Due to a dispute on business ethics, we no longer offer this dive operator.
Akomo Isseki is a 27m long Phinisi-style ‘ketch cutter’, a traditional Indonesian sailing vessel. Hand-crafted from the tropical hardwoods of the forests of Kendari, this ironwood-keeled liveaboard is a celebration of timber!
A maximum of only 8 guests can enjoy the local charm of this Komodo and Raja Ampat liveaboard crewed by 8 staff, meaning all guests on board will receive plenty of personalised service. You can relax in your cabin, in the air-conditioned dining room/saloon area or on the sundeck. The saloon is a good place to unwind, enjoy a beer or soft drink, browse the reading library, or listen to music. You may also, upon request, set up the laptop and TV projector and enjoy a movie or some newly shot underwater footage. If you prefer to be outside you can chill on sun seats on the sundeck, either enjoying the cool of the shaded area or soak up some rays in the tropical sunshine.
When it is dive time you will gear up and prepare your tanks on the spacious dive deck. There are some 20 tanks on board, individual dive stations, and central wooden storage boxes for all your bits and pieces. There is a 6m dive tender for those dives which cannot be done from the dive platform of the mother ship.
Meals are usually enjoyed in the indoor dining area and consist of a variety of freshly-cooked Indonesian and western meals. Fresh bread, freshly caught seafood and beach barbecues all feature among the culinary experiences of a trip on Akomo Isseki. This Indonesian liveaboard, popular among young and budget-conscious travellers, also features fishing, kayaking and wake-boarding.
There are 4 Standard twin bed cabins, all with 2 single beds. Some cabins have beds side by side, some in a T shape with 1 lower and 1 upper bed. All cabins are on the lower deck and share 2 bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
- Fans
- Portholes
- Reading lights
- Cabinet, shelves and space for luggage
- Bedding
- Shared bathrooms with toilet, shower, hand basin and towels
- Mains outlet 240 volts, twin round pin socket - 24 hours per day
- Fire extinguishers
No. of bathrooms / showers - 2 / 2
Raja Ampat National Park Central (10 Days / 9 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Frewin, Dampier Strait: Mioskon, Blue Magic, Chicken Reef, Yanbuba, Airborek Jetty, Lalosi, Penemu, Melissa’s Garden, My Reef, Mayhem, Citrus, Way Pretty Shallow, Wofo, Black Forest, Eagle Rock, Mike’s Point and Cape Kri
Day 1
You can join an early morning car transfer from Sorong or the express ferry (both take 90 minutes). You are advised to arrive in Sorong no later than 8 am in time for the 9 am ferry. Akomo Isseki will be waiting for you in Waisai harbour in Raja Ampat where you will meet the liveaboard crew. After refreshments and a short tour and explanation about the boat, safety on board, and intended plans for the trip, you will set up your scuba gear and check in to your cabin. Around lunch time at 12 noon, Akomo Isseki will set off in the direction of the famous Dampier Strait area of Raja Ampat, the first of many areas you will visit during the trip. Here you will do the check dive then you can relax while you travel and enjoy dinner and the first night of hospitality aboard Akomo Isseki.
Days 2-9
The first morning starts with a light breakfast followed by the first dive at Mioskon to get a feel for the week ahead. After this you will dive at the famous Blue Magic, well known for biodiversity and beautifully coloured soft and hard corals. After lunch, the third dive then, after a substantial supper, there is the possibility of a night dive. Dive 3 times per day (except the final full day) at some of the most famous spots in Raja Ampat, where you will observe circling giant manta rays. Find anglerfish hidden amongst the corals, sponges and sands, and search for wobbegongs and the wonderful walking shark. Raja Ampat is great for barracuda, trevally, bumphead parrotfish, fusiliers, surgeonfish, rainbow runners, sweetlips, and huge schools of bannerfish.
Between dives you can visit a small village, meet with the locals and see some of the manta ray conservation projects based here. Visit a pearl farm and learn how they are harvested. Take a kayak and explore the natural lagoons of crystal clear water and small islands overgrown with tropical vegetation. Ascend a ridge to take amazing pictures or just relax and enjoy the view. Trek into the jungle for a bird watching adventure to find the famous red bird of paradise.
The Indonesian cook is excellent, preparing a variety of Indonesian and Western dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, fresh baked breads, cakes, interval snacks, fruit juice, hot coffee, and treats in the open-air social area. Spend an evening under the stars enjoying a beach BBQ. He will happily cater for vegetarians and vegans.
Day 10
Akomo Isseki will end the trip in Waisai harbour and, after a final breakfast and the last exchange of photos and lifetime memories, the boat crew of Akomo Isseki will say their farewells. You can disembark at noon and then join the 2 pm ferry to Sorong or the 4 pm car transfer to your Sorong hotel.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].