Raja Ampat, West Papua

It is impossible to complete the diving tour to Indonesia without mentioning Raja Ampat, the country's holy grail of scuba diving, home to the world's richest coral reefs. Raja Ampat is home to over 1,400 fish species and 72 percent of the world's known coral species, earning it the moniker "species factory."

The Raja Ampat archipelago forms part of the Bird's Head Seascape, which includes Kaimana Regency and Triton Bay in the south and Cenderawasih Bay in the East. Raja Ampat diving is characterized by its mind-blowing diversity, featuring a plethora of medium to large size fish, good macro, and great hard and soft coral reefs, along with some muck and mangrove sites. The water temperatures hover at around 89°F (31°C) year-round--so warm that a wetsuit is hardly needed. The archipelago's topside scenery is also stunning. Being so remote, reaching Raja Ampat is no easy task, as it requires three or more flights from most parts of the world. In fact, Raja Ampat is one of the top best dive sites in Indonesia that many visitors would definitely go back to.