Dive And Save Raja Ampat

February 14, 2013 | admin

Do you remember the movie Avatar by James Cameron? It is about a very beautiful outer space place called Pandora that has magnificent scenery, thousands of exotic animals and wise local tribes called the Na’vi that is all endangered because of greedy humans that try to mine their precious mineral without considering the consequences. Well, there are some places in this earth that is actually face the same problems as Pandora. Papua, in this case Raja Ampat, is one of them.

Raja Ampat is an archipelago that consists of more than 1.500 islands including four main islands of Misool Island, Salawati Island, Bantata Island and Waigeo Island. This place is located in West Papua Province of Indonesia. To get there, you can fly to Sorong, and then take speedboat or long boat for about one until three hours.

Just like Pandora in the movie, Raja Ampat is a very beautiful place. It is a home for 1.628 species of reef fish, 603 species of hard coral, and 57 species of mantis shrimp. It is also the natural habitat of 13 species of marine mammals and 5 species of endangered sea turtles. This amazing marine biodiversity makes Raja Ampat a sacred place that needs to be saved from all parties that try to endanger it. Around 75% of all species that exist in this earth live there and need our careful attention to stay alive.

Raja Ampat is definitely a heaven for those who love diving. Diving in Raja Ampat will certainly give you an unforgettable experience because there are so many amazing spots with different kind of view every time you move. You can start your amazing diving experience by meeting Manta Rays in Southwest of Waigeo Island. After that, you can go to Northwest of Misool Island to see the famous Blue Mangroves that crazily made beautiful labyrinths. Then, you can go straight to Wayag Islands to see hundreds of limestone islands with silver sand beach and Grey Reef Sharks that swim underwater. Last but not least, make sure you witness the amazing phenomenon that only happen in the darkest phase of the moon. Ride your boat between Bantata Island and Salawati Island and wait for the Wai’s trees to glow with million of fireflies blinking together in the same rhyme.

Done doing diving in Raja Ampat, you might want to try kayaking, exploring the islands by boat, exploring bat caves, catch a fish using traditional Papuan techniques and many more. For those who love beaches, you can go to Sawandarek to enjoy the beautiful white sand beach, home of the sea ducks and magnificent corals.

Tempted by the beauty of Raja Ampat, now write ‘visiting Raja Ampat’ in a piece of paper, frame it and put it in the first place you see when you wake up. It is an amazing place which will continually give you surprises of miraculous unexpected things and events that will always take your breath away.  Go there, dive there and do your very best to keep them save. Make sure your children and grand children can have the same opportunities to experience the beautiful Raja Ampat.

Exploring the Beauty of Raja Ampat

February 14, 2013 | admin

Words are not enough to describe the magnificent Raja Ampat (Four Kings), in West Papua, Indonesia. Known for its richness in sea biodiversity, this place has been one of the most popular diving sites in the world, let alone Indonesia. Moreover, this exotic place is dubbed as the last paradise on Earth. Read More

Where to dive in Raja Ampat

February 12, 2013 | admin

Raja Ampat (Four Kings) cannot be described by thousands words. It is more than just a beautiful dive spot as it is also home to the largest variety of marine species on this planet. Be ready to get stunned by what Raja Ampat has to offer. Imagine that this place has 600 hard coral species, 1.511 species of reef fish, 27 species of endemic fish, 57 species of Mantis shrimp, 13 species of marine mammals, 5 species of rare turtles. In addition, 75% of world’s hard coral are found in this wonderful paradise. No wonder people say that in one dive, they can see around 400 coral reefs. Therefore, Raja Ampat is also protected by the Indonesian law.

To be able to watch this amazing marine phenomenon, you can fly to Sorong from Jakarta, Bali or Surabaya with a connecting flight to Makassar or Manado. For those who do not live in Asia, transiting in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong is probably the best choice as they have more up to date facilities. From Sorong, there are two choices of boats: speed boat carrying 15 passengers (40 minutes-1 hour trip) costs Rp. 2.000.000,- and long boat (about 2-3 hours trip) carrying 10 passengers for the cost of Rp. 1.200.000,-. All the prices are subject to change without prior notice.

Most divers join dive tour and live in a dive resort during their stay in this archipelago. Here are some diving centers in Raja Ampat which you can choose:

• Raja4Divers

Located in a remote but beautiful Pef Island, this dive operator is one of the best diving centers in Raja Ampat. Run by a couple from Germany, this dive center also relies on their qualified and friendly Papuan dive guides. The facilities there are top class and safety is guaranteed there. Each dive boat is already equipped with standard safety equipment, from first aid kits to 2-way radio.

There are various packages from diving to snorkeling. Even you can take your kids join with you as there are also packages for kids (age 11-17), starting from Euro 1.500. This center offers some discounts for those who dive in group. Let us say if your group consists of 8 divers or non divers, you only pay for 7 people and 1 person is free of charge. There is also 5% discount for honeymooners.

 

• Raja Ampat Dive Resort

There are two packages, for divers (the prices start from Euro 655 to Euro 1.750) and non divers (the prices start from Euro 280 to Euro 750). This resort also actively promotes environmental protection and helps visitors participate in preserving this wonderful fish capital.

This resort as well as dive center is recommended by the leading travel site, tripadvisor.com. Just read the testimonials, you will know why this center is one of the best diving centers in Raja Ampat.

 

• Misool Eco Resort

Misool Eco Resort is an eco friendly resort with a dive center and a conservation center. There are several attractive packages including accommodation and you can choose whether you want to stay at water cottage or deluxe villa.

Missol Eco Resort also has several reef conservation projects that build awareness among local society on the importance of environmental protection. In addition, they also show support of early education by building a kindergarten in late 2011.

No matter who you are, divers or non divers, Raja Ampat has lots to make you impressed. This paradise really makes people keep coming back again and again, so be ready to come back again.