Spending a week scuba diving with Soul Scuba on Kri Island in Raja Ampat (aptly nicknamed the “Four Kings”) felt like exploring another planet beneath the sea. Situated in the heart of Indonesia’s Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is the epicenter of marine biodiversity, home to more than 1,500 fish species and nearly 75% of the world’s coral species. Over the course of 18 dives (17 day dives and one night dive), we encountered an astonishing variety of marine life, from giant oceanic manta rays and hulking Napoleon wrasse to tiny pygmy seahorses, colorful nudibranchs, shrimp, crocodile fish, turtles, sharks, and endless schools of fish numbering in the thousands. Our favorite dive site, Mayhem, instantly became one of the greatest dives we’ve ever experienced…a mind-blowing underwater tornado of life with tens of thousands of trevallies, jacks, fusiliers, barracuda, batfish, and sweetlips swirling all around us in every direction. It was absolute chaos in the most magical and unforgettable way possible! The long journey and expense required to reach this remote corner of the world were well worth it. Soul Scuba was phenomenal throughout the trip, especially our incredible dive master Nopsen, whose passion and sharp eyes made every dive even more special. Back on land, Yenbuba Homestay provided the perfect place to unwind with cozy overwater bungalows and the best traditional home-cooked Indonesian food on the island of Kri. This was an unforgettable week in one of the most spectacular marine environments on Earth, and somewhere we already dream of returning to.
Yenbuba Homestay on Kri Island, our home for the week
Interior view of our overwater bungalow at Yenbuba
Becky relaxing at Soul Scuba
Epic sunset over Kri Island
Full moon over Kri Island
A vintage Japanese E-Sudare split bamboo blind at Yenbuba's restaurant
Soul Scuba employee loading tanks onto the boats early in the morning
Clownfish nestled in a white bubble-tip anemone
Map puffer under a school of glassfish
Chromodoris willani nudibranch
Traditional-style overwater bungalows at Kri Island
Traditional Papuan homestay on Kri Island
A happy reunion with our SCUBA friends when we ran into Tyler, Alessandra and Megan on Kri Island during our surface interval
View over Kri Island from sunset point
Another beautiful day out on the water with Soul Scuba
Sacoglossan sea slug (Thuridilla gracilis)
Stoked that we got to see manta rays!
Korwar figurine - a traditional ancestor figure from the Raja Ampat archipelago
Robby playing with a puppy on Kordiris Islet
Over-water bungalows at Kordiris Homestay
Taking a surface interval at the stunning Kordiris Homestay
Enjoying the view from Sunset Lookout point with Megan, Taylor and Alessandra
Sunset view over Kri Island
A school of blue-lined snapper
Limestone karst islet in Raja Ampat
During our surface interval on Bat Island, we ran into Megan and Alessandra who were diving as well!
Painted Thecacera nudibranch
Nasi Campur traditional Indonesian dish for lunch
Soul Scuba tank refill station
It was a short, easy hike to this viewpoint over Kri Island
Hammock at our overwater bungalow
Sunset from our overwater bungalow
These traditional Papuan style over-water bungalows in Raja Ampat cost around $30 a night per person including all meals
Egg shell shrimp (Hamopontonia corallicola)
Black-botched porcupinefish
Peacock-tail anemone shrimp
Vivi singing her heart out after another fun day of diving with Soul Scuba!
Typical homestay accommodation in Raja Ampat
Tasselled wobbegong carpet shark
Juvenile blacktip reef shark
Little dragonfish (seamoth)
Periclimenella spinifera shrimp
Linda's flatworm (Pseudoceros lindae)
Acorn dog whelk sea snail (Nassarius glans)
Phyllidiopsis krempfi nudibranch
Coryphellina rubrolineata nudibranch
Blenny peeking out of its coral burrow
Tasselled ornate wobbegong
Tasselled wobbegong shark curled up in coral
Plakobranchus papua sea slug
Phyllidiopsis krempfi nudibranch
School of bigeye trevally
A large school of barracuda
Hawksbill turtle feeding on soft coral
Dive master Vivi checking out the current before we jump in for another dive
"Raja's Handprints" - prehistoric rock art in a limestone cliff niche believed to be 40,000 to 50,000 years old!
Beautiful Kri Island - our home for the past week!
Village dog playing in the shallow water in front of beach bungalows on Kri Island
Getting an exuberant greeting upon our return back to Soul Scuba!
Robby and Thibault at Soul Scuba
Sleepy dog outside our overwater bungalow at Yenbuba Homestay
Juliette's snorkel party!
Dark clouds on our last morning on Kri Island!
Walking shark (Indonesian speckled carpetshark)
White margate (grunt fish)
Indian Nudibranch (Caloria indica)
We had the best week diving with Nopsen, Soul Scuba's dive master extraordinaire
Thibault stopping by to bid us farewell!
Aerial photo of Kri Island
One last goodbye with the lovely Megan who was on our speedboat from Kri Island back to Sorong
Vivi and Roberto showing off their Soul Initiatives t-shirts with the phrase "Jaga Laut Kita" (Protect Our Seas)
Becky enjoying a yummy burger for her birthday at Terrazza Di Sorong (the best pizzeria in Sorong)
Goodbye Sorong and Raja Ampat! Becky in front of a mural at Sorong Airport
Sorong Airport shark mural
Souvenir shop at Sorong Airport
Papua water bottles for sale at the Sorong Airport
