Kepulauan Raja Ampat, One of Best Coral Reefs in The World

Not yet know about Raja Ampat Island?? Well, you should pay attention to this article! Read seriously until end of this thread.

First, you have to know where is Raja Ampat location, what it’s offer, what you can do and what you can see. I bet, after knowing this place, you wish could go to the spot and enjoy your vacation to Raja Ampat soon.

Location & Historical Story

Raja Ampat Island or known as Kepulauan Raja Ampat is located on Raja Ampat regency, West Papua- Indonesia. Raja Ampat is the group of four islands. Those islands are Batanta island, Salawati island, Waigeo island and Misool island.

Raja Ampat  is made from the words of “Raja” which means “King” and “Ampat” or “Empat” which is means “Four”. It’s about the myth of local citizen  where the woman found seven eggs. Four grains of them hatch into four Princes, while the three eggs hatch into the woman, stone and ghost. The four Princes grew up and became the king in four separately islands : Waigeo island, Misool Timur island, Misool Barat island, and Salawati island.

Culture & Friendly Society

Indonesia known with it’s hospitality. That’s what Papua local citizen do. Right from your landing to this island, people will welcome you with warm regards and smile, show their polite and hospitality culture. Uniquely, they have interesting culture related with their tourist. They will be very excited if tourist bring special handycraft called pinang or candy. For their believes, pinang is sign of “peace indian pipe” or symbol of peace in Raja Ampat. With that pinang, the citizen will ask you to sit, talk each other friendly ( called para- para pinang ) and laugh out with the funny stories ( throwing mob for each other ).

Experience Diving in One of Best Coral Reefs in The World

Never doubt potential of Raja Ampat for it’s tourist attraction. Many expert have declare that Raja Ampat is one of great place in the world, especially for their diving attraction offered. The Australian Coral experts, Dr. John Veron, declared that Raja Ampat Island has best coral reefs in Indonesia after he identified 450 species of coral during his two weeks research. He is definitely being amazed  by Raja Ampat island.

Other research show the same great result. Raja Ampat is the corel reefs conservation which has 540 hard coral species), more than 1000 species of reef fish, 700 species of molluscs, and the highest record for gonodactyloid stomatopod crustaceans. This fact has made Raja Ampat become the only one place which has 75% of the world’s coral. Wow, great!! Can you imagine who does it feel when dive in it around the reefs, mollusks and many species of fishes??

Raja Ampat coral reefs consist of some types, such as fringing reefs with steep ramps up contours, atol reefs, scorched and taka reefs. Beautiful view, you can see the coral reefs lie on the coast when the tides is low. In fact, this coral reefs is still alive eventhough exposed  by direct sunlight and in the open air.

Raja Ampat has wide group areas of coral reefs with percentage of live coral cover by 90%. The areas are the strait between Waigeo island and Batanta island ( Dampier Strait ), Wayag island, Kofiau island, and South- East Misool.

Experiencing diving attraction in Raja Ampat, you would find many unique species such as dwarf seahorses species, Stingrays fish, eviota king fish ( species of fish gobbie ), reef sharks, sea turtle, and even dugong or sea cow in certain area such as Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. Raja Ampat consist many island with small unwide strait which made the most of diving are has strong currents at time. This circumstance allow you to perform a drift dave, that is dive while following a strong flow of very clear water with through many species of fish and corals. Diving on Raja Ampat, you would never want to close your eyes and pass thousand of fish that swim around you.

I’m not The Diver??

Most of people is usually come to Raja Ampat for diving due to it’s wonderful coral reefs, but if you are not the diver, do not like diving or even can not diving, you don’t have to worry, you will never forget Raja Ampat with it beautiful white sand beaches, group of karst islands scenery and the the unique of endemic  floras and faunas. Not only about sea species, here you can find local species of Indonesia both flora and fauna, such as any species of Cendrawasih, Parrots, Orchids and Maleo Waigeo.