Biak is built on the rocky soil of an island of the same name on the rim of Cendrawasih Bay. It serves as a a gateway to Irian Jaya. There are some good beaches, the most popular of which are Bosnik on the east coast, which is good swimming and skydiving, and Korem on the north coast, where you can watch young men dive for pearls.

There are also some WWII remains and spectacular untouched sea gardens. Around Biak there are many small tropical isles with white sandy beaches and crystal waters, beautiful varied fish and corals.

The Padaido archipelago is located in east Biak. It comprises 30 islands big and small. The archipelago was called "Schoutenlands" after William Schouten found the islands in 1962. Padaido is a local word meaning undescribable beauty. The most beautiful areas of the archipelago are on the small islands of Ureb and Mansurbabo. Both have white sandy beaches and clear water. The sarirea rocks are also fantastic.
 

The West Papua nationalism struggle started in the 1930s at the Dutch Protestant Missionary Teachers College in Mei Wondama, Manokwari, West Papua. Rev. Izaak Samuel Kijne, Principal, had taught the students on Pan-Papuan nationalism and also composed the Hai Tanahku Papua-"Oh My Land Papua" to inspire the Melanesian folk. The teachers who graduated from the college became the source and pioneers of Pan-Papuan nationalism.

During the Pacific war, the Japanese invasion revealed to West Papuans the need to address the outside world, the Angganita movement opposed Japanese and all non-Papuan incursions. The arrival of the US troops requesting Papuan assistance help pacify the Angganita movement and reinforced the need for a Papuan nation.
In 1961 the Revolutionary Provisional Government of West Papua adopted a flag and arms on 19 October in Dakar, Senegal. The Dutch recognized these symbols on 18 November 1961 (Government Gazettes of Dutch New Guinea Nos. 68 and 69). An elected New Guinea Raad (New Guinea Council) became the first Papuan Parliament. When Indonesia took over the territory, the teachers were the first targets and victims of the Indonesian security forces.

Fak-fak Regency

Located in front of Fak-Fak town, this island has an amazing and beautiful natural scenery. It has a garden full of many colourful flowers and many types of plants. A monument, called "Perjuangan Merah Putih", was erected there. A mini museum was also built there to keep artifacts of historical values. It is accessible within five minutes from Fak-Fak town by boat.

Manokwari is a small coastal town on the northeast tip of New Guinea's Bird's Head Peninsula. The town runs along the shore of Dore Bay, a natural harbor surrounded by islands, 3,000m (10000ft) mountains and impenetrable jungle. Manokwari is not standard on most liveaboard routes and often requires a special itinerary.

This beautiful deep-water bay provided safe anchorage to the Japanese in World War II. The surrounding hills are riddled with tunnels, a trademark of Japanese occupation. The Allies held nearby Biak Island. The Japanese were able to duplicate their radio signals, causing Allied planes to fly toward Manokwari, where they were shot down. A number of Japanese ships were also sunk in the harbor. Over 20 wrecks have been located but only six can be dived. Some are too deep; others took direct hits and are too badly damaged from secondary explosions.

The best feature about diving in Manokwari is the pristine condition of the wrecks. There are diving helmets, mines, tanks, dishes and bicycle parts to be found. The ships attract marine life. The water temperature is warm, about 28'C (86'F).

The Wrecks

Pasir Putih Wreck

This navy coastal patrol boat, 30-35m (100-115ft) long, sits upright in 13-22m (45-75ft). There are depth charges on the stern and a nearby reef slope.

Pillbox Wreck

This is a commercial cargo vessel carrying ammunition sits at 9-16m (30-55ft). The ship is 60-65m (200-215ft) long and holds grenade cases.

Cross Wreck

This is a coastal patrol boat with lots of fishes. It's easy to view the galley, engine room and radio room. Mupi Wreck This ship is 40m (130ft) long and upright at 9m (30ft). Red and white soft corals festoon the structure. You can see a copper pot on the stove, bottles and ammunition. The surge can be strong and reduce visibility.

Shinwa Maru

This is a large cargo vessel with five holds. The superstructure is in tact but the ship lies on its port side. You can see diving helmets, dishes, cables, small tanks and mines.

Australian Plane Wreck

This P-40N Kitty Hawk fighter plane is hard to find due to surge, bad visibility and depth of 27m (90ft).

Many consider Raja Ampat ('Four Kings') in Indonesia's West Papua Province (see map) to be the new Holy Grail of diving. A recent biodiversity survey by Conservation International counted more tropical coral and reef fish species here that in anyone location ever counted. Add to that a number of WWII shipwrecks to explore and an unadulterated topside, including pristine tropical forests featuring Birds of Paradise and other unique wildlife, and you are in for a treat.

Still being discovered but rapidly coming to the diving world's attention, there are still limited resources for the diver with only 3 land based options - Kri Eco resort and Sorido on the island of Kri, and the just opened, stunning Misool Eco Dive Resort - plus a small handful of liveaboards to choose from.

Cape Kri

If you crave the sense of being surrounded by fish you're gonna love this Raja Ampat dive site. Normally you will have no sooner deflated your BCD than the spectacle begins. A tremendous variety of fish will come into view, dominated, in terms of biomass, by dogtooth tuna, giant trevallies and chevron barracuda. Add to this the likely presence of large Napoleon wrasses, whitetip reef sharks and giant groupers, as well as innumerable fusiliers and snappers, and you will wish your log book pages were longer. The very fortunate may even get a look at the five gigantic Queensland groupers, reputed to be as big as small cars, which are sometimes seen on this dive. To dive here is to drift effortlessly with the current past these great numbers of fish. However, that is not all the site has to offer, as the coral growth is equally diverse. In and around the coral you can look out for nudibranches and scorpion fish as your air supply decreases at the end of what tends to be a most rewarding and always entertaining dive.

Misool Island - Kaleidoscope

This is one of the larger islands in the archipelago. The stunning reefs around Misool offer a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colour which offers a nice contrast to all the big stuff on other dive sites. Sloping walls are carpeted with soft corals of every colour imaginable housing all manner of critters from ghost pipefish to harlequin shrimp to pygmy seahorses.

As a break from all that big stuff you may want to sample the colourful delights of this dive site. Although you may have to look past a few mobula rays and Napoleon wrasses to get an unhindered view, what you will see is a reef which boasts an unbeatable range of colour. Even old school divers, whose sense of hearing has long since gone, have been heard to declare the reef scenery here to be as good as any they have seen. Here there is a sloping wall that is covered in a blanket of soft corals in every vibrant colour possible. Critters abound in this area too and you can encounter ghost pipefish and pygmy seahorses as well as nudibranches and flatworms. This is one Raja Ampat dive site that most want to return to after sun down, and with some justification, as a night dive here is nothing short of stunning.

Cross Wreck

Named after the large cross on the shore nearby, this Japanese Navy patrol boat has laid here at a depth of around 18 m since World War II. It is probably the most accessible of all the wrecks in this part of Raja Ampat as it is close to shore and reasonably shallow. That is not to say that you will not find this dive entertaining, indeed quite the opposite. The ship's lamps still stand in place or lay on the deck, blown down by the explosion. On the rear of the ship you can see two rows of depth charges. There is no shortage of coral cover on the exterior and there are plenty of wreck dwellers such as lionfish hanging around inside.

More interesting, however, is exploring the various rooms of the vessel. You can poke around in the communications room, engine room and front hold checking out such features as the switchboard and ammunition. This also makes for a great night dive as huge Napoleon wrasse and bump head parrotfish choose the Cross Wreck for their evening's resting place. Reports are of regular sightings of two huge Napoleon wrasse, two metres in length as well ten bumphead parrotfish each over one metre long.

Back outside the wreck as you head for home you would be wrong to expect an uneventful swim back up the slope to the island. Keep your eyes out for all manner of critter action going on here from octopus to leaf fish, from devil fish to mantis shrimp, your decompression time on this dive can, figuratively speaking, leave you breathless.

Sardines

Sardines is always a firm favourite for the liveaboards visiting Raja Ampat. You won't find sardines here but the fish you will find are almost as tightly packed. Those who have dived here talk with great enthusiasm about the sheer numbers of fascinating fish here. Of course there are great schools of trevallies and tuna in numbers that practically block out the light but you can also be entertained by vast numbers of bump headed parrotfish as they charge around and devour the coral.

This site also provides another highlight in the shape of the bizarre looking wobbegongs that lurk underneath table corals. Raja Ampat is one of the very few places outside of Australia that you can see these creatures. These strange looking tassled sharks make for a great photo opportunity as do the pygmy seahorses that you might find clinging to one of the huge gorgonians.

At times the current discourages any notions you may have of lingering in the one spot for that perfect snap, so if you really want these shots you may have to dive here again. Given the site's quality, it is no surprise that many divers choose to do just that.

Best time to dive Raja Ampat:

• March to early July (second half of July to end of August is the Southwest Monsoon time)
• September to January (February sees the northeast monsoon coming in)

See this article in National Geographic or read a report by Stephen Trainor, one of our first guests to visit Raja Ampat.