In Raja Ampat there is an intimate tropical hideaway, built on a private island in an archipelago of uninhabited islands. It is 100 miles (165 km) away from the nearest port, blissfully secluded from the modern world. No light pollution, no noise pollution, no mobile phone signal… in fact there is very little to distract you from the surrounding natural beauty.
The resort island is leased from the local community, along with surrounding reefs. This No-Take Zone, which is nearly twice the size of Singapore, is patrolled by rangers. All the dive sites are inside this area, which means the reefs are phenomenal: gorgeous corals, massive sea fans, patrolling reef sharks, pygmy seahorses, schooling tuna, giant manta rays, and more.
All the facilities are built of reclaimed tropical hardwoods – no trees were cut down to build the resort. The main resort area is inside a horseshoe-shaped lagoon. There are eight Water Cottages built on stilts over the water, each with a hammock integrated into the veranda and steps leading down into the sea. There are also several DeLuxe Villas for a more exclusive experience.
The dive center is well fitted out and the restaurant is tucked under the palm trees on the lagoon’s beach, offering a tasty combination of Asian and Western fare. There are four dedicated dive boats as well as a snorkeling boat and kayaks.
Your stay at Misool Eco Resort directly supports their conservation initiatives, their No-Take Marine Zone, as well as the local community. They employ over 120 staff, most of whom come from the nearby villages of Misool. They offer sustainable employment opportunities, entirely decoupled from the extraction of marine resources. Their charitable foundation, Misool Baseftin, maintains a broad approach to conservation, combining environmental, social, and educational elements. One of Misool Baseftin’s main projects is operating the Ranger Patrol and protecting Misool Eco Resort’s No-Take Zone.
The 828 sq km No-Take Zone is patrolled by a team of 10 local rangers. Using two dedicated boats, the rangers enforce the regulations of the area, which include a complete ban on fishing, netting, shark finning, harvesting of turtles or their eggs, bombing, use of cyanide or potassium borate, etc. Thanks to diligent and relentless patrolling, the incidence of infractions is now extremely low.
Guests can learn from and observe researchers during the Manta Researcher for a Day Program, including a master class on manta morphology and behavior, observing a data-collection dive, and an evening debrief to identify individual mantas.
Together with Shark Savers, there is a sanctuary for the entire 17,000 sq mi/46 million hectares of Raja Ampat.
The Dive Centre runs a ‘Reef Restoration Experience’ where you can enjoy an in-depth presentation about reef building corals, followed by a dive on a nearby patch of damaged reef. Observe the guides and rangers as they collect small bits of naturally disturbed hard corals and affix them to a stable substrate. Returning guests can discover how the restored corals have grown between visits.
A special place.