Indonesia has been relatively lucky with a low number of cases of Covid-19. At the time of writing, the regency of West Papua, where Raja Ampat is located, has had only 88 in total. As far from the effects of the virus Papua Paradise Eco Resort may seem, we have been affected not in health but by travel restrictions.

Since the 2nd of April the Indonesian government has been restricting visas for foreigners entering Indonesia. This has put a temporary halt to tourism and many hotels, resorts, and other businesses reliant on tourists have closed for business. Papua Paradise Eco Resort management made the tough decision to close and to remain closed until July 7th, 2020.

This doesn’t mean the resort is quiet though. There is currently 75 staff at the resort, 50 of which are workers from local villages. These workers are renovating the walls and roofs of our Superior rooms, and upgrading our retaining walls to stop further beach erosion. Some water pipes and electrics will also be re-positioned at the same time. While there are no guests it is the perfect time to get work done that would otherwise disturb the peace of the island.

We’re also taking this time to build a new jetty. This project is already underway and will be a great addition to the resort. Having time to organize programs and iron out any problems without guests is an opportunity that resorts don’t often have. This is one of the silver linings in such a tough time.

Using this time with the resort closed is very important to us and will allow us to come back stronger. We hope for a quick resolution to the pandemic and to have our beloved guests back as soon as we reopen.