Raja Ampat

Raja ampat: overview

Raja Ampat is probably at the top of every divers bucket list, or if it isn’t, very near the top. In recent years it has taken on a near mythical status as the last untouched paradise left to explore. While this may not be completely true it certainly isn’t as developed as tourist hotspots such as Bali and Thailand. Located in what was previously known as Irian Jaya, Raja Ampat lies just off of West Papua, Indonesia. Named after the four islands of Waigeo, Misool, Salawati and Batanta, it literally translates as “Four Kings” (Raja = King, Ampat = four) and is one of the more difficult areas of Indonesia to access. If travelling from Asia you’ll need to fly into Jakarta and then onwards to Sorong, but if you do make the journey you’ll be rewarded with pristine coral reefs, virgin jungle and sunsets to die for.

Raja Ampat is the epicentre of the famed Coral Triangle and boasts some of the most biodiverse waters in the world and is best dived via a live aboard, however this is not a cheap undertaking and there are a number of very good land based resorts where you can enjoy the underwater beauty for around half the price but with slightly more limited options.

The most easily accessible diving is located around the Dampier Strait that separates the islands of Waigeo and Batanta. Here you can dive among the pristine coral reefs and some of the signature dives are located in this region such as The Passage, Cape Kri, Manta Sandy and Blue Magic. In fact Cape Kri is often hailed as the most biodiverse dive site in the world and over 350 species of fish were recorded on a single dive. North of the dampier strait you find dives such as Pelagic rock, The Cathedral and Magic Mushroom and in the south around Misool you will find the famous jellyfish lake where you can swim with stingless jellyfish and Kaleidoscope Ridge. It would take several weeks to explore the region fully and if you are limited on time and budget then it would be best to pick one area and fully explore it rather than try to do everything.

history

Historically West Papua, or Irian Jaya was under Dutch rule forming part of the Dutch East Indies which continued continued until Indonesian Independence in 1949. After much conflict and turmoil the dutch finally handed back control of the region to Indonesia in 1969 which was not wholly welcomed by a large part of the indigenous population. These days while there is still some agitation for freedom from Indonesia it is for the most part peaceful and safe to travel around.

There is a strong British connection around Raja Ampat, the strait separating Waigeo and Batanta islands is named after the British Navigator and sometime pirate, William Dampier who circumnavigated the world several times. The area lies on what is known as the Wallace Line which is a faunal boundary line drawn by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace that separates the biogeographical regions and Asia and Wallacea, a transitional zone between Asia and Australia. Wallace is also famous for independently conceiving the theory of evolution to Charles Darwin.

Diving

The diving in Raja Ampat is spectacular and along with the stunning scenery and a feeling of being on the edge of the world it really is the stuff of dreams. We went in late 2018 and were rewarded with a fantastic week of diving thanks the Scuba Republic. Although it was a land based resort we were able to explore a fair bit and get to some of the most iconic sites in Raja including Cape Kri and Blue Magic. I still have shivers thinking about how wonderful it was and hope to be able to visit again soon. The corals were in fantastic condition and the abundance of life was just incredible, such diversity and numbers, it really is hard to think of anywhere quite like it. The currents can be very strong, so probably not suited to beginners and those nervous in such conditions, although not as strong as the famed currents in Komodo! Here is a summary of the sites we managed to visit:

Cape Kri:

Probably the most famous of the sites within Raja Ampat due to the record breaking natural biodiversity. Currents can be a little tricky here but not too much to handle if diving with an experienced guide and at the right time. You can expect to see a wide variety of life here from sharks, turtles and barracuda to smaller life such as nudibranchs and the most pygmy seahorses we have ever seen.

Depth: 22m (Although can go down to 40m)

Life: Blacktip Reef Sharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Barracuda, Turtles, Lion Fish, Jacks, Sweetlips, Napoleon Wrasse, Schooling Surgeonfish, Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse, Beautiful Corals.

Blue Magic:

A submerged sea mount around 10km from Sri Island and again can be subject to strong currents. On a lucky day you could see oceanic manta rays, however we were not so lucky. A huge amount of life abounds here and you will normally see schooling fish. We were lucky enough to be treated to several blacktip reef sharks swimming around checking us out and then a huge school of jacks that glinted in the sunlight, a real gem of a dive, amazing coral, fantastic visibility and highly recommended.

Depth: 21m

Life: Schooling Jacks, Barracuda, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Nudibranchs, Giant Morray Eels

Misokow:

Another stunning dive site (is there anything else in Raja Ampat?) and home to the famous Tassled Wobbegong Shark - a creature like no other I have ever seen before. Such a treat when our guide called us over to an overhand and pointed out what at first appeared to be a piece of coral but was in fact a Wobbegong. An amazing experience and one never forgotten.

Depth: 22m

Life: Wobbegong Shark, Nudibranchs, Napoleon Wrasse, Blue Spotted Stingray, Crocodile Fish

Friwon Batu:

In comparison to other sites in and around the area it was not quite as spectacular but that still means there was stunning coral and vibrant colours like nowhere else!

Depth: 21m

Life: Lionfish, Jacks, Nudibranchs, Red Toothed Triggerfish, Wrasse, Parrotfish, Batfish

Odtima:

Possibly the site with the most stunning coral I have ever seen, we came to try and find the oceanic manta, but was not to be our day, however that didn’t stop it from being a stunning dive with Wobbegong sharks, blacktips and pygmy seahorses - a showstopper anywhere else in the world and one of my favourite dives over the course of the week.

Depth: 21m

Life: Wobbegong Sharks, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Bumphead Parrotfish, Nudibranchs, Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse, Sweetlips, Pufferfish.

Friwon Wall:

Another site that would be a trip highlight anywhere else but suffers when compared to other sites, again it doesn’t mean its a bad dive, quite the opposite, pristine coral and huge amounts of fish. A turtle was curious about us and decided to follow us for a little while as we drifted along.

Depth: 21m

Life: Blue Spotted Stingray, Lionfish, Scorpionfish, Blacktip Reefsharks, Turtle, Boxfish, Crocodile fish.

Cape Mansuar:

One of the famous jetty dives in Raja, you drop in in just by it and are immediately greeted by schools and jackfish and sweetlips. Some amazing cabbage corals await as you descend as well - we dived it twice during our stay and were not disappointed either time, one of my favourite dives in Raja and one I hope to be able to dive it again!

Depth: 22m

Life: Blacktip Reefsharks, Bumphead Parrotfish, Napoleon Wrasse, Schooling Batfish, Turtles, Yellowtail Barracuda, Schooling Sweetlips, Pipefish, Dogtooth Tuna, Nudibranchs

Sardine Reef:

Another dive where there was so much action you almost don’t know where to look, some current but nothing too strong which allows you to drift along and watch the show. Awesome coral here and such vivid colours!

Depth: 21m

Life: Blacktip Reef Sharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Turtles, Schooling Sweetlips, Pantohi Pygmy Seahorse, Yellowtail Barracuda, Giant Morray Eel, Trevally

Chicken Reef:

Part of the same reef as Sardine reef, another stunning site and memorable for the red tooth trigger fish that seemed to be everywhere.

Depth: 20m

Life: Blacktip Reef Sharks, Whitetip Reefsharks, Yellowtail Barracuda, Napoleon Wrasse, Yellow Boxfish, Nudibranchs, Red Tooth Triggerfish, Trevally

Arborek:

Another jetty dive that we ended up doing as we had hoped to dive Manta Sandy and see the oceanic manta rays, but unfortunately they weren’t there. A dive site with fairly strong current.

Depth: 18m

Life: Napoleon Wrasse, Bumphead Parrotfish, Parrotfish, Red Tooth Triggerfish

Sawandarek:

A site with life seemingly teeming everywhere, we jumped in near another jetty and were greeted by fish everywhere. Stunning - a real treat.

Depth: 24m

Life: Blacktip Reefsharks, Turtles, Nudibranchs, Pygmy Seahorse, Crocodilefish, Scorpionfish, Schooling Sweetlips, Coral Shrimp, Barracuda, Boxfish

how to get there

Getting to Raja Ampat is not the easiest thing to do but is well worth the effort. The best route is an international flight into Jakarta. From there you can catch an internal flight to Sorong, the capital of West Papua. Once in Sorong you can either meet your live aboard or catch a ferry to Waigeo island if staying there.

The other option is to come via Bali which would mean flying into Makassar and then Sorong.

Be prepared for a journey that will take in excess of a day if starting from Southeast Asia and longer if coming from Europe or elsewhere.

best time to visit

The Best time to visit is from October to May with Manta season starting in December. If planning to travel outside of this window be warned that it will be monsoon season and whilst you will be able to dive it will be limited to areas around Waigeo Island and areas such as Misool will be closed off.

where to stay

As Raja Ampat is such a vast area the best way to explore is via a live aboard, however this is a seriously expensive option by anyones standards. If you can afford it then it is the best way to see the whole area.

If you are on more of a budget then there are plenty of land based accommodations available such as:

Scuba Republic Bungalows - Land based dive resort on Waigeo island with great access to dive sites around the Dampier Strait

Missol Eco Resort - Highly rated land based resort in the southern Misool Area