As stunningly beautiful above water as it is below, Raja Ampat Indonesia (which literally translates as “The Four Kings”) has a startling diversity of habitats to explore. Each of these – from the stark wave-pounded slopes that drop away beneath the karst cliffs of Wayag and Uranie to the deep, nutrient-rich bays of Mayalibit, Kabui and Aljui to the “blue water mangrove” channels of Kofiau and Gam to the plankton-rich upwelling areas of Misool and the Dampier Strait – are home to unique assemblages of species that, when taken together, add to produce the most impressive species lists ever compiled for a coral reef system of this size.

Indonesia marine tourism, as a sustainable alternative to overfishing, mining, and logging, has the potential to play a key role in the conservation of Raja Ampat Indonesia’s spectacular underwater realm, while also creating real benefits for the local communities.

The area known as Raja Ampat Indonesia (The Four Kings) is an archipelago consisting of the islands of Misoool, Salawati, Batanta, and Wiageo which are surrounded by over 1,500 small islands and cays. Formerly known as Irian Jaya, this area is now part of the newly named West Papua province of Indonesia and is located on the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula, on the island of New Guinea.

Paradise Dancer LiveAboard Raja Ampat Indonesia is located in the Coral Triangle which is the world's most biodiverse marine region with more recorded fish, coral and mollusk species than anywhere else on Earth.

The variety of marine life can be amazing. Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as the tasseled wobbegongs. In Mansuar, you may encounter large groups of manta rays and turtles. From the yacht and often close to shore you may get the chance to don your snorkeling gear for some unforgettable interaction with resident pods of dolphins or even some passing whales. Other highlights include the innumerable war wrecks, both ships and planes (with new wrecks being discovered constantly),

The reefs of Raja Ampat Indonesia are just as varied as the marine life. There are vertical walls, reef flats, slopes, sea mounts, mangroves, lagoons and pinnacles. The reefs are in pristine condition with miles of perfect hard corals and many varied colorful species of soft corals.

The diving is predominantly drift dives due to the moderate prevalent currents in the area which provide nutrients for the myriad fish and coral. Currents average moderate and vary from none to very strong. Visibility is normally very good but can vary and is normally at its best earlier in the day so your pre-breakfast dives are not to be slept through!

The pristine beauty of Raja Ampat Indonesia, both above and below the water is truly unrivaled. This success of area's staggering abundance of marine life can also be attributed to the areas incredibly low human population density. Its remote location and lack of infrastructure have inhibited the growth of tourism.

This is truly "Frontier Diving". Topside the beautiful islands stretch as far as you can see and are largely uninhabited. At night the lights of local fishing boats twinkle in the dark along the few inhabited shorelines while in more remote areas you may only see a distant spec of light over the entire horizon.

Not many live-aboards dive the Raja Ampat Indonesia area, making this adventure even more unique and special. The newly constructed Paradise Dancer LiveAboard is the perfect platform that delivers modern comforts and outstanding service to adventurers exploring this remote outpost of civilization

Biodiversity Features in Raja Ampat Indonesia and the greater Bird’s Head Seascape
1,356 species of reef fish in the Bird’s Head Seascape
1,223 species of reef fish in Raja Ampat
25 species of endemic reef fish found only in the Birds Head Seascape
600 species of hard coral recorded in the Bird’s Head Seascape
75% of all known coral species in the world
10 times the number of hard coral species found in the entire Caribbean
57 species of Mantis Shrimp in the Birds Head Seascape
13 species of Marine Mammals in the Bird’s Head Seascape
5 species of endangered sea turtles in the Bird’s Head Seascape