West Papua

West Papua and Cendrawasih Bay remain among the most remote, unspoiled, breathtakingly beautiful regions on Earth. Impenetrable rainforests meet turquoise seas teeming with marine life and heat adapting coral reef systems.

Incredibly hard to reach and surrounded in controversy because of Indonesian colonialism it is almost a real-life Avatar movie. Scattered throughout the interior are isolated, little-known indigenous tribes whose ancient traditions and deep connection to the land remain untouched by modern influence. Their lifestyle is pre-bronze age.

We travelled 6hrs up a river in primitive boats accompanied by Conservation International to visit just such a tribe, being extremely careful not to change or influence their way of life or meet a competing tribe and be ambushed by long arrows. We had special permissions so we are not going to disclose the name or location of the tribe as conservation efforts in the region aim to protect both the pristine ecosystems and the cultural heritage of these communities, preserving one of the last truly wild frontiers on the planet.