Snorkeling in Raja Ampat Reef - Birding in its Rainforest

Raja Ampat has got beautiful coral reef which we could explore while snorkeling over it. The snorkeling sites that I highly recommend are Yefkabu island, Tamako reef, Yefnabi island, Sand Bank, Mutus island, Lesser Mutus, Yef Tip, Yet Moi, Piaynemo Karst, and etc. They are located in the west of Waigeo island.

Jousuba Homestay in Raja Ampat

The snorkeling sites that are closer to Waigeo island are the southern coast of Waigeo, Saporkren beach, Friwen wall, Urai island, Yenbuba Strait, Mioskon, and etc. A lot of fish could be seen in coral reef. There are striped-surgeonfish, diagonal sweetlips, butterflyfish, anemonefish, moorish idol and etc. We could also see christmas tree worm, sea cucumber, nudibranch, turtle and etc. 

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

Stonefish in Waigeo island

Island Hopping

Islands that could be chosen as the sites for snorkeling include Kri, Mansuar, Gam, and Waigeo. The snorkeling tour to remote places could be conducted by speed boat. Traveling with 2 or 4 participants will allow every participant of the tour to share the cost.

Birding/ Wildlife Watching

The activity of watching wild animals in the rainforest of Raja Ampat is also interesting. Usually, Waigeo island is the most recommended destination. The main target of observation include Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Blyth's Hornbill, Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Red-cheeked Parrot, Papuan Eclectus, Great-billes Parrot and Violet-necked Lory. 

Pinon Imperial Pigeon

There are also Waigeo-spotted Cuscus, Fruit Bats and soa-soa which we could watch in the forest.

Binoculars such as the Swarovski, Leica or Nikon Monarch 10×42 mm will greatly enhance the birding experience of tour participants who bring them. Camera for bird or wildlife photography is usually the d-slr or mirrorless one with a 150-600 mm telephoto lens.

A beach in Kri island of Raja Ampat

Equipment

There are some snorkeling device that tour participants need to bring such as snorkeling mask, fins. Some beach resorts provide them for free or for rent. To take underwater picture and videos, a digital camera will be needed. The famous one is Olympus TG-7 or Nikon W300. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour that is combined with birding/ wildlife watching tour in Raja Ampat islands, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact us by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related Posts

• Adventure Tour in the Islands of Raja Ampat
• Raja Ampat Adventure Snorkeling and Birding

Birdwatching,  Butterfly watching and Farm Tour in Sonder Town of Minahasa Highland

Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa Highland. It is a beautiful destination for visitors who love to see nature, farmland, do birdwatching and insect watching. 

Sulawesi Scops Owl

Birds in Subdistrict Sonder

A lot of species of birds could be watched there. Here are some of them:

• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Sahul Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Black Sunbird 
• Crimson Sunbird
• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo
• Pygmy Hanging Parrot
• Gray-sided Flowerpecker
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker
• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Sulawesi Pygmy Hanging Parrot
• Sulawesi Myzomela
• Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
• Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove
• Sulawesi Crow
• Citrine Canary Flycatcher
• Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
• Warbling White-eye (also called Japanese White-eye)
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Purple Heron
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• Collared Kingfisher
• Sulawesi Drongo 
• Hair-crested Drongo 
• Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove
• White-faced Cuckoo-dove
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Sulawesi-crested Myna
• Chestnut Munia
• Black-faced Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Sulawesi Scops Owl
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Sulawesi-crested Myna
• Yellow-billed Malkoha
• White-browed Crake
• Isabelline Bush-hen
• Buff-banded Rail
• Barred Rail
• and etc. 

Birdwatching activity is usually carried out by walking through farm forest where local villagers grow fruiting trees such as clove, coconut, avocado, rambutan, jackfruit, durian, duku. There is tropical rainforest on the top of the hill in the south of Sonder. Birding along its edge will allow visitors to see Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Yellow-billed Malkoha, and other endemic species of birds of Sulawesi.

Pale Blue Monarch

Birdwatching Equipment

Most birdwatchers bring a good pair of 10×42 mm or 10× 50 mm binoculars from such brands as Nikon Monarch, Leica, Swarovski, Olympus. As a birding guide, I usually bring my SVBONY 20-60×80 mm spotting scope. All participants could share the use of this scope when observing birds in tall or distant trees. 

Sonder town and its surrounding farmland

Accommodation

Visitors who are interested in taking a birding tour can stay in homestays of local villagers. The rooms are basic/ simple. For more comfortable accommodation, visitors could stay in the nearby Tomohon town. 

How to get there?

It is easy to reach Sonder town. Visitors can combine the marine tour in Raja Ampat with the birding tour in Minahasa highland. They can fly from Sorong city to Manado city. There are daily flight services between these cities that are served by TransNusa and Lion Air. 

For international travelers, they could fly from Singapore to Manado city by Scoot Air or from Guangzhou in China to Manado city by TransNusa or China Southern Airlines.

Flight routes to Manado city

Car route to Sonder

Booking

The duration of snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat can be as short as 4 days-3 nights to 1 week. The duration for birding in Sonder and other areas of Minahasa Peninsula can be 1 week. You could book this combined trip of snorkeling and birding in Raja Ampat and birwatching trip in Sonder of Minahasa highland by sending your message to our e-mail: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp:+6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Sonder's Birdwatching and Butterflywatching Sites
• North Sulawesi Tour Package

Snorkeling, Island Hopping and Birdwatching Trip in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is one of the most favorite destinations in the world for marine tourism. For visitors who love snorkeling and island hopping, perhaps, this tour is interesting. We could start from the Kri island. The coral reef around this island is very beautiful. It is the habitat of a lot of species of marine creatures from batfish that likes to swim around the jetty of the resort or homestay to anemonefish and parrotfish that are common in coral reef of this tropical archipelago. For more unusual species such as the longtail carpet shark or also called epaulette shark, we could see it at night at the shallow water of the beach. 

A beach in Kri island

During the transition period from high tide to low tide in Yenbuba strait, most often, there is current. Tour participants need to wear swim fins. As a guide, I often carry an orange lifejacket with me which I can give to snorkeling participant who may have problems with leaks on his or her snorkeling mask. It is also a clear sign for boat drivers that there are snorkelers in coral reef area where they are passing. 

Homestays and dive resorts in Kri and Mansuar can be used as a base for marine tours around northern Raja Ampat archipelago. There are dive centers that provide equipment for snorkelers and scuba divers who want to see the beauty of coral reef and its marine life. 

Warahnus homestay in Kri island

Dive center in Warahnus homestay of Kri island

For those who are interested in birdwatching, the nearby Merpati island and Mioskon island are very good destinations to watch Lemon-bellied White-eye, Varied Honeyeater, Violet-necked Lory, Papuan Eclectus, Great-billed Parrot, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Beach Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, White-bellied Sea Eagle and etc.

Coral reef in the east of Waigeo island

Underwater picture of marine life in Mioskon

The next trip during the tour is going to Piaynemo. It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to reach it. The wonderful view of the karst of Piaynemo looks like emerald jewels that are arranged in turquoise blue water. One the way back, we could enjoy snorkeling in Piaynemo and Mansuar island. 

For visitors who are interested in birdwatching, the island of Waigeo is the next stop. It can also become the base for exploring other parts of Raja Ampat such as Kabui bay, Kali biru (Blue River), Gam Island, and a lot of small islands in the west of Waigeo. There are homestays and beach resorts along the south of Waigeo. 

Coconut Lorikeet in Waigeo island

A lot of species of birds could be watched in Waigeo. They include Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Brown Oriole, Papuan Eclectus, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc. 

Beautiful Fruit Dove

Tour participants need to bring birding binoculars such as the Nikon Monarch 7 or Leica Trinovod 10×42 mm, and photographic device with telephoto lens.

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling, birdwatching, and island hopping tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Birding, Snorkeling and Sightseeing Tour in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is a famous destination for visitors who love marine tourism. They go there to enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving and island tours. As a matter of fact, there are other attractions which visitors can enjoy while in Raja Ampat. 

Most of the big islands of Raja Ampat are covered by tropical rainforest. They are the natural habitat of a lot of species of birds, butterflies and other insecte, reptiles, and mammals. Visitors can enjoy rainforest tour while doing snorkeling or scuba diving in Raja Ampat. 

Piaynemo Karst

The easiest wildlife tour that anyone can enjoy while in Raja Ampat is doing roadside birding. The birds that can be watched include Hooded Butcherbird, Shining Flycatcher, Spangled Drongo, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Beach Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher and etc. Most visitors want to watch birds of paradise. Usually, this is carried out early in the morning. Visitors need to wake up early at 04:30 to have coffee or tea with some biscuits. After that, they need to leave their resort or homestay at 05:00 for the site of paradise birds. Most guides will organize a car to reach the site earlier. The trip to the jungle will be carried out on foot. Birding can easily be carried out along the roadside of Waigeo island. 

The view of Kabui bay as seen from a homestay

However, it can also be done in remote islands along the beach. For example to Lesser Urai or Merpati island. Birds that live in remote islands of Raja Ampat include Violet-necked Lory, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Great-billed Parrot, Singing Starling, Palm Cockatoo, Claret-brested Fruit Dove and etc.

Birding in Raja Ampat

The birding activity in remote islands can be combined with snorkeling in coral reef areas. Raja Ampat is the habitat of tropical reef fish such as Wobbegong, butterflyfish, damselfish, parrotfish, moorish idol, grouper, trevally, and a lot more. 

Marine Life in Waigeo island

Coral reef in Mioskon island

Sightseeing tour can be done to interesting places of Raja Ampat such as Blue River, Piaynemo Karst, Yenbuba Strait or Kabui bay. For this purpose, a speedboat will definitely be needed. 

If you are interested in taking a tour in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your tour and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Snorkeling and Rainforest Tours in Raja Ampat

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. 

Birdwatching, Snorkeling and Sightseeing in Sorong and Raja Ampat

I have just finished running a tour for two visitors who came from the Netherlands. They were Femke and Mathijs. We spent 1 week exploring the rainforest of Sorong and Raja Ampat to watch birds, mammals, insects and reptiles as well as various kinds of unique tropical plants. 

Raja Ampat Marine Tour

In Raja Ampat, we did snorkeling, and sightseeing tour to see Piaynemo, Pasir Timbul (Sand Bank) and Friwen Wall. The sea current in the front waters of Arborek, between Gam and Mansuar island are quite strong.  That's why the coral reef in this area is the natural habitat of a lot of species of fish that like the current. However, we did not do snorkeling in the area where the current was strong. We went to Friwen-wall and enjoyed snorkeling there. After that we had our lunch at its beach which was on the other side of the islet. It was a nice experience because we can see colourful fish, and other marine animals of West Papua. Raja Ampat has got beautiful white sandy beach which is a good place for swimming and sunbathing. Sergeantfish, anemonefish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, are some of the many tropical fishes that Femke and Mathijs saw while snorkeling in Raja Ampat. 

Sightseeing and Birdwatching in West Papua

During the birdwatching tour, we saw Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise as well as a lot of other birds including Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Frilled Monarch, Yellow-faced Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and etc.

Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 if you are interested in taking a rainforest wildlife watching, sightseeing and snorkeling tour in West Papua province of Indonesia. 

Coconut Crab in Raja Ampat

Around 2 weeks ago, I guided a Russian tourist on a 2-week birdwatching and wildlife watching trip to Raja Ampat, Klasow valley of Sorong and Arfak mountains. While in Sorong, we went hiking in southern forest of Waigeo to see birds.

We also took an opportunity to nearby islands to enjoy snorkeling and seeing coconut crab. There was an islet where coconut crab lived. Its name was Nyetreiram. We went there by a small speedboat after taking a snorkeling tour in Friwen. We arrived at the islet at around sunset time. The crabs had not come out of their hiding places. The owner of the islet cut open a dried coconut into pieces and spread then on several places on the islet. When it was getting dark, the crabs began to come out. We were invited to see them. 

Coconut Crab in Raja Ampat

They had not reach full sizes but were already bigger than other crab in nature. We took the opportunity to photographs them. 

We were not long at the island. Soon the weather changed. The wind blew fast and the sea surface became rough. We got into the boat and returned quickly to the beach resort where we stayed. Fortunately, we already reach the resort when sea storm hit the beach. 

It was a nice experience to see the Coconut Crab (Birgus largo) in Raja Ampat.

Wildlife Watching in Raja Ampat Archipelago

Most of the islands in Raja Ampat are surrounded by coral reef, they are the natural habitat of marine animals from small Christmas Tree Worm to large humphead wrasse fish. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling over the coral reef to see various kinds of marine creatures or do scubadiving to see more in deeper waters. 

Along the coastal area of Raja Ampat, sea birds can be observed. They include Radjah Shelduck, Eastern Osprey, Beach Kingfisher, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Eclectus Parrot, Great-billed Parrot, and etc.

Marine Life in Raja Ampat

In certain months, turtles land on the beach to lay eggs. The northern coast of Waigeo is a great place for visitors to watch leatherback, green, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles. 

Wobbegong reef shark

The rainforest of Raja Ampat is th destination for visitors who are interested in watching Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise and a lot more.

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

There are karsts in Raja Ampat, visitors who go there can see beautiful marine landscapes that are covered by green vegetation and turquoise blue sea water. With more than 1,500 tropical reef fish living in the waters of Raja Ampat, visitors will have plenty of marine life to see when they travel to the islands. 

Snorkeling Tour by Boat in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has got a lot of coral reef sites. They can be explored by motorized boat. The cheapest way to see the beauty of the coral reef is by taking snorkeling tour. The southern part of Waigeo is the first place where visitors usually go. Warduwer beach, Saporkren beach and Yengkawe beach are important coral reef sites in this area. 

Natural Tourism Attractions in Raja Ampat

At the entrance of Kabui Bay, there are Greater Urai and Lesser Urai islands. They have got beautiful reef too. Gam island has got a lot of coral reef sites which are suitable for snorkeling visitors. There are homestays that are run by local villagers.  The nearby Friwen and Mioskon island are famous snorkeling and diving sites.  

Anemonefish at Yengkawe house-reef

Crossing the Dampier strait, visitors will be able to enjoy snorkeling along Cape Kri which is one of the best dive sites in Raja Ampat. The opposite end of the Kri island is Yenbuba strait. There, the current is quite strong especially during the transition period from low to high tide or its reverse. A lot of marine creatures can be seen here from the tiny anemonefish to the big black tip reefshark.

Mansuar, which is greater than Kri, has got a lot of coral reef sites. Near Arborek island, there is a place called Manta Point. Arborek's jetty is the place for snorkeling too. After that, the adventure to the west will be to Piaynemo islets whose karst is very beautiful if seen from its viewpoint. 

Raja Ampat Attraction

Usually visitors go back to Waigeo by entering the 'passage.' It is a narrow strait that separates Waigeo and Gam island. The next day, visitors can continue their exploration of the seascape of Raja Ampat by going to Wayag. There, the marine environment is still in pristine condition. 

Tiger Orchid in the rainforest of Waigeo island

Flying to Raja Ampat

It is easy to travel to Raja Ampat. Visitors need to take an international flight from their country to one of the cities in Indonesia, i.e. Jakarta, Denpasar Bali, Surabaya, Makassar. There are regular daily flights that are provided by Sriwijaya Air, Garuda, Batik Air and Lion Air to Sorong city which is the main gate to Raja Ampat.

Raja Ampat is a regency in Indonesia

From Sorong city, you could continue your trip to Raja Ampat by ferry. There are daily ferry schedule to Waisai town of Waigeo. This route is suitable for visitors who like to go to Saporkren, Gam island, Arborek, Piaynemo, and Wayag. 

Visitors who want to go to Misool island should check the ferry schedule at Pelabuhan Rakyat (meaning People's Harbor). Ferry does not go there every day.

Flight Route to Sorong city from major cities in Indonesia

If you are interested in traveling to Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by whatsapp: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Raja Ampat Snorkeling Trip Preparation

Snorkeling Site in Raja Ampat

If you plan to take a trip to Raja Ampat for snorkeling holiday, you need to make several preparations.

Raja Ampat Snorkeling

Snorkeling site in Yenbuba

I organize snorkeling tours in Raja Ampat especially for tourists who like to see marine life of the islands. Snorkeling is the activity of swimming with the aid of snorkel and snorkeling mask. A snorkel is a pipe that connects the mouth of the swimmer and the air. Wearing swimming googles or snorkeling mask, a snorkeler will be able to see reef fish, sea stars, colorful corals and other marine creatures. 

To prevent fogging on the glass surface of the mask during snorkeling, some drops of liquid soap are applied. When rinsing the mask, a snorkeler has to leave very thin layer of the soap on the surface of the mask. With clear mask, we can see everything underwater clearly. Snorkelers usually wear lifejackets, and fins.
Underwater camera is also needed especially for those who want to take pictures or make videos of the fish and coral reef that they see while snorkeling or freediving. Snorkelers can bring GoPro, Nikon 130 and Fujifilm XQ2 with waterproof casing or Olympus TG 7 which is very popular among snorkelers and scuba divers. 

Reef fish in coral reef of Waigeo

Snorkeling Sites

Raja Ampat islands have got a lot of snorkeling sites. The ones that are closer to Waisai town and can easily be reached by town dwellers are located along the southern coast of Waigeo. A number of beach resorts are operating at this coast including D'Coral, Gurara, Scuba Republic, Putras and Raja Ampat Dive Resort. Snorkeling sites in Urai, Friwen wall, Mission, Cape Kri and Yenbuba are also very good for snorkelers. 

In northeast of Waigeo, there are Mamiaef and Waim islands. They are also very nice snorkeling sites. Kri, Mansuar, and Gam have got a lot of coral reef sites too. Going further to the east, we can also find Batanta and Salawati islands. Arborek is frequently visited by snorkelers because it is a transit point to Piaynemo that also has got coral reef areas. Wayag in the west of Waigeo is the famous icon of Raja Ampat. It has got coral reef sites too. Snorkeling in the islands that face open sea can sometimes be dangerous. Make sure there is a motorized boat near you when you swim in the waters whose current is strong. 

Kofiau and Misool have got pristine coral reef too. Unfortunately, it is located in remote region. 

Combined Activities

Coral reef in North-east region of Waigeo

Snorkeling is not the only activity which tourists can do while traveling to Raja Ampat. It can be combined with such activities as hiking, bird and wildlife watching. Trips to villages, river areas can also be organized.

Birding Tour in Raja Ampat

Wildlife Tour
The snorkeling tour can be combined with wildlife tour in the mornings and late afternoons for tour participants to see various species of tropical birds including Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Palm Cockatoo, Common Paradise Kingfisher, and etc. The duration of this combined snorkeling and wildlife tour is between 4 to 7 days. 

Night walk could be conducted to see cuscus, Papuan frogmouth and other nocturnal animal of Waigeo. 

Red Bird of Paradise

Accommodation
There are tens of homestays and beach resorts which visitors can choose while traveling in Raja Ampat. The famous ones such as Papua Explorers Dive Resort, Kri Eco Resort, Misool Eco Resort, Raja Ampat Biodiversity Eco Resort have got their own websites which visitors can read before flying to Indonesia. There are also hotels and lodges inside Waisai town (the capital of Raja Ampat regency). However, most snorkeling visitors prefer to stay in beach resorts and coastal homestays so that they can easily have access to the beaches or house reefs.

Booking

If you are interested in traveling to Raja Ampat and want me to organize and guide you, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Raja Ampat Snorkeling Review
• Snorkeling Video from Raja Ampat
• Raja Ampat Guided Snorkeling Tours
• Raja Ampat Snorkeling and Birding Tour

Snorkeling Video from Raja Ampat

I had a wonderful tour in Raja Ampat early this month. I focused my activity in Warduwer beach. Here, I spent my time snorkeling over its very nice coral reef. White sand strecthed along the southern region of Waigeo island making it an ideal site for snorkeling and freediving. I brought two cameras, i.e. the waterproof Nikon AW 130 and Fujifilm XQ2 (which I put inside a waterproof case). I went snorkeling and freediving during high tide especially in drop off area of the beach. The drop off is around 50 meters (164 feet) from the beach.
As a matter of fact, the beach is very flat and shallow. So, it is safe for visitors who bring their children to Warduwer beach. They can learn how to swim st Warduwer beach.

Snorkeling photo from Raja Ampat

When I was in the water, I saw hundreds of species of fish and other marine creatures. There were parrotfish, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, blenny, anemonefish, moorish idol, hawkfish, lemon damsel, wobbegong, scorpionfish, and a lot more.

To make videos, I dived to a depth of 2 to 7 meters and recorded anything that I saw. I did not scuba dive. I only used mask, snorkel and fins. It was a freediving. So, I could not stay longer in the water. I spent between one and one and a half minutes during each dive. Underwater swimming is a fun thing to do.

Location of Raja Ampat

What to bring

Raja Ampat was a nice place for anyone who wants to see beautiful fish and coral reef in its natural habitat - and not in aquarium. Visitors who want to go snorkeling at this beach need to bring:

• Clothing that is suitable for tropical climate, and for swimming
• Sun-block lotion, 
• Snorkeling device such as mask, snorkel and fins
• Underwater camera

How to get there?

It is easy to visit Raja Ampat.

• First, you need to take international flight from your country to Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia.
• Second, you need to continue your trip by taking a domestic flight provided by Garuda, Sriwijaya, or Batik Air to Sorong city.
• When you arrive in Sorong, I could meet you at the airport and then organize your tour to Raja Ampat islands.

As a tourist guide, I often organize tours to Raja Ampat for visitors who like snorkeling, sightseeing and birdwatching. If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat to enjoy snorkeling and want me to be your guide, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Snorkeling in Raja Ampat's Waigeo Island

The southern part of Waigeo island of Raja Ampat is a very good destination for snorkeling. I often go there to guide tourists who like snorkeling and are also interested in wildlife.  To take pictures of marine life, I bring my old Fujifilm XQ2. 

Marine Life at the beach of Waigeo

The coral reef in Waigeo and its surrounding islands is in very good condition. There were a lot of fish including parrotfish, butterflyfish, rabbitfish, anemonefish, surgeonfish, damselfish, lionfish and even wobbegong. 

The visibility was also very nice. I tried several settings of the camera to see the ones that are suitable for snorkeling or freediving. The fish symbol or the underwater mode is not always the best setting. I swam slowly from the beach to the reef flat area. Most of the fish here was small. When I moved closer to buttress zone and drop off zones of the reef, I could see bigger fish.

Tropical Fish in the waters of Waigeo

There were around 3 species of anemonefish that I found. They were Pink Anemonefish, Spinecheek Anemonefish and Red and Black Anemonefish. To take pictures of them, I had to freedive and hold rock coral. While my left hand was holding the coral, my right hand was busy pressing the shutter buttons of the camera to capture beautiful marine life in front of me.

Pink Anemonefish

I spent around two and a half hours in the water in two snorkeling sessions. In the evening which is the sunset time, the surrounding atmosphere of the resort was very peaceful.

White Sandy Beach of Waigeo

Birdwatching Tour

Birds such as Willie Wagtail, Mimic Honeyeater, Torresian Crow, Hooded Butcherbird, Helmetted Friarbird, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and several other birds were singing in trees or in the air. 

For accommodation, I and my clients usually stay in Raja Ampat Dive Resort in Waigeo or other resorts in Kri or Mansuar island which is a nice place for visitors who want to enjoy holiday in Indonesia. They can swim and do snorkeling or freediving as much as they like. They can also watch birds which are also colorful and beautiful.

If you are interested in taking a holiday at Raja Ampat, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Sightseeing and Birdwatching in Kabui Bay
• Wonderful Raja Ampat