If you’re considering a trip to Raja Ampat, you may be wondering what budget you should expect. The costs for a trip through Raja Ampat are somewhat higher than in the rest of Indonesia, but overall, we think it’s quite reasonable. After all, you’re in a remote corner of the world where almost everything needs to be imported, which leads to higher prices compared to what you’re used to in Indonesia. To give you an idea of the costs, we’ve listed the prices below by category, so you can easily estimate your budget for Raja Ampat.
Fixed Costs for Visiting Raja Ampat
First, you’ll need to fly to Raja Ampat. We assume you’ll combine your trip to Raja Ampat with another island in Indonesia, so we won’t include the flight from your home country. A round-trip flight from Jakarta or Bali to Sorong costs an average of $385. From Makassar, it’s cheaper, around $220. The ferry from Sorong to Waisai costs $10 or $17 for a VIP ticket.
Once you arrive in Raja Ampat, you are required to pay the national park entrance fee of $72 per person.
Accommodation Costs in Raja Ampat
A large portion of your budget for Raja Ampat will go to accommodations. You can choose between resorts or homestays. The resorts come in all shapes and sizes, but prices often start around $110 to $165 per night / per person. Accommodation prices in Raja Ampat are often per person rather than per room, as all your meals are included in your stay. A night in a homestay costs on average $39 to $55 per person, again on an all-inclusive basis. We’ve only stayed in homestays, and while they are simple, the locations are stunning. The photos below are of homestays, not resorts.
Tip: We’ve compiled the best homestays in Raja Ampat so you can easily choose. Tourism in Raja Ampat is growing rapidly, so it’s smart to book your accommodations as early as possible because the best places are often fully booked well in advance.
Food and Drink Costs
Food and drink costs are practically nonexistent because your accommodation is always all-inclusive. This is because there are no restaurants on the islands. On some islands, you can buy a cold drink, often at quite a high price, but there is little else available. The only food and drink costs you will have are for purchasing snacks before departure. If you enjoy an alcoholic drink, it might be wise to bring your own bottle of liquor, as a beer can cost up to $9 if you can even find a place selling it outside the resorts.
Transportation Costs in Raja Ampat
Transportation in Raja Ampat is expensive because only small boats operate between the islands. You always pay a price per boat, not per person. Many of the more popular islands are about 1.5 to 2 hours apart by boat, and for such a trip, you’ll pay around $88. It’s worthwhile to find other travelers to share the boat with. Often, you can share a boat with four people, keeping the costs low. Following our travel route for Raja Ampat? Then you’ll take the boat five times to a different island, with total costs around $460. This is the total cost for the five boat trips, not the price per person.
Diving and Tour Costs in Raja Ampat
Of course, you’ll also want to see some of the surrounding area, and you can book a tour through your accommodation. Again, you’ll pay a price per boat, so it’s much cheaper when you share the boat with more people. For just $11 per person, you can often spend an entire morning snorkeling at various spots around the island. These prices vary greatly depending on your accommodation. For a single dive, you’ll pay $44 to $55. Many dive schools offer packages, which can lower the price per dive. Tours to more distant islands, such as Piaynemo, are often much more expensive, depending on the distance to be covered.
Average Costs for a Trip to Raja Ampat
It’s difficult to pinpoint average costs for traveling in Raja Ampat because it depends greatly on the accommodations you choose, how many islands you visit, and how many activities you engage in. However, we can provide a minimum price, which comes out to about $72 per person per day. The fixed costs, like the flight ticket, are not included. If you plan to dive a lot, this amount will naturally increase.
Tips for Saving Money in Raja Ampat
To reduce costs, there are several things you can do.
- The longer you stay, the lower the cost: The trip to Raja Ampat makes your visit expensive. The longer you stay, the more affordable the price per day becomes, as once you’re in Raja Ampat, the costs are relatively reasonable.
- Limit travel between islands or share boats: The more you travel, the more expensive your trip becomes. If you’re on a tight budget, you can save a lot of money by island-hopping less or sharing boats with other travelers. The Raja Ampat Boat Sharing Requests Spreadsheet shares routes so you might be able to share boats with other travelers.
- Bring your own diving equipment: The prices for diving are lower when you use your own diving gear.
