The Raja Ampat, or “Four Kings,” archipelago encompasses more than 9.8 million acres of land and sea off the northwestern tip of Indonesia’s West Papua Province. Located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world’s coral reef biodiversity, the seas around Raja Ampat possibly hold the richest variety of species in the world.
The area’s massive coral colonies show that its reefs are resistant to threats like coral bleaching and disease —threats that now jeopardize the survival of corals around the world. In addition, Raja Ampat’s strong ocean currents sweep coral larvae across the Indian and Pacific Oceans to replenish other reef ecosystems. Raja Ampat’s coral diversity, resilience to threats, and ability to replenish reefs make it a global priority for marine protection.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Raja Ampat is to fly to Sorong via Jakarta or Singapore. Domestic travelers can also fly via Makassar or Manado.
From Jakarta or Bali: Merpati, Express Air, Batavia Air and Lion/Wings operate daily flights from Jakarta to Sorong (with stopovers in Ujung Pandang/Makassar and/or Manado)
From Singapore: Silkair operates regular flights from Singapore to Manado. From Manado to Sorong regular flights are offered by Lion Air and Merpati. It is easiest to check with a local Indonesian Travel agent or directly with the airline for the lastest domestic flights available.
Visa requirements
All foreigners visiting Indonesia are required to have a visa. The cost and validity of the visa depends on your nationality. Generally, visas on arrival are issued for 30 days and are not extendable. You can also apply for a 60-day visa in advance from your home country. These are also not extendable. These visas generally take at least 5 working days to process and may have specific requirements, so apply well in advance.
A 30-day visa on arrival is issued at no charge to passport holders of the following countries:
Brunei Darussalam
Chile
Hong Kong SAR
Macau SAR
Malaysia
Morocco
Peru
Peru
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
The official entry requirements for the issuance of a visa-on arrival are:
- Passport must be from one of the eleven countries listed above.
- Passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 (six) months from the date of entry into Indonesia.
- Onward or return tickets are compulsory.
- Visitors must enter and exit through one of the 15 airports, 21 seaports or 1 overland border post officially approved as an “international gateway” by the Indonesian Immigration department.
Visitors from the following counties may get 7-day visa for US$10, or a 30-day visa for US$25 (Updated May 2007):
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
India
India
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Laos
Latvia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Maldives
Malta
Mexico
Monaco
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Panama
People’s Republic of China
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Suriname
Switzerland
Sweden
Taiwan
The Netherlands
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
0 comments
Post a Comment