Eating in Raja Ampat is part of the charm. Meals are simple and fresh rather than fancy, and because the islands are remote, most travellers eat where they sleep.
What you'll eat
At homestays and most resorts, meals are usually included and built around the staples of Indonesian cooking: steamed rice, freshly caught fish and seafood, vegetables, eggs, and simple dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice) and mie goreng (fried noodles). Tropical fruit, papaya, banana, pineapple, rounds things off. The fish could hardly be fresher, often landed the same day just metres from your bungalow.
Portions are generous but choice is limited; this is home cooking on a small island, not a restaurant menu. Part of the experience is sitting down to whatever the sea and the garden have provided that day.
Drinking water
Stick to bottled or properly treated water for drinking and brushing your teeth, and avoid tap water. To cut down on single-use plastic, bring a reusable bottle and ask whether your accommodation can refill it with safe, filtered water. There is more general guidance on our health page.
Dietary needs and supplies
If you are vegetarian, vegan or have allergies, let your homestay or resort know in advance. Hosts are usually happy to help, but on a remote island they can only work with what they can source, so flexibility is essential. There are very few shops or restaurants outside the main town of Waisai, so it is worth bringing some of your own snacks, plus any specific items, coffee, treats, special foods, that you would not want to be without.
Travel light on the land, too
Supplies reach these islands by boat, and waste is hard to deal with. Take only what you need, avoid single-use plastics where you can, and choose places to stay that look after their environment.