The Raja Ampat islands are so remote that most Indonesians have never even heard of them. Excursions to this corner of the archipelago in eastern Indonesia, off the coast of Papua in Cendrawasih Bay, require at least seven to 10 days, but few visitors ever regret making the journey — for this is the country’s largest national marine park and offers a range of marine life believed to be the most diverse on the planet.
Yayu Yuniar, a Jakarta-based journalist, fell in love with the area during her first trip there in 2007 and has been back four times since then. “Because it is so remote, there is an incredible excitement knowing that you could be the first person to have gone down this reef or to have seen that fish. It’s incredible,” says the 39-year-old seasoned diver.
