Journal

Raja Ampat breaks into four working zones for a cruising yacht — the Dampier Strait core, Batanta and Salawati, the northern islands and Misool. What each demands and offers.

Raja Ampat has a monsoon rhythm rather than a wet and dry season. How to read the year for planning, and why the forecast still governs the day.

Manta rays are protected in Indonesian waters. How yacht tenders, divers and snorkellers should behave around mantas and other megafauna in Raja Ampat.

Most reef and shore in Raja Ampat sits under customary tenure held by local clans and villages. What that means in practice for anchoring, landing and shore access.

The Dampier Strait's tidal streams are the reason its reefs are extraordinary. What that means for dive planning, tender work and where a yacht positions itself.

There is no yacht service industry in Raja Ampat. How to build a spares inventory, close out deferred defects and prepare crew for a cruising ground with no support.

Crew and guest movements in Raja Ampat run through Sorong and the Waisai ferry. How to schedule rotations with the buffer that weather and flight patterns demand.

There is no MARPOL-grade reception facility in Raja Ampat. How yachts should reduce, segregate, hold and land waste responsibly in a marine protected area.

An honest provisioning guide for Raja Ampat — what the Waisai market reliably supplies, what must come from Sorong or further, and how to plan menus around reality.

Fuel is the constraint that shapes every Raja Ampat itinerary. How bunkering actually works from Sorong, what Waisai can supply, and how to protect your engines.