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Discover Raja Ampat Islands + Map


Map Raja Ampat  ~ Raja Ampat archipelago is located in the heart of the world's Coral Triangle and is the center of the richest tropical marine biodiversity in the world today. Raja Ampat regency is part of the West Irian Jaya province consisting of four major islands namely Pulau Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool and more than 600 small islands. Central government was situated in Waisai, District of South Waigeo.

The islands are located in the westernmost of main island of Papua, Indonesia stretching over an area of approximately 4.6 million hectares. A team of experts from Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy discovered the existence of more than 540 coral species (75% of total species in the world), more than 1,000 species of reef fish, 700 species of mollusks and the highest record of gonodactyloid stomatopod crustaceans that is 75% of the world's coral species in Raja Ampat. Nowhere in the world has a number of coral species as much as this.


South Waigeo around the Dampier Strait (Saonek-Gam-Mansuar)

Waigeo is the largest island in Raja Ampat. The central part is covered by forest across the lower foot hills and mountains below 1,000 m. The island is consis to flime stone, magma and volcanic. There are three endemic species living in Raja Ampat, they are: Maleo Waigeo (Aepypodius Bruijnii), Cendrawasih Merah (Paradisea Rubra) and cendrawasih Botak (Cicinnurus Respublica).

Capital region of Raja Ampat is Waisai, as a center of various tourism supporting infrastructure such asaccommodation, meals, transportation, banks and others. Tourism is growing rapidly, especially for diving tourism In the southern part of Waigeo at around Dampier Strait, including on the island of Gamand Mansuar. However, this regional so presents a variety of tourist attractions for non-diving activities. The various locations are as follows:

Saonek Island

Small islands with clean and beautiful white sand, has a neatly arranged little village. The tourists will find the home industry of salted fish, snorkeling and enjoying the sunrise and sunset. Saonek Island can be reached in 10 minutes from Waiwo or Waisai by boat consist of two 40 HP engine. Facilities of hotels and resorts can be found on the island of Waigeo, butif you want to stay in Saonek, there are several homestay owned by the local community.

Mioskon Island

This small island has beautiful scenery and often fulfilled by big bats that flying at dusk. There is no settlement on this island, it can be reached in 30 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Friwen Island

Small island with its beautiful white sand and a place to see the endemic birds of red paradise (cendrawasih Merah). Friwen can be reached in 15 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Yenbeser

Located on the island of Gam, can be reached in 15 minutes from Waisai by boat consist of two 40 HP engine. The tourists can see beautiful scenery, mangrove and do snorkeling.

Teluk Kabui (Kabui Bay)

It is aquite wide bay located between the island and of Gam and Waigeo, filled with coral islands of varioussizes. In the shallow parts, clear sea will be seen when sunlight shine on it. Kayaking is suitable to be closer enjoying the natural atmosphere. Nearby Kabui, there is acave in the cliff and when low tide it will expose several human skulls scattered there. In the western part of the bay, a narrow canal like ariver flow splitting between the islands of Gamand Waigeo presents its own uniqueness. Kabui bay can be reached within 30 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Arborek Island

Besides the beautiful white sand beach, there is atourist village, Arborek, which is famous with its handcraft that produce hatsor the noken bag. There are several homestay shere that allow tourists to stay. Arborek can be reached within 45 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of 40 HP engine.

Sawinggrai

Sawinggrai Tourism Village is located on the island of Gam with the main attraction is to feed the fish by hand from the village jetty and bird watching of cendrawasih merah in Bukit Manjai. Bird watching is carried outin the morning between of 7 a.m. to 9a.m. or in the afternoon from 4p.m. to 5p.m. Tourists can stay in the village because there are homestay facilities. It can be reached within 30 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of 40 HP engine.

Yenwaubnor

Other tourist village on the island of Gam with the beautiful white sand beach. There is also bird watching of cenderawasih merah. The village can be reached within 30 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of 40 HP engine.

Sauwandarek

A Tourist village in Mansuar island with its white sand Beach and beautiful clear blue sea. How people making woven hats and bags can be seen in this village, visitors can also feeding fish in the sea from the jetty or visit the small salty water lake named Yenauwyau. It can be reached in 30 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine. Embossed Sand, Kri Island (Pasir Timbul Pulau Kri) The spread out of beautiful white sand can be found near the island of Kri as if emerging from the clear blue sea at low tide. Besides its beautiful scenery, also can be seen groups of sea birds playing on the sand. This place is also an excellent snorkeling location with various kinds of fish that can be found. It can be reached in 15 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine. There are near by accommodation facilities such as diving-resorts.

Pianemo

Pianemo, also known as Panemu is a place name in Fam archipelago, acluster of small coral islands surrounded by clear water and its hills covered by green vegetation. Travelers can do trekking at one of the hills and enjoying a very spectacular scenery. Swimming in clear water of Pianemo also provide its own sensation. It can be reached in 1 hour from Waisai by boat consist of two 40 HP engine.

West Waigeo (Waigeo Barat)

Western area of Waigeo island vast spread of beautiful coral islands in Wayag through the clear seain the Aljui Bay. Landscape above sea level served by this area is the same interesting as the beauty of undersea. A private company has been operating since the mid-1990’s, cultivation of large sea pearl Pinctada Maxima, because of the sea water quality is so good. Here are the locations of the travel pattern:

Hidden Bay and PEF

A beautiful small bay in Gam island, hidden cause covered by luxuriant vegetation. Its clear sea with coral reef under neath, suitable for snorkeling also kayaking. Tourist can continue the trip from Hidden Bay to PEF Island, a beautiful white sand island, its clear blue sea and the land still covered by green plants.

Visitors can climb the hill to enjoy ing a beautiful scenery of the island. Besides that, there is an ancient painting of palms on acliff wall in this island. PEF also a favorite routes for kayaking. It can be reached in 45 minutes from Waisai by boat consist of two 40 HP engine and needs 15 minutes to reach PEF from this island that has a diving resort.

Yeben Island

The island lies between Pef islands and a group of Fam islands, famous with its beautiful land scape and clear sea water. Snorkeling is ideal in this island. It can be reached in 45 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Wayag

A cluster of coral lime stone islands wide spread over the clear seawater. Wayag is an icon of Raja Ampat. The scenery is verys pectacular, especially ona good weather when the sunshines the sea. The tourists will get amazing landscape after Climbing the hill for 20-30 minutes. Wayag is located quite far away so it takes 3 hours from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Mayalibit Bay (Teluk Mayalibit)

Mayalibit Bay is quite unique, it is a fairly large bay and almost split the Waigeo Island into two parts. Many attraction scan be seen. Tribal life and unique in digenous cultures, a traditional fishing methods, a cave place to store human skull, mountain, and frame air craft that could be used as a dive site.

Other tourist attraction found in Mayalibit bay are woven hand crafts (snat/mats, hats and the noken/bag) ands culpture hand craft (sculptures of humans and animals). Also famous with Yako dance, a kind of war dance performed by men with machetes (cracked) and a small shield/deterrent (milled) as dance accessories, it can be reached in 3 hours from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Batanta Island and surroundings

Batanta is the smallest island of the four major islands in Raja Ampat. Its Middle area is mountainous to 1,000 meter swhile the northern coast full of small bays. This island is a home oftwo species endemic bird of Raja Ampat, they are Cendrawasih Merah (Paradisea Rubra) and Cendrawasi Botak (Cicinnurus Respublica). Some interesting places on this island are:

Dayan Island

Small island with a beautiful scenery and its good sea water for snorkeling also a place to see walnuts crabs. it can be reached within 1 hours from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Wailebet

Located in the southern island of Batanta, here is the place to do bird swatching of Cendrawasih Botak (Cicinnurus Respublica). It takes 1 hour from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Arefi

Arefi island lies in the northern of Batanta, has a history site of Fort Yenbekaki, located not far from the village of Arefi as a long large stone look like for tress, abeautiful water falls also found, reached by walking on food through the jungle for about 30 minutes. It takes 1 hour from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Dampier Strait (selat dampier)

Dampier Strait lies stretched among the islands of Gam, Waigeo and Batanta. A lot of interesting diving spots can be found in this area, both because of the diversity of marine life or the presence of certain unique species. When the tide comes, it brings many plankton causes manta ray sgather in Arborek, Trevally fish sgather in the Cape Kri and whales regularly mig rate through this route. Many dive sites are found in this area, so many accommodations developed both resorts and homestay at Mansuar, Kri and Gam. It can be reached within 15 – 45 minutes from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

The following are some of the famous diving spots:

Cape Kri (Tanjung Kri)

This diving spot known as the place with the most types of variety fish through out the world, as discovered by Dr. Gerald Allen, a marine biologist who has written more than 25 books on maritime and his diving career for 30 years through out world. Divers can find a group of pelagic fish such as GiantTrevally, barracuda, snapper, bannerfish, sweetlips, white fin sharks and gray reef sharks playing around the slopes area in Cape Kri. Diving deeper in coral areas other various species can be found, such as giant grouper that attain a length of 3 meters, black fin sharks, pygmy seahorse that smaller than a grain of rice.

Mike’s Point

During the Second World War, this place were bombardied attack by American Soldiers because they thought that there were some Japanese camouflage warships. The impact now is only left a half of its land. it becomes one of the richest species in Raja Ampat. A group of fish are like; sweetlips, Harlequins, ribbon eel, until denise pygmy seahorse can be found here. At a depth often meters there is a basin that looks like a cave filled by various types of soft corals and coral fish hide behind its gaps.

Manta Sandy

This diving spot is a cleaning station for manta ray. Manta can be found up to ten at the same time in this spot, swimming and circling while enjoying the cleaning process done by small fishes around. Type and size of manta are variety from black manta whose wings is five meters long and other white manta that are relatively smaller.

Sardine

A crowd of fusilier fish, trevally and sweet lipmixed with Surge on fish, rainbow runner sand banner fish on coral reef that is dominated by sea fans, soft coral and sponges are interesting scenery of this diving spot. Some times roar sound from the rapid movement of fish herd in the water smake this place unique.

This condition have caused Sardine becomes one of the location that has never been left by the divers. In addition to diving locations mentioned above there are other places such as:

  • Blue Magic
  • Batu Lima
  • Friwinbonda
  • Arborek Jetty
  • Chicken Reef
  • West Mansuar

Waigeo Barat (West Waigeo)

Waters of Western Waigeo are not only rich in marine biodiversity but also in habited by a crowd of so many fish like wrasse, fussilier, barracuda or trevally. Some location have been the best site for night diving, other locations present a beautiful hard coral park. The facilities in this region is more limited than the Dampier Strait, there is only one dive-resort on the Pulau Pef. It can be reached within 1-3 hours from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Here are Diving Spots in the West Waigeo:

Wayag-Kawe

Presenting a variety of diving spot with park profile, slopes or caves; witness the colorful coral, crowded fish in a large number, carpet shark sormini sea horse.

Some of the diving spots are:

  • Bommie Bowl
  • Chatedral Rock
  • Ikan Campur
  • Magic Rock
  • Edi’s Cave
  • Pulau Equator
  • Changgo
  • Black Rock
  • Eagle Rock

Aljui Bay (Teluk Aljui)

The best spot for macro diving and night diving that is easier to reach. Colorful soft coral seasily found here as well as bright colorfull of bulu babi together with many kinds of crab and shrimp.

Some interesting Diving Spot are:

  • Channel Island
  • Pearl Cultivation Jetty
  • Channel no.5

Around the West Gam and Yeben

This area is famous with crowded fish in a large numbers that can be found in these waters as well as in then arrow can al between the islands of Gam and Waigeo that present unique diving. This canalisa combination of clear sea water srich of soft coral sand sea fans in them while at the top of the water surface lime stone cliffs filled with green plant sand when it is seen from underwater there is unusual combinations color.

Here are some of the Diving Spots in this region :

  • Yeben Shallows
  • Citrus Ridge
  • Mangrove Ridge & Slope
  • The passage

Batanta

This area is place to see marine biotas in small size or known by the term ’critter diving’. Generally, these species can disguise or camouflage such as pipe fish, frog fish, mimicoctopus and scorpion fish, so it needs atrained eye to be able to see them. There is only one dive-resort in Batanta because there’s still not to many tourists visits. It can be reached within 1 hour from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Here arethe Diving Spots:

  • Reflection
  • Diversity
  • Yum Island
  • Dayang Island
  • Wa iIsland

Famand Painemo

This area is famous for its Hard Coral Park garden with various species. One of the most famous diving spot is the Melissa Garden. This spot is a shallow area covered by hard coral, dominated by Montipora and blue Acropora. Related to its name this place covered by solid hard coral with charm color, and enlivened by thousands of anthias and damsel fish that live around. It can be found several giant clamin this spot whose age has reached for decades.

OtherDiving Spots are:

  • Harto’s Reef
  • My Reef
  • Keruo

This place can be reached about 1 hour from Waisai by boat consists of two 40 HP engine.

Raja Ampat Papua Indonesia

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