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Last updated on September 25, 2024
Piaynemo, the most photogenic island in Raja Ampat, offers top-class snorkeling on a healthy reef rich in biodiversity. The reef around the old jetty is sheltered from currents and shallow (8 feet/2.5 meters), making the snorkeling conditions ideal.
Piaynemo is an island in Raja Ampat, West Papua Province. The location rests near the Piaynemo viewpoint, notably the archipelago’s most renowned landscape.
Piaynemo is the most famous viewpoint in Raja Ampat. This snorkeling spot is right before the entrance to the bay where you will disembark, around the abandoned jetty.
There is no accommodation nearby. You may visit this snorkeling spot by staying in a nearby resort and taking part in a snorkeling tour. Alternatively, if you are visiting the archipelago on a liveaboard, we suggest you check your boat schedule to see if this spot is included in your itinerary.
As the nearby pontoon is abandoned and there is no beach access, the water entrance is from your boat. Follow your guide instructions, who will also brief you about the boat collection point.
The snorkeling area comprises the fringing reef which extends north and south of the jetty. The reef is only 40 to 50 meters wide, allowing for easy underwater exploration.
Patches of corals cover the sandy seabed sometimes separated by others alongside the whole reef.
It is towards the north end of the site that the corals become more dense but also deeper (↕10 feet/3 meters). It remains very healthy and untouched by climate change. The northern end also shelters large schools of yellowtail fusiliers and damsels.
Fish is abundant everywhere, and the number of species seen within one snorkeling session cannot be counted. Common sightings in the area include anemonefish, butterflyfish, angelfish, spinefoot, and crowds of damselfish.
Where the corals are less dense the water is also more shallow (5/7 feet – 1.5/2 meters) allowing for a closer inspection but beware of the most shallow areas as the water is sometimes not deep enough to safely swim without touching the coral.
The closest accommodation to the snorkeling spot is Piaynemo Homestay. Other options nearby include Or Mandira Homestay, Mamere Homestay, and Gloria Honestay.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
