Papua Explorers Dive Resort

ABOUT PAPUA EXPLORER RESORT

Papua Explorers Resort is located in the islands of Raja Ampat, which is on the northwest tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua.  Raja Ampat translates into English as Four Kings and gets its name from a local mythology about four kings that occupy the four big islands; Salawati, Batanta, Waigeo and Misool. It’s a stunning archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, hosting thousands of species some of which are endemic to the region.

Raja Ampat Regency is a new regency which separated from Sorong Regency in 2004. It encompasses more than 40,000 km² of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named West Papua (province) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya.

The name of Raja Ampat comes from local mythology that tells about a woman who finds seven eggs. Four of the seven eggs hatch and become kings that occupy four of Raja Ampat biggest islands whilst the other three become a ghost, a woman, and a stone.

History shows that Raja Ampat was once a part of Tidore Kingdom, an influential kingdom from Maluku. Yet, after the Dutch invaded Maluku, it was shortly claimed by the Netherlands. The main occupation for people around this area is fishing since the area is dominated by the sea. They live in a small colony of tribes that spreads around the area. Although traditional culture still strongly exists, they are very welcoming to visitors. Their religion is dominantly Christian.









Environment

The oceanic natural resources around Raja Ampat give it significant potential as a tourist area. Many sources place Raja Ampat as one of their top ten most popular places for diving whilst it retains the number one ranking in terms of underwater biodiversity.

According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth.Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. The Coral Triangle is the heart of the world’s coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world.The area’s massive coral colonies along with relatively high sea surface temperatures, also suggest that its reefs may be relatively resistant to threats like coral bleaching and coral disease, which now jeopardize the survival of other coral ecosystems around the world. The Raja Ampat islands are remote and relatively undisturbed by humans.

The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat’s coral diversity, resilience, and role as a source for larval dispersal make it a global priority for marine protection.

1,309 fish species, 537 coral species (a remarkable 96% of all scleractinia recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands and 75% of all species that exist in the world), and 699 mollusk species, the variety of marine life is staggering.Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs.




Our Team

We have been actively working in the dive industry for more than 20 years. Our passion for marine life and underwater photography have taken us all over the world. Our search for the perfect dive spot ended when we came to Raja Ampat. This place is really addictive for all nature enthusiasts, but especially for divers and we couldn’t stay away for too long.

 

After many visits to the area and living in Indonesia for more than 5 years, we took action to realize our dream to have a resort in Raja Ampat in 2012. We are using our experience and know-how from the many years of experience. Having visited many dive resorts all around the world over the last 20 years, we have lots of good ideas that we are implementing in our project. We are excited to design and equip our resort for the ultimate comfort of all nature enthusiasts.



Giving Back

Our neighbouring village is Yenwaupnor and we are truly committed to helping the people of this village and increasing the quality of their lives. It is our village now and the children of Yenwaupnor are our children.

We make regular donations of food and supplies as well money. We also connect the expat community in Jakarta that wants to help our village, to our neighbours. Our first project was to collect used children clothing and bring them over to Raja Ampat to distribute to our children. Our next project is helping the village school, so our next mission will be collecting book and school supply donations. We are also trying to hire a local doctor to visit the village regularly. For more details and latest news on our community work.







RESORT


Bungalows

Our bungalows blend traditional Papuan style with the comfort of modern design features. They are built by using local, natural materials collected from the surrounding villages. All bungalows are equipped with ensuite toilet and shower, hot water, ceiling fan, mosquito net, working desk and a comfortable seating area. The spacious veranda with direct access to the sea, allows our guests to enjoy the sun and sea in their own privacy. Other features are ; 220 V electricity with European type plugs, in room tea and coffee facilities, drinking water, environmentally friendly and natural soap.

Restaurant

You will never miss a sunrise or sunset with the unique, round shape of our restaurant. You can enjoy the beauty of the ocean and rainforest at the same time. You will taste examples of traditional Indonesian cuisine as well as international comfort foods out of kitchen. You can gather energy enjoying the snacks between dives and  chill out in our seating area after dinner.

We have a computer for the use of our guests and complimentary wireless internet.

Rates

	Packages			Single Room		Double Room	Triple Room
	(Per Person)			€ (Euro)		€ (Euro)	€ (Euro)
			7 nights	1270		990	775
NON DIVER			14 nights	2360		1800	1385
			21 nights	3290		2450	1825
			7 nights	1930		1650	1435
DIVER			14 nights	3570		3010	2595
			21 nights	4990		4150	3525

All package rates include:

• 21% service & taxes
  
• Transfers from/to Sorong airport by A/C car and speed boat on Sundays
• On full board basis (international buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Afternoon tea/coffee and cakes
• Welcome coconut drink & fruit basket upon arrival
• Internet service & WiFi
• Laundry service
• Free of charge for max. 2 children <12 years old in parent’s room
• 50% charge per child for max. 3 children <12 years old in a separate room

ACTIVITIES


Diving in Raja Ampat

We offer 3 boat dives and unlimited shore dives each day. Our boats leave at 08:00, 10:00 and 14:30 and come back to the resort after each dive. All the famous sites for diving are included in our daily dive plans. Here are some of these world renowned dive sites and our distance to them:

Manta Point: 20 min	Manta Point: 20 min	Cape Kri:  15min	Sardine Reef:    25 min
Mioskon:       25 min	Blue Magic:    25 min	Otdima:    5 min	Chicken Reef:    20 min
Passage:      45 min	Hidden Bay:   30 min

Raja Ampat waters are highly rich in nutrients and Dampier Strait is especially nutrient-rich due its fast moving currents. These currents attract a wide variety of species including migrating mammals and pelagic species.

We distribute reef hooks to all divers. All divers are required to bring their safety buoys and whistles with them when coming to our resort. It is mandatory for all divers to have  DAN insurance to be able to dive with Papua Explorers .Closest Hyperbaric chamber is in Waisai (45 min from our location ) and is recently opened. But please keep in mind that treatments can be extremely costly in case of an emergency.

Therefore, all dives are planned and executed without deco stops and it is mandatory for all divers to use a dive computer.We don’t have a huge stock of rental equipment because most divers prefer to bring their own equipment here. So if you’d like to rent any equipment from our dive center, please book them 60 days in advance.

For the Photographer:

Raja Ampat is an underwater photographers haven for both macro and wide angle photography. Huge corals in vibrant colors are perfect for wide angle.  Most photographers are mesmerized by the density of fish and corals and focus on wide angle photography throughout their stay. However, Raja Ampat is home to some endemic macro creatures and using your macro lens can be extremely rewarding.



Diving in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is a birder’s paradise. Flocks of colorful parrots is a distinctive sight when you first arrive to the island. And after the first night’s deep sleep, you will be awakened by a chorus of tropical sounds. You will observe eagles above the resort or during your boat journeys. These are common, daily experiences.  However, there is a lot more to birdwatching than that in Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat islands are home to three endemics; Wilson’s Bird of Paradise, Waigeo Brush Turkey and the famous, crimson plumed Red Bird of Paradise. Other birding highlights include Western Crowned Pigeon, Pheasant Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Great-billed Parrot and Moluccan Red Lory.

The Red Bird of Paradise lives up the hills of Yenwapnor village that is next to our Pinsilim Bay. It’s a 5 minute boat ride to the village from our resort. Male birds perform their famous courtship dances to attract females with the early lights of the day. Whether you’re a birder or not, this is a sight not to miss. For enthusiastic bird watchers, we arrange daily trips to Batanta Island to observe Wilson’s Bird of Paradise as well.



Sightseeing - Wayag Island

Wayag Island is one of the islands within the Raja Ampat district in the province of West Papua. The island is known for its beautiful atolls and amazing underwater life covering a total area of 155,000 hectares (about 383,013.3 acres).Here, you find pristine beaches with unique Karst islands that look like mushrooms sprouting out from the sea. Along these beaches, tourists can see fairy tale panorama, more captivating than Leonardo DiCaprio’s getaway in “The Beach”. The crystal clear waters around Wayag Island appear like unreal windows to various types of flora and fauna that live underwater.Wayag Island never ceases to amaze. Divers, especially, have been overwhelmed not only by the rich underwater displays, but also by the panoramic beauty of the island as they climb up to its highest platform and observe coves and atolls around. It is a dream come true, truly a dream fulfilled.The island is 10 km north of the equator.Daily sightseeing and diving trips can be arranged from our resort please do not hasitate to contact our staff for additional info.


Arborek Village

The village of Arborek is fast rising as a pioneer among the 18 beautiful villages in West Papua that have embarked on developing local regulations for community-based marine conservation, For this,  the village of Arborek has gained an outstanding reputation among both the local authority and international community. With the assistance of the national and local government, from research centers, and non-government organizations, the local people have succeeded in formulating local regulations, naming their conservation region the Mambarayup and Indip.

Jungle Trail to Lake

A short walk in the jungle to the lake behind our resort, can be extremely rewarding for photographers. The island is inhibited by amazing creatures and flora. It is quite likely to come across a blue tongue lizard, a giant moth or a cuscus. Our rest area by the lake provides a tranquil getaway in the middle of the rainforest to catch your breath.

Price is subject to changes. Please contact us for more informations.