A glimpse of the mind wanders and a beautiful painting appears. The open sea with coral islands that are neatly arranged welcomes a few dolphins jumping cheerfully. The blue sky combines with the beautiful ripples of the waves combing every white sand on the shore. The fresh air blowing boisterously guarantees the natural coolness typical of green tropical forests. The sound of the seagulls sounded beautiful as if singing and thanking this amazing sight. From inside the water, various beautiful colored fish adorn the live rocks that dance gracefully. This is a real life paradise on earth.
The description of a beautiful place above is not a dream, everything is real and really is. Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia is the place. The archipelago, which is located at the northwestern tip of the island of Papua, is well 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 and 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 at 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, until you arrive at Waisai Raja Ampat port.
In general, Raja Ampat is an archipelago that consists of many coral islands and is widespread throughout its territory. However, Raja Ampat has 4 of the 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 Raja Ampat population, most of whom work as fishermen. The water area is Raja Ampat’s main attraction, considering that Raja Ampat waters 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 environment of Raja Ampat.
An international conservation agency report once stated that Raja Ampat waters have about 75% of marine species worldwide. In fact, the Raja Ampat sea and land area 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 biota. Therefore, with these various advantages, it is not surprising that Raja Ampat is currently considered the most beautiful underwater paradise in the world.
Not only its underwater natural wealth, Raja Ampat also has many interesting things above its sea level. Lots of beautiful beaches are scattered throughout the Raja Ampat islands. Generally, this beach has white sand and has a smoothness approaching flour. In addition, there are many islands that form a row of high cliffs in Raja Ampat. In fact, some places such as Piaynemo, Kabui Bay, and Wayag have been famous throughout the world before being known domestically. Tropical forests are no less interesting, there are even several places such as Sawinggrai village or Saporkrein village that offer an unforgettable experience of seeing Cenderawasih birds up close. As we know, the Bird of Paradise is a rare and beautiful bird typical of Papua which is often referred to as the bird of paradise.
Not finished with natural wealth alone, 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 a tourist village, one of which is Arborek Village. This village, which is located on a small island, has a lot of arts, from traditional dances, Sinole food made from sago, to the typical Arborek pandanus woven craft that has been passed down from generation to generation. Arborek Village is just one of the other villages with their own uniqueness.
There are also many historical relics in the islands which have ties to the Tidore sultanate, Maluku. Starting from some of the population who have the blood of the Tidore Maluku kingdom, the remains of World War 2, to caves with typical ancient human hand paintings are widespread in Raja Ampat. Studying the uniqueness of Raja Ampat seems endless, this is what makes these islands so successful today.
How rich is the nature, history and culture of the Raja Ampat Islands, so that the world is amazed. Now Raja Ampat has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, it’s just that because of limited access, to reach it requires a lot of money. However, there is no need to worry, Raja Ampat is increasingly improving itself by providing various facilities for all groups. Lodging in the form of resorts with high prices to small and cheap motels we will easily find in Raja Ampat. The tourists just need to be wiser in protecting these beautiful islands so that they can always be maintained so that their 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 legends that have been believed from generation to generation by all the indigenous people of Raja Ampat. That said, the name Raja Ampat was taken from the seven eggs found by a woman from their ancestor. Four of them hatched into four princes who later became Kings of the 4 large islands of Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta, and Misool. Meanwhile, the other 4 became ghosts, a woman and a stone. This story is traditionally believed by the local community to be the origin of Raja Ampat. It is still hard to believe in common sense, but if we examine the meaning again, the Raja Ampat realm is a sacred place like a kingdom that must be protected from damage and destruction.