I was blessed. I first experienced Raja Ampat in 2002, long before it was the “go to” spot!  At that time there were not many options for the traveler.  A single “resort” and a seasonal liveaboard, maybe two. Now there’s so many options it makes your head spin and sorting out the good from the bad is a challenge.

So if you are looking for a place to stay, dive, snorkel, birdwatch, etc.;  Stay Raja Ampat is there to help sort out the details of planning your trip.

The Raja Ampat Homestay Association (HSA) was originally formed in 2013 as Asosiasi Usaha Homestay Lokal Kabupaten Raja Ampat. (The Raja Ampat Local Homestay Business Enterprise Association.) In order to provide a base from which a much wider range of social and business activities can be launched on behalf of local communities, the HSA reconstituted in 2018 as an incorporated, mutual-benefit community organisation, with the formal title Perkumpulan Penggerak Usaha Dan Penghidupan Masyarakat Asli Raja Ampat (PERJAMPAT: The Association of Indigenous Community Entrepreneurship and Livelihood in Raja Ampat).

The objectives of the Association are:

1. Protect assets such as the sea and the land from the accumulation of rubbish, from the use of fish bombs and poisons, and from illegal logging.
2. Protect and support local homestay business owners.
3. Convene members around a common vision and mission.
4. Sustain Raja Ampat’s culture.
5. Strengthen the local economy.
6. Improve education and skills.

The work of the Association is essential to:

1. Support the aspirations of Raja Ampat’s Papuan communities.
2. Provide expertise to and further develop the sustainability of the region’s Papuan-owned community-based tourism sector.
3. Maintain the ability to to regularly inspect member establishments, provide mentoring and, where necessary, enforce compliance with the Association Membership Standards that guarantee guest service standards.
4. Maintain the services provided to visitors by the Raja Ampat Homestay Information Center at Waisai harbour.
5. Maintain delivery of the services provided to Association members and guests by the Stay Raja Ampat website.

WAIT there’s more!  What about when you are actually there?  Need transport from island to island, looking for a travel companion to share costs.  You need to be a Stay Raja Ampat Traveler’s Forum member.

Stay Raja Ampat Traveler’s Forum

Once you are finally in Raja, or at least getting near, you will want to become a member of the Stay Raja Ampat Traveller’s Forum.  It’s a forum for (over 30K) Raja Ampat travelers wanting to support Papuan community owned accommodation and dive businesses. The great thing about the SRATF is that it works in real time.  You can join up to arrange transport and tour sharing, find traveling companions, exchange information, and post the latest news.

So before you go…visit SRA to plan your trip.  Then become a SRATF member to deal with daily logistics.

Safe and happy travels, ya’ll!