Raja Ampat archipelago has got a lot of snorkeling sites for visitors to explore. The ones that are closer to Waisai town in Waigeo island include Saporkren coast, Lesser and Greater Urai islands, Friend Wall, Yenbuba Strait, Cape Kri, and Mioskon island. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling to see various kinds of marine creatures such as parrotfish, butterflyfish, wrasse, moorish idol, boxfish, anemonefish, lionfish, and etc.
Snorkeling photo from Yenbuba Strait between Kri and Mansuar |
Giant clam in Arborek island |
Visitors need to bring their own underwater camera such as Nikon W300 or Olympus TG-6 to take pictures of these marine animals. They can also use action camera such as Go Pro to take underwater pictures. To get good results, the cameras have to be set for underwater use.
The best time for snorkeling is in the mornings and during high tide.
Brown Cuckoo-dove |
In addition to snorkeling, visitors can also take hiking tour in rainforest for watching birds of paradise and other tropical birds of West Papua such as Eclectus Parrot, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Golden Monarch, Red-cheeked Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet and etc. To take this rainforest bird watching tours, visitors need to bring their own binoculars.
Endemic paradise Bird from Raja Ampat |
For visitors who are interested in more adventurous trips, Batanta island is one of the destinations that they should go. There, visitors can enjoy snorkeling, dolphin and dugong watching as well as watching wildlife in the forest.
Accommodation
There are a lot of homestays and beach resorts that are built in the islands of Raja Ampat. They can be booked online through the internet or through tour guide like me.
Booking
If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour with your base in Waigeo island or Batanta island of Raja Ampat and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by WhatsApp to: +6281332245180.