Raja Ampat District in West Papua Province

The east part of Indonesia offers lots of hidden beautiful places on which lush nature and majestic islands reside. Raja Ampat District is not an exception. It is located in West Papua Province and has gained better popularity these days (among travelers). Featuring tons of islands, tourists often come to the site to do island hopping and other fun activities like photography, honeymoon, nature exploration, and much more. The name means “Empat Raja” or Four Kings, actually. It is represented by its 4 major islands called Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo, and Misool. All of them are worth a visit, for sure.

The Nuance
The fact is that Raja Ampat was the part of Sorong District in the past. It became a new district since 2003 and offers a distinct tourist charm to everyone. According to the locals, there are about 30,000 people living in that region with their unique culture and local foods. Aside from those 4 major islands, there are about 610 more! However, only 35 of them are inhabited. Another fact is that the region consists mostly of the sea, which explains why lots of tourists are likely to enjoy diving there. The world even has acknowledged its nautical richness like hundreds of types of corals, mollusks, and fishes.

Exploring Raja Ampat District
Most of the travelers recognize Raja Ampat as an exotic vacation destination in Indonesia. It has a unique nautical beauty, on which tourists can explore. Some high-quality resorts are also available in the major islands and they offer a special diving package to visitors. During the high seasons or holidays, visitors might spend more than 2 weeks there. They want to explore the four major islands and try different spots of diving during the vacation.

Those diving spots always have visitors on a daily basis. Even the elders still have the passion for doing so. It is quite impressing as the locals also take a role in managing the resorts and other vacation spots in Raja Ampat. These people can also talk English so they are quite handy when it comes to gathering information related to nearby accommodations, tourist spots, and culinary. Tourists can hire a local tour agent if it is necessary, with an affordable price.

Diving is the best thing to do in Raja Ampat District, without a doubt. Some diving spots even feature historical ruins of the WWII! Though, visitors can do other things like sightseeing, island hopping, witnessing sunset, and get closer to the locals. The charm of the region has reached everyone’ ears so more visitors are likely to come there in the near future.  Not only it offers nature beauty, but it also has an interesting culture, culinary, and history.

Nearby Attractions

• Pianemo Island
• Harfat Jaya Peak

How to Get There
From Jakarta, travelers need to take an airplane and head to Waisai City (the capital of Raja Ampat District). It takes about 2 days and 4 hours, though. As an alternative, they can visit Sorong City first before heading to Waisai. The trip is tiring, but it won’t be disappointing.

Where to Stay

• Waiwo Dive Resort
• Waisai Beach Hotel