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Raja Ampat marine life — manta aggregation
Silo 3 · Marine Life

Raja Ampat Marine Life
Mantas, Whale Sharks, Endemics & Macro

The global epicenter of marine biodiversity. 75% of all known hard coral species, 1,427 documented reef fish, world-record 374 species on a single dive at Cape Kri. From oceanic mantas to endemic walking sharks — encounters unavailable anywhere else.
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Raja Ampat's biodiversity is quantifiable. The archipelago sits at the confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, fed constantly by the nutrient-rich Indonesian Throughflow that fuels every level of the food chain — from plankton blooms to apex predators. The result: a 40,000 km² network of fringing reefs, barrier reefs, patch reefs, and atolls of unmatched complexity.

The Census

600
Hard coral species
1,427
Reef fish species
374
Single-dive record
75%
World's hard corals

Featured Species

Five iconic encounters that define a Raja Ampat voyage — from pelagic giants to endemic land-walkers and annual coral spectacles.
Reef manta ray cleaning station
Megafauna

Manta Rays

Mobula alfredi · Mobula birostris

Reef mantas resident year-round at cleaning stations. Oceanic mantas (5m+ wingspan) at offshore seamounts Dec–Mar.

Manta Sandy · Magic Mountain

Species profile
Whale shark in open water
Pelagic

Whale Sharks

Rhincodon typus

Largest fish in the sea. Near-certain encounters at Cenderawasih Bay's fishing-platform aggregations. Dedicated charter required.

Cenderawasih Bay

Species profile
Raja Ampat walking shark
Endemic

Walking Shark

Hemiscyllium freycineti

Small endemic catshark that "walks" across the seabed using pectoral fins. Nocturnal — night dives in shallow rubble.

Gam · Waigeo · Melissa's Garden (night)

Species profile
Pygmy seahorse on gorgonian fan
Endemic · Macro

Pygmy Seahorses

Hippocampus pontohi · bargibanti · denise

<2cm tall. Three species: Bargibant's & Denise's on gorgonian fans; endemic Pontoh's on hydroids. Excellent buoyancy required.

Nudi Rock · Sardine Reef · Misool fans

Species profile
Coral spawning synchronized event
Annual Event

Coral Spawning

Acropora spp. & others

Synchronized annual mass spawning, typically full moon after October. A few nights of underwater snow — an apex bucket-list event.

Misool reefs · Dampier shallows

Species profile
Endemic Spotlight

Endemic to Raja Ampat

Species found nowhere else on Earth. Locating them requires a guide with thousands of dives in these waters.

Tasselled Wobbegong Shark

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

Camouflaged carpet shark under table corals.

Walking Shark

Hemiscyllium freycineti

Nocturnal — uses pectoral fins to "walk".

Pontoh's Pygmy Seahorse

Hippocampus pontohi

Free-living on Halimeda algae & hydroids.

Plan Your Marine Encounter

Tell us which species you want to encounter. We'll align vessel selection, itinerary, and season for the highest probability of sighting.
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