Raja Ampat

Scattered across West Papua’s remote seas, Raja Ampat is a spectacular archipelago of rainforest islands and coral reefs, celebrated for its unrivalled marine biodiversity, endemic wildlife and untouched tropical scenery.

Raja Ampat lies off the north-west tip of West Papua in eastern Indonesia, where the Pacific and Indian Oceans converge. Comprising more than 1,500 islands, cays and shoals, the four main islands – Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool – sit within the heart of the Coral Triangle, and the region is widely regarded as the most biodiverse marine region on Earth. Its isolation has protected both its reefs and its traditional Papuan communities.

The landscapes are dramatic and elemental: steep limestone karsts draped in dense rainforest, hidden lagoons, mangrove-fringed channels and powder-white beaches. Beneath the surface lies an extraordinary underwater world of hard and soft corals. Over 600 species of coral and more than 1,700 species of reef fish have been recorded here, making it one of the richest marine ecosystems on the planet.

Wildlife encounters are exceptional. Reef manta rays patrol cleaning stations, wobbegong sharks rest on coral ledges, and hawksbill and green turtles glide through clear water. Pods of spinner dolphins are frequently sighted, and migrating sperm whales and Bryde’s whales occasionally pass offshore. On land, the forests shelter cassowaries and the iconic Wilson’s and red birds-of-paradise, whose elaborate courtship displays are a true highlight.

View suggested itineraries