Diving Raja Ampat, West Papua, Irian Jaya - Area information
Click on these links below for more details about each area:
>
Bali >
Banda Sea >
Fakfak >
Flores Alor >
Halmahera >
Komodo >
Raja Ampat >
Wakatobi & Beyond >
>View a weather and area comparison for diving Indonesia
by Mark Erdmann
The final frontier, the far eastern edge of Indonesia. Not just brilliant diving in West Papua but probably the best topside scenery of any dive destination in the world. At times you will be diving at the edge of tropical rainforest and cruising amongst masses of small mushroom shaped islands. Probably the only place in Indonesia where you can regularly see the strange looking wobbiegong (carpet) shark.
View David Doubilet's Irian Jaya, Birds Head Peninsula photo gallery and article which includes the new Hemiscyllium sp., walking shark species from the Fakfak area at: http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0709/indonesia/indonesia.html. David was with Diving 4 Images in the Fakfak region!
View Alex Mustards Walking Shark story at: http://www.finsonline.com/blog/fins/20070111/on-the-trail-of-the-walking-shark.html
The Essence Of Irian Jaya
West Papua and the Raja Ampat is not really about rare critters or seeing sharks, there are generally
not as many of what I would call - classic critters or big marine life than there are in a few other
Indonesian destinations. Yes - there are sites with many unusual nudibranchs and some rare
marine life but not usually as many as a few other classic critter destinations.
This is not what we come to Irian Jaya for. What is so special about this area
is the scenery and in places the abundant fish life. Dives where you are
inundated with dense clouds of fish, on the best of dives here fish seem to block out
the sun. Mellow drift dives across the most beautiful coral slopes and channels,
unique dives with heavily undercut mushroom shaped islands with gorgeous coral
growth all the way to the waters edge. Some of the
best coral gardens I have seen are in this area. Taking a live aboard will allow
you to see not just these great fish dives but also the topside highlights of this area
too. To me, the real "essence of Irian" is the incredible mix
of wonderful topside scenery with great reefs to dive on. Tender boat rides
through the most outstanding island scenery of any dive destination is another
highlight of this area.
Birds of Paradise - taking a short trek through a village and small plantation takes us under the canopy of prime forest where we can see these rare and mythical birds. To me it like going to Komodo and not seeing the dragons. The sounds alone are worth the effort.
Misool Island Group
This is where I believe we get into sensory overload. The coral reef scenery really is the best
I have seen after thousands of dives in Indonesia. The reef scenery here is just off the charts,
though at times visibility can often be limited to as low as 10m/30' in some areas. There is an excellent
variety of reefs here with outstanding fish life on many. Cave systems here are also a great highlight
not just for the hell of going into a cave/cavern, the scenery inside and outside of these huge systems
is also incredible. There are great ridges between small islands packed with fish and swimming above beds
of sea fans and coral gardens, shear walls plummeting beyond our range of sight are covered with gorgeous
corals all the way below us.
Best Reef Dives - a few new dive sites I have recently came across have to
be some of Indonesia's best with great marine life in all the different areas of
these incredible sites.... Join me - I'll show you great soft coral meadows,
soft coral filled slopes and walls, excellent fish life, fan gardens and coral
compositions that are just so beautiful you don't want this dive to end. Or even
better create your own personal dive charter!
Currents here can, and do rip at times. Sites have to be chosen in order to
avoid dives being to awkward to enjoy. We can always opt for an easy dive
searching for unusual marine life.
Mansuar Area
Home of Max Ammer, his crew and the newly renamed
Papua
Diving. A new resort is now being built to cater for divers who want a little more comfort than
the old Irian Diving Camp. This it also the place where Dr. Gerald Allen found those 273 different species.
PLEASE NOTE: This does mean that every diver will notice this fish diversity!
A great range of dive sites here makes this area stand out as being probably the best dive areas in the whole of Indonesia for fish life. Not just for the species diversity, as the schooling fish life is also incredible. Most reefs here are vibrant with vast amounts of soft corals covering huge coral outcrops that in turn are surrounded by thousands of small sweepers. There are critter here though not as many as other areas and for the real hardcore macro lovers it not not e your choice of destination, though for sure there are some great areas with rare and unusual marine life.
Waigeo (Aljui Bay)
A great area to anchor amongst the many small islands that make this area like a huge maze. There is
also a very interesting pearl farm here. The welcoming staff can show divers some of the processes that
go into farming high-end pearls. Dive sites here vary with brilliantly colourful invertebrate covered
walls that are dotted with caverns. These all seem to just fall from the rock faces that rises up above
the water, being topped off with incredible tropical scenery. There are dive sites here that are great
critter dives with many great nudibranchs and crustaceans to keep the macro lovers content. This area
probably has the best macro site in the northern Raja Ampat I have came across up to now!
Kawe Area
More small islands here that are home to some incredible dive sites. Amongst these we encounter
groups of small islands. Here pelagic fish and many different schooling fish can be seen. Right on the
edge of equator there are more impressive islands, some looking like Bonsai trees sitting on a rock base.
One very small island has what can only be described as being one the best topographical sites in the area.
Walls surround most of the island that can easily be circumnavigated on one dive. But there is much more,
a coral covered sea mount with hundreds of schooling fish swimming around it, there are small plateaus, a
small cavern, giant sea fans and many black coral bushes surrounding a tall pinnacle. Some sites here are
very open to the seas and often strong currents, often swells make safety stops near the reef a little
awkward.
 "Click for a larger image")
by Michael Topolovac
This has to be as good as it gets for topside scenery, with lagoons and small mushroom shaped islands, a short trek for those with enough energy will reveal this island in all its glory.
We are now surrounded by that same scenery, lagoons and islands where we dive are home to great marine life, beautiful reef scenery, some schooling pelagic fish and wicked topographical dive sites. Also this is home to a hidden blue lagoon (no Bo Derek though!) with the only way in being from the ocean, it is only us divers that will ever see this sight.
Wai Island Area
Home of a very friendly and welcoming local Papuan Family. The island is surrounded by white sand
beaches and reefs that are home now to plane wrecks as well as great marine life. One plane lays on a
reef slope covered in an array of beautiful soft corals with the slope itself sometimes being a good
place to find interesting critters. Reefs here have been impacted in the past though in places the reef
crest is an area where you will want that over-under lens. With a tropical island backdrop what more
could you ask. At times it is possible to see large groups of manta rays cruising by on this island too.
Also a great place to have a beach BBQ while being serenaded by the locals singing and playing guitars,
some handmade too!
Conclusion
If you after fish life, amazing reef scenery and topography then a cruise in this area is a must. It
is not an area for those wanting shark sightings and lots of classic critters.
If you would also like
to see more sites, venture out a little to check out the Banda Sea too, then you need to look into the
cruises between Sorong and Kupang. Recent trips with only a few guests wanting their own privacy have
been excellent as we explored and found a few great critter sites as well!
Interested? Click here to mail us for more information about this region!
top