Batu Kapal

Batu Kapal (Boat Rock), located at S 00°21.948′ E 130°27.937′ near mainland Waigeo in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is a pinnacle dive site whose name describes its shape — an oval, domed reef running east to west, with a shallowest point at around 5 metres and a fairly steep drop-off all around to 30 metres. The site can be reached by boat in approximately 20 minutes and can be circumnavigated in a single dive.

The reef holds a healthy mix of hard and soft corals and is notably colourful given its relatively shallow depth and proximity to mainland Waigeo. Dense gorgonian sea fans feature throughout, and on the western end a soft coral-covered swim-through makes a strong subject for wide-angle photography. A small school of batfish/spadefish hangs off the reef, and the site is also excellent for critters — divers regularly encounter nudibranchs, flatworms, shrimps, sea cucumbers, crabs, Tail-spot Comb-tooth Blenny on tunicate colonies, Clingfish sheltering among Crown of Thorns seastars, and butterflyfish in dense schools. Hammerhead sharks, turtles, tuna, and eagle rays are regular sightings, and night dives on the site have been well received.

Visibility typically runs 10–20 metres and improves to around 40 metres in April. The site is not prone to strong current, and conditions are generally relaxed. The dive is rated AOW+ due to its depth and open-water setting, making it best suited to Advanced Open Water divers and above.