Arborek Dive Shop

Arborek Dive Shop

Arborek Dive Shop is owned by Marsel Mambrasar and Githa Anathasia, both of whom hold PADI Dive Master certification and have extensive Raja Ampat dive guiding experience. All Arborek Dive Shop boat crew are also PADI or SSI certified to at least Open Water level.

Guests at the following Arborek homestays are welcome to dive with Arborek Dive Shop’s experienced local team.

Pickups can also be organised from Waisai or other Raja Ampat homestays – the price will depend on distance. Contact Arborek Dive Shop by one of the methods listed below for more info.

In addition to its fabulous local dive sites, Pulau Arborek also offers the closest accommodation available to the famed Manta Sandy and Manta Point dive sites. Arborek Dive Shop can of course also organise dives at any Raja Ampat site you want to visit – including some of their own “secret” sites that you’ll have all to yourself! Check out the “Dive Sites” tab on their page linked above for more.

For non-divers, Arborek Dive Shop offers sightseeing and snorkelling trips to various locations and snorkelling equipment is available for hire if you just want to check out the local sights.

  • Arborek Dive Shop’s social responsibility program includes being active participants in
  • The Kitong Bisa Learning Center project which supports english education and an enterpreneurship program for local youth on Arborek
  • Local Crown of Thorns starfish control program, with 3 CoT injection kits and regular starfish removal patrols
  • Supplying tanks and guide for the POKJA Manta monitoring project at Manta Sandy
  • Support of the WideOpenProject for coral reef transplant/restoration

Arborek Dive Shop sells refillable water bottles and refills are always available there.

Arborek Dive Shop is easy to find, being visible from both the jetty and beach (see the map below).

PLEASE NOTE: Sundays are a day of church and family obligations in Raja Ampat, and diving is not available on Sundays. (Sunday afternoon boat trips can be arranged if required.)

Arborek Dive Shop Equipment

Dive Boat – Fiberglass Boat – 2 x 40HP engines.

Cat compressor.

26 Tanks, 18 sets of Masks, Snorkel & Fins, Booties, Weight Belts, 8 sets of BCD, Regulators & Octopus, plus a limited range of wet suits.

First Aid Kit and emergency oxygen supply.

Dive & Equipment Hire Prices

Prices below are in Indonesian Rupiah and are all inclusive of guide, diving equipment rental, drinking water and boat hire.

You can pay in cash, or by credit card, bank transfer or Paypal.

DIVESPRICE PER PERSON
1 dive600,000
6 dives3,450,000
10 dives5,500,000
EQUIPMENT HIREPRICE PER DAY
BCD & regulator400,000
Mask, snorkel, fins150,000

Waisai-Arborek Transfers

A round trip from Waisai to Arborek and back will cost IDR 3,000,000. The trip is by twin 40HP powered speedboat, can accommodate up to 8 people and the price is shared by passengers.

Contact Arborek Dive Shop

Phone/WhatsApp/WeChat/LINE: + 6282238734552 / +6285254228580

By email

Facebook

Arborek Dive Shop, Pulau Arborek, Raja Ampat

Arborek Dive Shop Location


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  1. Ziva Justinek on

    Githa and her team takes diving on a whole new level with their crazy excitement, great eye for spotting the little treasures and friendly attitude! They are very professional in the way they work and the equipment is in perfect condition. I absolutely loved the honest and genuine approach Githa has towards everything, she is a strong local woman and she truly cares about the people and the nature. I loved diving with her, she squeeks and screams with excitement underwater, she takes diving personal and really makes the best out of it. She shares her stories about local culture with travellers also. She regularly helps with advices on Fb groups also and she truly loves the mantas. <3 I feel honoured to be able to kick my fins beside her in the many secret spots of Raja Ampat and wish her all the best with her plans and dreams. I don't doubt great things will happen! Till I see you guys at Arborek dive shop again – lots of love!! <3

  2. Franz J. Armstorfer on

    Ich kann mich nur dem Kommentar von Marion T. anschließen und voll bestätigen. Alles Bingo, etwas improvisiert aber immer im Griff. Was will man mehr. Man sollte mit Githa rechtzeitig reden und wissen was man will. Bei uns hat jedenfalls alles ganz gut geklappt.

  3. Marion thebault on

    I have spent 2 amazing weeks diving in Arborek with the Arborek dive shop. Githa and the team are truly amazing. Not only they are amazing divers but they are also amazing guides. All the dives have been amazing. We have seen so many things while respecting the marine biodiversity. It’s one of the best dive shop I had the chance to dive with. On top of that, they are highly engaged to protect and safeguard the marine biodiversity in the region, and also empower the local women on the Island. I could not recommend more this place if you are coming to Raja and would like to dive.

  4. Katharina & Sahil on

    Githa, the owner and dive instructor, is the best! Very energetic, no bullshit, great knowledge of the area and wildlife. Dive sites are usually decided in the morning and we loved all the spots we went to. Get ready to see sharks, turtles, mantas, nudis and of course lots of wobbegongs!

    The dive sites you go to will mostly be around arborek and western gam, unless you book a trip to for example Melissa garden. So the dive sites around Kri and Eastern Gam you would need to cover with a different dive center and home stay closer by.

    It’s best to bring your own equipment, but there is also some rental equipment available. Best to check with them before!

    We really loved our experience diving with Arborek Dive Shop and highly recommend it! Make sure you try Githa’s streamed bananas and experience the cuteness of her kid Ricardo!

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you Kath and Sahil for your review.
      See u again underwater then !!!

  5. Vero on

    Nous avons passé 15 jours de plongee avec guita et marcello en janvier et avons tout simplement adoré ! D abord les sites en pleine saison des mantas un bonheur ! , leurs sites secrets, leurs professionalisme, le check courrant avant chaque plongée, l enthousiasme de guita et son investissement pour la preservation du lieu etc.. Bref j en parle et parlerai a quiconque voudra aller aux raja ! Allez là c est le top ! Merci encore guita marcello et manu on a passé avec vous de super plongees qui resteront longtemps dans nos souvenirs de baba et mama

  6. Erez on

    A wonderful week.
    Wonderful dives with super guide Githa and the “no-talking-a-much-but-always-there-for-you-even-when-you-don’t-notice” Marsel.
    These guys know the area, know the fish (some even have special relationship with Githa and coming to welcome you).
    All equipment is of the highest standards and I felt fully in secure with them for day and night dives. Fast boat, checking currents, briefing as should, and diving is a pleasure as they love the nature and do everything possible to keep it alive for the future.
    Arborek is a great island to visit and a must for a few days in the area. People are super welcoming and Githa and Marsel can provide any assistance you may need about anything.
    Super recommended, I’ll be back

    1. Githa on

      Thank you Erez. Hope when you come back your wife can join as well
      See you in Jakarta next time

  7. Emiel on

    Small locally owned diveshop. Enjoyed the diving with Githa and Marcel very much. Githa is very passionate about the underwaterlife and is an expert Wobbegongfinder 😀. They know the divelocations and -conditions the best. Support the locals! 🤙

    1. Githa on

      Thank u Emiel….
      Hope next year we can dive together again 😊

  8. Ihsan on

    Kalau melihat komen diatas, sepertinya banyak bule yang diving di Arborek Raja Ampat yah.
    Jadi perkenankan saya memberikan komentar untuk turis lokal yang nanti datang ke arborek Raja Ampat.
    Karena keindahan di Indonesia perlu juga kita nikmati diwilayah Nusantara ini. Raja Ampat merupakan salah satu wilayah terindah Indonesia. Bagi saya yang pertama kali ikut melihat keindahan laut Raja Ampat, rasanya sangat luar biasa.
    Dibawah laut saya melihat karang yang besar, ntah berapa umurnya. Saya melihat kumpulan ikan Ochi atau ikan kembung garis kuning yang jumlahnya tidak terhitung, di dalam air saya melihat kumpulan ikan Ochi tersebut seperti bangunan raksasa yang ada di depan saya, melihat keatas kebawah kesamping seakan kumpulan ikannya tidak terputus. pemandangan indah yang seumur hidup sulit dilihat ulang kecuali datang kembali.
    Semua mata ikan seakan akan melihat kita dan terlihat sangat indah pergerakannya, bukan hanya itu banyak juga ikan2 lain yang saya tidak tahu jenisnya berkumpul di sekitaran badan begitu dekat. Kumpulan ikan tersebut juga memantulkan cahaya matahari yang indah seakan permata bergerak yang berkilau hilir mudik diantara kita. Kalau bercerita tentang di bawah laut, saya rasa lebih nikmat kalau dirasakan langsung.
    Yang sangat penting juga Untuk Mace Githa (orang Bekasi yang hidup di Arborek) dan Pace Marcell Orang arborek raja Ampat yang punya banyak pengalaman diving, saya mengucapkan terimakasih atas panduan dan ilmunya, serta menemani kami berkeliling di bawah laut arborek. Saya memang sudah belajar menggunakan alat diving di Jakarta, tp rasa tegang dan khawatir masih ada ketika melihat laut dari atas.
    Mace dan Pace menemani saya dengan sangat sangat baik, kami dijelaskan secara detail mengenai alat, teknik dan mental juga. Saya dibimbing mendekati ikan ikan yang ada disana dan menikmati ikan secara damai.

    Untuk di pulau Arborek, masyarakatnya sangat sangat ramah. Anak anak kecil yang seperti punya insang karena bisa hidup diatas laut dan lucu melihat senyum serta tawanya.
    Untuk biaya saya nilai sangat murah jika dibandingkan wilayah lain, bahkan untuk kelapa muda saja masih saya beli dengan harga 10 rb per buah.

    Simpulannya, masih banyak yang harusnya bisa ditulis dan sulit dideskripsikan.
    Ini pengalaman indah yang luar biasa. Termasuk dipertemukan dengan instruktur Mace dan Pace ini.
    Jadi ayokkk nikmati Indonesia..

  9. Colin & Maia on

    Diving in Arborek with Ghita and Marsel was amazing! From booking to leaving, everything was made easy by Ghita, with lots of info abou,t not only the diving, but also the island itself, accommodation, weather and logistics. Right up until we booked flights we were asking about the weather and what animals are around the dive sites and Ghita was glad to help, even sending photo updates! This level of service really makes you confident, even before you book. Marsel is so laid back he is horizontal but a great boatman and picks the best spots each day. Also a great guide with a keen eye and a good knowledge of his backyard. Don’t expect an extended briefing reminding you how to dive, or someone to do your buddy check for you, you need to be a competent diver already, but diving with divemasters Marsel and Ghita, we were in safe hands. They really know the sites, conditions and do safe dive profiles.

    The dive sites we went to, famous ones and secret ones, were all pristine, with healthy corals and an abundance of fish. When we arrived we told Marsel and Ghita that we want to see wobbegong sharks, walking sharks and manta rays, so this is what they set out to find. Marsel searched enthusiastically for these every dive, and even managed to find some beautiful pygmy seahorses, invisible to the untrained eye, and Ghita was so excited by everything underwater it was infectious. So, in less than 24 hours, we had seen some of the very special creatures endemic to Raja Empat, and been blown away by the other fish we had not expected to see, especially in such big schools.

    On one secret dive site (ask for the site that has a topography like fingers) you couldn’t see the reef for glass fish/golden sweepers, and had to wave your hands in front of you to see anything else. On this spot and on Mayhem the barracuda and fusiliers schooling were very impressive and becoming less and less common in our overfished seas. Arborek Jetty is another spot where the schooling fish are breathtaking to see, swimming inside a school of more than 5000 scads with giant trevally hunting around the outside is an experience not to be missed. A night dive on the jetty is also a must, with walking sharks, nudis, shrimps and heaps of other creatures to see.

    The homestay we stayed at was Sunset Homestay, and Ghita also helped to arrange this by putting us in touch with the owner, Ulis, and getting us a good deal. This was a perfect little home for our short stay and meant we could enjoy the paradise island of Arborek when we weren’t diving. If you enjoy the slow life, away from hustle and bustle, even that of a liveaboard, then staying on Arborek is for you.

    I could write 1000 more words about our wonderful time with Ghita and Marsel (also Marcelo who helped on the boat a few days) but hopefully this short review is enough to convince you to visit this perfect little dive shop in the heart of some of the best diving in the world and in the beautiful West Papua!

    Thank you Marsel and Ghita at Arborek Dive Shop for your great hospitality. We arrived as guests and left as friends and hope to come back again soon.

    Lots of love from Maia and Colin xxx

    1. Githa on

      Thank you for this review Colin and Maia.
      Hope we can dive again with you next time in Manado

  10. Puji Astutiningsih on

    Have a great experience diving with Githa and Marcel.. Excellent service and personalised…. Githa knows very well what to see where and when.. Her warmth and anthusiasm bring you in thz good spirit from the first moment…
    Marcel talk about the reef like it was his playground (which is true)…
    It was fun diving with them but also learned a lot about the nature and how to approach and appreciate it!
    Highly recommended!

  11. Zaki on

    Highly recommended place to spend your time with dives and explore raja ampat. Githa and Marcel will take you to spots based on preference and diving skill set. The journey was memorable! I will definitely come back!

    1. Marsel on

      Thanks kak Zaki

  12. Marie on

    Be sure to reserve your scuba in advance or risk disappointment. Githa can be quite snotty to walk-up guests if they are fully booked (could not arrange in advance because their gmail was full) They only have two boats so capacity is limited.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Quite bit snooty … 😅😅😅
      Thanks for review Marie

  13. Bogdan on

    Highly recommended! We spend around 15 days diving with them. Githa and Marcel are amazing guides. I should wear prescriptions lenses next time as they see tiny things that are impossible for me to see :) Everyhing was great. Nice dive sites, small groups of divers on the boat, tanks fully filled. And we are in most of our dives all alone on the place. Diving Piaynemo and night dives are a must. Thanks Githa, Marcel, Faris, Karel and Teo !!!

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you Bogdan..big hug for Fat man !

  14. Yannick Schulpen on

    Highly recommended! I absolutely loved diving with Githa and Marsel. Githa speaks English very well and is very knowledgeable in conservation and the local environment. I loved talking to her and her enthusiasm will put a smile on everyones face. Marsel has an excellent eye for spotting small stuff. The rest of the crew was friendly and hospitable. (Thanks again, captain Theo, for retrieving my mask from the bottom of the reef, and Sun, I hope by now you have fully recovered from your foot injury.)
    They have a nice and fast boat and dont mind to travel a bit in order to dive the nicest sites. We always went out diving with at least 2 guides and often 3. During the dives the group was aranged so that people everyone could maximise their bottom time. During surface time we always had tea and biscuits.
    Hope to see you all again soon!

    1. Arborek dive Shop on

      Thank you for reviewing us Yanick..send us pictures your girlfriend with Noken from mama

  15. Florian on

    Nice dive center who will take you to the most beautiful diving sites. You will see amazing things and it will probably be the most exciting dives of your life.

    The Dive shop is also very committed to the sustainable development of Arborek and its community.

    The Dive shop is very successful and there was a lot of people when we were here, so a good advice would be to book in advance!

    1. Arborek dive Shop on

      Thank you Florian !!

  16. Antonin D on

    We dived with Arborek Dive Shop in October 2019.
    The phone contact by whats app was very good with Githa. Unfortunately we did not have the chance to meet her but it is obvious that she is the one who manages the dive center and her English is very good.
    Arborek Dive Shop seems very invested in the protection of the reef. Congratulations !

    Before our arrival at Raja Ampat, we wanted to dive with a center specialized in diving and whose diving is the main and unique activity.
    So we chose Arborek Dive Shop for its good reputation.

    My wife and I did 10 and 13 dives with this dive center.

    The boat is fast and comfortable.
    The material is quite recent and brand Scubapro or Aqualung. The guides and the boat staff are very friendly and take care of everything.
     We have met dolphins several times since the boat and the staff of Arborek Dive Shop has done everything so that we can get in the water with the dolphins.

     The Raja Ampat dives are very beautiful, there is a great diversity of corals and fish but sometimes there is curent.

    Marcel is an expert to see the pygmy seahorses and carpet shark…!

    The places visited during the surface intervals were very nice.

    Even for problems that were not related to diving, Marcel and Githa helped us.

    However, we were disappointed with the security measures taken by the different dive master we had.
    We dived with 3 differents dive-masters during our 2 weeks on the island.
    During our first dive we had a guide (long hair and no wetsuit) who did not seem experienced and who surfaced during the dive to see where the boat was (leaving us at the bottom) then went re-immersed and finally, we surfaced without opening the parachute.
     The SMB (parachute) is not used systematically at the end of the dive before surfacing.
    It’s been 9 months since we dive in different Asian countries and this is the first time we see a dive center that does not use the SMB systematically at the end of the dive.
    This should be obligatory after each dive end to avoid any surface accidents.
    Other divers who dived when we stayed at homestay, told us the same thing about the SMB …
    So we are not the only ones to have noticed that.

    The dive profiles made are sometimes dangerous: Sometimes we dived at -25m deep at the beginning of the dive, then to go up to -10m and to go back down to -25m of depth …
    (to follow the relief).
     This kind of diving profile is dangerous for the safety of divers.

      Most of the time we dive alone on the boat and have a guide for us alone.!! good !
    But the three times we dived with other customers, they were open-water (-18m max) with sometimes only 15 dives of experience, but still dived into our team while we are rescue and Adw PADI.
    Each time, we went to -20/-25m while these customers have a certification to go only to -18m … It’s not very serious.
    In the event of an accident, the customer’s insurance may not take over the costs of rescue because the customer has not respected his prerogatives related to his certification. (maximum depth)

     You should also improve the briefings because they are very short and sometimes nonexistent before diving …
    (Just say : “folllow the reef right hand” it is not a briefing)

    Nevertheless, we enjoyed our dives but we think that safety should be taken more seriously, especially at Raja Ampat because there is current and the nearest decompression chamber is very far …

    Thank you

  17. Damien on

    We spent one week this summer diving with Ghita and Marcel. Wonderfull dive! Arborek reef is awesome, we dived also on Pulau Rufas and Fam (both close to pyanemo that we visited at the same time) , and also Mansuar and Gam. If like us you like particularly the small little things … with Ghita and Marcel you will discovered an amazing world. They are able to find so tiny and wonderful creature (tons of different species of nudibranchs, pygmee sea horses, …). Marcel is a good photographer therefore he know what diving and taking picture means, and if like me you want to have time to take your picture, be ready to stay more than one hour under water!
    Arborek reef is also a nice place for freediving and snorkeling, Ghita can give you good advice to practice safely.
    Ghita is also invest in reef protection… do not hesitate to ask her details she will show you her transplant!

    Diving with Ghita and Marcel was a wonderfull moment of our month at raja_ampat. Thank you so much to both of you !!

    Damien, Frede, Loric and Lalie

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you Damien & friends

  18. Clementine and Geoffroy on

    Really nice and professional people to go diving with. Githa,Marcel and all the team make us feel like we’d love to dive again with them.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you Clementine and Geoffroy for the review
      hope to dive with you guys again in the future

      cheers

  19. Onyii, Mara and Amelia on

    Githa is simply amazing! And so is Marcel. Marcel is a great guy with incredible knowledge of the waters. He has an uncanny sense of the current and a ridiculous internal compass. Being with someone that experienced and competent in the water is VERY reassuring. I felt safe and although it was frustrating not being able to go on the dives I wanted when I wanted, it was obvious that they had our best interest in mind. But back to Githa, who’s passion for the ocean is unparalleled. She loves Raja Ampat, the water and the sea creatures so much and it’s infectious. She taught us so much about the underwater life and is also an excellent diver. You will have a great time with this crew! Their dive shop is modest but their boat is sturdy and due to their experience in these waters It was easy to relax and just enjoy the incredible beauty of the waters in Raja Ampat. We didn’t see any mantas (we went in July which is not manta season) but the coral is stunning. We did see orcas though! Four of them to be exact!! Snorkeling off the Jetty was very beautiful as well. I cannot recommend arborek dive shop more highly. You won’t regret it.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      yeayyy..orcas team. Thank you for diving with us guys
      do you still remember our surface interval on the water surface ? holding a cup of coffee.. sooo cute

      cant wait to see u again next time

  20. Neha Acharya - patel on

    I stayed on Arborek and dove with Githa and Marsel for two weeks! They are incredible people who really care about their community and the marine life of Raja Ampat! They are very knowledgeable guides and provide a wonderful diving experience. They are a keystone within the community on Arborek and diving with them is an opportunity to learn about the local life as well as to see the amazing diving that Raja Ampat has to offer.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      thank you Neha.So you too, incredible lady. you are very passionated with mantas, and marine creatures. thank you again for helping us with WOP team to put the coral transplant. anyway, its growing beautifully now ;)

      see u again on the next projects

  21. Peter B on

    Arborek dive shop has all you need. Githa & Marsel are awesome !! It is amazing to be in the water with them. Marsel took care of my wife for a few introduction dives. She felt super comfortable with him underwater. Thx a lot for that ?. I had a great Manta dive with him ??????
    Githa is the most enthusiastic dive guide I have ever had. She knows all the divesites very well. She wants you to experience Raja Ampat as its best.
    I did 12 dives with them and they were all amazing. It is really impressive underwater. It is more than I ever could imagine ?.
    Githa is very concerned with everything in the water. She is very aware and smart. She is a great example for many people. I am so happy I met her. She is awesome.
    Arborek Dive Shop is a small & simple dive shop. Don’t underestimate them !! They know what they are doing & the care very much for their customers, the ocean, the coral & all the fish.
    Big thx to Githa & Marsel. I hope to see you again another day ☺️

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you so much for your review pieter.
      Send a big love to your wife. Tell her im very proud to know her. Im so adore and happy to see her happy too.

      See u next time
      Happy bubbles !

  22. Rowan and Medhbh on

    We spent 5 days diving with Marcel and Githa in March. They were outstanding and we thoroughly recommend using this dive shop.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thanks Rowan

      Hope to see u and dive with u again in the future
      Happy bubbles

  23. Sohini on

    I spent 4 nights in arborek diving with this cute little dive shop and trust me its an amazing one. Im not saying this because its the only diveshop on the island , im a divemaster and been diving with many different diveshops in different places but this place has such an amazing homely vibe. Githa and marsel are amazing they make you feel at home and are super great to dive with. So if you are on arborek do dive with them and they will take care of everything from safety to comfort and ofcourse great company.
    Thanks for everything githa and marsel you guys are awesome

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Sohiniiiii…
      Thank you so much. I wish u could finished you IDC soon and come back here again…

      Good luck and wish u all the best

      Happy bubbles !

  24. Ferenc on

    I spent 9 days on Arborek and I made 11 fantastic dives with Ghita and Marsell. Everything went smooth, Ghita is a great organizer. Even when I skipped one day because of my ear, she sent pills and drop and it was solved. She is a fantastic dive master with great knowledge of the dive sites and she is doing each dive enthusiastically. I had a great time in Arborek mainly thanks for her.

  25. Tom and Lucy on

    Super good dive guides and a lot of personal care!

    Githa and Marsel are two amazing dive guides, who are both very enthousiast under water and on the surface. They see all the big and small stuff. Marsel showed us nudibranches, which we saw for the first time! Also they took really good care of us as we are still beginning divers and did not have a dive computer. With them we also dared to go to the more difficult dive sites, as there can be strong currents in Raja Ampat.

    In total we did 8 dives with them and went even on a trip to Pianemo (for a really fair price). We had a really good time and could not be wishing for a better experience. Thanks guys!

    With love,
    Tom and Lucy

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      thank you Ferenc. hope to see you again the futures. and thank you for diving with us

      1. Arborek Dive Shop on

        thank you for your review lovely couples, thank you again for diving and having very nice time with us.

        hope to see u again next time

        cheers !

  26. Youness on

    My girlfriend and I dove with the Arborek Dive Shop in February and we appreciated it very much.

    First of all, I have to mention the friendliness of Githa, Marcel, River and all the staff. Amazing people in an amazing place, what could the people want more ?

    I booked our diving session months ago. But on showing up the first day, I felt some pain in my ear (be very very careful with ear infections in RA). Githa and River went out of their way to book a doctor’s appointment for me in Sorong, she also provided us with a driver/translator in Sorong. This was very very helpful because we were a bit lost there.

    On our return, and because we lost 3 diving days, Githa agreed to extend our bookings (sessions were available).

    Because Githa was diving with another group, we dove with River, an instructor who was lending a hand to Githa for some weeks. HUGE thanks to him for all his patience and advices. We were (are ?) baby divers and he took it into account, he was constantly checking up on us. Also, his tremendous experience in diving and his mastery of French, English and Dutch were of huge help to everybody. We couldn’t recommend him enough.

    I would like to take some lines to acknowledge the tremendous job Githa and Marcel has done to build the Dive Shop. It must be very difficult to acquire diving equipment, to train local staff to handle diving boats and to interact with divers. What you have done is admirable.

    But, because nothing is perfect, some tiny things could be improved. For example, more pre-dive briefing would have been appreciated, with underwater maps and possible currents. Also, the equipment didn’t seem very well serviced : during one of my dives, I felt water in my mouth at 20m depth and had to switch to the octopus. Also, the boat’s engine was acting funny for a long time. At some point, we had to cancel a far away dive because of it.

    Bottom line, we had an amazing experience for our first diving trip. We have Githa, Marcel and especially River to thank for. And because I don’t have enough experience in other sites, I know that I should appreciate it even more.

    Thanks for every thing, we will certainly be back !

    Youness & Lucie

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Thank you Youness for your review and feed back. will hope the best for you
      cheers

  27. Baozhen Song on

    So, does the dive shop has wet suit? or not?

    1. They don’t, Baozhen Song. You would need to bring your own.

      1. Githa Anathasia on

        Hi baozhen and admin

        Yes we do. But limited. I suggest u to emailed us first and do bookings
        Thank you

        1. Thanks Githa – we’ve updated your page to include that info. Please do just flick us an email if anything on your page ever needs updating.

  28. Chiara on

    I loved everything about diving with Githa. It’s not only that I felt safe and good taken care of (almost everyone else in my group was at least a dive master if not an instructor) it was also about the good vibes. The whole crew is always in a good mood, helpful and nice. I can only recommend diving with them.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Hi Chiara

      how are you ..
      thanks for the review

      hope to see u again next time and dive together with mantas !

      cheers

  29. Danny & Lisa on

    Such a great bunch of people to dive with. Marcel & Githa were really professional, enthusiastic and helpful.

    We spent 5 days diving with Arborek dive shop and we loved it. They really put in a lot of effort to ensure that we had a great time.

    We saw everything that we hoped for underwater, big and small. Githa is the macro-spotting queen! Really awesome. We will be back.

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      Hi lovely couples

      thanks for the reviews

      hope to see u and dive together again next year

      cheers

  30. Aurelie on

    I have been diving with Arborek Dive Shop for a week and I had a great time ! Amazing dive sites around the island, we also went diving around Piaynemo/Melissa’s garden, very beautiful and colorful underwater life, corals, fishes… waow !! The team is very friendly and professional, they are involved in the protection of R4 which is very important. Thank you Githa, Marsel, Dorian and the rest of the staff :)

  31. Ilse on

    Lovely dives!!! I did 3 dives with Arborek Dive Shop and enjoyed them all! The first 2 were in the morning with Githa with a really nice beach break in between the 2 dives! In the afternoon I went with Marcel to look for the Manta, wasn’t there so we did a great dive at Arborek Jetty! Both are really good dive guides, they really see a lot!! Githa speels really good English and is really enthousiastic in the water.. it really made me smile during the dives!!! They both do really good briefing before diving! The dive gear was great too!!
    One thing I should mention.. Get in contact with them before you arrive and ask if they have spaces left for diving. Luckily I did, changed my plans a littlebit and did these amazing dives. They only take small groups for diving (which I think is really good), so reserve your spot!
    Keep up the good work with diving in Arborek!!!

  32. Alex on

    I can only say that i am utterly disappointed with their level of service. Githa and Marsel are both nice and friendly people but this shouldn’t be confused with their level of service. Githa wasn’t around on the first two days of my dive and i had to constantly push Marsel to take us out to dive trips and go to Pianemo.

    We were lied to blatantly that the weather was bad on our 2nd day when we were supposed to go Pianemo, however with my many years of diving i could tell we had fantastic weather and calm waves on that day. After being caught lying, we were reluctantly brought to Pianemo. We had to push for Pianemo because other guests had missed Pianemo before due to bad weather, lo and behold, the weather on our last day was horrendous.

    Another matter was that we were asked to pay up on our first day, which to me was a shocker. After being explained that Githa needed the money, we paid up anyway. However finding Marsel to pay itself was a hassle, went twice but couldn’t find him. End up he had to disturb us twice during dinner and before bedtime to pay up which i felt was inappropriate.

    We didn’t get to do the night dive that we were promised on the first day with a lame final excuse that they didn’t charged their dive torch (In actual fact they had a dinner party). I had magical dives with other homestays at Gam island and decided to come here as a closer place to dive in Pianemo. However the magic of Raja Ampat seems to have vanished here together with Arborek Dive Shop.

    1. Githa on

      Hei alex. Thanks for the review. Mean while need to confirm about the ‘hustle’ u got. I think you wrong. They tried to contact u about the payment not because we need it. But many times they tried to speak with you but you looks like doesnt wants to talk with them. Even when we dive and stop for surface interval, near the dive sites other divers has been trying to talk woth u and you and Lo but you guys arent looks interested to talk with us. Simple question i ask to u (i hope u still remember)
      Hi alex, are u ok
      Then u answered :
      Yes. Just have a break

      U guys can understand Bahasa rite ?

      About other reason esp.about payment, when unarrive arborek has aproblesm few times with signals which is will be have lots problems with the edc machines coz u guys wants to pay by card, so i decided while we have good signal do the payment

      Then about pianemo….can u explained about this statement which is so rude …

      ‘We were lied to blatantly that the weather was bad on our 2nd day when we were supposed to go Pianemo, however with my many years of diving i could tell we had fantastic weather and calm waves on that day. After being caught lying, we were reluctantly brought to Pianemo. We had to push for Pianemo because other guests had missed Pianemo before due to bad weather, lo and behold, the weather on our last day was horrendous’

      100% marsel and boat crew will take u to pianemo/fam island
      Do u guys understand about weather. U guys know even on Arborek has calm sea..but, not near Fam. U need to respect how local people decisions especially about weather…
      If there any accident coz the weather…?
      Local people know the area better than me or even u.
      You are also speak Indonesia rite. U can speak with marsel and boat crew…which is only one day i was with u, but boat crew, and other diver not happy with your attitude (sorry about this). Because u never talk with them. Probably u should learn if u wants to dives with local dives shop about respecting local people.

      Then please be honest to all of us..
      We ask u about payment then u said ok. But now why your statement showed that looks like we push u guys to do the payment.
      If u arent happy with that. To be honest i can give your money back. Our dive shop trie to do the best for our customers but also for community.
      We tried to be friends for all our customers.

      About didnt do any night dive. Electricity on our village isnt stabile, we though its charged but not 100% charged. We wants to do night dives, but we didnt wants to make u dissapointed the torch will on and off.
      And about big dinner…
      Why u didnt complaint to us when dinners happend. U know what happend on the dinner ?. We have traditional proposal night. After u guys left, other divers coming and join the dinner. We still can do the night dibe if u wants but we can see your face always flat and never showing anything happy.

      Thanks GOD we never have any complaint about our services before even from the other divers that are same time diving with u guys. So, please lets learn, and ask your self are u guys respect us and tried to be honest.
      I still remember before u guys left, we said sorry about night dives, and u said
      Oh thats ok. No problem.

      We ask about diving. U said. Thank u so much.

      Sorry to reply everythings here, please be honest for everything that you wrote and review..
      Its give impact not only to us, but the most important local people whom also work with us.

      Thank you and anyway i tried to replied by whatsapp i think u blocked my whatsapp.
      Better talk with us first before u posted.

      Cheers

  33. Avelina on

    Thanks for all the super useful information! I did not know where to start before finding this!

    I tried to click on the link for Arborek’s Dive Shop (above), but found that it unfortunately does not work anymore. Do they have a new one? I tried to find it on google, but struggled. I have also sent them an email, but thought I should let you know too.

    What I was actually after was information on the best place to stay/dive if you are a novice diver (I will have a PADI Open Water qualification by the time I come and will try to get a few more dives in beforehand, if possible). I have asked this in my email to Arborek Dive Shop too.

    I really want to stay in a homestay and get to know local people and am not fussed by western luxuries etc. I would like to be able to go walking, so Kri and Mansuar sound like good options and I have also sent Wolter Gaman a message about walking in Waigeo and looking at/for some caves (as I am a caver and will have gear with me for an onward trip).

    However, I am worried that the currents could be strong around Kri and Mansuar. Are there other islands/areas of e.g. Waigeo that might be better, but that fit the bill for the other activities?

    Many thanks again for all the info!

    1. You’re welcome Avelina :)

      Thanks for letting us know about ADS’ website – they’ve let their domain registration expire!

      It doesn’t really matter which dive center you dive with: They all dive the same sites and all should take your experience and skill level into account when planning dives. Tides and currents can be strong everywhere in Raja Ampat, but good operators will dive at the appropriate times.

      You can find all dive operators and some general Raja Ampat safety advice on this page.

  34. Jemarly on

    Dive with alborek dive shop, during my 7 days stay in alborek island,
    1st dive- spotted a Oceanic manta ray was incredible. each dive was amazing. Githa and Marcel was the owner of the dive shop and also great guide. Did the night dive in the jetty, was incredible
    My first manta ray experience with these two was amazing. made a new friends. Almost cried leaving the island. i will come guys ill see you soon. Big hugs and big love -Jem

    1. Githa Anathasia on

      Thanks Jem …
      Come back again ya..and thank you for your feedback

    2. Sansan on

      Maaf mba, mau tanya utk cost yg dikeluarkan selama 7hr brp yah? Trus mbak nya sendirian atau b2 sm temen atau gimana? Rencana saya maret akhir pengen ke arborek jg, thx.. atau boleh mnta kontak whats up nya?

      1. Githa on

        Hi Sansan

        Silahkan contact kami di 081340953246
        Ditunggu

  35. Elvina on

    I was diving for 4 days with Arborek Dive Shop and I loved it. Githa is a very nice person, from the moment we discussed on whatsapp to see how to organize our stay, she helped us find accomodation on Arborek and made everything for us to feel good on Arborek ! Marsel is a very good dive guide and both of them are small critters lovers; they spotted a huge number of small nudibranches and even an ornated ghost pipefish. They know the area very well. Even though it wasn’t manta rays season Marsel managed to bring us at the right spot/ right time to see one! We also went together to Piayenemo, very well organised and beautiful diving !
    Both Githa and Marsel are true nature lovers and you can really tell that they are sharing their passion for marine life. They have a great vision on how to make sustainable tourism in this little paradise and educate people (both locals and tourists) to life on coral reefs and protection of manta rays. While we were there, there were 2 nights of these talks, presentations and movies about manta rays and coral reefs and it was very interesting. I would definitely come back, thank you both and congrats on the ecotourism award ! Cheers

    1. Arborek Dive Shop on

      thank you so much Elvina for your review. so apreciated. glad you happy for the presentation and the coral discussions. well we are waiting for you to coming back and dancing with mantas !

    2. Sansan on

      Maaf mbak, mau tanya pengeluaran selama 4hr di arborek berikut diving brp yah? Boleh minta kontak whatsup nya mbak ga mau tanya2 soalnya bulan maret akhir ada rencana mau kesana jg. Thx..

  36. Per on

    Read all Paula said below! I could not say it better.
    Highly recommended!

  37. Paula on

    The best diveshop/divecenter in Raja Ampat I had ability to try! )I was there i January 2017).

    Githa and Marsel are awesome diveinstructors and know a lot of divespots around Arborek, fascinating! Arborek is close to a lot of amazing divespots and is really near divespot Manta Sandy/Manta Slope. They are listening to what you like to see and where you want to go diving. They are also really friendly and welcoming, I really enjoyed to bee around them and the diveshop. Good english speaking, good organised and you get a lot of information. My impression is that the diveshop and the people living in the village at Arborek working together for a sustainable future for the village and the marine nature reserve in Raja Ampat, the best thing to keep this paradise alive forever.

    I highly recommend to go diving with them and I if I go back to Raja Ampat I will go dive with them again!

  38. Guillaume on

    During my second visit to Raja Ampat in July, I did one dive with Arborek Dive shop after Ghita told me there are secret dive sites near Arborek besides the very popular Cap Kri, Blue magic, Sardin/Chicken reef.
    So we went on a sunset dive towards Mansuar after passing Manta Sandy, did go directly to 25m, and… after less than 5 minutes I could see the first marble ray I ever saw! Besides the dive site was of course excellent and I guess it is even better around noon with more sunlight. I just did dive once and I really enjoyed it, not to mention Arborek Dive shop friendly team :-)

  39. Samantha Segaert on

    Best dive shop ever!

    I spent 4 awesome days with these two and loved every moment! not only did I make a life long friend (Githa), but I got to dive in some of Arborek’s and Raja Ampats best dive sites!

    Both Marcel and Githa went above and beyond to take me diving over New Years Eve, fitting in 7 or 8 dives in over 3 days (being NYE, NYD and 2nd Jan)! We also hired a speed boat and went on an adventure out to Piyanimo, Fam and did some awesome dives at Melissa’s Garden, Galaxy and Lagoon.

    Arborek is definitely a place you will instantly fall in love with and never want to leave and diving with Arborek Dive Shop defiantly makes you want to quit life and move to Arborek to go diving every day with this amazing couple!

    Cant wait to get back there!

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