Dive Review of Gangga Divers/Papua Paradise Eco Resort in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat

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Gangga Divers/Papua Paradise Eco Resort: "Snorkeling, Exotic Birds & a Dugong", Nov, 2018, by William R. Rigby, CA, US ( Reviewer 5 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 10765 has 3 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Papua Paradise is a 1-1.5 hr boat transfer from Sorong. Resort has nice overwater bungalows with decks for a sunset view. A large fan provides cooling(No A/C). If you are a light sleeper bring earplugs to stifle the jungle bird calls that start daily around 5:30 am. There's a comfortable bar/library and dining area. Good food is offered buffet style and you are served by very attentive, polite and friendly staff who know you by name. Diving is from pangas on the shorter local trips. Larger boats are used for trips longer than 40 minutes. There are no heads on any of the boats. A guide is required on any boat trip. This is good as the currents can be ripping and sometimes reverse direction. Snorkelers and divers often share the same boats. If only one person wants to dive or snorkel they will accommodate you. We snorkeled from the dive boats at many sites and found the corals in Raja to be the best we have seen anywhere. Spectacular colorful gardens, some in pristine condition. We spotted wobbegongs, blacktips, walking sharks, sea snakes, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp and most all the tropicals in usually less than 10-20 ft. of water. Don't miss the Fam Islands (Melissa's Garden), Mansuar aka(3 Jetties) and Kri. Dayang is good for mantas. There are plenty of great sites to choose from. Snorkeling is free on the house reefs #1 & #2. Reef #2 is better but be aware of the currents. Other excursions are offered. We saw the rare Wilsons Bird of Paradise, Beautiful!! We did the hike to Batanta Falls (1hr each way, hot & humid), but worth it. We finally saw the Dugong on our last day for about 30 minutes grazing directly below our deck. They can be spotted anywhere around the resort usually at high tide feeding on seagrass. Overall great trip. We would highly recommend this resort.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Multiple Caribbean, Mexico, California, Galapagos, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Australia, Truk, Yap, Palau
Closest Airport	Sorong	Getting There	SFO-Singapore-Manado-Sorong
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm, currents
Water Temp	-84°F / -29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	25-100 Ft/ 8-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	Must stay with your guide
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 3 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By peter bernstein in FL, US at Nov 30, 2018 07:16 EST

My wife and I are going to Paupa Paradise in January- we are having a lot of problems communicating with them about our flights between Jakarta and Sorong- primarily on our departure- did you have similar problems ? My wife has wanted to see the Birds of Paradise for years !! Any other suggestions would be helpful--thanks for a super report

By report author: William R. Rigby in CA, US at Dec 05, 2018 15:51 EST

We booked our whole trip through Reef & Rainforest and did not have any problems. Everything went very smooth. We did not go through Jakarta. We went to Siladen Island Resort in Bunaken Park before Papua Paradise so we flew from Singapore into Manado first, then on to Sorong. Return flights were from Sorong-Makassar-Bali(for a few days stay)then Singapore-SFO. Lots of flights. We stayed 2 weeks at Papua. We also went to see the Hornbills roosting. It was fun. We were going to see the Redbird of Paradise but a resort employee confidentially told us you couldn't see them very well at dusk through the trees, not much color, only their outlines. He didnt think it was worth it. We didnt take that tour. You will enjoy your stay!

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Dive Review of Gangga Divers/Papua Paradise Eco Resort in Indonesia/Raja Ampat

Gangga Divers/Papua Paradise Eco Resort: "Snorkeling, Exotic Birds & a Dugong", Nov, 2018,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Gangga Divers/Papua Paradise Eco Resort in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat