frequently asked questions:
We're here to help! Here are some frequently asked questions:
Q: Where the heck is Misool?
A: We are located on our own private island in Southern Raja Ampat, West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia, on the site of a former shark finning camp. Our island is just south of the equator, S 02.244661, E 130.558167. We are surrounded by our own 300,000 acre Misool Marine Reserve. All of our dive sites are within our own patrolled No-Take Zone.
Q: How do I get to Misool?
A: We will meet you at the Sorong Airport and then treat you to a light breakfast and a cup of coffee at the marina while we load your baggage onto our boat. This is also a good time to change into shorts and a t-shirt, so keep those handy in your carry-on baggage along with sunscreen and a hat.
When the boat is ready for departure, we'll take you the harbour, with departure around 08:00.
We recommend all guests transit through Jakarta, arriving the evening before the start of your stay at Misool. We will advise you of the best domestic flight options six months before arrival.
Transit through Bali is also possible, thought flights are less convenient.
Q: What is the baggage allowance?
A: Baggage allowance for Garuda domestic travel is 20 kg, and excess baggage fees around 40,000 IDR/kg. Please note that if the international flights are on a SkyTeam Alliance airline such as Delta, KLM, Air France, Korean Air, or Garuda, you maybe able to check your baggage all the way through to Sorong. In this case, Garuda currently gives 30 kg for domestic flights as well.
Q: What sort of boat will we travel on to reach the island?
A: We'll travel on our comfortable private transfer boat. Merantau was custom built for us in 2018 and is equipped with 6 x 250 engines, indoor seating for 45 passengers, outdoor seating both fore and aft, toilet and all safety equipment. Click here to see photos and video of Merantau.
Q: How long does it take to reach the resort island?
A: The journey from Sorong to Batbitim, our resort island, is about 5 hours, depending upon sea conditions. The first third is a scenic passage between the Papuan mainland and small islands of the Salawati group, fringed by mangroves. The second third of the journey is an open crossing over generally calm seas. During the final leg of the journey, we enter the breathtakingly beautiful island chain to which Batbitim belongs. We'll cruise between sheer karst cliffs and innumerable small islands, often escorted by dolphins. About 30 minutes before we arrive at the resort, we'll cross the border into our No-Take-Zone.
Q: What if I have to spend the night in Sorong before the trip?
A: We can arrange a Sorong Arrival Package for you. We will collect you at the airport, take you to your hotel and check you in. We'll collect you again the following morning and bring to to the dock just before departure.
Q: When can I visit?
A: Misool offers all-inclusive packages for 7+1, 9+1, or 12+1 night stays. That means 7 nights at the resort followed by 1 night in Sorong on scheduled departure dates. Please refer to our schedule for detailed information. View our schedule here.
Q: What's included in the accommodation package price?
Package price includes accommodation, meals and snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, coffee and tea, and one hotel night with breakfast in Sorong following your stay at Misool.
Government tax is included in the package price and subject to change without notice.
Also included are airport pick-up and drop-off services in Sorong, porter fees, transport between the airport and the harbour on scheduled transfer days.
Packages quoted per person based on double occupancy.
Learn more about our rates here.
PS - as of January 2019, Misool donates 100 USD per person to our sister charity, Misool Foundation. We invite you to match our donation.
Q: What's included in the dive package price?
Tanks, weights, expert guides, fuel, free Nitrox for qualified divers as available.
The first 'Check Dive' is counted as part of your package, as are all other House Reef and boat dives.
Government tax and service charge are included in the package price and subject to change without notice.
Q: What's not included in either of those packages?
Speedboat transfer from Sorong to our resort island. The cost is 380 USD per person, per return trip on scheduled departure dates in 2023.
Equipment rental. To avoid disappointment, please advise us at the time of booking if you require any rentals - supplies are limited. Please note that we don’t rent wetsuits, so you will need to bring this with you.
Each guest (whether diving or not) must purchase a Raja Ampat Marine Park Entry permit. This is available for 1,000,000 IDR (about 72USD), or 500,000 IDR for Indonesian nationals. The tag is valid for one calendar year. We can arrange this for you.
Most other experiences, like cooking classes, kayaking tours, SUP tours, scooter snorkeling, private beach picnics, etc.
Spa services and laundry
Alcoholic beverages. We have Indonesian beer and a selection of imported wine available for purchase.
Dinner in Sorong before departing.
Q: What sort of payment do you accept for incidentals incurred during my stay?
A: Incidental charges such as dive packages, snorkel packages, spa services, excursions, internet, souvenirs, etc can be paid by Visa, Mastercard, Wise, or cash (Rupiah, USD, or Euros) before your departure. Our bank will charge you 2% for this service. If you’d like to pay in cash, please note that foreign notes must be in perfect condition - otherwise Indonesian banks will not accept them for exchange or may choose to give you a lower exchange rate. USD 100 notes receive the best exchange rate if dated 2000 or later. If you’d like to pay in Indonesian Rupiah, there is an ATM near the hotel where you’ll be spending the night after your stay with us.
Q: What should I bring with me?
A: Please refer to our Packing List for more details, but some important ones are:
Proof of dive insurance and dive certification card. We’ll need to see them before you get in the water.
All dive equipment, including a torch, surface marker buoy, dive computer, wetsuit, and well-maintained gear. Computer and surface marker buoy (safety sausage) are required safety equipment. If you need to hire any equipment, please let us know at the time of booking. We don’t rent wetsuits.
Passport valid from 6 months from the time of entry into Indonesia. Nationals of most countries will be granted a 30-day visa.
One full empty page in your passport in which to put the Visa on Arrival sticker.
You may be asked by Indonesian Immigration officials to show a copy of your airline ticket out of Indonesia within the 30-day period.
A warm pullover or jacket. Evenings can occasionally be brisk, and the domestic flights are often extremely cold.
Sun hat and polarised sunglasses.
Reef-safe sunscreen (Zinc based).
A full-length rashguard to protect you from the sun.
Light coloured clothing. For some reason, light colours are generally less appealing to mosquitoes than dark ones.
Any toiletries you may need such as sunscreen, razors, tampons, toothpaste, medications, etc. We supply shampoo,
conditioner, and soap.
Basic medicines like antihistamines, throat lozenges, etc.
Rechargeable batteries.
Binoculars.
Flip-flops.
Your favourite tipple. It’s very difficult (and very expensive) to get alcohol in Sorong. We encourage you to bring your favourite bottle of wine or spirits from the Duty Free shop in your home country (the Duty Free shop in the Jakarta airport is not very well stocked). If you are inclined to share, we’ve got a special affinity for Gin and Tequila...
And if you’ve still got space:
Some very basic English books. We sponsor two local primary school libraries, and we’ve built a kindergarten in a local village.
Seeds for our hydroponic garden: Italian basil, coriander/cilantro, mint, sage, lettuce, butter lettuce, bok choy, kale, spinach, rucola/ arugula/rocket.
And for our kitchen: spirulina, nutritional yeast, ground cardamom, and shichimi togarashi are always welcome additions.
Any gently worn clothing, bras, or shoes you might like to donate to the local community. If you’d like to donate personal items after your stay with us, we will be happy to wash and fold them before passing them on to those
who need them.
Our Ranger Patrol will also very happily accept donations of items which are often difficult to obtain in our area and needed to conduct 24-hour surveillance. They don’t need to be new or fancy, just functioning. Examples include handheld GPS’s, basic waterproof cameras for documenting activities and illegal fishermen, waterproof or underwater torches, handheld marine VHF radios, and any type of dive equipment.
If you’re planning to upgrade your kit, consider retiring your gear after your stay with us and avoid carrying it all back home again! It will be donated to our Rangers.
Q: What should I not bring with me?
A: Please plan carefully to minimise your rubbish.
Whenever possible, choose rechargeable batteries and avoid bringing things like disposable razors, excessive plastic bags, plastic water bottles etc. Any non-biodegradable and non-recyclable rubbish will have to be returned to Sorong. We are operating in a pristine environment, and we’d like to keep it that way.
Anti-bacterial soap. Our waste water treatment system relies on plant life to remove nitrogen, phosphates, and bacteria from grey and black water. Using harsh detergents and bactericidal agents will harm our plants, reducing the efficacy of our filtration system. Please don't use them.
Soap with microbeads.
Any single use plastics, including duty free bags and water bottles.
Dive gloves. You will not be permitted to wear them.
Fishing/spearfishing equipment. We’re located in a No Take Zone and fishing is strictly forbidden. That includes catch and release.
Q: What sort of power do you have?
A: 220 volts, 24 hours a day. We also have some 110 V transformers available in The Hive. Oh, and by the way, about 60% of our power comes from our photovoltaic array.
Q: What is the baggage allowance for the flights between Jakarta and Sorong? What about airport departure tax?
A: At the time of writing, baggage allowance for Garuda domestic travel is 20 kg, and excess baggage fees around 40,000 IDR/kg. Please note that if the international flights are on a SkyTeam Alliance airline such as Delta, KLM, Air France, Korean Air, or Garuda, you may be able to check your baggage all the way through to Sorong. In this case, Garuda currently gives 30 kg for domestic flights as well. At the time of writing, all domestic and international tickets already include Departure Tax, and payments are no longer collected at the airport.
Q: When is the best time of year for diving and snorkeling?
A: The weather is rough in July, August and early September, and the shoulder season in June and September can be variable. Aside from this yearly occurrence, diving in Raja Ampat is not particularly seasonal. September and October bring massive schools of bait fish, which attract bigger hunting fish and Mobula rays. The south winds in May and June bring more sharks and pelagics. Visibility tends to be at its best in November and February/March.
Q: Do you cater to snorkelers?
A: We love snorkelers! The pristine state of the sea surrounding our resort island means that the reefs grow right up to the surface of the water, making them perfect for snorkelers. Our stunning House Reef will treat snorkelers to frequent sightings of schooling horse-eyed jacks, hunting octopus, and huge schools of bumphead parrotfish. The North Lagoon is a great place to hob-nob with gentle green turtles feeding on seagrass. You’re also likely to run into baby black tip reef sharks in the shallows. Read more about snorkeling here.
Book a snorkeling package to experience guided trips to the local reefs, which are on offer twice daily.
Q: How many dives can I do per day?
A: There will be one check dive scheduled on arrival day. On each of the following days, 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 each day for buddy teams or guided dives. There is no diving on departure day, as you’ll most likely be flying the following day.
Q: How big will my dive group be?
A: Maximum group size is 6 divers to one guide, but 4 is more typical. Please let us know in advance if you’d like to engage the services of a private guide.
Q: What about child divers?
A: We can accommodate child divers upwards of age 10. Please enquire about depth restrictions, equipment, and private guiding.
Q: Can I do deco diving?
A: No. Because of our remote location we dive very conservatively. We do not allow deco diving, and the maximum depth is 30 metres. We do not allow solo diving.
Q: Is Nitrox available?
A: Nitrox is provided free of charge to qualified divers subject to availability.
Q: What can I do at Misool if I don't dive?
A: Lots of stuff! It's lovely to lounge around in a hammock with a good book, enjoying the balmy tropical breezes, watching the baby sharks passing by in the lagoon and the colour of the water change over the course of the day. Sample some of our extensive spa services, or join our chef for a cooking class. If you're looking for more active pursuits, we highly recommend snorkeling on the House Reef, where you can spot turtles, sharks, and an endless parade of colourful reef fish. You might also enjoy taking one of our kayaks or Stand Up Paddle Boards for a spin or join one of our other non-diving adventures.
Q: What sort of food can I expect at the resort?
A: Meals are served at our beach-front Restaurant. We offer a tasty, nutritious, and whenever possible, organic menu with an emphasis on fresh local food.
We offer a breakfast buffet for early risers, then a hearty cooked breakfast from about 09.00 onwards. Lunch is served family-style with a selection of dishes to be shared. Afternoon teatime features homemade treats and savoury snacks. Dinner service is plated, so your meal is always prepared fresh even if you’re planning a night dive or star-gazing tour. We also have an all-day a la carte menu available. We do not recommend undertaking a diet during your stay with us.
We can easily accommodation vegetarians and vegans. Please let us know about any other dietary restrictions or allergies well in advance of your arrival. Clean drinking water, Papuan coffee, tea, and soft drinks are provided free of charge. Beer, imported wine, and imported sparkling wine are available as well.
Q: How sustainable is your kitchen?
A: Great question! We believe that what we eat matters, not just for us but for our planet and our future. We work hard to strike the right balance between tasty, healthy, indulgent, and sustainable fare. Guests often comment on the surprising variety of food our kitchen produces using locally available ingredients. Rather than trying (and failing) to produce what our guests have access to at home, we focus our creative energy on high quality local products with a minimal carbon footprint:
Our organic hydroponics gardens provides us with fresh rucola, kale, lettuce, mint, basil, and more. Ask for a tour!
You won’t find fruits like imported grapes or plums - instead, enjoy Indonesia’s amazing mangos, sun-sweetened pineapples, jackfruit, breadfruit, and exotic rambutans and snakefruits.
We do not use palm oil because we love orangutans and rainforests.
We do our best to optimize our protein chain to achieve our sustainability goals:
Our meals tend to be mostly plant based. When animal proteins are served, they are used in smaller quantities, as is common in Indonesian and many other Southeast Asian cuisines.
We find creative ways to use traditional Indonesian products like tempeh and tofu, all prepared with love and exotic flavours like ginger, lemongrass, turmeric… and of course chili if you like!
We make our own plant milk fresh every morning.
All our fish is locally sourced, line-caught blue water fish from outside the Misool Marine Reserve. We do not serve long-lined fish or reef fish. We know you’d rather see them underwater than on your plate.
We do not serve prawns. Prawn farming is an unsustainable form of aquaculture that destroys mangrove habitat.
Out of respect for our Muslim hosts, we do not serve pork products.
Q: What sort of service can I expect?
A: As part of our commitment to conservation and building the local community, we employ as many local people as possible. Many of waiters and housekeepers you'll meet have been with us from the very start, when they worked as labourers, carpenters, dishwashers, and roofers.
These staff members of course learned English and service skills along the way. But even more importantly, they all possess a certain quality which is impossible to teach: the art of warm and authentic hospitality.
Q: What if I get sick or hurt while I'm there?
A: We are a long way from the nearest doctor, hospital, or recompression chamber. Your health and safety are of paramount importance, so we advise all guests to take utmost care. Several of our staff are certified PADI Emergency First Aid Responders. Oxygen is available, and we have a fulltime nurse on staff. In the event of a general medical emergency, you will be evacuated to the nearest hospital, which is in Sorong. In the event of a diving emergency, your diving insurance provider will advise us on the appropriate course of action. You must have dive insurance if you plan on diving. We recommend DAN or PADI insurance, which covers emergency evacuation. We also strongly recommend health and travel insurance.
Q: Should I take precautions against malaria?
A: We recommend that you always sleep under a mosquito net, wear light-coloured clothing, cover up during evening and early morning hours, and use an insect repellent if necessary (we have natural and very effective mosquito repellent available on site). As for malarial prophylactics, we suggest you consult with your doctor. We have never had a case of malaria contracted on our island, but malaria is endemic to Papua.
Q: How can I stay in touch with my family and friends while I'm at Misool?
A: Enjoy the luxury of some screen-free time while at Misool. Prepare to turn off your mobile phone, as we are well out of range. We do have a satellite internet connection available in The Hive, but it’s slower than 1993 dial-up. Take this rare opportunity to disconnect with the outside world and reconnect with your inside world. If your friends and family need to contact you, we suggest they write to guest@misool.info. We’ll pass the message on to you via Island Post.
Q: How does Misool contribute to marine conservation?
A: We thought you’d never ask. Misool is deeply committed to a policy of environmental and social responsibility. We seek to provide exceptional and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment, for both staff and guests alike. We aim to protect and revitalize both our natural surroundings and the community in which we operate. We are committed to demonstrating to our hosts, our guests, and the local government that tourism can support a local economy with much more favourable terms than mining, logging, overfishing, or shark finning.
If you booked your stay after 1 January 2018, we’ve already donated $100 per person on your behalf to Misool Foundation. We invite you to match this donation and help us protect the world’s richest reefs.
You can read more about our mission here. Or visit our sister organization Misool Foundation.