Raja Ampat Sailing Expedition

On your Raja Ampat sailing expedition you will be accompanied by one of our highly trained skippers, a cook and 2 crew members. Your skipper's role involves taking charge of the sailing, organising the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, safety of the vessel and safety for all passengers on board. All skippers have extensive sailing miles experience and hold a 'yacht master offshore license' or higher. They have been carefully selected and undergone intensive training of each itinerary they sail. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect your skipper to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. Your chef will prepare tasty local cuisine meals using the best of the local fresh produce available. In Sorong you will be met by a local leader who will accompany you to Waisai. Once in Waisai they will hand you over to the boat crew. At the end of the sailing component you will be dropped off at the ferry terminal in Waisai where you will once again meet your local leader who will return to Sorong with you on the ferry. If you need assistance booking a taxi to the airport or returning to the hotel they can assist you.

WATER SAFETY: Travellers that are able and confident swimmers will be able to enjoy swimming & snorkelling off the boat, but please always note the skipper's advise and instructions on when and where to swim and what precautions to consider. Travellers that are not able to swim are certainly welcome on this trip, but you will be required to wear a life jacket when we are sailing. Travellers who are inexperienced swimmers please let the skipper know so they can advise you of whether the planned snorkelling activity is 'easy', 'moderate' or 'experienced'. Snoreklling vests and life rings are available on board.  PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY: While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: Alcohol abuse will not be tolerated onboard for safety reasons. The availability and consumption of alcohol on our sailing trips will be up to the skipper's discretion. Diving: We do not offer diving as a part of our sailing program and due to Intrepid's internal safety policy our leaders are specifically prohibited from recommending or assisting with booking this activity. If you wish to dive you will need to organise this yourself and also extend your stay as the scheduled itinerary does not allow time for diving. TERRORISM: Many governments advise to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia, including Bali, Surabaya, Jakarta and Lombok, because of the high threat of terrorist attack. See travel advisories from your country of residence for further information. CIVIL UNREST AND POLITICAL TENSION: Political rallies, protests and demonstrations occur regularly and can turn violent with little notice. Avoid all public gatherings of this nature and follow the advice of local authorities. PETTY CRIME: Sorong is a relatively safe city however it is best to be on your guard when out in crowds, on public transport and walking at night. You should be vigilant for thieves on motorbikes targeting pedestrians or at restaurants. Credit card and ATM fraud can occurs in Indonesia. Monitor your transaction statements and tell your bank when you'll visit Indonesia so your cards won't be blocked. Only use ATMs within controlled and secure areas such as banks, shops and shopping centres. SCAMS: All types of gambling are illegal in Indonesia. Travellers have lost large sums of money in card game scams run by organised gambling gangs, particularly in Bali. TAXIS: Only use officially licensed taxi companies you can book by phone, from inside an airport or at stands at major hotels. In Sorong at the end of the trip you can ask the leader to organise a taxi for you to either the hotel or the airport.

18 years and up

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