Alfred Russel Wallace
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Papua Explorers Dive Resort Raja Ampat, West Papua! General Info & Rates “Raja Ampat, one of the most singular and picturesque landscapes I have ever seen.” Alfred Russel Wallace PT. OCEAN EXPLORERS Pantai Pinsilim, Kampung Yenwaupnor, Distrik Meos Mansar, Kabupaten Raja Ampat, Propinsi Papua Barat, Indonesia [email protected]; www.papuaexplorers.com Papua Explorers Dive Resort Raja Ampat, West Papua! RAJA AMPAT AND PAPUA EXPLORERS 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. Some scientific surveys reveal that Raja Ampat has 603 hard coral species which represents more than 75% of all the species in the world. With its rich ecosystem and abundance of species, Raja Ampat is the bull’s-eye of the Coral Triangle in every sense. Papua Explorers is located on the island of Gam and just along the coast of worldwide renowned Dampier Strait, only 10 to 15 minutes away from the most famous dive sites like Manta Point, Cape Kri, ….. Papua Explorers Resort is constructed using traditional Papuan construction methods and local, natural materials. Our water bungalows are designed to be in perfect harmony with the exotic surrounding, allowing the guests to feel the breeze from the rainforests, enjoy the songs of the tropical birds and soothe their souls with the flutter of the waves. Our 300m2, over-the-sea restaurant and lounge is designed to offer a relaxing environment to enjoy various international and local dishes from our restaurant and to refresh and relax between the dives. The little peninsula that Papua Explorers Resort is located is home to the endemic Red Bird of Paradise. This unique bird and its amazing mating ceremony can be observed after an early morning hike in the rainforest. There is a pretty lake behind the resort that can be reached after a 5 min hike in the jungle. This short jungle hike is an excellent way to observe the amazing plants and creatures of the rainforest. PT. OCEAN EXPLORERS Pantai Pinsilim, Kampung Yenwaupnor, Distrik Meos Mansar, Kabupaten Raja Ampat, Propinsi Papua Barat, Indonesia [email protected]; www.papuaexplorers.com Papua Explorers Dive Resort Raja Ampat, West Papua! HOW TO GET THERE? The main entry point to Raja Ampat is Sorong, which can be reached from Jakarta, Manado, Ambon or Makassar via domestic flights. There are international flights to Jakarta, Manado and Makassar (Ujung-Pandang) and below are some alternatives for the connecting flights: International, arrival to: Jakarta, Manado, Ujung-Pandang ( Makassar) Connecting Flights: Jakarta-Sorong direct flight: Express Airlines Jakarta- Sorong through Ujung-Pandang (Makassar): Sriwijaya Airlines, Merpati Airlines, Express Air, Garuda Airlines. Jakarta- Sorong through Ambon: Lion Air Ujung Pandang- Sorong: There are international flights to Ujung Pandang from Singapore & Kualalumpur. This option requires one night stay in Ujung Pandang. Manado-Sorong: There are direct flights to Manado from Singapore and Kota Kinabalu (AirAsia). This option requires one night stay in Manado. There are airport hotels in Jakarta and Ujung Pandang. Rooms can be booked for 6 hours upon request. Airport hotel in Jakarta is located on the second floor of Terminal 2, between gates D and E. Hotel can be accessed after going up 1 floor with the escalator. Airport hotel in Ujung Pandang is located on the 2nd floor, right in the middle of the terminal. Transportation in Indonesia is a growing and improving sector, however the standards are still way below the Western world. Therefore, it’s important to mentally prepare yourself for the imperfections you may face during your travel. Be patient and stay positive, remind yourself that you will be in heaven soon. We would highly recommend that you have travel insurance to cover any potential loss caused by the airlines. Don’t forget to lock your luggage and housing cases. Airplanes can be extremely cold in domestic flights. We’d recommend that you have a light jacket with you. Domestic airlines can be quite tolerant about over weight issues occasionally. The cost for extra luggage is usually around USD3-4/kg for Jakarta-Sorong flights. Domestic Flight tickets can be arranged by our company, a 20% booking fee is applicable on top of the ticket rate . TRANSFERS TO THE ISLAND: Papua Explorers Resort has scheduled transfers to the island from Sorong every Sunday and Wednesdays with our own transfer boat. Our boat leaves at latest at 12:00 noon and we strongly recommend our guests to arrange their flights to arrive earlier than this. In case the guests cannot catch these transfers, we can provide special transfers at an extra cost. Although we do our best to be accommodating for late arrivals due to flight delays, we may not be able to wait for long if there are other guests !!!!!!!!!!!Our!Resort!transfer!Boat!“Explorer!I” in the boat. In these cases, special transfers will need to be arranged for the guests that arrive late. Our boat leaves the Resort at 6;00 o’clock to reach flights departing from Sorong after 10:00 o’clock please kindly arrange your domestic flight tickets according these transfer times. Please always take in account that we are operating at a remote area of the world, always try to plan your flights and connections leaving ample time for unwanted conditions that might arise during transfer. We would highly recommend Travel Insurance for all our guests. PT. OCEAN EXPLORERS Pantai Pinsilim, Kampung Yenwaupnor, Distrik Meos Mansar, Kabupaten Raja Ampat, Propinsi Papua Barat, Indonesia [email protected]; www.papuaexplorers.com Papua Explorers Dive Resort Raja Ampat, West Papua! ACCOMODATİON: Papua Explorers Resort is constructed using local architectural techniques and natural materials. Walls are made from Daun Bobo , roofs are made from Daun Nipa, floors and window and door frames are made from teak wood. These are the typical materials used for traditional Papuan houses. Our water bungalows are very specious with their 72m2 total area, that includes a 40m2 room, WC, shower and hot water, and a 20m2 veranda. There are single or double rooms upon request. Each room has a bed with mosquito net, ceiling fan, desk and chair, a seating area consisting of a two seater sofa and a coffee table. There are two sun loungers on each veranda as well as a hammock to enjoy the breath taking Raja Ampat sunsets. There is a stairway straight to the ocean on the veranda. Towels, shampoo, shower gel and soap are provided. DIVING: We offer 3 boat dives and unlimited shore dives each day. Our boats leave at 08:00 usually for 2 dives (depending on dive sites to be visited) and 14:30 in the evening. All famous dive sites are included in our daily dive plans. Depending on currents at the jetty we can also schedule boat dives for sunset or night dives to locations nearby .Here are some of these world renowned dive sites and our distance to them: Manta Point: 20 min Mike’s Point: 10 min Cape Kri: 15min Sardine Reef 25 min Mioskon: 25 min Blue Magic: 25 min Odlima: 5 min Chicken Reef: 20 min Passage: 45 min Hidden Bay: 30 min Raja Ampat waters are highly rich in nutrients the 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. However, nutrient-rich means low visibility(typically 15-20m) and the saying goes “no current, no fish”. 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 Dive insurance to be able to dive with Papua Explorers. Waisai (45 Min from our location by boat) has a new Hyperbaric Chamber now, however costs for treatment and further transportation can be extremely high 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. PT. OCEAN EXPLORERS Pantai Pinsilim, Kampung Yenwaupnor, Distrik Meos Mansar, Kabupaten Raja Ampat, Propinsi Papua Barat, Indonesia [email protected]; www.papuaexplorers.com Papua Explorers Dive Resort Raja Ampat, West Papua! FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHERS: 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. Photography is not limited with underwater. Tropic birds, bats, moths and butterflies, interesting rainforest creatures can be observed on our island, as well as wild orchids and endemic black orchids. If you are interested in photographing the Red Bird of Paradise, it is advisable to bring a tripod and telephoto lens with you. Should you be interested in visiting the neighboring village, be prepared to capture portraits of beautiful Papuan children. EXTRA ACTIVITIES: Raja Ampat islands are amongst the rarest natural beauties in the world.