In January 2017, a group of 20 adventure-seeking Ocean Enterprises Travel clients set out to experience Raja Ampat from a different perspective – by staying at the new idyllic Papua Explorers Resort!
Papua Explorers Resort is located on Gam Island on the Damper Strait, about a 2-hour boat ride from Sorong. The resort features 14 over-the-water bungalows, each with their own veranda with stairs down to the ocean. “Having experienced Raja Ampat from a liveaboard, coming back to our over the water bungalows and enjoying a refreshing beverage from our private verandas while lounging in the hammock was a nice change of pace” said trip leader Sherrie Burks.
Sherrie also went on to explain that often times while the group would be relaxing on the verandas, chatting about the day, they would see humpback whales passing through the strait. One evening, they were even treated to 4 epaulette “walking sharks” hanging out in the lights under the pier. The excitement never ended!
“Part of the trip reminded me of my childhood back in Michigan…with the right mix of people the entire trip seemed like an ‘endless summer’ vacation” said one of the travelers.
The group had the amazing opportunity to do over 30 dives on this amazing trip, and with over 50 dive sites to choose from, they didn’t even come close to diving them all – especially because they loved some of their dives so much that they wanted to do them again! Beautiful corals, huge schools of fish, reef and oceanic mantas, rays, sharks, and numerous wobbegong shark sightings only begins to cover all that they saw!
Not only was the diving extraordinary, and the resort itself beautiful, but the resort staff and dive team were exceptionally service-oriented leaving the entire group happy beyond their expectations the entire time. See for yourself by check out some of the amazing photos taken by trip leader Sherrie Burks.
If you would like to book one of our group tours check out all of our upcoming trips.
Happy diving!
