Join This 18 or 21 Day Incredible Guided Safari to Two of Best Snorkeling Destinations in the World
April 28 – May 18, 2025
May 20 – June 6, 2026
If you want to snorkel colorful, abundant reefs full of fish and creatures, join this fantastic Coral Triangle trip! This Alor and Misool snorkeling trip visits our two favorite snorkel destinations in the world, and, in our opinion, would be the perfect trip. You will stay at two wonderful Indonesia resorts, with a small group of 14 snorkelers, on this guided adventure of a lifetime.
You will first explore Alor from the secluded Alami Alor Resort. The colorful diverse coral reefs there will blow you away, and the sparkling abundance of reef fish will delight you. There is also the possibility of coming across some of the ocean’s most iconic inhabitants, like a superpod of dolphins and melon-headed whales, giant ocean sunfish (mola mola), and even blue whales, as you travel to snorkel sites.
Next you will be visiting Misool, a very remote eco resort in Raja Ampat, and our favorite snorkeling destination so far. This private reserve is focused on conservation and sits in the middle of a 500 square mile Marine Protected Area and No Take Zone. Misool’s reefs are absolutely brimming with life. Thanks to their conservation efforts it is one of the rare places where sea life is not only flourishing, but has increased in health and diversity in recent years. Right off the docks you can see schools of trevally and Bumphead Parrotfish. Green turtles and walking sharks are common.
This trip is being run by our partner and friend Ben and his team. Based in the U.K., they are experts in the Coral Triangle, run amazing excursions, and have a great appreciation for the underwater world.
This trip is exclusively for snorkelers. It is a unique opportunity to experience a guided remote adventure filled with fantastic reefs, beautiful landscapes, and remote island resorts.
Check Out This Short Video to Get a Sense for What to Expect
The Alor and Misool Travel Itinerary
After your international flight into Jakarta International Airport (CGK), you will check into a comfortable hotel to relax and recover from your long journey. There will be a group dinner to welcome and introduce everyone.
After a nighttime checkout, your group will catch an early morning flight to Alor, via Kupang. Once you arrive you will be transferred by private car to the Alami Alor Resort. You will spend seven nights at this beautiful resort.
After breakfast you will be taken back to the airport to fly to Jakarta again, via Kupang. In Jakarta you will check into a comfortable hotel. On the 2025 tour, you will spend the night and the next day. For the 2026 tour, you will have a day stay. Then, you will have a group dinner and then check out and make your way to your overnight flight to Sorong.
At Sorong your group will be met by staff from the Misool Resort, and will be transferred to their large boat. There is a 4-5 hour boat ride to the remote resort of Misool, in the comfortable large yacht, with air-conditioning, restrooms, and snacks available.
After spending seven or nine nights at the beautiful Misool Resort, you return by boat to Sorong, to stay one night at a comfortable hotel, before flying back to Jakarta, which is the end of the guided tour.
Snorkeling in Alor
Alor is very remote, and very few tourists visit the area. That, combined with a lack of destructive fishing practices, means that the reefs are exceptional, unspoiled, and full of unique life. The other reason the reefs are so healthy and full of unique life is that Alor has strong currents, that flush the area with nutrients.
You will occasionally see traditional fish traps (see picture below) used that are both beautiful and seem to have a low impact on fish populations.
Alor is very special in our hearts for how untouched and diverse the reefs are. While you will see lots of fish, particularly a crazy abundance of smaller reef fish, and larger fish schools of spadefish, fusiliers and jacks, what really stands out for us about Alor is how incredibly diverse the fields and walls of coral life are, and how healthy they are. Every spot we visited seemed like a different ecosystem, with very different colorful corals, sponges and anemones, and the most marine biodiversity we’ve seen.
Also of note about Alor, and probably one of the big reasons the reef is so healthy, is because there is a large tidal range, and with that strong currents in the area. This flushes a lot of water through the reefs, full of nutrients. Because of this, Alor is a place to snorkel with a very experienced guide. Because of the currents our guide would often have us dropped off at one end of a reef, we would drift with the current, and we would be picked up at the other end of the reef by our boat.
For six days, your group will snorkel nearby reefs from small boats twice a day, returning for lunch. Every spot you visit in Alor is very unique, from plateaus of colorful reefs, with clouds of small reef fish, to larger drop-offs, with larger species. Just some of the unique life you can see in Alor are mola mola, dolphins, frogfish, mandarinfish, and blue whales.
The Alami Alor Resort has a wonderful house reef to explore. It is a shallow shelf, accessed from the pier, that is full of coral life, small reef sharks, nudibranchs, spadefish, mandarinfish, crustaceans, and lots of other reef fish.
The resort has two boats with shade covers. So each day your group will split into two groups. These boats are big enough to handle a bit of weather, but small enough to drop you off and pick you up right up close to the reefs. You drop into the water from the sides of the boats, and get back on from solid stainless steel step ladders on the side of the boats (you can just see the ladder retracted in the picture below). You return to the resort for lunch between outings.
What is Alami Alor Resort Like?
You will have seven nights at the Alami Alor Resort. This is an intimate resort situated on a remote and quiet bay which combines luxury accommodation and delicious locally inspired food. There are seven waterfront bungalows, and it will be only your group at the resort. The bedroom is air-conditioned, and there is an open air garden bathroom. There is a pool next to the community building and many comfortable outdoor seating areas.
Guests can enjoy a full breakfast, lunch and dinner served in the dining room, family style, at the communal dining table. They serve an assortment of dishes influenced mostly by tropical Indonesian and Asian style, but also international cuisines. We found the food to be healthy and delicious, with excellent cocktails available at your own cost.
Alami Alor can accommodate most special diets such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and so on.
Snorkeling in Misool, South Raja Ampat
Misool’s reefs are absolutely brimming with life. Thanks to their conservation efforts it is one of the rare places where sea life is not only flourishing, but has increased in health and diversity in recent years. The Misool Marine Reserve protects around 300,000 acres (nearly 500 square miles) of remote islands and the underwater marine life.
In 2020 we experienced likely the best snorkeling of our lives at Misool, and we started donating monthly to their conservation foundation, because we were so impressed with the good they are doing. It is extraordinary! Many of the underwater pictures in this section we took during that trip. Watch the video below, to get a sense for what Misool is all about.
“There is greater biodiversity — that is to say, a larger number and greater diversity of fish, coral, and mollusks on these reefs than anywhere on earth. A single football field-sized patch of Misool’s reefs has nearly five times the number of coral species as the entire Caribbean Sea.” – Marine biologist Dr Mark Erdmann
Because you are staying at Misool Eco Resort you will have the opportunity to snorkel right from the beaches, to your heart’s content. As you can see in the picture below there is a north lagoon, a south lagoon, and the reef to either side of the dock to snorkel, with neighboring Marsemol Island also available. We found the house reef snorkeling to be outstanding. There are areas full of healthy corals, with fish in the thousands. Seeing small reef sharks and turtles is nearly guaranteed. The house reef alone will keep you happy for many days.
In addition to unlimited house reef snorkeling, you will have 12 or 16 snorkel boat sessions to nearby reefs. Night snorkels will also be on offer and are worth a try as you may get to see the wonderful walking sharks.
The snorkeling topography in Misool generally consists of a shallow shelf of reef right next to an island shoreline, that gradually gets a bit deeper, and then in most places the bottom drops off quickly into much deeper water. So on nearly every snorkel you have the opportunity to see shallow areas packed with corals and small reef fish. You can also snorkel over the drop-off, with vertical walls covered in colorful soft and hard corals and tunicates. Over the drop-off and out in the blue water you have the chance to see large schools of fish, huge Napoleon Wrasses, sharks, and turtles.
Misool easily has more fish than any other location we have ever snorkeled. Fish populations, variety and sizes are simply beyond description. There were times right on the house reef where we would watch a school of thousands of beautiful fusiliers cruising by that never seemed to end. From endless clouds of little reef fish, to larger schools of much larger fish like jacks or trevallies and Bumphead Parrotfish, to gorgeous anemones and their resident anemonefish, snorkeling in Misool is like being in a National Geographic or Blue Planet special.
And nearby there are a few manta ray cleaning stations where it is common to see these giants.
Coral health and variety was astounding overall. The bright colors and variety of hard and soft corals were a joy to see.
In addition to fish and corals, you can also see beautiful nudibranchs, turtles, eels, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, seahorses, and the gorgeous giant clams, night snorkeling with walking sharks, and the many giant manta ray encounters.
Your snorkel boat in Misool is a spacious fiberglass speedboat with enough room to easily store snorkeling equipment. The boats do not have a toilet onboard but do offer a full canopy for sun protection and a ladder to help exit the water.
What Is Misool Eco Resort Like?
You will be spending seven or nine nights at Misool Eco Resort. The resort was built entirely with reclaimed wood using their own saw mills on site. Your group will be staying in the Water Cottages. That means your room is right over the water, with your own steps down into a shallow lagoon with great snorkeling. And when you have a desire to hang out on a beach, you can venture over to South Beach. It is one of the most picturesque beaches we have ever been on.
Your room will have air-conditioning, an open air private bathroom with hot water, and a veranda with lounges.
All food is included, and served at the beachfront restaurant. You can expect Asian and Western cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, local, organic produce, and fish line-caught outside their no-take zone. They can accommodate dietary needs and restrictions with advance notice. There are four meals served a day (second breakfast anyone?), plus snacks, and afternoon tea. Alcohol is an extra cost item, and pork is not served.
You may also choose to partake in the resort’s wellness spa treatments at The Lookout or in your own room. They offer massage and beauty treatments that feature their signature products, created every morning in their kitchen.
Trip Details and How to Sign Up
We expect this trip to fill quickly. Your spot is reserved with your deposit. Contact Ben below for deposit instructions.
Trip Dates:
April 28 – May 18, 2025 – Trip full, request to be waitlisted below.
2025 Trip Price – 20 Nights:
$11150 US per person double occupancy – Beachfront Bungalow at Alami Alor Resort and a Water Cottage at Misool Resort
Single supplement: $2750 USsort)
May 20 – June 6, 2026 – Two double occupancy rooms available.
2026 Trip Price – 17 Nights:
$10970 US per person double occupancy – Beachfront Bungalow at Alami Alor Resort and a Water Cottage at Misool Resort
Single supplement: $3000 US
The initial deposit for this trip is $800 US per person. At 12 months before departure there is a $1500 US per person interim deposit, and at six months there is another $1000 US per person interim deposit. The final balance will be due three months before departure. A few payment options are available including debit and credit cards.
Inclusions:
- 1 night at a Jakarta hotel with welcome dinner
- All group transfers and domestic flights with 44lbs (20kg) checked luggage allowance in economy class (Jakarta – Alor – Jakarta – Sorong – Misool – Sorong – Jakarta)
- 7 nights at Alami Alor Resort in Beachfront Bungalow with full board (all meals)
- 12 boat snorkeling sessions in Alor
- Unlimited Alami Alor Resort house reef snorkeling
- Alor half-day village tour
- 1 night and 1 day at a Jakarta hotel with breakfast and dinner (2025 trip)
- 1 day at a Jakarta hotel with dinner (2026 trip)
- 7 or 9 nights at Misool Resort in Water Cottage with full board (all meals)
- 12 or 16 boat snorkels in Misool
- Unlimited Misool Resort house reef snorkeling
- 1 night at a Sorong hotel with dinner and breakfast included
- Accompanied by a guide from Ben’s team
- Marine Park Fees
Exclusions:
- Travel and health insurance
- International flights and visas
- Snorkel gear rental
- Beverages, spa treatments, sundries, and gratuities
- WiFi at Misool Resort
Trip Organizers
Ben and his U.K. based team are the organizers and leaders of this trip (more about them below). Galen and Nicole from TropicalSnorkeling.com are promoting this trip, but all signups, trip organization and payments are made to and managed by Ben’s team. TropicalSnorkeling.com does receive a referral fee in exchange for promoting the trip, at no extra cost to attendees.
How to Sign Up or Learn More?
Use the contact form below to contact Ben and his team to request more information about them and express your interest in signing up. They will get back to you shortly with full details.
More About Ben and Our Partnership
Ben (pictured with Nicole) is our friend and snorkeling trips partner. He and his team are based in the U.K. and have over 20 years of experience guiding in Asia and beyond. He has been running his own business since 2010 and is primarily offering guided snorkeling trips, but he started with diving. He began offering snorkeling specific trips because he was aware that snorkelers often get the short end of the stick when thrown in with divers. He and his team love the freedom and low stress of snorkeling, and are very aware of the different needs of snorkelers versus divers, in terms of the reef depth, and calm surface conditions needed.
From our experience going on some of his snorkeling trips we found them very well organized, the guides were fantastic and very helpful, and the underwater experiences were exceptional. Snorkeling groups really get the benefit of all of Ben and his guides’ years of experience in the water, and with different resorts and liveaboards.
All of his trips are small groups of 12-18 guests, or with a similar ratio of snorkelers to guides. These are premium trips including nearly everything you will need, accommodation, meals, transportation, and more.
His company is licensed and insured. Barring extreme circumstances they do not cancel trips.