Raja Ampat Islands is a place that has the potential to be
used as a tourist attraction, especially diving tour. Raja Ampat Islands
located at the westernmost tip of the island of Papua.
The origin of the name of Raja Ampat by local myth comes
from a woman who found seven eggs. Four grains of which hatch into four princes
who separated and each became king ruling Waigeo, Salawati, Misool East and
Misool West. Meanwhile, three other eggs became a ghost, a woman, and a stone.
Raja Ampat Islands according to various sources, is one of
the 10 best for diving sites around the world. In fact, it may also be
recognized as number one for the completeness of underwater flora and fauna at
this time.
There are several areas of coral reefs that are still very
good condition with the percentage of live coral cover by 90%, which is in the
Dampier Strait (the strait between P. and P. Waigeo Batanta), Kofiau Islands,
South and South East Misool Islands-Wayag Islands. Types of coral reefs in Raja
Ampat is generally fringing reef with gentle slope to steep contour. But it was
also found atoll type and type of burns or taka. In some places like the
village Saondarek, when the lowest tides, coral reefs can be seen without a
dive and with his own adaptation, the corals can still be alive despite being
in the open air and direct sunlight.
Unique species that can be encountered during the dive are
several types of dwarf sea horses, wobbegongs, fish and manta rays. Also no
endemic fish Raja Ampat, namely Eviota king, which is a kind of fish gobbie.
Raja Ampat has area of many islands and narrow straits, so
most of the dive at a particular time has a strong current. It is also possible
to do a drift dive, dive, followed by a strong current of water is very clear
as he broke through a lot of fish.
