When Deb and I stayed at the tiny two-cabin Raja Ampat Eco Lodge on the island of Waisai (Indonesian New Guinea), one of the recommended hikes was a precipitous and slippery climb through the rainforest to a panorama. Much of the hike had ropes for us to grab, keeping us from bloodying our shins if […]
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Month: December 2025
Striped Surgeonfish
Marty’s photo of the day #4899: Striped surgeonfish are fast and skittish, making them somewhat difficult to photograph. Their bright colors make it worth the effort. Photographed in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.
Orchid Swallowtail Butterfly
Marty’s photo of the day #4899: In addition to the amazing underwater life in the Raja Ampat region of Indonesian New Guinea, the above water life is pretty cool too. This is an orchid swallowtail butterfly on a peacock flower.
Prepare to be Flexible!
This is the story of Deb’s and my six-million-dollar speedboat ride and one-and-a -half-million-dollar tip. When we booked our trip to the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea ten months in advance, we were warned to be flexible. That was good advice. Between January and October, our international airline tickets got canceled, forcing me to […]
Raja Ampat Giant Clams
Marty’s photo of the day #4898: The giant clams of the Raja Ampat were absolutely stunning. This is one of my favorites. It’s hard to believe that this is a living thing.
Some of the Nicest People on Earth
The people of Indonesian New Guinea were among the most friendly I’ve met anywhere in the world. At the beginning of our trip, Deb and I walked the main road in Kaimana (a remote island town of about 17,000) as people on scooters whizzed by. As the only visible white people in town, we were […]
Golden Spadefish
Marty’s photo of the day #4897: The first time I saw one of these in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea, I thought they were a type of angelfish. But they are much bigger, reaching 19 inches across, and quite shy. Later, I learned they are golden spadefish. Usually, I’d only see a single […]
Clownfish of the Raja Ampat
Marty’s photo of the day #4896: You may recognize this as a clownfish, which is just one of many species of anemonefish. The Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea supports the greatest number of fish species in the world, resulting in Deb and I seeing more species of anemonefish than we knew existed. One of […]







