Soul Scuba Divers

Soul Scuba Divers is situated on Kri Island, placing you in the direct centre of the Raja Ampat archipelago. Since 2019, the centre has operated with a focus on both high-standard adventure diving and active environmental stewardship.

This is a base for divers who want to explore the Dampier Strait while supporting the local ecosystem. The centre's operations are tied to the Soul Initiatives NGO, which manages coral restoration, waste management, and community support across the region.

Every dive is planned around the complex tidal shifts and currents that define this part of Indonesia. By choosing to dive here, you are directly contributing to the long-term protection of the reefs you are exploring.

The team at Soul Scuba Divers is composed of experienced professionals who prioritise safety and meticulous dive planning. They maintain a strict diver-to-guide ratio, with a maximum of four divers per guide for Open Water courses and five for Advanced courses.

Instruction is available in English, French, Spanish, and Indonesian. This multilingual approach ensures that briefings and skills training are clear and precise for a diverse range of international divers.

Beyond training, the team is deeply involved in local conservation efforts. Their work includes coral restoration with Sea People and various community-led environmental projects on Kri Island.

As an SSI Registered Training Centre, Soul Scuba Divers offers a complete range of certifications. You can begin your journey with the Open Water Diver course or progress through the Advanced Open Water Diver and Stress + Rescue levels.

For those looking to professionalise their skills, the centre provides Divemaster training. They also offer specialised SSI courses such as Deep Diving, Night and Limited Visibility, and Perfect Buoyancy.

Unique ecological training is also available, including Coral ID, Coral Restoration, Fish ID, and specific ecology courses focused on Manta & Ray, Sea Turtles, and Sharks.

The centre operates four speed boats to reach the various dive sites around the Dampier Strait and beyond. These vessels are used for daily dives, night dives, and longer adventure excursions to areas like Piaynemo, Batanta, or the Gam islands.

On board, you will find water, snacks, coffee, and tea to recharge between dives. The boats are designed to navigate the local waters efficiently, allowing you to reach iconic sites like Blue Magic or Cape Kri comfortably.

The shore-based facilities are built around reliable, high-quality equipment. The centre uses new Bauer compressors to ensure reliable air supply, and a certified technician is available on-site to maintain all kit.

Full equipment hire is available for those not travelling with their own rig, including computers and dive torches for night dives. If you prefer to bring your own kit, a reduction is provided for divers who supply their own BCD and regulator.

The marine life in this region is among the most diverse on the planet. You will encounter massive schools of fusiliers (Caesio), snappers (Lutjanus), and jacks (Carangidae) moving across the reefs. Large predators such as sharks (Selachimorpha), including whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus) and blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), are common, alongside tuna (Thunnus) and trevally.

On the reef walls and slopes, the scenery is defined by a vast array of hard coral (Scleractinia) and soft coral (Alcyonacea), including sea fans (Gorgoniidae). You can find various larger species like the Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon), and several species of grouper (Epinephelus).

For macro enthusiasts, the sites offer incredible opportunities to find small creatures. Look for pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus bargibanti), various nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), pipefish (Solenostomidae), and various crustaceans including shrimp (Caridea) and crabs (Brachyura). You may also spot the wobbegong shark or the epaulette shark in the reef structures.

During the manta season from October to May, the area becomes a focal point for manta rays (Mobula alfredi). You may also see oceanic manta rays on occasion.

Diving in Raja Ampat is heavily influenced by tidal shifts and seasonal weather. Currents can be very strong and change rapidly, so all dives are carefully planned based on the tides to ensure safety.

The best time to visit is during the dry season from October to May, when the seas are generally calmer. You should avoid the period from June to September, as this is the wind season which can result in rougher seas and increased swell.