RAJA AMPAT EAGER TO BOOST TOURISM by Fardah

Jakarta, Jan 13, 2017 (Antara)- The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat, fondly monikered the 'living Eden' or 'paradise on Earth', used to be a lesser-known tourist spot, familiar only to intrepid travelers and avid divers.

        A crown jewel for Indonesia, Raja Ampat has crystal clear turquoise waters and isles that are covered by thick green carpets of dense forests and mangrove swamps.

        Located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity, between the Pacific and Indian oceans in eastern Indonesia's West Papua province, the world is now taking notice of Raja Ampat after the Indonesian government intensified its tourism promotion here.

        However, reaching Raja Ampat can be time-consuming and expensive due to its relatively poor infrastructure and transport. 
   Tourists have to fly from Jakarta to Sorong, West Papua, which takes six hours with a stopover in Manado, North Sulawesi, or Makassar, South Sulawesi.

        Ferries are then available between Sorong and Waisai, the capital of the Raja Ampat district on the island of Waigeo. This journey takes another 1.5 to two hours. Speedboats are also given on rent at Sorong, but are expensive.

        In a bid to provide easy access to Raja Ampat, the government has now launched key infrastructure projects on the islands.

        Developing the infrastructure on Raja Ampat, including extending the Marinda airport runway, has become a priority for President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) government, which wants to draw attention to the country's Papua region.

        Jokowi himself witnessed the first sunrise of 2016 at the Waiwo Beach dock in Raja Ampat, on January 1, last year.

        "This year, we have set our focus on the development of Raja Ampat," Jokowi said a year ago.

        Jokowi had then authorized the extension of the Marinda airport runway in Raja Ampat to 2,500 meters to equip it to handle larger aircrafts, Raja Ampat District Head Abdul Faris Umlati revealed.

        The Raja Ampat District Administration is also focused on improving its infrastructure, facilities, and services to support the tourism industry.

        An airport will be built on the Misol Island, Yusdi Lamatenggo, head of the Raja Ampat tourism office, stated in Sorong, on Jan 12, 2016.

        "The Raja Ampat district administration aims to complete the airport by the end of this year (2017), so that aircrafts similar to Susi Air planes can land on the Misol Island," he confirmed.

        Misol Island has a jellyfish lake and beautiful underwater views and caves.

        "The jellyfish lake in Misol is one of the most beautiful and unique tourist destinations in Raja Ampat, and it will be improved to attract more tourists," Lamatenggo affirmed.

        The jellyfish in the lake are non-poisonous and do not sting, so visitors can swim alongside them," he remarked, adding that the waters of Misol were a divers' haven.

        Regular modes of transportation will be made available from Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat District, to other islands, including Misol Island.

        "Thus, foreign and local tourists can use these modes of transportation to visit the islands without having to hire expensive speedboats," he explained.

        Besides, the Wing Air Lion Group will operate direct return flights from Jakarta to Manado and Waisai in Raja Ampat to improve access to West Papua, he added.   
   "So far, tourists wanting to visit Raja Ampat have to fly from Jakarta to Sorong, and it takes a long time," he pointed out.

        Better access to Raja Ampat is expected to help increase the number of tourist arrivals in the district.

        The territory within the islands of Raja Ampat, which literally means 'The Four Kings', is enormous, covering 9.8 million acres of land and sea, and is home to 540 types of corals, more than one thousand types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks.

        This makes it the most diverse living library for world's coral reef and underwater biota. According to a report prepared by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, around 75 percent of the world's species live here.

        Overall, the Raja Ampat district has around 1.7 thousand islands, including the unoccupied and beautiful Isle of Wayag, which is made of karst or limestone from other isles.

        Its four major islands - Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool - shelter a vast array of terrestrial species and valuable forests and are home to ancient rock paintings.

        Raja Ampat is not only famous for its beautiful marine views, but also for its forests that resonate with the singing and dancing of the birds of Paradise.

        The district is home to over 300 bird species. Of the total, 94 are protected and 11 are endemic ones, such as the birds of Paradise, locally called the birds of Cenderawasih.

        The birds of Paradise, however, face a threat from poachers. Visitors to the island often seek dead and preserved ones as souvenirs. ***1***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 13-01-2017