If you are planning to visit Raja Ampat, you are most likely a nature lover. This means you probably want to do everything you can to help preserve the natural beauty and delicate ecosystem of the places you visit. With this in mind we’d like to talk about some of the simple things you can do to ensure you make the least impact possible while you are in Raja Ampat.

Taking Care of Marine Life

Most visitors to Raja Ampat are attracted by the incredible marine life. The archipelago is one of the most biodiverse areas of the world and offers scuba divers and snorkelers world-class experiences. There are a few things you can do to ensure you are protecting marine life.

1. Leave Nothing Behind

If you are already a diver, you might be aware of the phrase “leave nothing but bubbles”. This is a golden rule of diving and the concept of leaving no impact should also be one to live by when we travel.

2. Look, Don’t Touch

It may be tempting to reach out and touch beautiful corals, sea fans, and even fish when you are diving or snorkeling but this is an absolute no no. You should never touch anything while you are under the water and don’t ever remove anything from the ocean.

3. Don’t Poison the Ocean

Many people don’t realize that when they protect their skin from the sun, they are harming marine life. Most sunscreens have been found to contain chemicals that can harm or even kill corals.

Buying mineral, ocean-safe sunscreens or covering up with rash guards, hats and sunglasses are a much better alternative to many commercial sunscreens.

Tip: Look for sunscreens that don’t contain any of the following chemicals – Oxybenzone, Benzophenone-1, Benzophenone-8, OD-PABA, 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor, 3-Benzylidene camphor, nano-Titanium dioxide, nano-Zinc oxide, Octinoxate, Octocrylene

Another problem is shampoos, soaps, and other detergents and cleansers that end up in the oceans. Papua Paradise Eco Resort keeps rooms stocked with natural, biodegradable amenities that won’t damage marine environments. There is no need to bring any others with you.

Low Impact Traveling

It isn’t so hard to be a low-impact traveler in Raja Ampat. You don’t need to take much with you and can easily do without many ‘luxury items’. However, it is good to know that the place you stay is making the effort to be eco-friendly.

Papua Paradise Eco Resort is dedicated to having as little effect on the environment of Birie Island where it is located and the surrounding areas. First of all, you won’t find any single-use plastics within the resort. Throwaway plastics are a huge problem in Indonesia, but Papua Paradise refuses to be part of that problem. Local staff members are also educated in conservation matters and hopefully take this knowledge back to their own villages.

By choosing to stay at a resort like Papua Paradise, you are making a responsible decision to support environmental conservation.

How do you make a difference?

Do you think about the impact you make when you travel? If so, how do you lessen that impact? We’d love to hear about this in the comments box below.