Barracuda West - Raja Ampat
Barracuda West isn't about massive pelagics, though you might catch a glimpse of something larger passing through the blue. This is a site for the patient, detail-oriented diver, the kind who enjoys going slow. We’ve found pygmy gobies here in almost every colour and stripe imaginable: tiny Stobbs’ and Emery’s, the flash of red on a Redlined, even the subtle Palebarred Reefgoby. Keep an eye out for Denise's pygmy seahorse tucked into a gorgonian, and if you’re lucky, you might spot an Ernie's Sueviota. It's a fantastic spot to simply hover and appreciate the intricate small stuff of Raja Ampat.
- Location
- Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -0.541895, 130.250870
Marine Protected Area: SUAKA ALAM PERAIRAN KEPULAUAN RAJA AMPAT DAN LAUT SEKITARNYA
Best Time to Dive in Raja Ampat
The warmest water temperatures in Raja Ampat occur in November, averaging 30.3°C. The coolest conditions are in July at 29.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.7°C
- February: 29.4°C
- March: 29.6°C
- April: 29.9°C
- May: 29.9°C
- June: 29.7°C
- July: 29.3°C
- August: 29.4°C
- September: 29.6°C
- October: 30.0°C
- November: 30.3°C
- December: 30.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Raja Ampat
- Aerborek Jetty (reef)
- Aerborek Jetty Dive Site (reef)
- Agusta Reef (wreck)
- Agusta Reef (reef)
- Algae Patch 1 (reef)
- Algae Patch 1 (cenote)
- Alyui Bay (reef)
- Andrea's Point
- Anita's Garden (reef)
- Arborek Dive Shop
- Arborek shark point
- Arefi Reef (reef)
- Arefi Reef (reef)
- Arno’s Underwater Reef (reef)
- Bag Island
Nearest Dive Centres to Barracuda West
- Ambon Dive Explore
- Andau Dive Resort - ["PADI"]
- Coralia Liveaboards - ["PADI"]
- Delvin
- Dive Bluemotion
- Dive into Raja Ampat - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Raja Ampat
Home to 250 recorded species including 176 reef fish, 43 hard corals, 8 seagrass & algae, 5 sea cucumbers, 4 clams & mussels, 4 other.
Notable Species
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) - Starfish
- Pinkfish (Holothuria edulis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis) - Reef Fish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis thazard) - Reef Fish
- Common Mushroom Coral (Fungia fungites) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Branch coral (Acropora florida) - Hard Corals
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Tail-spot Combtooth-Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Barracuda West
Based on average water temperature of 29.7°C, currents 20 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories