Tourism For Conservation

Partnering to Protect Raja Ampat's Reefs

Genuine conservation efforts should not be designed to serve tourism. Rather, genuine eco-tourism should actively support and strengthen conservation efforts.

Raja Ampat’s spectacular coral reefs are the foundation of the region’s tourism industry, but they are also under increasing pressure. As a tourism operator, you have a unique opportunity to give back to the very ecosystems that sustain your guests’ experiences — by integrating into your tourism operations, efforts that directly support and service community-led conservation in Raja Ampat.

By partnering with The SEA People and our Yaf Keru Reef Restoration Program, you can actively contribute to conservation —whether through direct support, guest education or hands-on restoration diving. With options ranging from effortless per-guest contributions to reef restoration dives, your business can play a vital role in protecting Raja Ampat’s marine biodiversity while offering guests a deeper, more meaningful connection to the reefs they explore.

We’ve created three flexible ways for liveaboards and land based tourism operators to take meaningful action—each designed to integrate seamlessly into your operations while making a real difference for Raja Ampat’s reefs.

By aligning your tourism operations with conservation initiatives, you not only enrich your guests’ experiences but also play a vital role in preserving Raja Ampat’s marine biodiversity.

Contribute to Community Based Coral Conservation

100% OF YOUR DONATION GOES TOWARDS THE YAF KERU REEF RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Yaf Keru Reef Restoration and Conservation Raja Ampat | The SEA People
EFFORTLESS, IMPACTFUL GIVING - SUPPORT REEF RESTORATION & CONSERVATION

A simple way to give back – a donation of 400,000idr per guest helps restore coral reefs, protect marine biodiversity, and support local livelihoods.

For those who want to support conservation but may not have the time or ability to participate directly, this option provides a meaningful and lasting way to contribute to reef restoration and conservation.

For every 400,000idr contributed to our Yaf Keru Reef Restoration Programme, we are able to:

  • RESTORE 1sqm of degraded coral reef
  • PROTECT 1sqm of healthy, primary reef
  • SUPPORT the employment of our local restoration team, whose families and communities depend on healthy reefs for food and livelihoods

This effortless yet impactful contribution comes with a digital Yaf Keru Reef Restoration Certificate (in the name of each guest, or the operator) as a tangible symbol of the contributor’s role in protecting one of the most biodiverse marine environments on Earth.

By integrating this contribution into trip pricing, offering it on behalf of guests, or inviting voluntary donations, operators can play a direct role in scaling up reef restoration efforts. Over time, a single operator can facilitate the restoration of hundreds—if not thousands—of square metres of coral reef, making a measurable and long-term impact on Raja Ampat’s marine ecosystems.

CLICK HERE To Make a Direct Impact—Support Reef Restoration Today

 

Tourism operators who choose to support reef restoration through this contribution model will, over time, accumulate a measurable impact. Those who contribute to the restoration of 5,000m² or more of degraded reef will be formally recognised as key conservation partners and featured on our website and social media, showcasing their long-term commitment to marine conservation and responsible tourism. This recognition serves as a public testament to their role in protecting Raja Ampat’s reefs, highlighting both their impact and leadership in sustainable travel.
Conservation Presentation Raja Ampat The SEA People
ENGAGE, LEARN AND SUPPORT - INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS

Build upon your contribution. Deepen the experience.

This option expands on our “Effortless, Impactful Giving” engagment by adding an interactive 1 hour presentation + Q&A delivered by The SEA People team.

Guests gain insider insights into reef restoration, the threats facing Raja Ampat, and the community-based work being done to protect this globally important ecosystem.

This engagement transforms passive support into meaningful awareness – fostering understanding, connection, and appreciation for Raja Ampat’s reefs and the local people working to protect them.

Optional Add-On:Dive on a Yaf Keru Restoration Site
For guests who want to go beyond the presentation and experience a restoration site firsthand, the session can be extended to include a guided tour dive at an active Yaf Keru reef restoration site (no hands-on work).

This dive allows guests to see coral restoration up close and observe the work being done by the local team.

Contribution: 

  • Presentation Only:
    This option builds directly on our Effortless, Impactful Giving model.
    400,000idr donation per person (minimum 6 participants), plus a 4,000,000idr donation per group for the 1 hour interactive presentation and Q&A session.
    Each guest receives a digital Yaf Keru Reef Restoration Certificate, recognising their meaningful contribution to coral reef restoration in Raja Ampat.

  • Presentation + Dive Add-On:
    For guests who also wish to experience a Yaf Keru restoration site firsthand, the session can be extended to include a guided dive at a Yaf Keru restoration site.
    1000000idr donation per person (minimum 6 participants), plus a 4,000,000idr donation per group for the 1.5-hour interactive presentation and Q&A session.

    This includes the presentation, the guided dive of a Yaf Keru restoration site  (non-transplantation), and the restoration certificate.

All participants leave with a deeper understanding of reef restoration and a tangible acknowledgment of their support.

Please refer to the Important Information and FAQs below.

Yaf Keru Reef Restoration Raja Ampat The SEA People
HANDS-ON CONSERVATION - DIVE IN TO REEF RESTORATION

Go beyond observation – join our local team for a full day of coral restoration diving and leave Raja Ampat even better than you found it.

For the most immersive experience, this program offers guests the opportunity to be directly involved in coral restoration alongside our trained local team. Participants will actively contribute by learning restoration techniques, assisting with coral transplantation, and witnessing the regeneration of these vital ecosystems first-hand.

This experience includes two (2) dives, making it perfect for those who want to move beyond observation and play a hands-on role in restoring the reefs they love.

Contribution:

3,800,000idr donation per participant (minimum 4 participants, maximum 10 per group. For larger groups, please contact us discuss.)

Lunch Options:

To ensure smooth operations, participants have two options for lunch:

  1. Bring a packed lunch from your liveaboard/resort/homestay and enjoy it at the local jetty, beach, or on board the Galaxea.
  2. Pre-book a locally prepared meal in Yenbekwan Village (additional fee of IDR 100,000 per person), offering a traditional home-cooked Papuan meal prepared by local women. This option provides a meaningful cultural experience while directly supporting the community (availability limited – enquire upon booking).

Please refer to Important Information and FAQs below.

Tourism For Conservation

Tourism in Raja Ampat—entirely dependent on the health of its coral reefs—should, as a priority, act in the service of local conservation efforts. Yet too often, conservation activities that engage with tourism are shaped to fit the needs of tourism, limiting their impact and shifting the focus away from true ecological restoration.

At The SEA People, conservation remains the priority—driven by the needs of the ecosystem and local communities, not the expectations of tourism. While we welcome and encourage participation from tourism operators and guests, our programs are not a ‘service’ offered for tourism, but an opportunity for tourism to meaningfully contribute to conservation.

By approaching this with the right mindset, we can foster a genuine and respectful collaboration that prioritises long-term ecological and community well-being over short-term visitor experiences.

Therefore, when engaging in any of our community conservation programs, we kindly ask that this is done with the understanding that tourism is here to support conservation—not the other way around.

Why Participate? 

Raja Ampat’s coral reefs are the foundation of the region’s tourism industry – and their future depends on all of us.

Tourism doesn’t have to come at the expense of marine ecosystems – in fact, it has the potential to actively support them. Many tourism operators already promote themselves as sustainable or eco-friendly. By partnering with The SEA People, you have the opportunity to turn those values into tangible support and ‘real world’ impact for field-based reef restoration and local community led conservation.

Aligning with these programs allows you to:

  • Contribute directly to the protection and restoration of the very reefs your guests come to experience.
  • Support ethical, community-led conservation led by local Papuans from Raja Ampat.
  • Strengthen your sustainability reputation and offer guests a deeper, more meaningful connection to Raja Ampat.

Whether you choose to offer a simple per guest contribution, host a conservation presentation, or join a restoration dive—there’s opportunity for every level of engagement.

This is a chance to show leadership in responsible tourism, while making a real difference to the most marine biodiverse ecosystem on Earth.

Contact us using this form, to directly contribute to restoration and conservation in Raja Ampat. 

TOURISM FOR CONSERVATION - CONTACT US

Presentation or Restoration Diving

2 + 5 =

*Whilst we make every effort to accommodate all those that enquire, dates are subject to availability and minimum/maximum numbers apply.  Please read our FAQs and Important Information below. 

FAQs

HOW CAN TOURISM ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO CONSERVATION IN RAJA AMPAT?

Tourism operators and their guests can play a crucial role in conservation by:

  • Hosting educational presentations on board or at resorts to raise awareness about community led marine conservation in Raja Ampat.
  • Participating in hands-on reef restoration activities through our Yaf Keru Program
  • Providing direct support through donations, expanding the restoration and conservation effort and helping ensure long-term sustainability.
WHICH CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE BEST SUITED FOR TOURISM OPERATORS?

Tourism operators can collaborate with The SEA People through:

  1. Effortles, Impactful Giving – A simple yet powerful way to support reef restoration by integrating a per-guest contribution into trip pricing or offering voluntary donations.
  2. Engage, Learn & Support – Hosting an educational presentation from our team, providing guests with deeper insights into reef conservation.
  3. Dive Into Reef Restoration – A hands-on experience where guests actively participate in coral restoration alongside our trained local team.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
  • Tourists (divers, snorkelers, and freedivers) who want to contribute to reef conservation.
  • Liveaboard and land-based tourism operators seeking to integrate meaningful conservation efforts into their trips.
  • Participants in hands-on restoration activities must meet diving/snorkelling proficiency requirements, ensuring safe and effective engagement in reef rehabilitation efforts.
WHO WILL YOU BE DIVING WITH (Our Restoration Team)

Our Reef Builders are local community members who have grown up on, in and around Raja Ampat’s coral reefs. Their deep connection to the marine environment means they possess exceptional natural knowledge and marine skills. Each Reef Builder has been trained to an international standard under the PADI system by our Co-Founder and SCUBA Instructor and has collectively logged thousands of dives.  Their expertise ensures that all restoration work is conducted with the highest level of skill, care, and ecological understanding.

WILL YOU PROVIDE DIVE EQUIPMENT?

As a non-profit foundation focused on community-based conservation in Raja Ampat, The SEA People do not operate as a commercial dive centre, but rather, with a small-scale scuba diving setup dedicated primarily to training and empowering local community members. 

For this reason, we kindly ask that all participating tourism operators provide dive or snorkel equipment for their guests, in line with their own standard operational procedures. This helps ensure participants are using gear they’re familiar and comfortable with, and allows us to stay focused on what we do best—restoring reefs and supporting local communities.

Important Information

ENGAGE, LEARN & SUPPORT (Educational Presentations)

Presentations are conducted in person by our team, typically onboard liveaboards or at land based operators. 

  • The tourism operator must be located within 20-25 minutes of our restoration site at Yenbekwan Village (Mansuar Island). For operators located further than 25 minutes from our restoration site, pickup or an additional contribution will be required to cover travel time and associated costs, ensuring our resources remain dedicated to conservation efforts.
  • Operators must provide appropriate audio-visual equipment, including a screen, HDMI connector, and internet access.

For those participating in the Dive Add-On:

  • Operators must provide necessary diving/snorkeling equipment, as per their standard operations.

DIVE INTO REEF RESTORATION (Hands On Conservation)

Please take the time to read the following information to ensure the most optimised conservation experience with our team.

  • Group size: Minimum four (4), maximum ten (10) participants per group.  For larger groups, please contact us directly. 
  • Diving requirements: All divers must be certified with exceptional buoyancy control. Poor buoyancy can lead to exclusion from transplantation activities, or cancellation of a transplantation session mid-dive. 
  • Snorkelers/Freedivers: Can participate in fragment collection; full involvement in transplantation depends on individual ability.
  • Operators must provide necessary diving/snorkeling equipment, as per their standard operations.
  • Pick-up/drop-off: The SEA People will transport participants from designated locations within the immediate vicinity. Those outside these areas must arrange their own transport to our location.
  • Unless otherwise specified by The SEA People, activities are conducted under the Tourism Operator’s Liability Waiver.
  • Activities are led by our local Reef Builders, who are trained divers from the local communities in Raja Ampat. We kindly ask that Tourism Operators and guests/participants ensure they remain aware of cultural sensitivities with respect to behaviours, and revealing clothing or swimwear. If this is unclear, please ask us.

    Lunch Options:

    1. Bring a packed lunch from your liveaboard (common for day trips). Meals can be enjoyed at a local jetty or on board the Galaxea.
    2. Pre-ordered local village lunch – For an additional fee (IDR 100,000 per person), guests can enjoy a meal prepared by local women in the village, featuring traditional village cuisine (limited availability, please enquire upon booking). This is a unique opportunity to engage with the community and support the local economy. Expect authentic home-cooked meals, not liveaboard/resort dining.
    OUR AVAILABILITY (Conservation First, Tourism Second)

    Unlike a resort or tour operator, our availability is guided by real-time conservation needs, not fixed tourism schedules. This means that while we welcome tourism participation and will do our best to accommodate all requests, we cannot always guarantee specific activities or exact dates far in advance.

    We understand that liveaboards and tourism operators plan itineraries months or even years ahead, but as a conservation organization, our work is driven by the needs of the reef at any given time. This means that:

    • Though we will do our best, we cannot always commit to fixed dates or specific restoration activities far in advance. We will always communicate this clearly with every Tourism Operator at the time of inquiry.
    • The type of work you’ll participate in (e.g., coral transplantation, monitoring, COTS control) depends on what the reef needs at that time.
    • We encourage flexibility—if you want to engage with us, be prepared to contribute to conservation in whatever way is most needed at the time.
    • While we will typically be able to accommodate reef restoration activities, there will be times when our team and boat are unavailable due to logistical requirements such as docking, maintenance, or supply trips to Sorong.

    By embracing this approach, tourism can truly be in service to conservation, rather than expecting conservation to be adjusted for tourism schedules.

    DONATION AND CANCELLATION POLICY

    By participating in this conservation activity you directly support tangible conservation action in Raja Ampat, whilst supporting local community members who’s livelihoods, history, heritage and culture are depend on healthy coral reefs.

    100% of your donation goes directly to supporting our conservation efforts.

    • Payment: A full donation must be received at least 10 days in advance to secure your position. This ensures proper planning, resource allocation, and safety preparations. 

    • Cancellations:

      • More than 7 days in advance: Full refund (minus any bank or transfer fees).

      • 24 to 48 hours in advance: 50% refund (minus any bank or transfer fees).

      • Less than 24 hours in advance: No refund.

        Cancellations due to weather or safety concerns (at The SEA People’s discretion) will result in rescheduling or a full refund.

        Please note: Any refunds requiring bank or transfer fees will have these costs deducted to ensure that 100% of donations continue to support conservation efforts.  

      We look forward to working with tourism operators who share our values and commitment to conservation. The SEA People reserves the right to decline collaboration with operators whose practices do not align with our conservation priorities.

       

      DONATE NOW
      SHOP

      Contact Us

      Copyright © The SEA People 2016-2026.  All rights reserved. This website is copyright monitored and protected. 

      Yayasan Orang Laut Papua is a registered NGO under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Republic of Indonesia. Number AHU-0016408. Year 2019. The SEA People is a registered Charitable Association under the Gouvernement de la République in France (Numero Identification Siren 853074300) and serves as an administrative and fundrasing base for supporting the fieldwork of Yaysan Orang Laut Papua.    Privacy Policy    Terms & Conditions