Raja Ampat Island

Located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia's West Papua province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. It encompasses more than 40,000 km² of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named West Papua (province) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya. The islands are the most northern pieces of land in the Australian continent. According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth.

Beautiful scenery

Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. The Coral Triangle is the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world. 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

According to Metrotvnews.com, Raja Ampat as one of the 10 best dive sites the world has a charm that is not in doubt. According to the study that is conducted by marine experts, said that the underwater ecosystem of Raja Ampat has variations that are very diverse, ranging from coral reef fish and big fish like Manta Raya.
Manta Ray is a fish that has a unique shape like a big bird that was always flapping their wings, live in groups and have a pair of "horns" in front of his mouth. Although some people call it a ghost stingray fish actually is not dangerous even the main attraction for divers

There are some areas of coral reefs that are still in very good condition, with the living coral percentage up to 90%, which is in the Dampier Strait (the strait between the Waigeo Island and Batanta Island), Kofiau Islands, South East Misool islands and Wayag Islands. The types of coral reefs in Raja Ampat are generally reef edge with a contoured sloping to steep. But it can also be found the type of atolls and types of burns or taka. In some places like in the village Saondarek, when the lowest tide, you can see it without diving it and with its own adaptation, coral reefs can still be alive even in the open air, and exposed to sunlight.

Each year the resort in Raja Ampat is visited at least 600 special tourist who spent an average of two weeks. Lodging is very simple that only a walled and roofed woven palm leaves that cost at least 75 euros, or Rp 900,000 a night. If you want to dive, you must pay 30 euros, to dive at one particular location. Most tourists come from Europe. Only a few tourists from Indonesia to stay and dive in there. Kri Island, Waigeo, and Misool also prepare the resort for visitors.
On the island there, Misool Eco Resort is built by applying the principles of strict nature conservation. There are agreements with indigenous populations around the region to maintain an integrated ecosystem-called "No Take Zone" which prohibits any taking of marine exploitation, ranging from hunting shells, turtle eggs, shark's fin to just fishing. In the extreme, even in eco resort prohibits the use of antiseptics as waste exhaust feared would kill the coral reef ecosystem in the vicinity.