Scuba diving in West Papua means you cannot miss out on the marine life in Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat Archipelago, or the Four Kings, is known throughout the world as diving heaven. Covering an area of 9.8 million acres, it consists of more than 1,500 small islands. Batanta, Waigeo, Salawati, and Misool are the four main islands of the region.
Each island surrounding the region has a rich and well-maintained marine biodiversity. Raja Ampat Archipelago has a total of 75% of the world’s living species. It is home to over 500 species of corals, 1,000 species of coralfish, 700 species of mollusks, and 30 marine mammals.
Furthermore, the nearby forests are home to many unique and endemic species. It is truly the perfect place for divers who appreciate the beauty of nature. Now, let us check out some top dive sites in the region.
3 Spots of Scuba Diving in West Papua
Do you like scuba diving? If so, it is better to visit three scuba diving spots in West Papua is better! Here is the list:
1. Four Kings
Four Kings dive site is situated east of Pele Island in southern Misool. The name “Four Kings” originates from the four underwater rocks or pinnacles full of colorful soft corals. These pinnacles’ heights are around five to thirty meters under the surface. They are connected by a long ridge making it easy to swim across the pinnacles.
This particular arrangement draws in a plethora of marine species. A shoal of fish swims around the pinnacles, while many reef fish hide in the crevices. You can spot barracuda, batfish, frogfish, trevally, pygmy seahorses, and pygmy cuttlefish during the dive. It is a breathtaking dive site suitable for novice and experienced divers.
2. Cape Kri
Cape Kri dive site is located northeast of Kri Island. The dive site has the largest marine species recorded in one dive. Gerald R. Allen was the one who recorded a total of 374 species living in the dive site. This diversity makes Cape Kri one of the world’s most famous dive sites, an excellent place for scuba diving in West Papua.
Due to its location at the tip of Kri Island, the crossroads of different currents bring plenty of nutrients and all kinds of flora and fauna. During your dive, you can see different types of sharks, such as black-tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, wobbegongs, and more.
In addition, there are numerous kinds of reef fish, jacks, snappers, sweetlips, angelfish, barracuda, mackerel, and so on. Dive down, and you will encounter more marine species happily swimming in Cape Kri.
3. Blue Magic
The Blue Magic dive site is between Kri Island and Waisai Island, specifically in the Dampier Strait. Its underwater pinnacle reef is small but crowded with colorful soft, and hard corals. Diving down to 7 meters up to 30 meters below the surface, you can see diverse varieties of fishes, seahorses, and crabs.
Moreover, this dive site is where divers often encounter the most notable species of manta rays measuring 5 meters. Manta rays come from the deep ocean and gather at the peak of the pinnacle.
They clean their bodies from small fish, parasites, and wrasse. The Blue Magic’s pristine and clear water will make the sighting fantastic. Thus, it is recommended only for experienced divers.
Scuba diving in West Papua cannot be complete without visiting one of the above three dive sites. Each site has diverse marine species, including but not limited to fish, seahorses, crabs, shrimps, sharks, and manta rays. Book your flight and dive into the beautiful Raja Ampat marine biodiversity.
