SOLD OUT! WAITING LIST AVAILABLE
Misool Raja Ampat Indonesia
Only 22 Villa Utara is available. Trip will sell-out!
Note: 2 bedroom space best suited for 2 couples.
s 02° 24.498, e 130° 55.635
Groundhog Divers presents our: RAJA AMPAT INDONESIA TRIP
Misool Eco Resort
April 16-25, 2021 (9+1 nights)
Misool: explore the world’s richest reefs
Misool is a private island resort and conservation center located in remote southern Raja Ampat, Indonesia. You’ll find the island hidden deep in an archipelago of uninhabited islands 165 km from the nearest port, and 20 km from the nearest village.
Surrounded by the richest reefs in the world, at the very heart of marine biodiversity, the 300,000 acre / 1220 sq. km Misool Marine Reserve was established in 2005. Located inside the Raja Ampat Shark and Manta Sanctuary, spearheaded by Misool in 2010. There simply are no richer reefs on earth.
Misool resort island is a true tropical hideaway, just a stone’s throw south of the equator. With a maximum capacity of just 40 guests and a staff-to-guest ratio of 4 to 1, they offer exclusive adventure holidays and transformative experiences in pristine nature.
Misool Package includes:
- Sorong Airport pick-up and porter service
- Round-trip speedboat transfers between the airport and resort
- 9 nights’ accommodation at Misool
- Fullboard and includes four meals per day plus: afternoon tea time, most non-alcoholic beverages
- Unlimited diving; three scheduled boat dives per day, dusk dive or a night dive each night. The House Reef is open from 08:00 to 20:00 every day for buddy teams or guided dives. Includes tanks, weights, expert guides, fuel charges, free nitrox for certified divers, free 15-minute massage after the first dive.
- Snorkelling on the House Reef and with baby sharks in the North Lagoon and free local use of kayaks and Stand Up Paddle Boards
- A series of evening educational lectures in the Dive Center
- 1-night hotel accommodation and breakfast in Sorong April 25 – 26 for one night following your stay at Misool on scheduled transfer dates
- Government tax
BONUS: $250 USD resort Credit
The group has 9 accommodations available at double occupancy, with the exception of Villa Utara which is a 2 bedroom Villa at Quad occupancy.
Rate per person at double occupancy + FLIGHTS
North Lagoon Water Cottages SOLD OUT
(only 4 available)
Diver – $5210 USD
Non-Diver – $3915 USD
North Lagoon Villas
(only 3 villas available; Villa Utara – 2 bedrooms based on quad occupancy STILL AVAILABLE, Villa Nasnoos SOLD OUT & Villa Wakachom SOLD OUT each based on DBL occupancy)
Diver – $5940 USD
Non-Diver – $4645 USD
South Beach Villas
(Villa Waya Biru SOLD OUT & Villa Moro Laiyn. These villas are a short 10-minute walk over the hill from the restaurant and dive center or an even shorter water taxi ride at high tide. They are extremely private and have the most wonderful beach and natural lagoon)
Diver – $5210 USD
Non-Diver – $3915 USD
Deposit: $1500 USD per person, non-refundable.
2nd Deposit: $1500 USD on Oct. 1, 2020.
Final Payment: Jan. 10, 2021.
Flights: Paid in full upon reservation.
Cancellation: Refer to specific terms and conditions.
Travel Insurance: Cancellation and emergency medical insurance are available as an option.
Documentation: A Canadian or US passport with 6 months validity from the date of return.
The single Occupancy rate in a water cottage is $6650 USD + Flights.
Paid Locally: Surat Jalan (Travel Permit), and a Raja Ampat Marine Park Entry Permit, which costs Rp.1,000,000 per person (approximately $75 USD). Unlimited access to a satellite internet connection in the dive center: $72 USD for 9 nights. Subject to change.
In order to dive at the resort, guests are required to either be certified divers or to have arranged a dive course prior to arriving.
If they are planning on diving, they will be required to have full dive insurance, including emergency evacuation cover. Our Manulife policies travel insurance policies which include emergency medical are excepted by the resort as adequate coverage. We also recommend that all guests have adequate travel insurance for their trip which includes cancellation, interruption and emergency medical coverage.
It is required to complete the online Misool guest data registration and medical questionnaire prior to departure (We will forward you the links at the appropriate time well in advance). Any yes answer to the medical questionnaire will require that you get a physician’s letter of approval of fitness to dive which we will forward to the resort and you will carry the original with you on your trip.
Many questions about Misool can be answered by following the link to their FAQ page.
More Information:
Today, Misool represents one of the most pristine reef systems left on earth. According to a May 2017 assessment by Dr. Mark Erdmann, marine biologist, coral reef ecologist, and Vice President of Conservation International’s Asia-Pacific marine programs, Misool is “one of only a handful of places in the universe where biodiversity is improving rather than declining.” Erdmann also raved that “There is greater biodiversity – that is to say, a larger number and greater diversity of fish, coral, and mollusks – on these reefs than anywhere on earth.”
When it comes to coral, a single football field-sized patch of Misool’s reefs has nearly five times the number of coral species as the entire Caribbean Sea. The 1,564 species of reef fish found in Raja Ampat’s one million acres is 3 times greater than the 500 different species observed in the entire 680 million acres the Caribbean covers. The relative density of fish species in Raja Ampat to the Caribbean is 200:1.
Misool was built entirely of reclaimed tropical hardwoods, milled on-site with their own portable sawmill. The accommodations have been meticulously designed for comfort, privacy, and sustainability. All of our rooms feature Balinese-style open-air bathrooms, air-conditioning, fresh hot and cold showers, mini-bars stocked with treats from around the archipelago, and handcrafted furniture and fittings. Our eight rustically luxurious Water Cottages are built on stilts over the North Lagoon, just steps from the Dive Center and restaurant. In the same area, we offer four slightly larger North Lagoon Villas. On a powder-white beach, you’ll find seven South Beach Villas overlooking a blue water swimming hole.
We offer a broad range of Asian and Western cuisine, with a focus on fresh, local, and organic fare. We offer four meals per day, plus afternoon tea on the terrace, with freshly baked treats like lemon and cardamom biscotti or island-fresh banana fritters with shaved white chocolate. We have a selection of imported beer, wine, and champagne available. Snacks and drinks are available throughout the day. We can easily accommodate vegetarians, vegans, and other dietary needs and restrictions – just let us know in advance so we can prepare.
House Reef: a world-class shore dive
Our House Reef is a shore dive, easily accessed at any time from either the end of the jetty or the Dive Center. On a rising tide, jump off the end of the jetty and enjoy an easy drift North through the channel, which is exposed to variable current. Schooling horse-eyed jacks congregate under the pier, joined by massive schools of fusiliers and shoals of passing anchovies. Several very large groupers make their home in the depths under the jetty, and they often appear to inspect visitors to their reefs. We regularly see large blacktip reef sharks patrolling the deeper areas, as well as the occasional grey reef shark. There are three scheduled boat dives per day, as well as either a dusk dive or a night dive each night. The House Reef is open from 08:00 to 20:00 every day for buddy teams or guided dives. Nitrox is provided free of charge.
Your stay at Misool directly supports our numerous conservation initiatives and provides sustainable employment opportunities to local people, entirely decoupled from the extraction of marine resources
Bali Add-on and Flights
Consider the recommended add-on of 3 nights in Bali prior to going to Misool as it provides some time to recoup from the jet lag and 12-hour time zone change which makes for a more enjoyable experience once you arrive in Misool.
Adding Bali generates a departure from Toronto of April 10, 2021, and return of April 27, 2021 (subject to change depending on exact flight itineraries)
Puri Santrian Hotel, Sanur Bali April 12 – 15, 2021, Budget $830 CAD per person at double occupancy
Includes: Round-trip airport transfers, 3 nights’ accommodation in Club Room with breakfast and late check out by 5:30 pm.
A local day tour in Bali can easily be added at a cost of approx. $55 USD per person paid locally with private guide and bus for the group, water & fresh towels, all entrance fees and donations and lunch on the mountain.
- A beautiful 14th century Hindu Temple in Batuan Village (learn about the Balinese Hindu Temple lay out and the Balinese belief and faith)
- The Elephant Cave (an old cave used by the Buddhist Monk for meditation)
- The center of tropical fruit and spices farming
- Mount Batur (the most beautiful volcano in Bali and lunch with the view of the volcano and lake)
- Art Villages in Ubud (wood carving, gold & silver, batik, or painting village based on timing and your interest)
- Not Included: Drinks at lunch and tips
FLIGHTS from Toronto
- Flight Budget $2150 – $2500 CAD per person
- Cathay Pacific Toronto via Hong Kong to Bali, returning Jakarta via Hong Kong to Toronto, Budget $1300 – $1500 CAD per person
- Garuda Airlines Bali via Jakarta to Sorong, returning Sorong to Jakarta, Budget $850 – $1000 CAD per person
- An overnight hotel in Jakarta may be required on April 26 – 27, recommend Bandara International Hotel, budget $80 CAD per room
- Real-time flight schedules and fares will be published by the airlines in July 2020.
Projected Tentative Itinerary
- April 10 Departure from Toronto late in the evening
- April 12 – 15 Arrive Bali for 3 Night Stay
- April 15 Depart Bali and Fly Bali via Jakarta to Sorong, arrive Sorong 06:25 on April 16
- April 16 Transfer to Misool Eco Resort at 9 am, arrive resort at 1 pm for 9 Night Stay
- April 25 Depart Misool transfer back to Sorong at 1 pm arrive Sorong at 4 pm
- April 25 – 26 Overnight Sorong 1 Night
- April 26 Depart Sorong 08:25 for Jakarta, an overnight in Jakarta may be required, and return to Toronto
- April 27 Arrive Toronto
Michael O’Meara
Squba Holidays Inc.
1-800-265-3447 X 105
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