EPICA

24m / 79ft MAX 12

PRICE PER DAY FROM USD 175

LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE

At a glance:

Maximum of only 12 guests
Visits central, northern and southern Raja Ampat
Year round Raja Ampat liveaboard diving
Short, affordable cruises
Small dive groups

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Epica is an awesome Raja Ampat liveaboard for guests on a tight budget. Popular among young divers, Epica can accommodate a maximum of 12 guests in 6 simple cabins. Most trips are either 6 nights covering the Dampier Strait, or 9 night cruises including either the further northern or southern Raja Ampat region.

You can hang out on the large upper deck lounging on bean bags or in the hammock enjoying the stunning views of the islands of Raja Ampat. You can also sit on the bench seating at the main dining table or on stools facing out to the port or starboard side of the boat. There are also bean bags on the sun deck where you can work on your tropical tan.

Cabins are all on the main deck, with twin bunk beds. They have cooling fans and natural ventilation and have doors that open on to the deck, which many guests leave open for the ocean view. Guests share 2 bathrooms with fresh water showers. At the rear of the main deck is the dive deck, where you gear up and either step into the diving tender or dive directly from the mothership.

Meals are freshly prepared by the chef and are a mix of international favourites as well as Indonesian specialties, served buffet-style in the main deck dining area. Epica may be no frills but offers a fun and affordable way to dive the world-class sites of Raja Ampat and, for some, that is the perfect mix!

Epica has 6 standard twin bed cabins on the main deck. All cabins share 2 bathrooms.

All the liveaboard cabins have:

Cooling fans
Portholes
Shared bathroom with toilet, hand basin and cold water shower
Space for luggage

100% organic cotton bedding and towels
Life jackets and fire extinguishers
220V electricity supply with round 2-pin sockets - available 24-hrs per day

No. of bathrooms / showers - 2 / 2 - shared

Raja Ampat National Park Central (7 Days / 6 Nights - 19 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Dampier Strait: Kri, Mansuar, Arborek, Yenbuba, Sawandarek, Manta Sandy, Jef Fam Islands, Saporkren, Yanggalo. Excursion to Arborek Island, Mioskon beach, Penemu viewpoint.

Day 1
Your diving trip to Central Raja Ampat starts when you board the Epica liveaboard in Waisai. After being shown to your cabin, you'll meet with the crew and fellow divers for a welcome briefing on safety procedures and the week's schedule. The afternoon is for preparation: set up your dive kit, complete a check dive, and settle in. As the sun sets, look forward to the diving ahead before you go to your cabin, rocked to sleep gently by the boat.

Core Days
Your days onboard Epica now fall into a perfect routine of diving, dining, and relaxing - the classic liveaboard way of life. Every morning, your cruise director carefully selects the dive sites, basing their choices on conditions and the group's preferences to ensure you see Raja Ampat's underwater wonders at their absolute best. Expert guides help spot camouflaged critters like pygmy seahorses and exotic nudibranchs, while majestic mantas glide into cleaning stations and reef sharks patrol the drop-offs.
Diving the Dampier Strait is renowned for its unrivalled marine biodiversity and strong, nutrient-rich currents. The area, which channels water between the islands, attracts huge, dense schools of fish, including jacks, barracuda, and tuna. It is particularly famous for its manta ray cleaning stations, where you can regularly observe both reef and oceanic mantas.
Arborek Jetty is a signature shallow dive site where the pier's pylons are completely overgrown with vibrant soft corals and sponges. Divers descend to find themselves enveloped in massive schools of fish, including jacks, tuna, and sweetlips, which congregate between the wooden columns. It is also an excellent spot for macro life - look closely for pygmy seahorses, electric clams, and numerous nudibranchs.
Manta Sandy is one of Raja Ampat’s most famous and dependable dive sites. As its name suggests, it is a shallow, sandy-bottomed lagoon that serves as a highly active manta ray cleaning station.The waters surrounding Yangeffo Island are highly regarded for their rich reefs and diverse ecosystems. It is situated in a zone that often benefits from the nutrient-rich currents of the Dampier Strait, feeding the extensive marine life.
One highlight of the liveaboard trip is the climb to the Penemu Viewpoint. Upon arriving at the karst island cluster, you'll find a well-maintained wooden staircase of about 300 steps leading up the cliff face. While the climb is a workout, it rewards you with one of Raja Ampat's most famous panoramic sights: a sweeping view of a turquoise lagoon dotted with dozens of small, jungle-covered limestone islands. This vista is often compared to the famous Wayag Islands but is much easier to access, making it the perfect final stop for an unforgettable day.

Day 7
Before you know it, your final dive is done. Once your kit is sorted and dry, you'll have a relaxing sail back to Waisai. This is the ideal time to swap details with your new diving mates, look back at the week's best bits, and grab those last shots of the islands. After a light lunch, you'll disembark from Epica, your camera and logbook heavy with memories, for your transfer to Sorong - leaving with a profound appreciation for Raja Ampat's underwater kingdom.

Raja Ampat National Park South & Central (9 Days / 8 Nights - 21 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat - Mioskon, Misool: Love Lagoon, Balbulol, Daram, Wayilbatan, Yilliet, Farondi, Fabiacet; Dampier Strait: Penemu, Gam, Cape Kri, Sardine Reef, Arborek, Sawandarek, Gam, Jef Fam, Manta Ridge. Bird Watching with a local Papuan guide, snorkelling at Jellyfish Lake, Penemu viewpoint, beach visit for flying foxes, cave paintings.

Day 1
Your Raja Ampat diving trip to Misool and the Dampier Strait starts when you board the Epica liveaboard in Waisai. Once you've checked into your cabin, you'll meet with the other divers for a necessary safety and itinerary briefing. The afternoon is dedicated to preparing your dive kit and completing a quick check dive in local calm waters, to ensure all equipment is adjusted correctly. Lunch and dinner are served, depending on your arrival time. The diving schedule starts tomorrow.

Core Days
In Misool, you'll explore seamounts rich with soft coral and swim through caverns where reef sharks patrol. The Dampier Strait offers exhilarating drift dives, featuring manta rays at cleaning stations and schooling barracuda. Your dive guides will highlight camouflaged life, such as pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs. The sheer density of marine life, from dogtooth tuna to anthias, is simply astounding.
Fabiacet is a cluster of small islands in the Misool area of Raja Ampat famous for its spectacular biodiversity. This area is defined by an extensive underwater ridge and various submerged pinnacles, creating dramatic walls and shallow reefs. These features are completely blanketed in some of the world's most dense and colourful concentrations of soft corals and massive gorgonian sea fans. Divers can expect to see huge schools of snappers, barracuda, and trevally in the blue, alongside constant sightings of reef sharks and even the endemic wobbegong shark.
Mioskon is a shallow, sloping reef in the Dampier Strait and runs down to about 25 metres, it is famous for its large schools of yellow snapper and endemic wobbegongs resting beneath the ledges. In the shallower sections, the reef is particularly rich in colour and macro life, allowing dive guides to easily point out rare finds, like pygmy seahorses clinging to the sea fans.
Cape Kri holds the official world record for the highest number of fish species counted on a single dive. In 2012, renowned marine biologist Dr. Gerald Allen recorded an astonishing 374 species in a single 90-minute dive, a testament to the site's unbelievable biodiversity. The sheer volume of marine life is overwhelming. You will be constantly surrounded by massive schools of fish, including swirling tornadoes of chevron barracuda, clouds of fusiliers, and huge schools of snappers and jacks.
Manta Ridge is a submerged ridge that acts as a primary cleaning station for both the smaller reef manta rays and the much larger oceanic mantas. Here, the mantas hover and circle near the ridge, allowing tiny cleaner wrasse to remove parasites. This predictable behaviour allows divers to get close to these majestic animals.
Your liveaboard cruise in Raja Ampat with Epica also affords some unique land adventures: tracking the elusive birds-of-paradise alongside a local Papuan guide, swimming with non-stinging jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, climbing to the stunning panoramic Penemu Viewpoint, witnessing the dramatic nightly migration of flying foxes from a secluded beach, and exploring ancient cave paintings hidden among the karst cliffs.

Day 9
The morning will bring your final dive, a last chance to savour the unparalleled biodiversity of these waters. After you rinse your gear and pack up, settle in for the leisurely cruise back to Waisai. You'll enjoy a light lunch while soaking in the final views of the spectacular limestone karsts. Upon disembarking, you'll transfer to Sorong, leaving with a camera full of images, a logbook overflowing with incredible sightings, and a deep, lasting appreciation for Raja Ampat’s underwater wonders.

Raja Ampat National Park North & Central (10 Days / 9 Nights - 25 Dives)

[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].

6 am - Wake Up & Light Breakfast
Upper deck dining area. Small breakfast options:
* Cereals: Coco Crunch, Corn Flakes, Oatmeal
* Fresh fruit (watermelon, pineapple, banana)
* Juices (orange, apple, or tropical blends)
* Coffee, tea, milk

7 am - Dive 1
Morning dive briefing → Departure by tender

9 am - Full Breakfast Buffet
Upper deck dining area. Hot and cold options:
* Eggs (omelette, sunny-side-up, scrambled)
* Toast / bread (butter, jam, peanut butter)
* Pancakes (with syrup/honey)
* Sausages or baked beans (some days)
* Fresh fruit and yoghurt
* Coffee, tea, juices

10:30 am - Dive 2
Second dive of the day

12:30 pm - Lunch Buffet
Upper deck dining area. Indonesian and Western mix:
* Rice (white, fried, or yellow)
* Chicken (crispy fried, curry, pan-seared)
* Seafood (grilled fish, prawns, calamari)
* Vegetarian (tempeh, tofu, stir-fried veggies)
* Salad bar (lettuce, cucumber, tomato)
* Fresh fruit (mango, papaya, melon)
* Dessert (sometimes pudding or jelly)

2:30 pm - Dive 3
Afternoon dive session

4:30 pm - Snack Time
Upper deck dining area. Light snacks:
* Sweet (cake, fried banana, doughnuts)
* Savoury (popcorn, sandwiches, spring rolls)
* Coffee and tea available

6 pm - Land excursion OR Night dive Option 1: Land visit - Beach walk, viewpoint hike, or village tour. Sundowner drinks (optional)
Option 2: Night dive (if scheduled). Briefing at 5:45 pm → Dive at 6:15 pm

8 pm - Dinner Buffet
Upper deck dining area. Varied Menu (rotated daily):
* Rice / Pasta (fried rice, spaghetti, or noodles)
* Proteins (grilled fish, butter prawns, BBQ chicken)
* Vegetarian (tempeh, tofu, veggie stir-fry)
* Sides (steamed veggies, fries, mashed potatoes)
* Soup (especially after night dives, e.g. chicken soup)
* Dessert (fruit platter, sometimes ice cream)

9:30+ pm - Relaxation
* Drinks at the bar (optional)
* Briefing for next day's dives

Additional notes: ** Coffee, tea, and water available all day. ** Dietary requests (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) should be informed in advance. ** Night dives may adjust dinner timing slightly. ** Non-divers can replace dive slots with snorkelling or relaxation.

DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES

MORE TRIP DETAILS

Dive experience: For Cenderawasih, Ambon and Banda trips - minimum requirement is advanced with 25 logged dives. All other trips - Open Water with 4 dives.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English and Indonesian-speaking divemaster(s) (max 4 divers per DM), torch for night dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (full set incl. dive computer: USD 36 per day), dive insurance, hotel or airport transfers, Raja Ampat - park fees USD 90, diving fees USD 30, and port fees USD 100. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash - EUR, USD, and IDR, credit card).

Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, transfers from Sorong airport/Meridien hotel to the boat (USD 50 per person one way), transfers from Labuan Bajo airport to the boat (USD 10 per person one way). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: Raja Ampat: The Epica liveaboard departs from Waisai in West Papua. You can fly directly to Sorong from Jakarta, Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. From Bali there are convenient connections via Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Manado. We will help you arrange return domestic flights between Bali or Jakarta and Sorong, if necessary. You can either make your way to the departure point in Waisai independently (there is a Sorong Waisai ferry leaving at 09:00 hrs) or you can arrange a VIP transfer. The meeting point for the VIP transfer service is the Meridien Hotel in Sorong at 07:30 hrs. You will then be transferred to the ferry. The transfer and ferry ticket price are included in the VIP transfer service price. Guests already in Waisai meet at the tourist information in Waisai harbour at 11:00 hrs. For more details, including airlines, see our travel information section.
The last dive of the trip will be at around 10:00 hrs on the last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. If your cruise ends in Waisai you will disembark in time for the ferry at 14:00 hrs. Expected time of arrival back in Sorong is 16:00 hrs. Arriving a day before your cruise and departing the day after your cruise is strongly advised.

Non-diver rate: 10% off the published price.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 75% for their own cabin.

Dive clubs and group discounts: None.

Whole boat charter rate (per night): There is none available for this boat. Please contact us to enquire for a full charter.

Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow

Amira

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Customer rating: Excellent!

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