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Raja Ampat: flying to Sorong and the boats to Waisai
How do I get to Raja Ampat?
Fly to Sorong: Garuda flies direct from Bali in 3 h 10 min, and overnight flights from Jakarta land at dawn. From Sorong, the Express Bahari fast ferry and the KMP Arar car ferry cross to Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat, in about two hours; homestays and resorts collect you there by boat. Budget for the fees: since January 2026 a foreign visitor pays Rp 1.7 million in all, the new Rp 1,000,000 regency levy on top of the Rp 700,000 marine park card.
At a glance
| Province | Southwest Papua (Papua Barat Daya) |
|---|---|
| Usual way in | Flight to Sorong, then ferry to Waisai |
| Terminals and ports | Sorong airport (SOQ); Sorong and Waisai harbours |
Sorong to Waisai: the fast ferry, the car ferry and the fees
Fast boats cross from Sorong to Waisai in about two hours: Express Bahari, and the Belibis boat, which leaves Sorong at 09:00 and Waisai at 14:00 and since 1 September 2026 charges foreign visitors Rp 200,000. ASDP's KMP Arar car ferry makes the crossing too. All of them stop at Waisai: for Kri, Gam, Arborek, Wayag or Piaynemo your homestay or resort sends its own boat, and Misool has its own routes from Sorong.
| Usual way | Express Bahari fast ferry |
|---|---|
| Typical time | About 2 h |
| Where it arrives | Waisai harbour |
Belibis fast-boat fares from 1 September 2026, Sorong to Waisai:
Ticket first, then the boat. Tickets are bought at the counter in each harbour, and since September the harbour master takes anyone without one off the boat, so buy yours before you queue to board.
The car ferry uses another harbour. KMP Arar sails from Pelabuhan Klademak (Klademak harbour) in Sorong city on ASDP's pioneer rotation, which also takes it to Gag, Gebe, Patani and Weda; its sailing days are posted at the ASDP office in Klademak.
| Fee, foreign visitor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Regency tourism levy, since January 2026 | Rp 1,000,000 (was Rp 300,000) |
| Marine park card (TLPJL) and other charges | Rp 700,000 |
| Total | Rp 1,700,000 |
Indonesians pay less: Rp 300,000 regency levy, Rp 650,000 in all; children under 12 are exempt from the regency levy.
The marine park card is sold online on kkprajaampat.id by the BLUD UPTD that manages the conservation area, and at its office on Jalan Yos Sudarso in Waisai, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00.
Checked on arrival and at sea. Fast boats land at Pelabuhan Falaya (Falaya harbour) in Waisai, where park staff check and sell the card. Patrols check it at sea too, so keep it with you.
Flights to Sorong (SOQ) from Jakarta
Fly overnight from Soekarno–Hatta: Garuda leaves at 00:10 and lands in Sorong at 06:20, and Batik Air leaves at 00:30 and lands at 06:35, sold from about Rp 5,535,000 for November 2026.
| Usual way | Overnight direct flight |
|---|---|
| Typical time | About 4 h 10 min |
| Where it arrives | Sorong airport (SOQ) |
The clock jumps two hours. Sorong is on Eastern Indonesia Time, two hours ahead of Jakarta, so a four-hour flight leaving after midnight lands at dawn.
Flights to Sorong from Bali
Garuda flies direct from Denpasar to Sorong, leaving at 08:00 and landing at 12:10, about Rp 3,049,000 for November 2026. Lion Air's 07:00 flight stops on the way and lands at 14:45.
| Usual way | Garuda direct flight |
|---|---|
| Typical time | 3 h 10 min |
| Where it arrives | Sorong airport (SOQ) |
An hour ahead of Bali. Sorong runs one hour ahead of Bali time, which the arrival time already includes.
From Waisai to the homestays and dive resorts
Waisai is where the public ferry stops. Getting from there to your homestay works differently.
There is no public boat beyond Waisai. The ferries from Sorong stop at Waisai; to Kri, Gam, Arborek or the further islands you go in your homestay's or resort's longboat, so book the transfer when you book the room.
Misool is a different trip. Misool, one of Raja Ampat's largest islands, is reached by its own boats from Sorong, not through Waisai.
Wayag, Piaynemo and the reefs of the four kings
These are the views and reefs people travel this far for.
- Wayag is the postcard of Raja Ampat: karst islands rising out of blue water, best seen from the top after a steep climb.
- Piaynemo is the hilltop lookout over a cluster of small islands, the view most island-hopping trips climb for.
- Cape Kri draws divers from across the world with its mix of fish and coral.
- Arborek is the village to visit: you meet the people who live there and snorkel in the clear water around it.
- Pasir Timbul, a white sandbank that appears only at low tide, and Batu Pensil, the pencil-shaped rock, are the photo stops on most island trips.
- Misool, one of the largest islands, rewards the separate trip with caves such as Goa Keramat and rich marine life.
Going further
Routes through this hub
- Sorong to Waisai: the fast ferry, the car ferry and the feesExpress Bahari and KMP Arar to Waisai, about two hours; foreign visitors pay Rp 1.7 million in fees in all.
- Flights to Sorong (SOQ) from JakartaOvernight direct flights, about 4 hours, landing about 06:20 to 06:35; from about Rp 5,535,000 for November 2026.
- Flights to Sorong from BaliGaruda direct, 08:00 to 12:10, 3 h 10 min, about Rp 3,049,000 for November 2026.
Raja Ampat: what travellers ask
How do I get from Bali to Raja Ampat?
Fly Garuda direct from Denpasar to Sorong, 08:00 to 12:10, then take the ferry from Sorong to Waisai, about two hours; your homestay collects you from Waisai by boat.
How much is the Raja Ampat entry fee?
Rp 1.7 million in all for a foreign visitor since January 2026: the Rp 1,000,000 regency levy plus Rp 700,000 for the marine park card and other charges. Indonesians pay Rp 650,000; children under 12 skip the regency levy.
How long is the ferry from Sorong to Waisai?
About two hours by fast boat: Express Bahari, or Belibis, which leaves Sorong at 09:00 and Waisai at 14:00. The KMP Arar car ferry also makes the crossing.
How long does it take to get to Raja Ampat?
From Jakarta, an overnight flight of about four hours to Sorong, landing around 06:30, then about two hours by ferry to Waisai and the boat to your homestay.
Sources for Raja Ampat
- TTG Asia: Raja Ampat raises tourism fees (20 January 2026)
- RRI Sorong: new Sorong - Waisai boat fares from 1 September 2026 (26 August 2026)
- JawaPos: Waisai - Sorong fast boat timetable 2026 (23 May 2026)
- BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat: marine park fee (TLPJL)
- Antara: seven Raja Ampat destinations