The Raja Ampat island group spreads out over a huge area and consists of over 610 islands. The four largest islands are Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool and are located at the Westside of the “Bird head peninsula” in New Guinea. The Indonesian province Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea, while Papua New Guinea is the eastern half.
Raja Ampat is frontier diving. One of the last truly wild places on earth, it has yet to succumb to the pressures of over fishing, coral bleaching, exploding tourism and overpopulation. The diving reflects this. Topside there are few roads, even few boats ply the water in the Raja Ampat islands on the "bird's head", the far northwestern end of Papua where Papua Diving is located. Underwater, the life is wild, extraordinarily plentiful and for the most part, unexplored.
Straddling either side of the equator, Indonesia sprawls in a broad 5,000 km arc from west of Singapore to Papua New Guinea in the east. The world's largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia boasts 17,000 islands, 80,000 km of coastline, 50,000 sq km of coral reefs, and 3.1 million sq km of tropical seas.
Indonesia’s easternmost province is West Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya), which shares an enormous island with Papua New Guinea (PNG). Just off West Papua’s northwestern tip is a series of islands known as Raja Ampat, or 'The Four Kings’ in Indonesian.
Located within the famed Coral Triangle, this area is comprised of four large forested islands, innumerable smaller islands and rocky outcroppings, all surrounded by a seemingly endless expanse of azure sea.
Raja Ampat's diverse terrestrial and underwater topography is simply breathtaking. Massive tracts of primeval jungles blanket the islands, sheltering orchids, marsupials, birds of paradise, hornbills, and cockatoos.
Sheer, craggy cliffs drop from high peaks to the water, and then continue on all the way down to the bottom of the sea. These underwater walls are current-raked gardens festooned with all manner of soft coral and gorgonian fans.
Raja Ampat abounds in diverse reef systems, the majority of which have yet to be explored. There is a seemingly inexhaustible selection of unmapped walls, reef flats, caves and swim throughs, gentle sea mounds, mucky mangroves, placid lagoons, pinnacles, and WWII wrecks.
The clear waters are teeming with big pelagics, massive schools of hunting fish, whale sharks, manta rays, mobula rays, dolphins, whales, turtles, tawny sharks, and wobbegong sharks.
Macro delights include a bewildering assortment of garish nudibranchs, blue ringed octopus, Mandarin fish, harlequin shrimps, flame file shells, ghost pipefish, frog fish, and a range of elusive pygmy seahorses.
This area’s staggering abundance of marine life is due in part to its remarkably low human population density. Beneath the verdant canopy, the islands are primarily karst limestone, which are dry, inhospitable, and overwhelmingly vertical.
The few resident Papuans are mainly a subsistence society, exploiting a variety of resources to meet their basic needs. Fishing is only one of these resources, and they continue to employ traditional, low-impact fishing techniques, using a hook and line from dug-out canoes.
Biodiversity
In 2002, Conservation International conducted a Rapid Assessment Project (RAP) in Raja Ampat. The researchers concluded that "due to its location near the heart of the coral triangle coupled with an amazing diversity of marine habitats, the area is potentially the world’s richest in terms of marine biodiversity." A similar survey by The Nature Conservancy confirmed this conclusion.
World-renowned ichthyologist and author of several fish identification books Dr. Gerald Allen was part of the Conservation International study. He broke his personal record on a single dive by identifying 284 different species of fish. The research team recorded 828 species of reef fishes in the assessment, raising the known total in that region to 970. In addition, 456 species of hard corals were recorded, which is more than half the world’s total. Including previous studies, this brings the total number of hard coral species in Raja Ampat to 565, and no other area of comparable size has this many species.
This survey also found that the diversity of mollusks was incredibly high, finding 699 species, which surpasses earlier records in PNG and the Philippines. Following a recommendation by Dr. Allen and Dr. Mark Erdmann, Raja Ampat was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Status. The result is still pending.
Raja Ampat’s pristine beauty, both above the water and below the water, is truly unrivalled. Its remote location and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism. Apart from MER, there is only one landbased resort in Raja Ampat, and two permanently based liveaboards operating from Sorong. In the past year, however, this undiscovered area has received a flurry of exuberant press.
The November/December 2005 issue of Asian Diver magazine named Raja Ampat as its Destination of the Season, in a cover article titled “Kings of Kings.” Author David Espinosa, who is also the editor the magazine, dubs Raja Ampat the Shangri-la of diving, raving that ‘each dive is a guaranteed seat-of-your-pants adventure.’ In July of 2005, Action Asia magazine published ‘Raja Ampat Story’ in which author Pierre Constant calls the area a ‘hidden garden of Eden.’
As word of Raja Ampat’s natural splendours spreads, increased traffic to the area is inevitable. However, tourism and conservation need not be contradictory objectives.
If Raja Ampat is to maintain its pristine beauty, it is imperative that we are proactive in the development of the tourism industry. The Departmen Parawisata, or the local Department of Tourism, has been very receptive to suggestions as to how the industry can be developed responsibly. Along with the local government, they have been eager to develop low impact tourism and understand that the conservation of their environment is essential to the longevity of both the tourism industry and their local communities. Misool Eco Resort has had their full cooperation in securing contracts for the land.
Misool is a region with thousands of isle, which have been pushed up throughout the thousands of years and build a wonderful scene. You come across caves, or caverns everywhere. You´ll find rocks as big as cathedrals, over hangs that improve the dramatic sight of this breathtaking region. Of course these sights will continue in no less impressing views under water. Misool is one of the places on earth where you´ll find the most various species of fish, hard and soft corals, sponges, worms, nudebranches, shrimps, crabs and all kind of non-vertebrates, like cuttle fish and octopus. You will as well come across Wobbegong and Epaulet sharks, which you will only find in the region of „Raja Empat“. Giant clams as well as fantastic tiny shells. Photographers as well as Videographers will have the dives of their lifetime for shoot macro all over.
Misool is one of the places with most wonderful and colourful and above all still intact reefs. All kinds of different corals set up the background scenery of the underwater world.
The Raja Ampat area of Northwest Irian Jaya is filled with islands, surrounded by reefs and inundated with fish! After 9 years in the area we have only begun to discover the natural treasures awaiting us on each dive.
The area's reefs are covered in a diverse selection of both hard and soft corals. Most of the areas reefs are pristine, with mile after mile of perfect hard corals, drift after drift of Dendronephya (soft) corals of many species and colors ranging from brilliant red, to shocking yellow pretty pink and exotic purple. Most reef dives are very colorful. Among, above, and on top of the corals are fish. Schooling fish, solitary fish, beautiful fish, ugly fish, large fish, small fish! Some fish that are considered to be rare in many parts of the world are abundant in the Raja Ampat area. For example, many Sargassum Frogfish are found in the floating weed in front of the dive resort.
Wobbegong Sharks are found on many dives, often lying atop perfect table corals like a fish carefully arranged by a chef on a dinner plate. The Epaulette Shark, a small shark only a foot long, is numerous and found very often on night dives in the seagrass or even on the shelf of a wall dive.
Raja Ampat Island is the most western district of the Indonesian province of Papua. Raja Ampat consists of an area surrounding four major island off the western coast of Birds Head Panisula of New Guinea Island. The western half of which is Indonesia and the eastern half, Papua New Guinea. The province was called Irian Jaya, and its a cluster of over 1500 small Islands.
Raja Ampat is the most bio-diverse location in the world more than 3000 species of fishes and over 300 species of corals have been identified here, in a single one and half hour dive you can identified more than 282 fish species and more than 400 species. Till this very day the area is virtually unexplored and unknown due to its size. This area as there are still many remnants of WW II.
The Roughest seas and decreased visibility in the Raja Ampat area are from mid-June until the end of August. During the rest of the year, the sea is mostly very smooth whit good visibility.
Raja Ampat Diving Liveaboard - West Papua Travel Guides
RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS DIVING SITES AND LIVEABOARDS
Misool Island
This is one of the larger islands in the archipelago. The stunning reefs around Misool offer a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colour which offers a nice contrast to all the big stuff on other dive sites. Sloping walls are carpeted with soft corals of every colour imaginable housing all manner of critters from ghost pipefish to harlequin shrimp to pygmy seahorses.
Cape Kri
This reef is one of the more popular dive sites of Raja Ampat and its no surprise why. Marine Biologist and respected author of a number of marine reference books Dr. Gerald R. Allen said "On my last trip to Raja Ampat, I recorded 283 fish species during a single dive near the Kri Island resorts. This is the most fishes ever seen on a single dive over a career spanning almost 30 years."
Divers here can look forward to being literally engulfed by fish, huge swirling schools of dogtooth tuna, jacks, giant trevally and chevron barracuda. In addition to these expect to see large napoleon wrasse, car sized Queensland groupers and reef sharks as you drift along with the fish. Coral growth here is also diverse with all manner of hard and soft varieties. It is best to stay deep here to avoid the stong surface currents.
Sardine Reef
Sardine reef is a large off shore reef that slopes down to around 25 meters. There are no actual sardines here but the fish are so tightly packed that it derives the name of the dive site. Great schools of fish block out the light, jacks, tuna, trevally, they're all here in huge numbers. There are also Australian Wobbegongs to be found here hiding under ledges and table corals. This dive really is a fish frenzy, you even need to stay close to your buddy if you want to keep them in sight for the living walls of fish.
Cross Wreck
Named after a cross marking the landing spot of the first Christian missionaries to Irian Jaya this wreck is upright on the sandy bed at 18 meters. The Japanese patrol boat is the most accessible of all Raja Ampat wrecks, depth charges and the ships lamps can still be seen. Penetration is possible to the communications room, engine room and front hold where features such as the switchboard and ammunition can be seen. Coral cover is good and plenty of reef inhabitants now call the wreck thier home, these include lionfish, huge napoleon wrasse, humphead parrotfish and all manner of critters that come our especially at night.
Critters Corner
At the end of the Cross Wreck is this delightful little area back towards the beach. In amongst the sand and rubble are a vast array of critters including frogfish, leaffish, devil scorpionfish, seahorses and mantis shrimp.
Shinwa Maru
This WWII cargo ship wreck is one of the more impressive, she lies on her port side from 16 to 34 meters. Two huge bomb damage holes on the starboard side are visible and all manner of debris including mine sweeping equipment, technical equipment, car batteries, cables ammunition and sake bottles is strewn around. Two diving helmets make a great photo opportunity. This wreck is not as densely covered in corals as the Cross Wreck, but is home to many schooling jacks and plenty of pipefish. The wooden floors of the bridge have collapsed and most of its contents are still there.
Aircraft Wrecks
There is a wrecked P40 that was shot down and now lies at 27 meters, the plane which is still largely intact was discovered in 1999.
The Passage
The passage lies between the islands of Gam and Waigeo. It is only about 25 meters wide and looks more like a river from the surface. A jumble of rocks marks the entrance to this enchanting looking dive site, the coral almost grows to the surface here. There is not much choice but to drop in and drift down the channel, pausing in bays where the current is more forgiving. Plenty of life can be found here including octopus, flatworms and cuttlefish, even the Wobbegong shark can be spotted on occasion. Schools of bigger fish await out in the current such as jacks, tuna, barracuda and sharks. Caves and arches also make up some of the topography here.
Nudibranch Rock
Close by is this recently discovered sheltered dive site where the small island and bays wield a number of flamboyant nudibranchs.
Wai Island
This spot is famed for its visiting manta rays and a couple of WWII aircraft wrecks. However it is also popular for night diving in the secluded bay. All manner of creatures emerge to feed including octopus, stonefish, epaulette sharks, wobbegongs, squid, pipefish and many rare nudibranchs.
Mike's Point
This rocky outcrop just off Cape Kri was bombed duing WWII. From the air it was mistaken for a Japanese ship due to its size and the wake left by speeding currents. Walls surrounding the islet drop to over 40 meters and attract huge schools of sweetlips, snappers and fusiliers. A dazling array of giant sea fans on a shelf at 27 meters can be explored for pygmy seahorses and the walls and coral crevaces home all manner of reef life. Mike's point is named after pioneer Max Ammer's son.
Dr G.R.Allen" Comment:
No doubt about it, the Raja Ampat is definitely the richest place for fish, that I have ever been.
I was like a five-year-old, seeing a reef for the very first time. I was awestruck, held by the incredible power of this richest reef. We must, with all available resources, preserve the beauty of Raja Ampat. This may be the last frontier.
11 Day – 10 Night PAPUA Raja Ampat
Day 1 From Jakarta or Ujungpandang or Manado – Sorong - RajaAmpat
Arrive Sorong. Transfer to boat. Depart for RajaAmpat. Begin dive
program. Meals onboard.
Day 2 through Day 9 RajaAmpat
Full dive schedule. Meals onboard.
Day 10 RajaAmpat – Sorong
Morning dives. Meals onboard. Overnight on the stay on the boat.
Day 11 Sorong – Manado or Jakarta or Denpasar
Breakfast onboard. Disembark, travel to Sorong’s airport for flight
To Jakarta or Denpasar or Manado.
Raja Ampat Eco Lodges - West Papua Travel Guides
MISOL ECO RESORT
Misool Eco Resort (MER) is currently under development, and we will be welcoming our first guests in October 2008.
MER has contracted two remote locations in the southern part of Raja Ampat, 150 miles south of the nearest resort. Both the resort and the Misool Conservation Centre (MCC) will be built on the island of Batbitim, the rights to which are held exclusively by MER.
Batbitim is a low-slung island with undulating green hills and coconut groves, ringed with powder-white beaches. The two beautiful beaches on the north side are protected by a glass-like turquoise lagoon. On the south side are two more stunning beaches, flanked by a deep water swimming hole.
The second location MER has contracted is a small nearby island called Gelu. This island is a high-traffic turtle nesting site, and its conservation is critical to the continued vitality of Raja Ampat's turtle population. We plan to build a small hide here to enable unobtrusive observation and study. Our presence and ongoing vigilance in this area will also help to stop poaching of the turtles or their eggs.
Marine Protected Area
In addition to those two areas, MER has reached an agreement with the local community to create a Marine Protected Area (MPA). MER has leased approximately 200 sq km of sea surrounding Batbitim, which includes many of Raja Ampat's finest dive sites, such as the Manta Cleaning Station, Boo, Fiabacet, Gorgonian Passage, and Yillet.
All fishing, shark finning, and irresponsible boat anchoring are strictly prohibited within this region. This will help to foster even richer fish populations and thriving reef systems. Additionally, it will result in more lucrative yields for local fisherman outside the MPA.
Misool Conservation Centre
The Misool Conservation Centre will be located on the south beach overlooking the deepwater swimming hole. A UK-registered nonprofit, the Conservation Centre will provide a well-equipped, functional base for scientific research and conservation projects, as well as accommodation for visiting researchers and scientists. It is our aim to facilitate continuing research, with hopes of filling a critical gap in our understanding of this complex ecosystem.
One of the Conservation Centre's first projects will be to establish a local patrol to enforce the MPA. We also hope to install a FAD (fish aggregation device) outside the perimeter of the MPA.
Guest Cottages
Misool Eco Resort is a small haven, comprised of just nine guest cottages, a restaurant, and a Dive Centre on the north side of Batbitim Island. On the south side of the island, there will be several privately held cottages reserved for our investors.
Each guest cottage rises on stilts over placid turquoise waters, with a broad verandah to take full advantage of the gentle tropical breezes and glorious equatorial views. The house reef is just a short snorkel away from your verandah.
Our spacious cottages are constructed to European standards of comfort and safety, artfully blending indigenous natural materials with luxurious detailing. We will offer two different levels of accommodation in either our Water Cottages or Reef
Restaurant
Our beachfront restaurant will be located on the north side of Batbitim, looking out over a shallow turquoise lagoon. The kitchen and menu have been designed with the discriminating palate in mind by our internationally-trained European chef. We will offer exceptionally tasty, nutritious, and whenever possible, organic fare from local sources.
