Asmat Tribe

One of the largest tribes in Papua

Papua Asmat Tribe
  • Inhabitants of the swampy mangroves

    The Asmat tribe is an ethnic group of New Guinea. They have inhabited the swampy mangrove forests for thousands of years, a region that covers approximately 25,000 square kilometers, along the South coast of Papua province. It is one of the largest tribes in Papua, their population is estimated to be around 70.000 people, an amount that is divided into a few hundred villages. These villages vary in size, they can hold as few as thirty-five people and in other ones can live as many as two thousand inhabitants.

    Inhabitants of the swampy mangroves

    Discover the mythic archipelago of the Four Kings

    Diving Cruise RAJA AMPAT

    | 8 Days / 7 Nights | 2736 € Full Board

    South Raja Ampat & West Waigeo Island, 
    Waisai to Waisai

    Next Departure:

    2024 May 16th to 23th

    342 per day

    Up to 3 dives/day

    Please refer to the FAQ Section

    Boat Rating *

    Global
    9.8
    Vessel
    9.7
    Life Onboard
    10.0
    Activities
    9.8

    Click on the tabs above for more details.

    Click on the tabs above for more details.

    Lifestyle

    Given the Asmat’s natural environment, a landscape that is practically inhospitable to modern human life, farming was impossible. They subsisted instead on whatever they could collect or hunt from the forests and ocean around them, such as starch from the sago palm, sago grubs, crustaceans, fish, bush meat and the occasional enemy. Their average height is about 172 cm for men and 162 cm for women, they have curly hair and their skin tone is generally black. These characteristics come from being Polynesians descendants.

    Their languages belong to the Papuan language family and the central Asmat now even have a written form of their spoken language.

    Asmat Lifestyle

    Beliefs

    The members of this tribe have the belief they arose out from wood, therefore wood is sacred for them. They believe in the existence of a close relationship between trees and humans. Since ancient times, they have carved amazing things from wood, in many types, such as shields, canoes, ancestor poles, sculptured figures, and drums and they have contributed art through their admirably complex culture.

    Their wood carving and sculptures are linked with the spirit world, much of their original art is symbolic, representing warfare, headhunting, daily life, their love for nature and warrior -ancestor veneration, therefore their work is not simply a decoration, it must be given the highest regard and appreciation. They have created some of the most wonderful and unique world's wood sculptures, many of them can be found in museums around the world, some are still on display today at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and others are most coveted by international art collectors.

    Nowadays, wood carving continues to flourish as a tradition among the members of the tribe, being the woodcarvers of the community always well respected. The Asmat Tribe celebrates its wood carving tradition every year with a cultural festival that gathers all the small villages for an exhibition. They show their skills on weaving, boating, traditional dances, and musical performances. After the 5-day festival, they conclude the exhibition with an open auction of their fine artworks.

    Asmat Beliefs

    Fierce Warriors

    The Asmat were once best known as a cannibalistic tribe in Papua, they were fierce warriors who in the past practiced head-hunting following their culture and belief. The Asmat did not only hunt for skulls, they also worshipped them. The skulls would be modified and decorated, to be later on displayed on their homes. They would also put human skulls under their heads instead of a pillow. Besides being headhunters, they were also hunters for names, as they believed that when they killed a man and ate him, they would take his power and become him. Sometimes a child was given a name only after 10 years of being born, and after its village decided to kill a man from an enemy village nearby. Fortunately, the evil reputation of Asmat has become history, thanks to the work done by missionaries to change this.

    Fierce Warriors

    THE CRUISE OF YOUR DREAMS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

    Whether you're looking for a private charter, or to live an adventure on the sea while discovering new landscapes & meeting new people, We can help you make your dream come true.

    FAQ

    To enter Indonesia your passport must have:
    •  Expiration date of the applicant’s passport must be at least 6 (six) months at the date of entry.
    •  At least one blank visa page
    •  Round-trip airplane ticket

    There is no Visa required for 61 countries and 1 region.
    Maximum length of stay without Visa is 30 Days, if you are planning to stay up to 60 days, you can buy a visa on arrival for 35 US$ at Airports and Seaports.
    For more details about COVID restrictions, please contact the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.


    We choose to work with people we know for years, all offering a high quality service on perfectly maintained Phinisi.

    All boats, Cabins & on-board furniture's have an authentic and sophisticated design, made with quality materials.


    Spacious and Comfortable
    shared space, Lounge, Sun Deck, Restaurant will grant you a maximum comfort.

    You will also enjoy free access to kayaks and stand-up paddles (SUP) if you wish to explore the surrounding.
    Then it's up to you to chose if you want to enjoy a stunning sunset from the lounge with a fresh drink or from the SUP in the middle of pristine water.

    One of the most, if not the most important part of your cruise, The Crew. They all are experienced, they know when to be discreet and how to treat you well.

    Another important part of your journey, the Food., you will enjoy some great dishes cooked with love by some skilled chef. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, you will be delighted all day long. 


    You can refer to the label on the boat description to have a quick overview about the class of the cruise.
    Luxury
     All cabins are equipped with Air conditioning and Private bathroom (ensuite). 
    Comfort: All cabins are equipped with Air conditioning and some cabins may have shared bathroom (Max 2 cabins).

    You should definitely consider the full charter option especially if you are planning this cruise with your family or friends. It will make the experience even more exceptional. As we offer a large choice of boat, no matter if you are 6, 10 or more than 12 we will find the best vessel according the standing you are expecting. From 1000$ per night in adventure standing, 2000$ per night in Comfort standing and from 3000$ in Luxury standing. Contact us for more informations.

    Not at all, beginners can do discover scuba diving during the cruise (let us know to arrange it)


    Open water certified divers or equivalent will have access to most of the dive sites, but to make the best of the cruise Advanced level and experience in drift dive is recommended. You can spend a few days with us in Bali before starting your cruise, by joining our Safari tour or to get your Advanced certification in one of our four dive centers, it will allow you to dive up to 30m depth, to join night dives and be more confident and comfortable while drift diving.

    For an even better training we recommend you to join the drift specialty in Nusa Lembongan.

    If you are more into Leisure, Yoga or Surfing, we can offer you some great cruise experience while practicing some of your favourite activities. Contact us for more informations.

    Indonesia spread over its more than 5000 km along the Equator which offers a tropical climate with only two season, dry & wet.

    Dry season is mainly from May to October Wet season from November to April.
    Keep in mind that Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, so you can visit year-round as wet season won’t start in the same time in different places.

    Landscapes are also pretty different due to Tropical rainforest climate and Tropical savannah climate.

    Komodo: All year around
    North Komodo: April to December
    South Komodo: January to march
    Raja Ampat: October to May
    Banda Island: September to November
    Alor: May to November

    We do recommend you to bring your own gears if you already own it. If not it’s not a big deal, you can rent the full set onboard, some of our partners provide rental equipment for free, maximum you can expect another 60$ per day.
    As a reminder, every scuba diver should be equipped with: Wetsuite/BCD/Regulator set/Fins/Weight system/Dive computer/SMB/Torchlight/Compass.


    Nitrox tanks are available on most of the boats, please refer to the boat description.

    Included: Transportation between airport & boat (return)/ Accommodation/ Meals and snacks/ non alcoholic beverage/ 12L tanks and weight system for divers

    Not Included:
    Marine park and Port authority fees / International and domestic flights/ Traveling - Diving Insurance / alcoholic beverage & espresso/ massage/ 15L tanks and dive gears rental for scuba divers

    Most of the time €, Us$ are accepted onboard, but we do recommend you to bring enough cash in local currency IDR. Payement by card are available on some boats, please refer to the boat description.
    Most of electric outlets on board are European type.

    Tipping from 5 to 10% of the cruise amount are expected, it express your satisfaction level. Tips are also an important income part for crew members.