4 Northern Misool
Encompassing the areas of Tamulol, which
borders Misool’s lush green mainland, out to the
islets of Farondi and Daram, the northern region
is one of the most diverse in its underwater
offerings. Near Tamulol lies one of Raja Ampat’s
many marine lakes, with its thriving population
of stingless jellyfish. Farondi’s “Three Sisters”,
“Teardrop” and “Killer Cave” can be some of
the most exciting and challenging diving, as the
topography amplifies the currents that nourish
the omnipresent soft corals and fish. Mobula
rays are a common sight here, especially when
the baitfish aggregate in October. Daram, the
easternmost island group, has meandering reefs
such as “Andiamo” and “Love Potion” that
feature unforgettable mini-walls and shallows.
5 Southern Misool
8
9. An Ardeadoris egretta
nudibranch on a brown
sponge
Equipment & settings:
Nikon D810, Nauticam
housing, Nikon 105mm
macro, two Sea & Sea YS250 strobes, f/11, 1/250s,
ISO100
This southernmost island chain is home to some
of Raja’s most iconic dive sites: “Boo Windows”,
“Wayil”, and the trifecta of “Whale Rock”, “Tank
Rock”, and “Nudi Rock”, which are connected by
an underwater ridge. With similar topography,
these sites all feature a small karst islet that has
been undercut at the waterline by wind and waves
and from which extends a pristine shallow hard
and soft coral garden that drops to steep sea fan
covered slopes. The soft corals and reef fish life
in Southern Misool are some of the most prolific
anywhere and begin just below the surface as soft
corals appear at a few metres deep. Just offshore,
the seamount of “Magic Mountain” is one of the
best sites for oceanic manta encounters, as the
roving giants come in for a cleaning on the reef top.
WIDE-ANGLE SUBJECTS:
• Manta rays are common throughout Raja
Ampat, but there are several sites where the
chance of encountering the oceanic variety
is quite high.
• At certain times of year, when large schools
of baitfish enter the region and shoal
around the islands, mobula rays can be
photographed hurtling through the baitballs.
• Grey, whitetip, and blacktip reef sharks can
be seen throughout the region. The tassled
wobbegong shark is a strange and unique
bottom-dwelling shark that often rests itself
under overhangs or large coral bommies,
where it lies in ambush.
8. Schools of fusiliers
and silversides segregate
themselves as they pass
over the reeftop
Equipment & settings:
Canon EOS 7D, Aquatica
housing, Sigma 10mm
lens, two Sea & Sea
YS-250 strobes, f/6.3,
1/160s, ISO200
Fast Facts
WHERE
Raja Ampat is located in
Indonesia’s West Papua
province. It covers an area
of over 40,000 square
kilometres and comprises
over 1,500 islands.
LANGUAGE
Bahasa Indonesia is the
national language of
Indonesia and is taught
in the schools. English is
becoming more common
but in the more rural
regions can be limited to
the ever-cheerful greeting
of “Hello mister!”.
CURRENCY
The Indonesian rupiah
is the national currency
and by law all domestic
transactions must now
take place in rupiah. US$1
is equivalent to about
14,000 rupiah.
WATER
TEMPERATURE
Temperatures of the water
can vary but generally
hover around the 27–30°C
(80–86°F) range.
DIVING EXPERIENCE
Even beginner divers
will enjoy the diving, but
experience with diving in
current is recommended.
Some of the best
underwater scenery is
within only a few metres
of the surface.
PHOTOGRAPHY
EXPERIENCE
To truly capture the beauty
of Raja Ampat’s reefs,
a good familiarity with
wide-angle photography
is recommended, but the
region is also a great place
to learn and practise.