Raja Ampat

Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat (the Four Kings) is the part of Coral Triangle which contains the richest marine biodiversity on earth. It consist of over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. This archipelago is a home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks. According to a report developed by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, around 75 percent of the world’s species live here, 10 times that of the Caribbean.

Your morning here is a cacophony of chuffing hornbills, crass squawks of black cockatoos and cackles of sea eagles. The fish around here know how special they are. They shimmer and glow and sparkle like stars in their own biopic, performing in the spotlight of crepuscular sunrays. The high-definition visibility means that in one glance, without having to swim a stroke, you will see a multitude of corals resembling Murano vases or bunches of baby corn, marbled plumbing fittings, peanut brittle, cobwebs and an oversized cabbage patch.

Raja Ampat is a diver’s mecca! Travelers from around the world spend time entering this area of Indonesia to explore what nature has to offer. Millions of fishes and reefs are under the blue waters, many species that you cannot find anywhere else. If you are not diving, you can still have fun! Walk the island, visit the villages, admire the nature, or snorkel and see the natural wonders!