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MahaRaja Eco Dive Lodge
Conservation Area
Eco Lodge / Local Marine Protected Area
Dokri Island, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
-0.7597222, 130.7541666

 

  

MahaRaja Eco Dive Lodge is an eco-friendly, socially responsible and sustainable lodge located on the 25 ha private virgin island of Dokri, in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Raja Ampat is called the “The Last Paradise on Earth”, the location that all the scuba divers and snorkellers dream about, as well all the travellers who love tropical vacations.

Our aim is to pioneer a new era of eco-tourism and showing by example that it is possible to enjoy the beauty of nature and the magic of the land of the Papuans in a respectful and sustainable way.

From the natural Hygiene and Care products and accessories, the local organic vegan meals, no fuel, no chemical, no plastic, to eco diving, whatever our guests will do at MahaRaja, has been designed to have zero or low impact on nature, the ocean and the marine life and to have positive impact on the local Papuan community.

At MahaRaja, we also recognize that we have a huge duty to the local Papuan community, who allows us to enjoy this beautiful area. The Papuans are part of every single project and decision at MahaRaja and take full ownership and responsibility of the lodge and its guests. The Papuans are the main actors of the sustainability at MahaRaja and their well-being and benefits are part of the MahaRaja priorities. From jobs creation and micro credit, to education, training and goods donations, all the Papuans families in the nearby villages, benefit in a way or another from MahaRaja presence.

 

Conservation & Community Highlights:

  1. Dokri Island’s coral reef and marine life conservation: We have created a local marine protected area around our private island of Dokri, with a no fishing and no fuel boat policy, an eco-dive agreement, using traditional Papuan wooden long boats, no consumption of any fish or sea life, a baseline sampling method implemented by a marine biologist volunteer group and much more.
  2. The growing richness, biodiversity and health of the marine life in our reef: seen in the past 2 years; the number of juvenile species is steadily increasing, making our safe reef a natural nursery.
  3. Support the Local Papuan community: long-term working contract, saving account, credit card and financial and budget planning training. In addition, we provide social security and health insurance for themselves and for their family. With micro-credit, we assisted the Papuans to create their own business and to make a sustainable living. We have several education program for the Papuans.
  4. Pioneer and spread Electric Boats: We have introduced for the first time, electric boats in Raja Ampat to stop fuel pollution in this pristine area. Our diving and snorkeling activities are done with our electric boats.
  5. Sustainable operations: From no single use product, no plastic, no fuel, zero waste, reuse, use of local and natural products to solar power, rain water collection, compost, eco-brick and organic ocean-safe cleaning products and accessories, there is no part of the operations that has not been scrutinized. For the guests, organic ocean-safe Hygiene and Care products and accessories, ethical and environmentally friendly bedsheets and towels, organic local tea and coffee, fresh hand harvested fruits and vegetables from the local Papuan gardens are provided with the explanation of the products source and benefits.

 

Future Aims:

Electric Boats - We have succesfully demonstrated the feasability and the benefits of Electric Boats at MahaRaja Eco Dive Lodge. Our next step is to spread their utilisation, by executing this plan:

  1. To install a solar charging station
  2. To equip the local Papuan village with electric boats
  3. To transform our transport boat to an electric boat

We have already studied and designed these three steps in details and are ready to start the implementation. However, to start the implementation, we first need the following:

  1. Funding: We are looking for funding to realize these projects. MahaRaja auto financed the first implementations of the electric boats but we need additional funds to realize the next steps.
  2. Competence Center: We need material and technical resources to create a competence centre at MahaRaja to train local Papuans, and to maintain and repair the electric boats and charging station onsite.

These are our challenges:

  1. Remote area: The shipments of goods and materials are complex, costly and long to this remote area of the world. The anticipation is key to make sure that all the necessary materials, tools and spare parts are always available at our Competence Center. 
  2. Initial costs: The initial costs of acquisition of electric motors and the solar charging station are 30-50% higher than a regular fuel engine, which represents a big hurdle. 
  3. Local presence: From our experience, we know that equipping the village with electric boats and training them is not enough to make the project sustainable. A local permanent project management is needed to guarantee the sustainability of the project. 

Our current plan is to address the funding and the competence centre needs in 2022-2023.