![A crinoid, or feather star, dances on stony coral in the pristine waters of the Raja Ampat archipelago.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/c/h/image.related.afrWideArticleLead.940x529.h0xva7.png/1522215453371.jpg)
By the time we sit down for second breakfast, most of us are ravenous. Having surfaced from our first dive of the day, we hoe into plates of freshly poached eggs or fried Indonesian noodles while excitedly comparing notes about what we spotted underwater. Unbelievably colourful corals – purples and reds, greens and oranges – shelter an astonishing profusion of life, from purple and yellow nudibranchs and blue sea stars to fish in every colour of the rainbow. By the time our plates are clean, we are ready to do it all over again.
That is how mornings roll aboard Alila Purnama. Or, at least, that is how they roll for us. There are no schedules on the Purnama, we are assured on our first day aboard; the crew, will shape each day's programs to match whatever the guests feel like doing. Our group, it turns out, are creatures of habit; we quickly develop a comfortable routine and stick with it.
We tend to rise between 7am and 8am and head upstairs to the main lounge and dining area, where the staff have our favourite morning beverages waiting for us. After a light first breakfast, we do our first dive – usually a quick speedboat ride from wherever the ship has dropped anchor – before heading back for second breakfast. Then there is another dive, followed by some downtime and a three-course lunch.
Diving, and more
![A crinoid, or feather star, dances on stony coral in the pristine waters of the Raja Ampat archipelago.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/c/h/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1521767585000.jpg)
Diving is not compulsory but it is a smart choice, given that Raja Ampat – a 40,000 square kilometre archipelago off the coast of West Papua in Indonesia – is known for having some of the best coral reefs on the planet.
However, there are always alternatives available. Some people go kayaking, some opt for snorkelling, some chill out on a beach on a deserted island, where the team has set up loungers, umbrellas and bottles of cold water. ("Your beach is ready," they announce when they are done.)
Most of us, however, take every opportunity for a slice of reef action. Fed by a series of nutrient-rich currents, Raja Ampat is home to 1300 species of reef fish (and counting) and more than 600 species of hard coral – 75 per cent of the world's total – not to mention a dazzling collection of soft corals that sway – sometimes gently, sometimes more agitatedly – in the currents.
Every dive brings something new to wonder at, from large Napoleon fish to tiny neon tetras, big schools of sweet lips and trevally, even rays and lionfish. You might encounter a turtle or a scorpionfish, or clouds of damselfish that flutter around you like a shower of confetti. Look closely at the coral and you might spot a pygmy seahorse hiding amid its branches. Head for the deep and you're likely to encounter some of the local manta rays.
I find myself particularly enchanted by the feather stars, or crinoids, their delicate fronds resembling underwater ferns. They are related to sea stars and – just like everything else in Raja Ampat – come in a dazzling range of colours, from silver and black to red and gold. Sometimes their dozens of fronds sway gently in the current; at other times they are curled up in a ball, their fronds wrapped securely around whatever prey they have managed to catch.
![Up close and personal with a Saddle Valentini pufferfish. Raja Ampat is home to 1300 species of reef fish.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/a/n/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1521766739054.jpg)
These waters are so nutrient-rich that even coral polyps can't resist them. Polyps usually feed only at night, but every day we see corals with their polyps swaying gently, snatching up the rich array of foodstuffs drifting past.
Total seclusion
In addition to the spectacular sightings, there is another element that makes diving here such a treat; you have the waters all to yourself. Raja Ampat's accommodation options are limited to a handful of low-key resorts and a small fleet of live-aboards; the latter option has the distinct advantage that you can follow the good weather. While we occasionally see another boat, we never find another group diving the same site. And when we do spy another boat, we bathe in the glow of knowing ours is the most luxurious vessel around.
Operated by Alila Resorts, the Purnama is designed as an all-inclusive floating resort. The three-deck, hand-crafted teak boat has just five cabins and 15 staff. Most of the year it is available for charter, with itineraries to Komodo and Cenderawasih Bay as well as Raja Ampat. There is just a handful of voyages each year on which you can book individual suites.
![Every dive brings something new to wonder at, such as this iridescent mantis shrimp.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/a/s/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1521766743764.jpg)
The service is outstanding. We quickly become accustomed to being helped on – and off – with all our gear, and being greeted every time we return to the boat with towels and freshly squeezed fruit juice. One afternoon, two of us go exploring on a kayak. After perhaps half an hour, one of the Purnama's two speedboats heads over to us. Our immediate response is indignation; do we really look like we need help? Turns out, they are heading over to offer us some additional water. Service doesn't get better than that.
Most afternoons we pile into one of the speedboats for a touch of exploring. Raja Ampat has plenty of secret bays and lagoons tucked away in between its pocket-sized islands. The islands tend to be uninhabited and uninhabitable, craggy limestone karsts that rise steeply from the water yet are covered in verdant greenery. One speedboat ride takes us to a hidden turquoise lagoon, where we float in perfect solitude; another time we swim into an atmospheric cave filled with picturesque limestone formations.
All of which leaves us with hearty appetites. Aside from two breakfasts, there are also three-course lunches and dinners, served inside or outside depending on the weather. The menu takes in everything from melon gazpacho to mango salad, fish curry to carrot cake.
Our most memorable meal, however, is a barbecue on yet another deserted beach. We finish by dancing along the surf-washed sand, which lights up beneath us as our feet come into contact with bio-luminescent plankton brought up with the waves. As we carve our way back to the ship on the speedboat, we see more plankton shining in our wake – yet another reminder of how magical Raja Ampat really is.
![Aside from diving, guests can explore the area's spectacular bays and lagoons from a speedboat.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/a/0/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1521766717304.jpg)
The writer travelled with the assistance of Alila.
NEED TO KNOW
Alila Purnama is available for charter in Raja Ampat for $US15,000 ($19,500) a night. Individual suites are available on specified voyages starting from $3700 a night for a five- or six-night cruise. See alilahotels.com/purnama
![There are no schedules on the this all-inclusive floating resort.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180330064110im_/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/h/0/x/v/a/i/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1521766734159.jpg)
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