Raja Ampat

Paddle into picture perfect empty sets, pausing only to explore the reefs and fish living within the world’s clearest waters. West Papua is the quintessential, unspoiled tropical paradise of your dreams; sparsely populated, culturally rich and home to the mythical “desert island.” This is possibly the most beautiful uninhabited, tropical area anywhere on the planet.

Since 1998, The Indies Trader has been searching in every nook and cranny on the Pacific Coast of Indonesia, PNG, the remote Islands of Kiribati and the Republic of the Marshall Islands for ideal surf. This journey through the waters of Papua New Guinea is an EpicQuest limited edition experience to a location that is beyond rare. Join Captain Martin Daly, an explorer in this region as he shares with you peeling breaks beyond the reach of other surfers.

EpicQuest’s limited edition trip to Papua New Guinea departs on Indies Trader IV depart from Sorong, Papua New Guinea. Jet service is available to Sorong via Jakarta Indonesia’s largest city, Bali and Singapore via Manado. Flights to Jakarta are available on a number of carriers, EpicQuest recommends Singapore Airlines and Silkair. On arrival to Sorong, an EpicQuest guide greets you for the short ride to the boat.

Wave sizes generally range between three to five feet rising to eight feet and even bigger when a swell comes in. All the waves are reef-breaks, including reef passes, reef points and mellow cobblestone point breaks, which give them a consistent shape with varying degrees of difficulty. All the breaks can be surfed on any tide meaning that surfers pick when they paddle in, not the tide chart. There are waves for “gentlemen” and waves for beginners. The hardcore surfer can find, perfect barreling ledges and tow-in waves. There is truly something for every surfer around West Papua.

Temperatures barely fluctuate from the mid-80s during the day to upper-70s at night. Light winds make for clean waves throughout the winter months.

Bring a wide brimmed hat, a long sleeved cover-up, boardshorts or a bikini and almost nothing else.