Raja Ampat in West Papua is very well known for people, not only in Indonesia but also people from other countries. Now, Indonesia is not only famous for Bali, but also Raja Ampat. This is the ultimate destination, especially for people who love to dive, as it is located in Coral Reef Triangle and has the most diverse marine life. Raja Ampat is a heaven for divers.
When we are talking about Raja Ampat, we will think about its iconic island, Wayag Island. Raja Ampat is actually an archipelago; therefore, it has many islands. But, one of the most famous is Wayag.
The Beauty of Wayag Island
Wayag Island has beautiful atolls and magnificent underwater life with a total area 155,000 hectares. The pristine beach combined with unique Karst islands looks like sprouting mushrooms from afar. The panorama will remind you of a fairy-tale, but it is a reality that you can see with your own eyes. Beneath the water, there are a lot of marine flora and fauna, as Raja Ampat has the richest marine biodiversity in the world.
For divers, Wayag island is a paradise in real life. People are overwhelmed not only with its amazing underwater view but also the beautiful landscape of the island as they go up to its highest peak and observe the atolls around.
If you are looking for adventure and romance, liveaboards will be the best choice. It is easy to socialize with other travellers. In this way you can meet other divers along with the friendly staff, surely it is going to enrich your experience. You can make friends and exchanging your diving experience. Looking at the beautiful nature of West Papua along with old and new friends while enjoying drinks and aperitif after diving is going to be memorable.
On Wayag Island, you can also see the various color of water, like light blue and deep blue water. It all depends on the water depth. It is easy to see the fish swimming beneath the crystal-clear water, so it will be fun to do snorkelling and kayak to see the marine life closer if you can’t go diving.
If you want to see the full view of Wayag Island, you can go hiking to Karang Island. It is not easy to climb up because the inclination is about 90 degrees, so you need extra energy to go up. It takes around 30 minutes to reach the top. But your tiredness and hard work will be paid off once you see the majestic view from above.
Access to Wayag Island
Wayag island is an amazing place, so if you decided to come to this island you could come from Sorong, the capital city of West Papua, by renting a boat around Rp 9,000,000, and it takes 5 hours to reach this island. You can also come here from Waisai, it will cost you Rp 6,000,000, and it needs 6 hours to get there. Surely it is not cheap and takes a lot of time, but the beauty offered in Wayag will be worth the price.
Conclusion:
West Papua is rich in natural resources and biodiversity. The beautiful landscape is a treasure in this province, especially Raja Ampat. It is a famous and heaven for divers and marine lovers. Even if it might be expensive for accommodation and transportation to reach this place and do the islands hopping, it is totally worth every penny you spent. The magnificent landscape and underwater life will stay in your memory forever.
