The lost sharks of Raja Ampat

A private sailing with purpose

Take a central role in the reintroduction of a species, releasing juvenile leopard sharks into waters where they once thrived.

Joining one of the world’s leading marine scientists and a documentary team capturing the story, you’ll take part in monitoring the behaviour of this fragile species, within one of conservation’s most promising coral-habitat reintroduction programmes.

You’ll be travelling aboard the celebrated phinisi Silolona – part traditional Indonesian sailing ship, part superyacht – allowing you to access Raja Ampat’s outermost islands and enjoy the region’s natural wonders, from swimming with mantas to SUPing to isolated beach setups.

Featuring media taken by Cookson Adventures, Silolona & the StAR Project

Silolona Sojourns and Cookson Adventures have launched a 2027 Raja Ampat expedition giving guests the chance to help protect critically endangered leopard sharks while exploring one of the world’s richest marine environments.

July 2026

Groundbreaking conservation

Join the team behind the StAR project, working hands-on with the reintroduction of leopard sharks. After 20 years of surveys found just three animals across seven million hectares, the Programmes’ ReShark initiative is working towards a self-sustaining population of 50. You’ll get involved at every stage, from visiting the nurseries that host eggs from partner aquariums around the world, to taking part in a release, then joining the team tracking behaviour across Raja Ampat’s reefs.

Documentary commission

To help raise awareness of this vital project, the trip also funds a short impact documentary about the project, with an executive producer credit on the finished film and genuine behind-the-scenes access as the work unfolds. A two-person team travels with you throughout, capturing moments of discovery, dives with released sharks and conversations with project leads – Dr Erdmann and Nesha Ichida. Our in-house creative arm, Cookson Productions, has produced films that have premiered at the likes of New York’s Explorers Club.

Explore a natural wonder

Raja Ampat sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle, a UNESCO World Heritage candidate and the most biodiverse marine environment on Earth, home to over 1,700 species of fish and three-quarters of the world’s known coral. There’s an abundance of activities to explore nearby, including a morning bird safari through Misool in search of red-footed boobies and sea eagles, a visit to the island’s ancient rock art sites, and a swim among the stingless jellyfish of Toharfat’s jellyfish lake.

Aboard Silolona

Sail aboard one of the leading phinisis – a traditional Indonesian sailing vessel with superyacht-standard comforts. Crewed by regional sailors with over 20 years’ experience, her owner’s expertise in Indonesian art runs through every detail, from traditional design to considered interiors. Expect expansive decks, well-appointed cabins and a range of social spaces, stretching from library to media centre. Make full use of the dive centre and water toys by day, then return each evening to superlative pan-Asian dining.

Learn from the experts

Spend time with Dr Mark Erdmann, executive director of ReShark, and programme manager Nesha Ichida, the scientists leading the StAR Project. Between them, they’ve spent decades studying Raja Ampat’s waters and built the partnerships now bringing leopard sharks back from the brink. Learn directly from them how a reintroduction programme like this comes together, from captive breeding to release and long-term monitoring, and what it takes to give a vanishing species a future.

Raja Ampat sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle, holding three-quarters of the world’s known coral species and reef fish found nowhere else on Earth.

As such, this is your chance to leave an impact on one of the planet’s most biodiverse environments, helping bring back the Indo-Pacific leopard shark from the edge of local extinction.

You’ll wade into the nursery pools on Kri Island to check on hatchlings, help fit tags before a release, then get into the water yourself to watch a shark you’ve just handled swim back into open reef, with Dr Mark Erdmann and programme manager Nesha Ichida on hand throughout to walk you through each stage. The trip also funds a short documentary about the project with our in-house creative arm, Cookson Productions.

You’ll also be enjoying all that Raja Ampat has to offer. Swim with mantas, track dolphins and canoe through limestone chambers, before spending a day on a white-sand beach with your own personal chef, tasting dishes like barbecued suckling pig. You’ll also hike out to views of heart-shaped lagoons, all before returning to massages and fine dining aboard Silolona.