KEPULAUAN RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS

Raja Ampat Islands archipelago is a chain of four adjacent archipelagos and located in the western part of the bird's head (Vogelkoop), New Guinea. In administration, cluster is under the Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua Province. The Islands are now the purpose of divers who are interested will lower its beauty. The four archipelagos join named four of its biggest island, that is the island of Waigeo, Misool, Salawati Islands, and Islands of Batanta islands off.

A wealth of natural resources Raja Ampat Islands 

Raja Ampat Islands archipelago is the site of a very potential to serve as tourist attractions, especially dives. The waters of the archipelago of Raja Ampat islands according to various sources, is one of the 10 best waters for diving sites around the world.In fact, it may well be recognized as number one for completeness of underwater flora and fauna at the moment. Dr. John Veron, coral experts are experienced from Australia, for example, in a site she reveals, the Raja Ampat islands located in the westernmost tip of the island of New Guinea, about 50 miles northwest of Sorong, has the best reef in Indonesia. About 450 species of coral were identified over the past two weeks of research in that area.

Team of experts from Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Institute of Oceanography (LON) Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI) ever do a quick assessment in 2001 and 2002. As a result, they are noted in these waters there are over 540 species of hard corals (75% of the total species in the world), over 1,000 species of reef fish, mollusks, and 691 species of the highest notes for gonodactyloid stomatopod crustaceans. This makes 75% of the world's coral species are in the Raja Ampat Islands. None of the place with the same area has a number of coral species as much as this. There are several areas of coral reefs that is still in very good condition with living coral closing percentage to 90%, i.e. in the Dampier (Straits between Waigeo and p. p. Batanta islands off), Kepualauan, Misool Island Kofiau South East and Islands Wayag. Types of coral reefs in the Raja Ampat Islands are coral reefs along with ramps and steep contours. But also the type of atoll and found type footed or taka. In some places like in kampung Saondarek, when the lowest ebb, the expanse of coral reefs can be seen without and with his adaptation on its own dive, coral remains although life can be in the open air and exposed to direct sunlight. Unique species that can be found at the time of the dive is some kind of sea horses, wobbegong and dwarf, Manta Rays. There is also an endemic fish, namely Eviota raja ampat Islands, i.e. a King fish gobbie. At Manta point is located in the Arborek Strait yg Dampier, You could dive with Manta Ray with some tails are benign such as when You dive in East Kalimantan Derawan Islands. If the dive in Cape Kri or Chicken Reef, You can be surrounded by thousands of fish. Sometimes a collection of giant tuna, big eye trevallies circling and snappers. But the stressful if we are surrounded by a collection of fish, despite the fact that Barracuda are relatively harmless (which is dangerous if we found solitary Barracuda or alone). Shark Reef is also often seen, and if you are lucky you can also see the turtle was quietly eating the sponge or swimming around you. In some places like in Salawati, Batanta islands off and Waigeo is also seen Dugong or Mermaid. Because the souls in the many islands and narrow Strait, then most of the dives at any given time have fast currents. It allows also to do a drift dive, dive while following the flow with a very toned water crystal clear while breaking through a collection of fish.

Access

Visiting the Islands is not too difficult though it does take some time and considerable expense. We can use the airline from Jakarta to Slide via Menado for 6 hour flight. Sorong town large enough and pretty full-facility to explore the choices there are two Raja Ampat Islands, touring by boat or stay at the resort pinisi Papua Diving. Though most tourists who come to the Raja Ampat Islands currently are divers, in fact this location attractive for tourists as well as non divers also have white sandy beaches are very beautiful, a cluster of karst Islands and enchanting flora and fauna unique endemic such as the bird-of-paradise-Wilson, red, maleo waigeo, various parrots and lorikeets, waigeo, and cuscus various kinds of orchids.