Diving in Raja Ampat
We went there on a live-aboard in December and in most places the visibility was good, a few had limited visibility. Sea was flat. All places were covered with stunningly beautiful corals and many had large schools of fish: barrakudas, jackfish and others. Some places were so beatiful that it resembled a dream which unfortunately ended when the bottles were empty. We saw big schools of bumpfhead parrotfish that came very close, lots of critters as well. Manta Sandy was spectacular with a dozen Mantas performing a ballet during the whole dive and so curious that sometimes we felt they would hit us, which they of course never did. We felt that the places around Kri Island were the best. On the trip we saw a few grey reef sharks, black tip reef sharks and some white tips (most of the sharks at Boo Rocks). Generelly I had expected to see more sharks. The explanation came at the airport, I think it was Jakarta, where we found shops full of shark fins in all sizes. We also did some land excursions: one to a pearl farm (soso) and then we went with a little boat through the islands which is very similar to Palau. We saw burial sites with old human bones and went into a large flooded cave which was huge with beautiful stalactites (and mites). Worst part of that trip was for sure the flight from Jakarta to Sorong with a stop in-between, but it was worth it and we will for sure return.
