Packing for a Raja Ampat private yacht charter requires a balance between dive readiness and luggage discipline. Most charter vessels limit guest luggage to one medium suitcase and one carry-on per person because of the cabin storage capacity and the small-aircraft luggage limits on the Sorong inbound leg (typically 20 kg per person on Garuda Indonesia or Lion Air domestic flights). This checklist covers everything you need, what to skip, and the items most first-time guests forget.
Dive Gear: Bring Your Own or Rent Onboard
Most charter vessels carry a full set of high-quality rental dive equipment in sizes from XXS through XXL. Rental equipment is included in the charter fee on most operators or charged at USD 25-40 per day on others. The rental gear is washed, serviced, and inspected before each charter.
The case for bringing your own gear: better fit (especially for masks, fins, and BCD), familiarity (you know how every clip releases), and ownership of equipment you trust. The case against: 8-12 kg of luggage allocation consumed by gear, the airline luggage charge on the small Sorong-bound aircraft, the risk of damage or loss in transit, and the need to wash and dry the gear before flying home.
The practical recommendation for most travellers: bring your own mask (the fit issue is real), bring your own dive computer (calibration to your dive history matters for repeat-dive planning), rent everything else on the vessel. Underwater camera gear is always brought from home.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen: Mandatory
Raja Ampat enforces a strict reef-safe sunscreen policy. Products containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, or homosalate are prohibited from the marine park and many charter operators will confiscate non-compliant bottles at boarding. The chemicals cause coral bleaching at concentrations as low as 62 parts per trillion in water.
Approved sunscreens use mineral filters (non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredients). Brands consistently approved at Indonesian charter operators include Stream2Sea, Raw Elements, Badger, Banana Boat Simply Protect Sport (zinc-based version only), and Thinksport. Bring 100-150 ml per person for a 7-night trip. UV-protective rashguards reduce overall sunscreen consumption substantially.
Two UPF50+ rashguards minimum (one for diving, one for surface activities). Many divers add a UPF50+ leggings or “dive skin” pant for full-body coverage on long surface intervals. A wide-brim sun hat for between-dive surface time is essential.
Underwater Photography Gear
For photographers, bring: housing, camera body, primary lens, two strobes (single strobe leaves shadows on wide reef shots), focus light, batteries (at least 4 sets), 4-6 large memory cards (256 GB or larger for video), o-ring grease, silica gel packs for the housing, and a soft toolkit for field repairs. A drone for surface and karst landscape work is welcome on most vessels but check the operator’s rules on launching and landing protocols.
Charging stations on the vessel typically accept Indonesian (220V, type C/F plugs) and US 110V outlets. Some vessels have dedicated photographer workstations with multiple plugs, soft lighting, and a desk. Confirm at booking if photography is your priority.
Health and Medical Items
Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for West Papua, including Raja Ampat. The CDC and most national travel-medicine authorities classify the region as chloroquine-resistant. Common recommended prophylactic medications include doxycycline (taken daily starting 2 days before departure through 4 weeks after return) and atovaquone-proguanil (taken daily starting 1-2 days before through 7 days after).
Consult a travel medicine specialist 6-8 weeks before departure. Bring extra doses of your prescription to cover trip extensions or lost pills. Sunscreen-tolerant insect repellent (DEET 25-30 percent or picaridin) is useful for shore excursions in jungle areas.
Seasickness medication: most guests are fine after the first 24-36 hours as the body adapts, but the open-water transits (Sorong-Wayag, Sorong-Misool) can be uncomfortable for sensitive travellers. Pack scopolamine patches (Transderm Scop), meclizine (Bonine), or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine). Some divers swear by ginger tablets or wristband acupressure bands. The frequently asked questions guide covers seasickness and motion management in detail.
A personal first-aid kit: pain relievers, antihistamines, antidiarrheals, antibiotic ointment for cuts (coral scrapes are common), prescription medications in original containers with copies of prescriptions, ear-drying drops (highly recommended after multiple dives daily), and any specialty medications.
Prescription Mask If Needed
Divers requiring prescription correction should bring their prescription mask. Charter vessel rental masks come in standard non-prescription configurations. Custom prescription mask lenses cost USD 80-150 to order before the trip if you do not already have one. Soft contact lenses are workable for short dives but the salt water exposure causes irritation after multiple dives daily; most regular contact wearers report better experience with a prescription mask.
Clothing
Temperatures in Raja Ampat range from 26-32 degrees Celsius year-round with high humidity. Lightweight, quick-dry clothing is essential. The packing recommendation: 3-4 sets of casual day wear (cotton tees, light shorts, sundresses), 2 sets of swimwear (rotating dry and wet), 1 set of smart casual for captain’s dinner or shore village visits (linen shirt or light blouse, dress shorts or skirt), 1 light long-sleeve for evening insect protection, swim cover-up or sarong.
Footwear: comfortable closed-toe shoes for shore hikes (Wayag viewpoint, Piaynemo stairs), water sandals for tender disembarking and shallow shore landings, and one pair of indoor slippers or socks for the air-conditioned cabin and salon. Most charter vessels prohibit outdoor shoes inside the cabins to keep the carpets clean.
The No-Bottle-Water Policy
Most reputable charter operators have moved to a refillable-bottle-only policy onboard. Single-use plastic water bottles are not provided, and bringing your own from Sorong is discouraged. Each guest receives a stainless steel or BPA-free refillable bottle at boarding, which can be refilled from the vessel’s onboard filtration system as often as needed.
Bring your own preferred bottle if you have one. A 750 ml insulated bottle (Hydro Flask, Klean Kanteen, Yeti) keeps water cool through the day. Pack a smaller 350-500 ml backup bottle for dives where you want quick rehydration on the surface interval.
Cash for Tipping
Crew gratuity is calculated at 10 percent of the charter fee and traditionally paid in cash USD or Indonesian rupiah on the final morning. For a USD 56,000 charter, the tip pool is USD 5,600. The group leader collects individual contributions in cash from each guest before the trip ends.
Bring USD cash in clean bills (no tears, no creases, no folds). Indonesian banks accept only excellent-condition USD notes. Local vendors at village stops (Arborek, Sawandarek, Sawingrai) prefer small-denomination rupiah for handicraft purchases. Bring IDR 1-2 million in small notes (Rp 5,000, Rp 10,000, Rp 20,000, Rp 50,000) for these village purchases.
Documents and Insurance
Passport with at least 6 months validity from your departure date, Indonesian visa-on-arrival or e-visa as required by your nationality, travel insurance documents with policy number, DAN World dive insurance membership card, medical card from your home country health insurer, emergency contact list, copy of certification cards (PADI, SSI, NAUI, BSAC), dive log book if you maintain one, and copies of all the above stored in a separate bag from the originals.
Some travellers also carry a brief medical history summary (allergies, conditions, medications) in case of medical emergency. The private yacht charter overview covers the standard pre-departure documentation requirements.
What to Leave at Home
Heavy formal wear is unnecessary – even the captain’s dinner is smart-casual rather than formal. Hair dryers are provided in most cabins. Beach towels are provided in unlimited supply onboard. Snorkel gear is provided unless you have personal preference items. Books are nice but most vessels have a small library. Heavy laptop is workable but most guests find a tablet adequate for evening use.
To request a vessel-specific packing checklist matched to the dive operation and amenities of the boat you have chartered, contact the Raja Ampat concierge and booking team. They issue a personalised checklist 30 days before each charter departure based on your vessel, season, and itinerary.