Breathtaking dives in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Kri Island, Indonesian coral reefs. As part of Coral Triangle Raja Ampat in West Papua has the highest biodiversity and the most colorful reefs on the planet, around 75% of the world’s coral species live here.
The size, maturity and healthiness of corals in this region is insane! A large part of the marine life in Raja Ampat is protected by 7 Marine Protected Areas (MPA's).
Raja Ampat is an archipelago of over 1500 small islands, including the four main islands of: Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo.
We started our trip in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), 2 flight transfers, 2 boat transfers and +30 hours later we arrived at Kri Island at Kri Eco Resort + Papua Diving for 10 days. Together with my daughter, Isabelle, we made 22 dives at the most beautiful dive sites there are.
All the dive sites are 5-25 minutes from Kri Island: Kri Eco Jetty, Chicken Bay, Mikes Point (!!), Blue Magic, Sardines, Sapokren Jetty, Melissa’s Garden (!!), Chicken Reef, Sorido Wall, Friwenbonda, Citrus Reef, Cape Kri and a lot more!
We stayed on Kri Island, at Kri Eco Resort. Kri Eco Resort is located in the center of the Raja Ampat Marine park at Kri Island. Papua Diving provides guided dives for Kri Eco Resort and (sister resort) Sorido Bay Resort. The local Papuan dive guides of Papua Diving are the best experienced dive guides in Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat has more than 1000 species of fish, 540 species of coral and 700 species of mollusk. Predatory fish such as Barracudas, Blacktip Reef Sharks and Whitetip Reef Sharks are fully present. Large Oceanic Manta rays are attracted to the rich plankton waters. Schools of fish are everywhere and sometimes a bait ball can be seen. Beside the beauty marinelife the Kri’s forests are rich in birdlife and reptiles.
A special part of the marine park are the Mangroves at Hidden Bay (6:06), they offer critical nursing environments for juveniles of fish species. World's largest amount of mangrove coverage can be found in Indonesia. The Mangroves where one of the highlight’s of this trip!
During our stay we made excursions to Fam Islands, Hidden Bay and The Passage, they are the very definition of paradise.
- (7:00) Fam Islands are a group of islands in the Raja Ampat Archipelago. White limestone cliffs plunge into the sea. Ultramarine blue lagoons are nestled next to monumental pinnacles and untouched beaches.
- (6:06) Hidden Bay has a mangrove system of clear mirror-still blue water, where soft corals grow on the roots of mangrove trees. Rising above the foliage hornbills and parrots swoop between the trees. Hidden Bay is a complex network of interconnected water channels and lakes.
- (7:23) The Passage lies between the island of Gam and Waigeo. It can be described as river flowing between the two islands. The nutrient rich waters that are drawn through by the tides feed a vast wealth of marine biodiversity. Above water the sheer limestone cliffs make this a place excessively beautiful.
Places like this are sensitive to climate change. It's frightening to see how many people close their eyes for climate change. Climate change and a decrease of biodiversity are caused by overpopulation. Overpopulation is the main cause of most urgent problems in the world.
This film is the result of around 20 hours of 4k video footage and a few months editing. Shot in May / June 2019.
Used camera’s:
- Sony FDR-AX700 4K with Gates housing, Gates GP34 Wide Angle Port and Sealife Sea Dragon 2500 lights.
- GoPro Hero 7 Black
- DJI Mavic Pro 2
- iPhone XS Max with DJI Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal
Kri Eco Resort & Papua Diving: papua-diving.com/
Diving World, diving holidays: www.divingworld.nl/
Onderwaterhuis, underwater camera gear: www.onderwaterhuis.nl/
Gates housings: www.gateshousings.com/
Sealife UW camera’s and lights: www.sealife-cameras.com
Music: Epidemic Sound, www.epidemicsound.com/referra... :
Johannes Bornlöf - Mother of Light
Bonnie Grace - The Abode of Snow
Johannes Bornlof - Let's Run Away Together
Johannes Bornlof - The First Law Of Motion
Hector Posser - Venus Descending
#RajaAmpat #4K #diving