Epica, Indonesia

Name: Best of Dampier (Waisai - Waisai)
Start: 2026-08-23
End: 2026-08-29
Location: Indonesia

9.2 Superb

Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly

from $ 235 / day Check dates

“The crew is incredible: a mix of experienced western and local dive instructors. ”
Tobias Z, Germany

Highlights

Budget-friendly liveaboard to explore Raja Ampat
Maximum 4 divers per guide for a personalized experience
Visit famous panoramic viewpoints in Raja Ampat

The Epica liveaboard offers a budget-friendly way to explore Raja Ampat. She is simple but comfortable, catering to 12 guests in 6 basic twin cabins. Cabins are above deck to catch the ocean breeze and share 2 bathrooms with fresh-water showers. Meals are freshly prepared, offer a mix of local and international cuisine, and are served 'family-style' on the upper deck. The large upper deck is also kitted out with hammocks and bean bags, making it a great place to relax between dives and enjoy the incredible sunset at the end of the day.

Groups are kept to a maximum of 4 divers per guide and split according to experience levels so everyone can make the most of their diving. Enjoy the rich, diverse underwater world with a chance to see amazing marine life, from cool critters to large pelagic life such as manta rays and various species of sharks. You will also have the chance to visit one of the famous panoramic viewpoints in Raja Ampat. The trips on Epica are designed to make the most out of your experience in Raja Ampat when traveling on a budget.

Book online today to reserve your space.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

24 May

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,750

FULL

12 Jun

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

20 Jun

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

28 Jun

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

06 Jul

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

14 Jul

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

22 Jul

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

30 Jul

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

07 Aug

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

FULL

15 Aug

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

Select Cabin available

23 Aug

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

Select Cabin available

31 Aug

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 1,650

Select Cabin available

Included: VAT, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Land Excursions, Cabin Towels.

Required Extras: Environment Tax, National Park Fees (1,700,000 IDR), Port Fees (100 USD).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Local Transfers, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (30-190 USD), Snorkeling Guide.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Sun Deck
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Outdoor Dining
Available for Charter
Dedicated Local & International Crew
Leisure Deck

Food & Drinks

Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Full-board Option
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 2016

Length: 24 meters

Engines: Mitsubishi 200p

Max guests: 12

Number of cabins: 6

Number of bathrooms: 2

Tenders: 3.5 meters with 15hp Yamaha

Water capacity: 3600 liters

Boat navigation and safety

GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
Oxygen
First Aid Kits

Epica Reviews

9.2 Superb

Vessel

7.7
Crew

9.3
Food

9.8
Diving

9.7
Value

9.3

9.2 Superb
Jinliang Z
Hong Kong

Marvelous trip in Raja Ampat
Diving is Raja Ampat is next level experience. Doing this with Epica is an extraordinary memory that will never be forgotten, especially for those with limited budgets and wild spirits!
Recommended for
People on board are really nice.. Diving experience was amazing.. The schedule was well organized and everyone has enjoyed themselves fo the 7 days..
10 Apr, 2026

10 Exceptional
Rivkah J
United States

MAGIC!!!
The boat was very well organized and comfortable. The atmosphere was great and crew was friendly and professional. Food was great. The dive sites were above and beyond my imagination. Definitely one of the best experiences I've ever had!!! Highly recommended!!
Recommended for
Crew, food, comfort
31 May, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Venkitaraman R
India

Excellent guides and staffs. great service . awesome food.
Excellent guides and staffs. great service . awesome food. Had loads of fun diving . The Director , Rachael made sure that we dive in right dive sites . Our Dive guides - Erica, Fenly and ED were top notch . made our divinhg really comfortable and exiting at t'he same time.
Recommended for
D
13 Dec, 2023

8.0 Very good
Barbara H
Switzerland

Diving in a easy going boot in Raja Ampat mpat
Well organizerd, safety First, very good food. Good group.
Recommended for
The briefing of Erik, 6 stars. Nice and lovely crew. Good Air condition in the cabine.
01 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Justin G
Canada

HUGE Manta Rays
Absolutely incredible Melanistic Manta Ray sightings. I highly recommend the Epica.
Recommended for
The nature. The instructors. The staff.
13 Mar, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Guylaine F
France

Great cruise for a first experience in Raja Ampat
All the dives were superb, especially the one at Manta Reef but far too many divers at the same time: the price of success
Recommended for
Choice of sites, attention of the crews, experienced dive guideAll
01 Feb, 2023

Translated from French

9.6 Exceptional
Geoffrey M
United Kingdom

Amazing trip and so glad I booked onto Epica!
Diving amongst huge shoals of fishes, the pristine coral reefs and the astonishing biodiversity. The whole dive team and boat crew were superb too. Loved the little hike up to the viewpoint on Pyanemo island and the beach BBQ on the last night was a nice touch as well.
Recommended for
The dive guides, the boat crew and the fabulous diversity of marine life.
10 Dec, 2019

8.8 Fabulous
John H
United Kingdom

Wonderful Dive site unique to the Raja Ampat
Rare opportunity to see Raja Ampat special creatures and fish in fantastic locations.
Recommended for
The guides were very knowledgeable, Unique locations and the wonderful guests
21 Nov, 2022

10 Exceptional
Tom P
Belgium

The perfect liveaboard for the price!
Everything
Recommended for
Very friendly crew (shout out to director Josh), great food and good schedule
17 Dec, 2019

10 Exceptional
katie P
United Kingdom

Amazing week on the Epica
Every day was a highlight, sardine reef was the best dive and so exciting to do a night dive for the first time!
Recommended for
The diverse marine life, the staff on the Epica and the food! a
08 Oct, 2019

72 reviews

9.2 Superb
72 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

8.8 Fabulous
Saku S
Finland

Simple, but great liveaboard boat with excellent crew!
I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere on the boat. Crew was amazing and other guests very friendly and nice. The boat is simple, but everything that one would need is there! Food is very good! Diving in Raja Ampat is amazing and with this liveaboard you get to dive at best dive sites!
Recommended for
Amazing diving, Excellent Crew, Superb diving!
04 Nov, 2023

8.4 Very good
Tobias Z
Germany

Basic boat paired with very professional diving
The boat is really basic, but this is what we expected. Surprisingly, the cabins have an AC though. The crew is incredible: a mix of experienced western and local dive instructors. One night the local instructors even played music for us.
Recommended for
The crew (especially the cruise director). The non-diving activities (e.g. snorkeling in mangroves). The selected dive sites (e.g. mud diving).
06 Apr, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
sheana M
United States

Incredible trip!
We saw so many incredible things like Pygmy seahorses, tons of reef mantas swimming above us, 2 oceanic rays (this was rare!), octopuses, sharks like black and white tip reefs and wobbegongs. Our dive master Rolly was awesome, the food was good, things happened on schedule (I love the punctuality!) and the weather was superb. I’ll remember this forever
Recommended for
Oceanic mantas rays, octopuses, and wobbegongs
25 Feb, 2024

9.2 Superb
Issie A
New Zealand

Best experience of my life so far
Seeing the underwater wonders Meeting new friends Being in such a beautiful natural environment
Recommended for
Amazing dive guides, fantastic staff and a great atmosphere on board
07 May, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Audrey H
France

Fabulous
I did a 7d/6n cruise aboard Epica which was fabulous. The dive sites are great, there is a bit of daily navigation but without being excessive which allows us to rest between dives. The boat is open which gives an impression of freedom, with places in the sun, others in the shade, mattresses and poufs which is very pleasant to rest. The cabins are small but comfortable with AC, shower and toilet correct and clean. The meals were all excellent! And the team was really very professional, listening to our desires while remaining discreet and non-invasive. Juanita the dive director was really very nice, very professional and very attentive to everyone! I recommend 100%
Recommended for
Dive site. Professionalism of the team. Excellent meal.
04 Oct, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Remy V
Netherlands

The Epica has been a perfect trip. Good diving. Friendship and enjoying together.
The journey on the Epica was amazing. The divemasters (Juanita, Rickson, Baldus) were so friendly and professional. They know all the spots were specific fish and marine life can be found. They were also great fun to hang out with playing cards etc. Baldus is a great singer on the guitar aswell. I felt very safe during the trip and really sad when it was over.
Recommended for
Great crew. Amazing diving. Amazing divers.
18 Aug, 2025

9.2 Superb
Amparo D
Spain

Diving in Paradise
From each dive I have a lot of wonderful memories. This place so far from everything is a paradise. And our Dive Masters who accompanied us on each dive and know the area perfectly made this an unforgettable trip.
Recommended for
The dive guides. The travelling companions. The paradise that is Raja Ampat.
24 Apr, 2025

Translated from Spanish

9.6 Exceptional
Becky Y
Canada

Budget liveaboard, but delivered the dives at Raja Ampat with a Bang!
I learned that Epica is owned by Scuba-Republic which also owns the Jaya Liveaboard that takes divers to both the Raja Ampat and Komodo. The company also runs the Bira Diver Camp in South Sulawesi. With a wealth of experience, it was no wonder that Epica was expertly run. Due to its basic, no frill (but ever so clean, well-maintained and cheery!) boat, wholesome but not fancy meals and somewhat small sleeping quarters, Epica’s price is a lot lower than the more luxurious boats at Raja Ampat. Cheap does not mean cutting corners on this boat! Matt, the Dive Leader Extraordinaire, ran a tight ship, and took his job very seriously. He made sure that all the dives were well-organized and all the details, big and small, were taken care of (He and Shali, the dive master, gave us the most thorough pre-dive briefings that I‘ve ever come across!) and that everything went smoothly on the trip! For Heaven’s sake, Matt and Shali even played card games with us EVERY single evening to keep us happy and engaged! The Epica Captain and the crew were equally attentive and very capable! So, all 5 of us divers just enjoy our dives and had the times of our lives on this totally customers- oriented liveaboard. Among the many wonderful marine creatures that we came cross in Raja Ampat, we were very lucky as we saw many majestic giant manta rays in our 2 dives at the manta cleaning station at the Blue Magic dive site. In one dive, they kept coming to us for a solid hour! (My GoPro went out of battery and SD card!) Woebegong sharks, the very unique-looking sharks indigenious to Raja Ampat, were seen quite often in our dives. Honestly, even on our first dive (a check dive) at a site near Waigeo Island (our departure point) that was known to be murky, we came across a huge cuttlefish that camouflaged and changed its colors and textures right in front of our eyes! How exquisite!
Recommended for
Giant manta rays, Dive Masters and the crew, price
03 Mar, 2018

9.2 Superb
Choong P
Malaysia

Amazing dive experience and living a boat
The encounter of different varieties of underwater fishes which may hard to be seen in other part of the world. The dolphins and whale sharks that swim around the boat while sailing across the different island. The friendly and helpful crews give the most comfortable trip on the boat
Recommended for
The best view above and underwater. The experience dive guide put the safety and comfort as the priority of each guest
02 Mar, 2020

8.8 Fabulous
Michaël J
France

If budget is your main constraint, this LA is definitely worth the price for the Raja Ampat experience
This is probably the cheapest liveaboard you can have in Raja Ampat, but then still "not cheap". The comfort on the boat is minimal, but the truth is when diving 3 or 4 times a day, this is really not an issue. Everybody during the week loved the experience. The diving is absolutely amazing, the staff was extremely nice, and I also enjoyed the extra activities (local village visit, islands, last evening beach bonfire). Because of the cheap price and no nitrox, the general level was skewered toward beginners, but that didn't impact my experience cause we had a nice group of more experienced divers. The dives were relatively easy all week along anyway.
Recommended for
Diving. Islands. Staff.
09 Mar, 2026

10 Exceptional
Maik R
Germany

Great time on Epica
I had a great tim on Epica Liveaboard… everything was good organized and the cruise director mad a fantastic job! He talked with the dive guides about the dive sides and always looked for safety and great dives! The food was fantastic thank you TaTa, the Girl with the loud voice 😊. The crew always helps us at revelry situation and was amazing friendly! The boot is a budget boot but have everything you need for having a great time! I liked the Jung guests how just want to have fun and great dives. Erroneous was happy and wi had a great time with Mantas, Sharks Nudies, Pygmy’s ….. I will come back!!!
Recommended for
Great Team. Amazing Dives. Very good organized.
04 Nov, 2024

9.2 Superb
Diana K
United States

An Epic-a Experience
The Epica liveaboard was a wonderful experience! I went in July and got to see some amazing marine animals, the most beautiful corals, and most of the dive sites were only our group or very few other people since it was off season. The reefs were amazing and we even got to see a manta (despite time of year)! The trip had 18 dives and they were all so wonderful, I can't pick one as my favorite. Raja Ampat does not disappoint and totally lives up to the hype. I came here as a new diver and was nervous that I wouldn't be able to hold up but Josh and Stefan quickly helped and guided me to becoming an advanced diver. They're both extremely knowledgeable about the area - both on land and under water. Josh and Stefan went above and beyond to make sure that the trip was amazing and that everyone was having a great experience. In fact, the entire crew of the Epica were amazing and wonderful. The crew were so kind, keep the boat running smoothly, made sure all the gear was good to go, tanks filled, and the chef is amazing. The food was always great and they are accommodating to any food allergies. I feel like 7 days wasn't enough, I could have gone for a few more.
Recommended for
Dive location, guides, food
21 Aug, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Grace S
Australia

Absolutely beautiful diving, amazing staff and serious value for money
Every dive brought something completely different, barracuda and trevally schools, rays, huge jump head parrotfish and the most beautiful, pristine coral. Raja ampat is absolute paradise, with stunning sunsets every evening. The Epica and it’s amazing staff made it an unforgettable experience
Recommended for
The staff!
21 Aug, 2019

9.2 Superb
Johannes B
United States

Great value for money, friendly and knowledgeable staff
Highlights of the trip were the epic dives followed by great food and vibe above water. No luxury here but great diving with great people for a budget price.
Recommended for
Amazing dive sites, value for money and friendly staff
03 Dec, 2017

10 Exceptional
Sofía B
Uruguay

The best trip
The diving spots I enjoyed the most were chicken reef and Melissa’s garden, was absolutely magical. What made the trip so amazing was the good vibes from the manager and the kind hearts of the crew ❤️
Recommended for
The diving, the crew and the experience
16 Aug, 2023

10 Exceptional
Laura V
Spain

Amazing
Diving spots, food.. everything!
Recommended for
Diving instructors and crew!
08 May, 2023

10 Exceptional
Nicolas C
France

Amazing crew and dive guides for the friendliest liveaboard of Raja Ampat
Our liveaboard on Epica with the Scuba Republic team was perfect! The young spirit of the crew and dive guides is really appreciated as well as their professionalism about the dive sites we visit throughout the 10 days. Dive sites are the best we have encountered seeing many wonderful species such as manta rays, 5-6 shark species, lots of macro and beautiful coral gardens very healthy and colourful. Food is amazing and always served as soon as you need it and the "chill area" and sundeck is a great plus to relax between dives ! Even if the boat is not the biggest you will find, it is good for 14 divers + crew. I highly recommend this trip if you are looking for a younger and funnier alternative to more "experienced and serious dive groups" on liveaboard..!
Recommended for
Wonderful dive sites, great atmosphere on the boat, professional equipment
28 Nov, 2019

8.8 Fabulous
Maurice L
Netherlands

Absolutely fantastic
It's a budget friendly boat so do not expect anything fancy. It's the crew, the diving and the freshly made food that makes the trip fantastic. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who is on a budget and still wants to dive the highlights of the Dampier Strait.
Recommended for
The crew, the diving, the food
02 Dec, 2022

7.6 Good
Kristin H
United States

Amazing diving and wonderful guides
By far, the quality of the diving was the highlight of the trip. All the central Raja Ampat dives were gorgeous. The guides were knowledgeable and safe. Another highlight was the short hike up to the look out in pianemo geo.
Recommended for
The guides were great, food was good and the diving was fantastic.
18 Oct, 2019

9.2 Superb
Laurence N
France

Almost perfect
The dive sites superb.Manta rays.Sunrises and sunsets.
Recommended for
Professionalism of the staff, the outings on land, the food.
18 Oct, 2023