Misool Resort

Dive resort · Indonesia · Raja Ampat, southern Misool · Official Website

Misool's water cottages above the reef, seen half underwater

A guest on the resort jetty as a storm front rolls in

The North Lagoon at night under the stars

The Hive — the resort's lecture room and library

Booking by Tour Leader Club

4 room types · 60+, with 25+ within 15 minutes dive sites · house reef

Misool sits on the island of Batbitim in southern Raja Ampat, on the site of a former shark-finning camp. The nearest town is five hours away by boat; around it there is nothing but limestone islands, lagoons and reef. The resort was built entirely from reclaimed tropical hardwood milled on site with its own portable sawmill, and holds just twenty villas and cottages.

What matters here is the water around it. The resort created and funds its own 300,000-acre (1,220 km²) marine reserve — twice the size of Singapore, closed to all fishing and patrolled around the clock by its own rangers. Shark abundance inside the reserve has risen sharply since 2012. Every one of the resort’s dive sites lies inside that no-take zone.

The house reef is considered one of the best anywhere and is open from 08:00 to 20:00 — enter from the jetty or the steps in the North Lagoon, with a buddy or with a guide. Schooling horse-eyed jacks under the pier, large groupers, black tip reef sharks, mandarin fish at dusk, the “walking” epaulette shark in the shallows and a dozen species of nudibranch in a single dive, none of it requiring a boat.

More than 60 explored sites lie within an hour, and over 25 within fifteen minutes: Fiabacet, Boo Windows, Nudi Rock, Wobbegong City, Magic Mountain. A manta cleaning station, soft-coral walls, swim-throughs, seamounts, drifts and hard-coral gardens. Visibility is usually 25 metres or better and the water sits at 26–28 °C. Diving is deliberately conservative: 30 metres maximum, no deco and no solo diving, six divers to a guide at most and usually four.

The resort runs as an eco project: about 60 % of its power comes from solar, waste water is cleaned by a plant-based system, and single-use plastic and antibacterial soap are not allowed on the island. The kitchen is largely plant-based, the fish is line-caught from outside the reserve, and there are hydroponic gardens on site. Since 2019 the resort has donated $100 per guest to its sister charity, the Misool Foundation. There is no mobile phone signal on the island.

No markup

You pay exactly the rate the resort publishes. On top of that, only the actual bank costs of currency conversion and the international transfer — no commission of ours.

We run the deal

Correspondence with the resort, holding the room, the contract, booking confirmation and all paperwork are on our side. There is nothing for you to arrange yourself.

Card payment

We accept payment by card through Stripe and issue an invoice. The transfer to the resort is our job — you do not have to find a way to pay abroad.

Support all the way

We help you choose the room and dates, work out the dive package, answer questions about flights and gear, and stay in touch until you are home.

The exact amount is confirmed when we hold your booking: it includes the resort's rate at the day's exchange rate plus the actual transfer costs. No hidden fees.

About the resort

Country: Indonesia
Location: Raja Ampat, southern Misool
Nearest airport: Sorong (SOQ), West Papua
Transfer: About 5 hours on the resort's own boat Merantau from Sorong, included in the package
House reef: Yes — open 08:00 to 20:00, unguided or guided
Dive sites: 60+, with 25+ within 15 minutes
Dive centre: In-house, six divers to a guide at most
Nitrox: Free for qualified divers
Rooms: 20 villas and cottages
Internet: Internet for a fee; no mobile signal on the island
Languages: English, Indonesian

At the resort

Private island with 41 white sand beaches

Its own 300,000-acre marine reserve

House reef metres from the rooms

Beachfront restaurant, four meals a day

The Hive — lecture room, library and lounge

Spa using products made on site

Free kayaks and stand-up paddleboards

Balinese-style open air bathrooms

Air conditioning and wall fans in every room

Mini bar stocked with treats from the archipelago

Hot and cold water, 220 V around the clock

About 60 % of power from solar

Diving

Every site inside the resort's own no-take reserve

More than 60 sites within an hour

More than 25 sites within 15 minutes of the jetty

House reef open 08:00 to 20:00

Three boat dives a day plus a dusk or night dive

Six divers to a guide at most, usually four

Free nitrox for qualified divers

Private guide on request

Visibility usually 25 metres or better

Water 26–28 °C

Manta cleaning station, walls, swim-throughs, seamounts

Mandarin fish and the "walking" epaulette shark

Child divers from age 10

Diving is deliberately conservative: 30 metres maximum, no deco diving, no solo diving, no gloves. Certification, insurance, a computer and a surface marker buoy are required before you get in the water. Wetsuits are not rented; other equipment must be requested at booking as stock is limited. The check dive counts towards your package.

Dining

Four meals a day plus afternoon tea

Beachfront restaurant at the water's edge

Early buffet breakfast, cooked breakfast from 09:00

Lunch served family style

Dinner plated and timed around your dives

Hydroponic gardens for fresh greens

Line-caught fish from outside the reserve only

Plant milk made fresh each morning

Vegetarians and vegans easily catered for

Water, Papuan coffee, tea and soft drinks included

Palm oil, prawns, reef fish and pork are kept out of the kitchen on principle — for environmental reasons and out of respect for the local community. Allergies and diets need advance notice: the kitchen handles nuts, dairy, gluten and soy and cannot guarantee allergen-free meals. Indonesian beer and imported wine are available for purchase.

Beyond diving

Unlimited snorkelling on the house reef

Guided snorkel trips twice daily

Scooter snorkelling

Free kayaks and paddleboards

Boat cruise through the lagoons

Birdwatching cruise at sunset

Cooking class with the chef

Spa treatments in your room or at The Lookout

Private picnic on a deserted beach

Evening lectures in The Hive

Planting coral with the reef restoration team

41 beaches and the walk to the south shore

Rooms

Stilted cottage over the water

from $5,400 per person for 7 nights

View: North Lagoon

Beds: Double bed

Eight cottages stand on stilts over the North Lagoon, separated from one another by at least ten metres. Stairs lead from the veranda straight down into the water, and the house reef is a few fin kicks away. There is a hammock built into the veranda under a traditional grass roof; inside are a Balinese-style open air bathroom, air conditioning, wall fans, a mini bar and handcrafted furniture.

Steps from the veranda into the lagoon Hammock built into the veranda Open air bathroom under the sky Air conditioning and wall fans Hot and cold fresh water Mini bar with local treats

Villa over the house reef

from $5,850 per person for 7 nights

View: North Lagoon and Fiabacet

Beds: Bed and sofa; some villas have two bedrooms

The four North Lagoon villas are larger than the cottages and sit directly over the house reef, with steps down into the sea. Utara is the biggest: two en-suite bedrooms, a shared common area, a loft and a massive veranda — good for families with older children or four friends. Nasnoos and Wakachom suit two or three guests, with a master bedroom, a living area with a convertible sofa and a partition, a hammock and lounge seating sunk into the veranda. Tabisasu faces east for sunrises over the distant Daram Islands.

Steps into the sea from the veranda Views over the house reef and the Fiabacet sites Lounge seating and a hammock on the veranda Balinese-style open air bathroom Private dinners on the veranda by arrangement Air conditioning and wall fans

Jungle villa by the beach

from $4,940 per person for 7 nights

View: South Beach and the open horizon

Beds: Bed; some villas take an extra guest

Seven villas are tucked under the trees along the powder-white South Beach, overlooking a blue water swimming hole. Waya Biru and Moro Laiyn are octagonal, each with a separate 'pod' for yoga, meditation or a massage; Waya Biru's bathroom is built into the surrounding rocks. Santai and Tenang sit at the very end of the beach, furthest from everything. Kalanme is a set of three self-contained villas with a shared octagonal lounge and a large terrace, ideal for groups of four to six or families with small children. The dive centre and restaurant are a short but steep walk over the hill with 270-degree views — or a radio call away by water taxi, except at low tide.

White beach and swimming hole at the doorstep Separate pod for yoga and massage Bathroom built into the rocks Dark skies for stargazing Baby sharks in the shallows Air conditioning and wall fans

Standalone hilltop villa

from $6,400 per person for 7 nights

View: The southern horizon

Beds: Extra-king bed and a daybed

The most secluded villa on the island, hidden on the hilltop in the south-east, with the whole southern horizon to yourselves. There is an expansive outdoor lounge, an open plan living area with an extra-king bed and ocean views, a lounge with a reading corner, and a daybed that converts for a third guest. No neighbours in sight.

Complete seclusion on the hilltop Panorama of the southern horizon Large open plan living area Cosy reading corner Daybed for a third guest Sheltered open air bathroom

Rates

Accommodation packages, 2026

Category	7+1 nights	9+1 nights	12+1 nights
South Beach Villas	$4,940	$6,180	$8,020
Water Cottages	$5,400	$6,775	$8,800
North Lagoon Villas	$5,850	$7,345	$9,585
Villa Rajawali	$6,400	$8,045	$10,530

Per person in US dollars, based on double occupancy, government tax included. A 7+1 package means seven nights on the island plus a night in a Sorong hotel after departure. 15 % discount on accommodation in the off-peak season. Single occupancy carries a 40 % per-night surcharge.

Accommodation packages, 2027

Category	7+1 nights	9+1 nights	12+1 nights
South Beach Villas	$5,065	$6,350	$8,220
Water Cottages	$5,550	$6,925	$9,035
North Lagoon Villas	$6,010	$7,520	$9,845
Villa Rajawali	$6,550	$8,250	$10,785

Same terms as 2026. The resort publishes its schedule and rates three years ahead.

Compulsory Raja Ampat fees

Fee	Price
Marine park permit, valid for one calendar year	IDR 700,000 (about $54)
Visitor's pass, single entry into Raja Ampat	IDR 1,000,000 (about $76)

Paid separately by every guest, diving or not. The resort can arrange both. These are government fees and change without notice.

Rates and availability can change. Message us — we will confirm current dates and prices.

When to go

Best timeOctober to May, with the best visibility in November and February–March

Water temperature26–28 °C

Raja Ampat is barely seasonal, but from July to early September the south monsoon makes the sea rough and the resort closes. June and September are variable. September and October bring huge schools of bait fish and the bigger hunters and mobula rays that follow them. The south winds of May and June bring sharks and pelagics. Visibility is at its best in November and in February–March.

Getting there

Fly into Sorong (SOQ) in West Papua. The resort recommends transiting through Jakarta and arriving in Sorong the evening before your stay begins; Bali is possible but the connections are less convenient. The resort advises on the best domestic flights six months ahead.

In Sorong you are met at the airport and given a light breakfast at the marina while your baggage is loaded, and the boat leaves around 08:00. The crossing takes about five hours on the resort’s own boat Merantau: first a scenic passage along the mangrove-fringed Salawati islands, then an open crossing, and finally a maze of limestone karst. Half an hour before arrival the boat crosses into the no-take zone.

Garuda’s domestic baggage allowance is 20 kg, with excess at about IDR 40,000 per kilo; connecting from a SkyTeam flight usually raises it to 30 kg. Your passport must be valid for six months from entry and needs a blank page for the visa sticker.

A night in Sorong before arrival can be arranged on request; the night after departure is already part of the package.