Raja Ampat, The Truly Beautifull Paradise

The Raja Ampat Islands are a truly beautiful paradise which is located off the northwest tip of of New Guinea, in Indonesia’s West Papua province. Raja Ampat which translates literally  as, ‘the Four Kings’, is an archipelago made up of over 1,500 small islands, surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. The Raja Ampat Islands encompasses more than 40,000 km² of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia.



The area's massive coral colonies along with relatively high sea surface temperatures, also suggest that its reefs may be relatively resistant to threats like coral bleaching and coral disease, which now jeopardize the survival of other coral ecosystems around the world. The Raja Ampat islands are remote and relatively undisturbed by humans.

The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat's coral diversity, resilience, and role as a source for larval dispersal make it a global priority for marine protection.

It is not just under the water  where you will be left speechless from the sheer beauty of this region but you will find it to be just as stunningly beautiful above the water. There are many unique floras in the islands and the existence of many endemic animals (like, spotted couscous, the yellow-crested cockatoos, parakeets, frogs and snakes) can make hiking on land just as rewarding as snorkeling in the water.


1,309 fish species, 537 coral species (a remarkable 96% of all scleractinia recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands), and 699 mollusk species, the variety of marine life is staggering. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs.

These islands are truly a must see for every lover of tropical beach getaways and after one visit you will soon discover that there are not too many other tropical beaches that can live up to the stunning untouched beauty that the Raja Ampat Islands have to offer. There are a few different dive liveaboard boats as well as some high end resorts in this region, but remember it is a little off the beaten track so you may find it a little more expensive than other places in Indonesia.