Raja Ampat is a very special place that most travelers aspire to visiting at some point in their lives. Many will make it a once-in-a-lifetime trip because of the remote location. So, how can you make the most of a trip of this caliber? We’re letting you in on our 5 ways to make the most of your time in Raja Ampat.

1. Switch off

Many places in Raja Ampat, including Papua Paradise Eco Resort, are quite remote and have little or no phone signal or internet. This gives you the perfect excuse to switch off from work, social media and news and just take time to enjoy your trip. There is limited wi-fi in the resort’s dive centre, but you will probably find you won’t want to spend any time on there when you are surrounded by so much natural beauty.

2. Dive as much as possible

Raja Ampat has pretty much endless dive sites. Gangga Divers at Papua Paradise has 10 purpose-built dive boats ready to take guests to see the incredible marine life that thrives in this region. You will have the chance to dive up to 4 times per day, twice in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once in the evening or night. Take as many of these chances as you can because you will see more breathtaking sights every single time you dive.

3. Plan your arrival well

The easiest way to get to Sorong is from Jakarta or Singapore. There are a number of flights daily on these routes and also other domestic airports within Indonesia. The only way to get from Sorong to Papua Paradise is by private boat, which leaves daily at 2pm. This means if you arrive after 12pm you will need to stay the night in Sorong. Better to fly in earlier and not waste a night away from Papua Paradise. If you fly in early in the morning, you will be collected from the airport and taken to a local hotel lobby to wait for the boat’s departure time.

4. Take at least 1 land excursion

Not only is the diving spectacular in Raja Ampat, the jungles are teeming with incredible species. Birds of Paradise are the symbol of Raja Ampat and can be found on a number of the islands. Papua Paradise runs early morning treks to see both the Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson’s Bird of Paradise.

You could also choose an evening excursion to see the hornbills of neighboring Batanta Island coming into roost for the evening. The sound and sight of their massive wings beating through the air is really something special.

5. Spend some time doing absolutely nothing

A remote island, overwater bungalow, the sounds of the waves lapping on the shore and the jungle behind. There isn’t a better place to spend some time just sitting and watching the beauty of nature. You can take time to appreciate life, reflect on your aspirations, or even just get a great tan. There is no pressure to do anything in Raja Ampat so let yourself unwind and enjoy being so far from the daily grind.

It doesn’t seem to hard to make the most of your time in Raja Ampat does it? It can take a bit of planning to get there, but life actually gets much simpler once you arrive. Does Raja Ampat appeal to you? What would you do with your time there? Let us know in the comments box below.