Swimming with Sharks… gentle whale sharks Indonesia

A visit to Raja Ampat, the archipelago in Indonesia’s West Papua province. Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals.

Sitting in the heart of the famed ‘coral triangle’ it includes the Cenderawasih Bay Marine Park, the largest marine park in Indonesia. The gorgeous waters are the perfect setting for personal and safe encounters with whale sharks, the largest recorded fish in the sea and known as the ‘gentle giants’.

Discerning travelers who love adventure, diving or snorkeling should not miss this Journey aboard an intimate cruise ship. A maximum of 38 passengers are spoiled with up close views of nature. The ship’s shallow draft allows unique access to the heart of wilderness. Six expedition vessels and a helicopter allow for even closer access to caves and coves on the shoreline. Swim with the very gentle whale sharks in the Cenderawasih Bay. Only in this Bay do the whale sharks linger close to the surface for extended periods, feeding on the small fish, which overflow from the nets of local fishermen. This behavior allows even the most inexperienced snorkeler a unique opportunity to interact with these mammoth fish.

Crystal clear waters amid the atolls reveal unparalleled underwater explorations- a region that is home to 450 confirmed species of coral, a stark comparison to the only 70 species found in the Caribbean. Explore World War II wrecks including the Junkyard. During the war the US Navy scuttled small barges and boats off the islands. Each day your choices include fishing, diving, hiking, helicopter trips to the inland forests – in the evening see the nesting leather back turtles.

On the island of Manokwari, home to more than twenty-four different tribal groups, meet the locals and admire their tribal wood sculptures; art that exemplifies their view of virility and beauty.

Ten days of diving and fishing, hiking and exploring the atolls of the magnificent Rajat Ampat archipelago.