Imagine on every diving or snorkeling trip witnessing more underwater diversity than you’ve ever seen before, waking up to the music of parrots flying overhead, the rush of the ocean in front of your beach bungalow, and falling in love with the charm of these distant islands . . . seemingly a world away.
That’s what my husband and I experienced at our holiday at Biodiversity Nature Resort.
Raja Ampat, “the last paradise,” means “Four Kings,” for a series of remote islands west of Papua New Guinea. These lush, little-inhabited islands and coral reefs are famous for some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world.
These are the best things to during your trip.
Welcome to “the last paradise”.
1. Stay at Biodiversity Nature Resort
Of all the things to do in Raja Ampat (there’s a lot), some of the best moments come from relaxing in our beachside bungalow, getting to know the warmth of the West Papuan people through the staff, snorkeling in Biodiversity’s very own house reef, or watching the sunset from the jetty. Time follows the tides, measured only by the sound of the waves. It’s paradise.
2. Go snorkeling and diving
We loved getting to dive and snorkel each day at new sites. Twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, guests at Biodiversity can join dive and snorkel trips around the islands. Each site is carefully chosen depending on the weather for the best experience. With Biodiversity Resort, we saw our first Wobbegong shark, along with Crocodilefish, Nudibranchs, and the pygmy seahorse.
They have packages for both divers and snorkelers, so you can experience the world-class diving and snorkeling of Raja Ampat.
3. Visit Piaynemo viewpoint
Piaynemo is one of the most famous images of Raja Ampat. Before our visit when we pictured Raja Ampat, we pictured Piaynemo. Piaynemo is an other worldly collection of small, verdant islands floating in a turquoise sea. It’s best viewed from the viewpoint, a short walk up but the steep stairs may be difficult for some people.If the weather is good, it’s just a speed boat ride away from the Biodiversity jetty and is a must-see in Raja Ampat!
4. See the Red Bird of Paradise
There are 42 species of Birds of Paradise, mainly found in eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Two of the species can only be found in Raja Ampat, the Red Bird of Paradise and the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise.
The Red Bird of Paradise is endemic to just two islands of Raja Ampat, Gam and Batanta. The best time to see them is from July to September, when the males gather at the tops of the trees to “display” their long feathers in carefully orchestrated dance routines. You’ll watch from down below as the colorful males fan their brightly-colored plumage in a dance to win the heart of their mate.
If you want to spot the Red Bird of Paradise, ask for a morning tour from Biodiversity. Tours are led by local guides and all of the money of the tour goes to supporting them.
5. See the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise
Like the Red Bird of Paradise, the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise is endemic to just two islands in Raja Ampat, Waigeo and Batanta. But unlike the Red Bird of Paradise, the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise performs his dance below the tree tops on a carefully cleaned dance floor, called a “court”.
Each morning, he removes any fallen leaves, especially bright green leaves to make sure his colors shine the brightest. When a visiting female arrives, she sits atop a “pole” as he performs his dance for her eyes only, ending in a finale revealing his bright green breastplate.
You can have a chance to spot the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise on trips from Biodiversity. The start will be early, but it’ll be worth it!
“He’s the brightest leaf in the forest.” — Sir David Attenborough
Written by; Megan Gilbert, a travel writer, photographer, and a full-time traveler.
