates on the coasts and cool to cold weather in the mountain highlands.
In the rest of Indonesian Papua, heavy rains fall on the north coast during the northwest monsoon from November to April, with the highlands experiencing downpours from December to March. The southwest monsoon from May to October dumps rain on the mountains and leaves the coast relatively dry.
How to Get There
The Indonesian provinces of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) and Papua are the western portion of the huge island of New Guinea, to the east of The Moluccas and Halmahera, and to the north of Australia. If you are resort diving in Raja Ampat then Sorong is the main gateway to the rest of Indonesia and the world, even though Jayapura is the provincial capital. You can fly directly to Sorong from Jakarta, Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. From Bali there are convenient connections via Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado.
Jakarta International Airport is well connected with most of Asia and Europe. Domestic airlines with direct flights from Jakarta to Sorong include Batik Air, Pelita Air, Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air. You should be able to book flights with them online and pay with your debit/credit card. If you experience problems, please ask us for help. Alternatively, here is more information on how to get to: Bali and Manado.
Once in Sorong, you will be greeted and transferred by speedboat to your resort; the transfer takes between 2-4 hours, depending on which place you will stay at. Note that all the resorts have fixed weekly days of arrival when transfers will be scheduled free of charge. Most can accommodate your arrival on other days of the week but there will be an extra charge for this.
We recommend you consider taking out insurance cover for scuba diving package and travel, including trip cancellation. See our insurance programme for a competitive price:

Choose Your Own Accommodation
If you plan on staying in Indonesian Papua either before or after your Raja Ampat resort diving vacation, you can find a range of accommodations, even in this far flung corner of the world, at hotelscombined.com - our affiliated hotel reservation specialists:

Whatever option you select, your booking will be covered by a 'Low Price Guarantee' to ensure you get the best value for money.