Indonesia: Raja Ampat + Bali - March 2012

I love Indonesia! I discovered the extraordinary depths of the magnificent archipelago of Raja Ampat, in West Papua, before returning to dive in Tulamben and Amed in the north-east of Bali.

    View of the Fam archipelago from the Piaynemo viewpoint. (Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2015)

    Diving in Raja Ampat: How to Plan the Trip of a Lifetime

    Raja Ampat (Indonesia) is where I've done some of the best diving of my life. But tourism, which is booming on these islands, is jeopardizing their seabed and exceptional biodiversity.
    The passage. Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia. March 2012.

    The passage

    Here, cliffs covered with jungle strangling the sea. This is one of the mythical sites of Raja Ampat: The Passage.
    Under the surface, trees and coral meet ... (Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia, March 2012)

    Raja Ampat's blue mangroves

    In Indonesia, in the Papuan archipelago of Raja Ampat, coral grows at the foot of mangroves. Unpublished mixture of terrestrial and underwater life.
    Wobbegong or bearded carpet shark. (Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia, March 2012)

    The wobbegong... is that a shark?

    I'm not done with Raja Ampat! Let me introduce you to a bizarre monster, very common in these waters: bearded carpet shark or "wobbegong".
    Max Ammer, a Dutchman among the Papuans.

    Max Ammer, a Dutchman among the Papuans

    The Dutchman Max Ammer is the "pioneer" of diving in Raja Ampat. A sacred character. He is an eco-adventurer, an enthusiastic explorer and a fabulous storyteller.
    An all-black manta ray watches me out of the corner of its eye at the Manta Sandy site near Arborek Island. (Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, March 2012)

    Manta Spa

    Manta Sandy is the most famous dive site of Raja Ampat. Normal, it's a real "spa" with manta rays! The proof in photos and video.
    The dock of Sorido Bay Resort, sea and coral side, in Kri. Raja Ampat, Papua Barat, Indonesia. March 2012.

    Live my life as a princess in Raja Ampat

    Kri is my new paradise. It is a small island located in Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia. I lived there like a princess, a short week.
    Miyo, fascinated by the life of the coral reef. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, March 2012.

    Papua, diving into another world

    Papua, Papua in Indonesian. Jungles and beaches, exuberant coral and giant fish. Another world ... which amazed me. Welcome to Raja Ampat!
    A boat in front of the island of Kri. (Raja Ampat, West Papua, March 2012)

    The most beautiful trip

    Me in jet-lag, back from Raja Ampat in West Papua (Indonesia), on the phone with a friend: "You know, this is perhaps the most extraordinary trip I've done ..."
    Beautiful "soft corals" or alcyonarias color the top of Mioskon Reef. (Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, March 2012)

    Raja Ampat, the wild archipelago

    Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. I'm there !!! A real end of the world, still virgin, wild and beautiful, on land and under water.
    The Wayag Archipelago in Raja Ampat. West Papua, Indonesia.

    Make bubbles in Papuans

    "Where are you going this time? To put it simply, I say, "In Indonesia. In fact, I'm leaving the end of Indonesia: in West Papua! I am going to dive in the archipelago bearing the beautiful name of Raja Ampat, "the four kings".