Papua Paradise Eco Resort
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Booking by Tour Leader Club
3 room types · house reef
Papua Paradise stands on the uninhabited island of Birie — on its north-eastern peninsula, just behind the larger island of Batanta, one of the four Rajas. The nearest port, Sorong, is a two-hour boat ride away. Its 26 stilted bungalows are built in traditional style from local materials and sit directly over the water, close enough that reef life passes under the veranda.
Raja Ampat is the richest coral reef ecosystem on the planet: over 1,300 fish species and 540 coral species, with at least 75 percent of all known coral species found here. Mantas, wobbegongs, bamboo and reef sharks, turtles, cuttlefish, schools of fish in the thousands and recently described seahorse and pipefish species.
The dive centre is Gangga Divers, one of the very few PADI 5 Star operations in Raja Ampat. Ten purpose-built dive boats, each with oxygen and a first aid kit, and a ratio of no more than four divers per guide. Up to four dives a day: two in the morning from 7:45–8:00, an afternoon dive at 14:30 and a dusk or night dive. The diving is deliberately conservative given how remote this is — no decompression diving, a maximum depth of 30 metres, no solo diving, dive computer mandatory. Nitrox is free for anyone certified for it.
The house reef runs the length of the resort frontage and is open for unlimited free snorkelling. There is no direct access to the sea from the bungalows — you enter from the ends of the two main jetties, at the front and the back of the resort. Juvenile reef sharks live in the bay and baitfish are constantly breaking the surface.
For non-divers the island is no less interesting. Behind the bungalows are a bird-watching platform and jungle where Blyth’s hornbills, palm and sulphur-crested cockatoos and imperial pigeons pass through. Neighbouring Batanta is home to the birds of paradise — the red and Wilson’s — and you set out for them before dawn, at half past four. There is also a waterfall and the mangrove waterways of Batanta, a sunset cruise to Hornbill Island, a trip to Arefi village, kayaks and the spa.
Spa in Paradise has three private treatment rooms with bathtubs, rain showers and ocean views, using Ayurvedic and Southeast Asian techniques, including a signature four-hands massage.
Three bungalow categories: Superior at 70 m², Deluxe at 85 m² and Premier at 98 m² with air conditioning and a bathtub overlooking the ocean.
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
- Birie Island, Raja Ampat
- Nearest airport
Sorong — 15 minutes by car to the harbour and 2 hours by resort boat
- Transfer
Boat leaves Sorong at 2:00 PM and the resort at 7:00 AM
not included in the package
- House reef
House reef along the resort frontage, snorkelling free, entry from the ends of the two jetties
- Dive centre
- Gangga Divers, PADI 5 Star, 10 boats
- Nitrox
- Yes, free of charge for nitrox-certified divers
- Rooms
- 26
- Staff
- No more than 4 divers per guide
- Internet
- Free satellite WiFi, enough for email and browsing
- Languages
- [English]
At the resort
Diving
The diving is deliberately conservative: no decompression diving, a maximum depth of 30 metres, no solo diving and a mandatory dive computer. Every diver needs insurance covering evacuation — the nearest chamber is in Sorong, an hour and a half away by boat. Diving gloves are not permitted at the resort. Long-distance trips — Fam, The Passage, Manta Sandy — are charged separately.
Food
Drinks at the Sunset Bar — soft drinks, local beer, cocktails and wine — are charged separately. There are no shops on the island, so bring what you need with you.
Beyond diving
Long-distance dive days: the Fam Islands leave at 7:30 for three dives and a climb to the viewpoint, back around 17:00; The Passage between Waigeo and Gam with the Yangeffo mangroves and Citrus Ridge, back around 16:30; Manta Sandy and the three jetties — Arborek, Sawandarek and Yenbuba. Bird watching and long-distance trips are not part of the room rate.
Rooms
Over-water bungalow
View: Ocean and sunset
Beds: King size
Roomy, traditionally built bungalows of locally sourced materials, with natural ventilation and shade, a private bathroom and a double-tier sunset veranda with sun beds and a hammock.
Over-water bungalow
View: Ocean and sunset
Beds: Four-poster king size
Bungalows with custom-made louvers all around, so the ventilation can be set to taste, and front glass doors opening onto a generous double-tier veranda. A cosy corner with couches inside and a sundeck with sun beds outside.
Over-water bungalow
View: Ocean and sunset
Beds: Four-poster king size
The most spacious bungalows, with air conditioning, a hot and cold water dispenser, a double sink vanity and a bathtub overlooking the ocean.
When to go
- Best time
Year round — central Raja Ampat has no distinct dry and rainy seasons
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C year round
- Air temperature
- 28–30 °C
- Visibility
- 10–20 m on average
Weather in central Raja Ampat is far more stable than in the rest of Indonesia: there is no sharp line between dry and rainy seasons, and diving and snorkelling conditions are good all year. After heavy rain the water can carry small jellyfish or mild stinging hydroids — anyone prone to strong reactions should snorkel in a wetsuit or lycra. Evenings and early morning boat trips can be chilly, so bring a light sweater. There is some malaria in the Sorong region; the resort provides mosquito nets and repellents.
Getting there
Fly to Sorong, most easily via Jakarta or Singapore, or via Makassar or Manado within Indonesia. Garuda Indonesia, Express Air, Sriwijaya Air and Lion/Wings fly from Jakarta and Bali; Silkair flies Singapore to Manado, and Garuda, Lion Air and Express Air continue to Sorong.
You are met in Sorong: 15 minutes by car to the harbour and about two hours on the resort boat. The boat leaves Sorong at 2:00 PM and the resort at 7:00 AM. It is best to land in Sorong no later than noon — guests arriving in the afternoon stay overnight in Sorong and take the next day’s boat. The earliest accepted flight out of Sorong on departure day is 10:30 AM; for anything earlier, guests are moved to Sorong the day before.
Domestic baggage allowances are tight: 20 kg with Lion, Sriwijaya and Express Air, 15 kg with Wings Air and the smaller carriers, with excess paid at the airport.
There are no shops and no phone reception on the island. Electricity runs 24 hours at 220 V on European sockets. Cash is accepted in rupiah, US dollars and euros, but only notes in pristine condition issued in 2006 or later; Visa and Mastercard are also accepted.
Included in the price
Not included
Mandatory extras
Optional extras
Extras are per person and paid on site.
Price on request
Papua Paradise Eco Resort
Availability for your dates will be confirmed before any payment. Estimated wait time — 24 hours
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Over-water bungalow
Roomy, traditionally built bungalows of locally sourced materials, with natural ventilation and shade, a private bathroom and a double-tier sunset veranda with sun beds and a hammock.
- View
- Ocean and sunset
- Beds
- King size
- Size
- 70 m²
- Rooms of this type
- 12
Over-water bungalow
Bungalows with custom-made louvers all around, so the ventilation can be set to taste, and front glass doors opening onto a generous double-tier veranda. A cosy corner with couches inside and a sundeck with sun beds outside.
- View
- Ocean and sunset
- Beds
- Four-poster king size
- Size
- 85 m²
- Rooms of this type
- 10
Over-water bungalow
The most spacious bungalows, with air conditioning, a hot and cold water dispenser, a double sink vanity and a bathtub overlooking the ocean.
- View
- Ocean and sunset
- Beds
- Four-poster king size
- Size
- 98 m²
- Rooms of this type
- 4
Papua Paradise Eco Resort
Dive resort
