Raja Ampat, the World's Adventure Heaven at the Edge of Papua, Indonesia
For a moment the mind wandered and a beautiful painting appeared in the picture. The open sea with coral islands neatly arranged welcomes several dolphins jumping cheerfully.
The blue sky combined with the beautiful ripples of the waves brushing every white sand on the beach. Fresh air blowing boisterously ensures natural coolness typical of green tropical forests.
The sound of the seagulls burst out beautifully as if singing and being grateful for this amazing sight. From the water, various beautiful colored fish adorn the live corals that dance gracefully. This is a real-life paradise on earth.
The description of the beautiful place above is not a dream, everything is real and really exists. Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia is the place.
The islands, which are located at the northwest tip of the island of Papua, are already widely known as a 'gold mine' for adventure enthusiasts.
Meanwhile, for divers inside and outside Indonesia, Raja Ampat is considered a paradise that cannot be expressed in words. The only way to prove these various opinions is to come directly to enjoy 'the pearl' at the tip of Papua.
Raja Ampat is a district and is part of the Province of West Papua. To reach these islands, we must first set foot in the city of Sorong.
Usually, many tourists use flights to get to this city. After arriving in the city of Sorong, we can use a type of fast boat that usually sails twice a day to Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat district. The trip will only take about 2-3 hours from the port of Sorong, to arrive at the port of Waisai Raja Ampat.
In general, Raja Ampat is an archipelago consisting of many coral islands and is widely distributed throughout its territory.
However, Raja Ampat has the 4 largest main islands, namely Waigeo Island, Batanta Island, Salawati Island, and Misool Island.
These four large islands are the starting point for the distribution of the entire population of Raja Ampat, most of whom work as fishermen.
The territorial waters are the main attraction of Raja Ampat, considering that the waters of Raja Ampat are one of the 10 best waters in the world.
This is based on various studies on the richness of flora and fauna and the preservation of the marine nature of Raja Ampat.
An international conservation agency report once stated that the waters of Raja Ampat contain about 75% of marine species worldwide.
The sea and a land area of Raja Ampat which has an area of 4.6 million hectares is home to 540 types of coral, 1,511 species of fish, and thousands of other marine biotas.
Therefore, with these various advantages, it is not surprising that Raja Ampat is currently considered the most beautiful underwater paradise in the whole world.
Not only the natural wealth under the sea, but Raja Ampat also has many interesting things above the surface of the ocean.
Lots of beautiful beaches are scattered throughout the Raja Ampat islands. Generally, this beach is white sand and has a fineness close to flour.
In addition, there are many islands that form a row of high cliffs in Raja Ampat. Some places such as Piaynemo, Kabui Bay, and Wayag have been known worldwide before they were known domestically.
Tropical forests are no less interesting, there are even places such as Sawinggrai village or Saporkrein village that offer an unforgettable experience seeing Cenderawasih birds up close. As we know, the Cenderawasih bird is a rare and beautiful bird typical of Papua which is often referred to as the bird of paradise.
Not finished with the natural wealth, Raja Ampat also has a variety of cultures and arts that are very unique and interesting.
Several villages in Raja Ampat have indeed confirmed their existence as tourist villages, one of which is Arborek Village.
This village, which is located on a small island, has a lot of arts, ranging from traditional dances, Sinole food made from sago to Arborek's woven pandanus leaf crafts that have been passed down from generation to generation. Arborek Village is just one of the other villages with their own uniqueness. Various historical relics are also found in the islands which have ties to the Tidore sultanate, Maluku.
Starting from some of the residents who have the blood of the Tidore Moluccas kingdom, relics of World War 2, to caves with hand-painted ancient humans are also widespread in Raja Ampat. Learning about the uniqueness of Raja Ampat seems endless, this is what makes this archipelago so successful to this day.
How rich the nature, history, and culture of the Raja Ampat Islands are, that makes the world chuckle in awe. Now Raja Ampat has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, it's just that due to limited access, it costs quite a bit to achieve it.
However, there is no need to worry, Raja Ampat is increasingly improving itself by providing various facilities for all people.
Lodging in the form of resorts with expensive prices to small and cheap motels will be easy to find in Raja Ampat.
The tourists just need to be wiser to keep this beautiful archipelago always awake so that its beauty can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
In closing, the beautiful and beautiful nature of Raja Ampat cannot be separated from the legendary stories that have been believed for generations by all the indigenous people of Raja Ampat.
It is said that the name Raja Ampat was taken from the seven eggs found by a woman of their ancestors. Four of them hatched into four princes who would later become Kings of the 4 big islands of Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, and Misool.
While the other 4 became ghosts, a woman and a stone. This story is traditionally believed by the local community as the beginning of the establishment of Raja Ampat.
It is still difficult to believe in common sense, but if we examine its meaning again, the Raja Ampat realm is a sacred place like a kingdom that must be protected from damage and destruction.