Raja Ampat

A decade ago on an island off the coast of Tanzania, we first came across the renowned Turkish diver Tunc Yavuzdogan. The owner of a Turkish travel agency, he had single-handedly trained hundreds of young Turkish University students to dive. He was a man with a passion for the underwater world. He moved to Jakarta some six years ago and continued to explore Indonesia for his clients. A year ago, he opened one of the most picturesque dive resorts on earth. A series of Pauan Houses on stilts over the sea, his resort is simple and stunning. The food is international and of the highest quality and his dive team is first class.

Fluent in four languages, (Bahasa Indonesia, German, English and Turkish) Tunc is highly respected in the local community; which he supports through his various projects. He leads dives with his team and is a true expert on the dive sites of the area.

Papua Explorers operates locally designed white fibreglass boats with twin engines and shade. For larger groups, they use an Indonesian wooden longboat which is very comfortable and large.

The Rooms are very comfortably laid out with power 24 hours a day and hot water. The views in the morning over the sea are simply stunning. All rooms have tea and coffee-making facilities, fans and nets. This is a well-laid-out lodge with excellent food, super-friendly staff, and professional service.