The Passage
Raja Ampat · Indonesia
A 1.6 km tidal channel separating Gam and Waigeo islands, narrow enough at points to throw a rope across. Limestone karst walls draped in orange soft corals plunge into water stained brown by mangrove tannins; archerfish hunt insects above the surface while wobbegongs sleep in cracks below. Tidal flow rips through on incoming and outgoing tide, so divers ride drifts past swimthroughs, undercut walls, and pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus denise and bargibanti) on sea fans. Light drops after midday as low sun and steep walls darken the channel.
Conditions
Depth
3 to 30 m
Open water and up
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
5 to 12 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
27 to 30°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Tasselled wobbegong
Last confirmed May 15, 2026 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Hawksbill turtle
Last confirmed Jun 8, 2026 · 58 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Bargibant's pygmy seahorse
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 17 records
Very likely
Most dives
Banded archerfish
Last confirmed May 22, 2026 · 16 records
Very likely
Most dives
Bumphead parrotfish
Last confirmed May 18, 2026 · 18 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant trevally
Last confirmed May 8, 2026 · 25 records
Very likely
Most dives
Broadclub cuttlefish
Last confirmed Jun 15, 2026 · 35 records
Very likely
Most dives
Denise's pygmy seahorse
Last confirmed Jun 19, 2026 · 12 records
Very likely
Most dives
Gear