The islands are series of four islands adjacent to and located in the west part of the Bird’s Head (Vogelkoop) of the island of Papua. The cluster is under Raja Ampat Regency, West Papua Province. There are four largest islands, namely Waigeo Island, Misool Island, Sulawati Island and Batanta Island.
The Raja Ampat Islands are now famous for the potential of marine tourism with the beauty of underwater scenery that attracts the attention of divers. The waters of the Raja Ampat Islands according to various sources are one of the 10 best waters for diving sites throughout the world.
In fact, it may also be recognized as number one for the completeness of the underwater flora and fauna at this time. As explained by Dr. John Veron, an experienced coral expert from Australia, that the Raja Ampat Islands have the best coral areas in Indonesia with around 450 species of coral.
There are several coral reef areas that are still very good condition with a percentage of live coral cover of up to 90%, namely in the Dampier Strait (strait between Waigeo Island and Batanta Island), Kofiau Islands, Southeast Misool Islands and Wayag Islands. The types of coral reefs in Raja Ampat are generally edge reefs with steep to steep contours but are found atoll type and charred type or taka.
Some places in Kampung Saondarek, when the lowest tides can be witnessed a stretch of coral reef without diving and with its own adaptation, the reef can still live even though it is in the open air and exposed to direct sunlight.
In fact, the Misool cluster was found in prehistoric remains in the form of a hand stamp that was applied to a rock wall. Uniquely, the stamp is very close to the surface of the sea and is not inside the cave. According to estimates, he is 50,000 years old and is part of a series of instructions for the path of human distribution from the western part of the archipelago to Papua and Melanesia. Not only that, the rest of the wreckage remains of World War II can also be found in several dive sites, such as Wai Island.
Raja Ampat Main Region
The area of the Raja Ampat Islands is 46,108 km2 divided into 24 districts, 117 villages and four villages. The 24 districts include:
- North Misool District
- North Waigeo District
- South Waigeo
- North Salawati District
- Ayau Islands District
- East Misool District
- West Waigeo District, Mainland
- East Waigeo District
- Mayalibit Bay District
- Kofiau District
- Meosmanswar District
- South Batanta District
- South Misool District
- Wawarboni District
- West Waige Islands District
- West Misool District
- District of Sembilan Nine
- Wasai City District
- Salawati Tengah District
- Salawati Barat District
- Ayau District
- Tiplol Mayalibit District
- North Batanta District
- Supnin District
Travel Tips to Raja Ampat: History
According to local myth, the origin of Raja Ampat from a woman found seven eggs, of which four of them hatched into four separate princes and each became a ruling king in Waigeo, Salawati, East Misool and West Misool. While the other three items become ghosts, a woman and a stone.
Read: Bali Nusa Penida or Ubud
In the course of history, the old Raja Ampat region was inhabited by aristocrats and implemented the customary system of Maluku, where the community was a group of humans and each village was led by a king. was surrendered by the Dutch, the Raja Ampat Islands became part of the Dutch East Indies.
