My wife and I had a 5 night stay at Doberai and we were wishing it was longer. The island itself is just stunning with clear waters, amazing jungles and animal life right outside of your bungalow door. Sandra and her team were very friendly, attentive and made sure we had a great time going out of their way to make sure we had what we needed. We had some amazing excursions to Peyanemo and Kalibiru, do not forget your camera on those. Doberai also is ecologically focused utilizing electricity and other resources during specific times of day and decorating the bungalows with all things found from the island itself. One last thing that we can not speak enough of was the food. We are both vegan and the kitchen staff did a great Job accommodating our dietary requests with tasty alternatives for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Highly recommend coming here!…
If you are looking to unplug from your daily life and to resource yourself this is the place. I wanted to show to my kids that we can have amazing vacations without being in a 5 stars hotel. Doberai offer the luxury of spacious bungalows right on the water, delicious homemade food and adorable people who will show you the beauty of Raja Ampat. What we like the most is the coral restauration program that Sandra runs. So special to have our own coral garden! We did almost everyday a trip for snorkeling or to visit a landmark attraction. We saw turtles, dolphins and even whales from afar. Raja Ampat has the most beautiful and well preserve marine life I have ever seen! Sandra, Fadhil and all the staff are very helpful and attentive. We will come back to dive soon!!
Doberai Eco Resort, located in Urai Island at Raja Ampat is a perfect place to stay. Managed / hosted by Sandra, who will try everything to make our stay here is perfect. From answered all of our question before coming to Raja Ampat with a very fast response, help us step by step to do a journey to here, till arranging our trip to explore Raja Ampat. We stay in overwater bungalow room for 3 person, spacious and very clean. Clean bathroom, The bed is big and comfy, equipped with mosquito net (although there is no mosquito at all at our bungalow). View from room is amazing, can also jump straight to the ocean. Restaurant, also has a nice view, and the right place to relax and chill. The food is amazing, breakfast lunch dinner, all with a large number of variety of menu. The island is huge, you can explore it by snorkling, kayaking, walking or anything you want. The beach is pretty with a soft white sandy beach, warm water and pretty good underwater view also. You can even see a milky way here, and a sparkling plankton at the night. Also, the interesting thing is how she teach us how to do a coral restoration project. Overall, for the price we paid, this is way better than our expectation. Everything seems managed profesionally yet in a family way. Thank you Sandra for your hospitality, and send my regards to your team (Fadhil, Pak Bendot, Yusuf, Obet, Frans, Ferry and other) …
Raja Ampat is truly one of the most spectacular destinations in Indonesia and should be on everyone's bucket list. The diving is phenomenal, the snorkeling is splendid and the bird watching is world class. There are spectacular beaches, stunning viewpoints and it will be a trip that you will remember for the rest of your life. I've spent 10 years living in Indonesia and Raja Ampat is right at the top of my list of places that I've seen in the country. Doberai Private Island is an amazing place to explore Raja Ampat from. One of the best ways to experience Raja Ampat is by staying on a traditional Papuan style over the water bungalow, Doberai has fine over water bungalows with direct water access where you can jump straight off of your deck into their private lagoon and go for a snorkel during high tide. Their sheltered bay is stunning and a perfect place to take one of their stand up paddle boards or kayaks. Dolphins come by and visit their bay occasionally as well! If you are more active you can take a kayak around the island to find more beaches and spots for snorkelling. The sand of the beach next to their bungalows is perfectly soft for a walk along the beach and made an amazing spot for my two young children to play. But perhaps what sets Doberai apart more than anything is the people. Everyone is happy and greets you with a smile. Some of the staff were available to play with and watch our kids so that my wife and I could go out diving and Sandra who runs the resort is an incredible hostess. She works hard to plan your trip, organize day trips, and try to meet any needs you might have. She went above and beyond to ensure that we would have an enjoyable stay and really made our visit special. They have thought through the ways that they run their day trips and add value by bringing you to multiple locations and activities on the day. (They took us through the passage on the way to Piyanemo and made sure we didn't miss Star Lagoon while there). They also added on an extra snorkelling stop after our trip to Kalibiru so that we made the most of our day out on the boat. Sandra worked hard to find a quality bird guide and set me up for a fantastic trip to see the Red Bird of Paradise where I had an amazing sighting of many of them of them for over an hour. This was a real treat since I had gone looking for them once before and seen nothing. She and the Doberai team were incredibly flexible and took care of many special requests that I had for my family. Ohh and the food was great as well! In summary, if you are thinking of going to Raja Ampat just do it and stay at Doberai.…
Raja Ampat was always on my wishlist. But, to go there from Bali is quite a journey and same costs as going overseas. (Honestly, most Indonesian think going overseas is much more cool, without realizing how our country’s archipelago and culture has to offer - the reason tourists came here!) I saw @doberaieco and their all inclusive package, make my trip plan so much easier - just book my flight and let them do the rest. Oh and the way they respond to your texts was so quick ! If you wish to learn how my journey to Raja Ampat, here is below: - Flight from Bali to Makassar 20.30 - 22.00hrs (1,5hrs) - Transit in Makassar just hang around in the airport for 5 hours - Flight Makassar to Sorong 3.15 - 6.30 (2.15hrs - Sorong is 1hr ahead Bali/Makassar) - Pick up in Sorong airport to harbour by @doberaieco only 10 minutes - Ferry at 9am from Sorong to Waisai (Raja Ampat) for 2hrs, arrived at 11am (arranged by @doberaieco) - Pickup in Waisai, greeted by Fadil, the staff of @doberaieco and going by boat to the island is 25 minutes Once arrived in the resort, tiredness from the journey has just disappeared, my excitement has raised and the clear blue water right jn front of my room tempted me to jump ! This eco resort run their electricity by genset from 5pm-11pm, the rest, only ocean breeze and natural sun/moonlight. Hot ? Nope ! I loved it ! By just walking around in the restaurant, I saw reef sharks, colorful fishes and starfish. At night, I stargazed, saw firefly and bio-luminescent plankton (glowing plankton) in the water. Food from breakfast till dinner time was always delicious, the team was so friendly and attentive. I will definitely come back, even my mind is still there. Special shout to Sandra the Resort Manager, who made the whole experience beyond remarkable!…
I was very excited to go to Doberai for 4 nights to get away from my everyday life working and living on Arborek island, an hour's drive from the resort. The resort is hidden in between Gam and Waigeo, on a private island, and arriving by boat is a wonderful experience on its own. I had communicated with the resort manager, Sandra, before arrival and she was very helpful and quick with her replies. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly staff Fadhil, who insisted on carrying our bags to the bungalow (much appreciated!). The bungalow is perfect: the beds are support comfy, the view from the bed is incredibly dreamy, the lounge beds on the balcony were very comfy, the shower has a nice pressure, and everything was very clean. I loved the little details, like the decorations shells here and there, plants on the balcony and the bedtime story! Those little things really make the resort stand out. I loved that there were SUP boards and kayaks available, so you could explore the surroundings a bit more. And the food.... Yusuf cooks the most incredible meals, I was looking forward to all of them! Next to the restaurant there are a few stairs to a lovely little viewpoint, perfect for sunset. As the restaurant is set over a very shallow reef, there are lots of baby blacktop reef sharks around – I could watch them for hours. The staff were attentive to all our needs and checked in with us regularly to make sure everything was as wished. We dived with the knowledgeable dive guide Amanda, and visited two dive sites I had never been to so that was exciting! I also celebrated my birthday at Doberai, and had friends coming over for dinner, which was not a problem and the staff made sure everything was in place; from enough food and beers and a beautifully set table to an incredible birthday cake. The resort was very flexible. Altogether I had a wonderful stay, reading for hours on the balcony overlooking the beautiful bay, enjoying the great food and the stunning bungalow. I will definitely be back!…
Even before traveling to Raja Ampat, I was excited to stay at Doberai Private Island. I had been in communication with Sandra beforehand, which was helpful in answering all of my questions and helping me understand what to expect. Staying on the private island was an amazing experience: the bungalows were cleaned daily, the meals served were delicious, the staff was very friendly and personable, and the whole atmosphere was relaxing and the views spectacular. The bungalows are over the water and partially open at the roof, so you need to be comfortable/willing to always be outdoors, in a sense. To get to various places on the island, you will walk on a boardwalk or on the beach - this was enjoyable for me personally, but might not be for everyone. My stay lasted 11 days/10 nights, and it was the perfect amount of time to do several day trips to nearby islands as well as relax on the island and enjoy time for snorkeling, reading, kayaking, etc. I would certainly return to Doberai if I had an opportunity!…
I never thought I would be able to travel to Raja Ampat in my lifetime, but Doberai Private Island and the staff there made it possible. This was by far the best trip of my life. I have lived in Indonesia for a few years and I travel a lot. I have never seen anything more beautiful than Doberai Private Island. The location, staff, diving opportunities, and food were INCREDIBLE. My friends and I stayed in an overwater bungalow. These bungalows are perfect. They are clean and comfortable, but rustic at the same time. I was worried about the quality and quantity of food, but the food is delicious and they feed you SO WELL. My favorite things about Doberai is the diving, kayaking/paddle boarding, and snorkeling. The location is perfect for you to see some of the most beautiful marine life, if you dive or snorkel. The staff on the island are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Overall, if you are planning a trip to Raja Ampat you HAVE to stay here.…
It's hard to put into words why Doberai is so amazing. Their motto, "Come as a guest, stay as family, leave as a friend," rings true. I am an expat from the US who has been working in Jakarta for the past eight years. Ever since I got my scuba certification seven years ago, I anticipated the day that I would be able to head to Raja Ampat and explore that incredible corner of creation. A group of friends and I dreamed of this trip for almost two years, and were afraid that it wouldn't happen due to the pandemic. But we made it. And it was the most incredible 10-day trip. The island itself is incredible. The private island is situated in an ideal location, close to some of the best dive sites, but out of the way of all the boat traffic. Villagers from surrounding islands come occasionally to bring fish or interact with the staff, and it's amazing to get to see these bits of local life. The over-water bungalows are top-notch. Clean, recently renovated, nice furnishings, and yet, you still feel connected with nature as the water splashes below the floor's wooden planks and we kept the sliding doors facing the ocean open the entire again (showing how amazingly private it is!). The snorkeling, kayaking, and mangroves make for wonderful exploration around the island. I could write an entire review of the food. But I'll spare you. Know that gluten-free requests were met and blown away. Fresh grilled fish, various curries and soups, fried shrimp, moist chocolate cake, and a daily breakfast spread or pancakes, granola, fresh fruit, and eggs had us looking forward to every meal. Even the meals packed for us when we went diving all day were amazing! The diving in Raja Ampat is amazing. Look at the pictures of the see and the land. It's even more beautiful than that. All the staff on the island is incredible, including the staff that lives there regularly and those that were brought in just for our trip. We were impressed by their hospitality from the moment they met us at the ferry. They took care of us so well and were so much fun to hang out with. The owner, an Indonesian woman, is intentional about partnering with and supporting the local people. It's beautiful to see the care she shows for all those around her. I got to experience the care myself and the staff worked with my friends to plan a beautiful surprise birthday for me while there. I felt so loved by these people that I had only known for eight days. Through our days, we got to know them as friends, and said teary goodbyes as we waved from the boat on our way out. Price-wise, Doberai is mid-range, given the other options around Raja: fancy resorts or little homestays. There are definitely cheeper options for lodging and diving for those on a tight budget, but Doberai is perfect for if you are willing to spend a bit more! To my friends Sandra, Rika, Like, WaWa, Ahmed, Obet, Roni, Zpen, Tari, and the rest, thank you. I plan to return!…
Not so complicated as imagined before, Indonesian local government professionally handles the pandemic in such a way to make the trip simple but safe. We appreciate it a lot as we could enjoy the whole trip to Raja Ampat amid the pandemic. Thanks also to Doberai resort who arranged the entire transports from Sorong safely. Covid 19 protocol is applied accurately and nicely in this resort. First time to Raja Ampat, and got the best. This expression fits to describe our vacation despite the pandemic is still going on, and tourism has not been able to get back to normal. Most of the resorts, homestays and LOBs are still closed. Gust of wind, chirping of birds high above the sky, fish flying in front of our boat, reflection of clouds and threes on the flat surfaced of the sea, and for sure, groups of limestone rocks emerging from the sea, typical Raja Ampat’s view…. amazing. I'll be back! Arie…
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