Alex in Raja Ampat
TLF’s Content Manager, Alex Creange, recently returned from a trip to Raja Ampat, Indonesia, where a five-day charter onboard Rascal Voyages may have changed her opinion on boats for good. From snorkeling with manta rays, to lounging on private beaches, to enjoying nightly sundowners on the boat’s rooftop deck, she *almost* didn’t have enough time to snap photos. But luckily for you she managed to put all three iPhone 11 cameras to good use and snagged a few good shots for the scrapbook (errr…blog). Follow along as she shares some highlights below.
“Raja Ampat is one of those places that make you contemplate the space you occupy in the world. It’s hard to believe such a place exists — so remote, so untouched, so free from the minutuae that occupies your brain. ”
Meet RASCAL! A 90-foot phinisi yacht specifically designed for sailing the Indonesian archipelago, and my home sweet home for 5 blissful days in Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat is all about diving. It’s home to some of the world’s best preserved reef systems and most vibrant underwater life. In this picture, I’m scoping out the day’s dive site, which local lore says is teeming with crocs. Luckily I lived to tell the tale.
I feel a deep exhale coming on every time I look at this photo. There’s no Wi-Fi or cell service once you hit entrance of the national park, so aside from diving, a Rascal charter is all about disconnecting with the outside world.
This is Wayag, one of Raja Ampat’s most scenic regions. I’d say the hike to the top of this limestone cliff was worth the pair of sneakers I ruined to reach the summit.
Does it count as a private beach if it’s a deserted island? And does it count as a deserted island if there’s a chef preparing lunch for you behind the shrubbery?
Raja Ampat is just as beautiful above water as it is below the surface. This might be one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. There’s just something about the scene that pulls you in. I feel like I can smell the fire burning every time I see that cloud of smoke billowing above the palm trees.
Awaiting my sunset cocktail…clearly in my element.