Raja Ampat (West Papua, Indonesia)

by Tammy Kwan

Originally posted by CNN in an article titled “11 of the world’s best snorkeling destinations”.  Of course Raja makes the top of the list!

11 of the world’s best snorkeling destinations

At the top of the list is Raja Ampat, or Four Kings, located in Indonesia’s West Papua province.

Experts say it’s hard to find anywhere else in the world that compares, given it’s got the world’s greatest concentration of marine life for a region of its size and 75% of all known coral species in the world.

A marine oasis with more than 1,500 different species of fish, sea turtles, sharks and manta rays, snorkeling here means largely having the place to yourself as the isolated islands are scarce of people.

Snorkelers come face to face with fish and coral in every direction while swimming the waters of this archipelago, which is made up of 50,000 square kilometers of islands and water.

“Each day you get to experience something different,” says marine biologist and snorkeling guide Lee Goldman of Coral Triangle Adventures.

For info on getting there/where to stay, check out Indonesia’s official tourism website.  (Detailed information can be found on this site. Added by BHS’s site administrator.)