Raja Ampat – The Last Paradise
Raja Ampat is often renowned as “The last Paradise on Earth”
The eastern part of Indonesia offers lots of hidden beautiful places on which lush nature and majestic islands reside. Raja Ampat is located in West Papua Province of Indonesia, 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 “Ampat Raja” is Four Kings actually and is represented by its 4 major islands called Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo, and Misool
The sparsely populated Raja Ampat Islands comprise more than 1500 islands just off Sorong. With their sublime scenery of steep, jungle-covered islands, fine white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, spooky caves, weird mushroom-shaped islets and pellucid turquoise waters, Raja Ampat is without question one of the most beautiful island chains in the world.
Credited with having the richest marine biodiversity on Earth and a relatively sremote location that has allowed it to escape mass tourism, it’s no surprise that Raja Ampat is often renowned as “The last paradise on Earth.” It’s home to more than 1,600 species of fish, while some 75% of the world’s known coral species can be found there.
Its underwater splendors are beyond exceptional, the landscape above the surface is equally breathtaking
As if it was carefully designed and placed with such aesthetic, the rock islets amidst the clear blue water and bright blue sky in Piaynemo offers some of the most spectacular sceneries on the face of the earth.
Looking down from the top of the hill, it almost seems that Mother Nature painted her finest artwork and offers a glimpse of paradise.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo Jokowi, has lunched key infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating visitors’ access to Raja Ampat
The incredible wildlife of Raja Ampat does not stop underwater. Amidst the many thick jungles within the islands, one can still find various bird species including the spectacular Cendrawasih or the bird of Paradise. There is also an endemic species of cuscus, the Waigeou cuscus or Waigeou spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis) which is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae.
The Raja Ampat islands are mostly made of limestone. Many of the smaller islands have rough shapes looking like little mushrooms during low tide. That is because sea water steadily hollows out the lower parts. Despite the rough structure, tropical trees have found nooks and crannies to place their roots. So they provide a habitat for various bird species even on tiny islands.
On the larger islands of Raja Ampat Indonesia we find lush rainforests with majestic trees. Also many other tropical plants, for example wild orchids. Some islands have waterfalls and small mountain ridges. In these forests we can discover further tropical bird species as well as bats and various butterflies.
The jungles of Raja Ampat are also home of the endemic Birds of Paradise famous for their amazing mating ceremonies
We can observe the two species Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson’s Bird of Paradise on dedicated bird watching hikes.
With all its spectacular wonders inland, on the shore, and beyond the waters, and distinct serene ambiance that you rarely find anywhere else on earth, Raja Ampat truly offers the ultimate experience ones can only dream of.
