This week, the Mermaid II just came back from yet another amazing 9 days journey around Raja Ampat. From spectacular karst islands and lagoons above, to legendary dive sites full of vibrant coral reefs and extraordinary marine biodiversity. Raja Ampat never cease to amaze us!
Starting down south in Misool, an area characterized by a series of karst islands which extends for kilometers in every direction. Just beneath the surface, surreal underwater landscapes full of vibrant soft corals and layers upon layers of sea fans.
In three days spent in Misool, our guests encountered a couple of Reef Manta Rays going for their morning cleaning session in their cleaning station. Large shoals of silvery Anchovies darted about in the blue, being chased around by larger predators. Meanwhile, the tiny Pigmy Seahorses quietly watches the show from their respective Sea Fans.
Heading up north from Misool, we stopped by an island called Penemu, famous for its iconic viewpoint overlooking the turquoise limestone karsts islands and lagoons below. We even spent 2 full days of diving around Penemu, exploring seldomly dived dive sites around the north of the islands, which didn’t disappoint! Even more schooling fish actions above an expansive hard coral gardens.
Another highlight would be an incredible night dive right in front of a small jetty, finding the elusive Blue-Ringed Octopus, which puts on a mesmerizing display of its bright blue rings, along with other amazing critters. Some lucky guests even managed to see a number of the endemic Raja Ampat Epaulette Walking Shark, “walking” with its fins along the seafloor.
On the last leg of the trip, we set sail into the Dampier Strait. Starting in the island of Yanggefo, famous for the unique bluewater mangroves, enjoying a breathtaking scenery where tropical rainforests literally meets the ocean.
We concluded our excellent adventure diving around the famous Sauwandarek Jetty, where this man made structures offered shelter for many marine life. And of course, the resident school of Ribboned and Oriental Sweetlips, and a massive school of Bigeye Jacks!
Christopher Pen
Mermaid II
December 12 – 20, 2025