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, Bantata 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.
According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth. 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.
West Papua, Indonesia
Wayag Islands are an uninhabited group of uplifted limestone (karst) islands NW of Waigeo.
Wayag Islands are an uninhabited group of uplifted limestone (karst) islands NW of Waigeo.
Misool Island vicinity, West Papua, Indonesia.
A forest of soft corals in the shallows of a rocky islet with jacks hunting smaller fish.
Misool Island vicinity, West Papua, Indonesia
A Lionfish hovers in a seafan in a view looking toward the surface of the water near the smaller island of Fiabacet.
A Lionfish hovers in a seafan in a view looking toward the surface of the water near the smaller island of Fiabacet.
Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia
A zigzag oyster encrusted with tunicates.
A zigzag oyster encrusted with tunicates.
Pisang Islands, West Papua, Indonesia
Yellow color form of the Denise's Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) camouflages itself in a sea fan.
Yellow color form of the Denise's Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) camouflages itself in a sea fan.
West Papua, Indonesia
Nudibranch (Nembrotha kubaryana) in Triton Bay.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha kubaryana) in Triton Bay.
Papua, Indonesia
A rich coral reef covered in soft corals, crinoids, and tunicates near Kawe Island.
A rich coral reef covered in soft corals, crinoids, and tunicates near Kawe Island.
Misool Island vicinity, West Papua, Indonesia
Soft corals, sea fans and sponges flourish on this healthy reef near Fiabacet Island.
Soft corals, sea fans and sponges flourish on this healthy reef near Fiabacet Island.
Perfect place to stay during your perfect getaway in Raja Ampat is at Misool Eco Resort.
Indonesia offers everyone the best available choices of the most beautiful beaches and underwater world in the planet. How can we not love this country.
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