Raja Ampat

The islands have long been home to Papuan and Malay-influenced communities who live by fishing, gathering and small-scale farming. Many villages practise sasi, a customary system that closes particular reefs or species to harvesting for set periods so that stocks can recover, and this tradition now sits alongside formal marine protection.

Raja Ampat's waters are managed as a network of marine protected areas; the regional authority manages seven areas covering more than 1.6 million hectares. The archipelago was formerly part of West Papua province and is now in Southwest Papua. It was recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2023 for rock formations that tell hundreds of millions of years of geological history, and as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in September 2025. Conservation groups have raised concerns about nickel mining concessions on some islands, a reminder of how much depends on protecting this region.

Village life revolves around the sea, with fishing, boat building and increasingly tourism through homestays and guiding. Most Papuan communities in Raja Ampat are Christian, and Sunday is often a quiet day of church services and rest, though there are also Muslim villages and mosques, particularly in Waisai and on Misool. Customary law and sasi remain important, and village leaders may set rules for visitors to certain reefs or beaches. Simple fish, sago and vegetable dishes are typical homestay fare.