Raja Ampat (all images)

Raja Ampat is an archipelago of over 1500 islands located at the western end of New Guinea around the four major islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. The archipelage covers and area of 70000 km² and has a population of 50000 inhabitants. The islands consist primarily of karst rock and are heavily forested, almost down to seawater level. There are relatively few beaches and the coastline mostly consists of steep rocks falling straight into the sea. The scenery is very nice, because of the large number of small islands and islets emerging out of the blue sea.
The waters around the Raja Ampat islands are very rich in wildlife. The region contains more than 600 species of hard corals and more than 1700 species of reef fish, making it the region with the richest biodiversity in the world.
Tourists visit Raja Ampat because of its reefs with the rich marine life and the beauty of its scenery.
How to get to Raja Ampat
The primary access point is the city of Sorong, which has an airport with direct flights to Jakarta and other Indonesian cities. From there, there are ferries to Waisai on Waigeo island.
Accommodation
There are a few, relatively expensive hotels and resorts and a multitude of cheaper homestay and beach hut places with very basic infrastructure.