MER has contracted two remote locations in the southern part of Raja Ampat, 150 miles south of the nearest resort. Both the resort and the Misool Conservation Centre (MCC) will be built on the island of Batbitim, the rights to which are held exclusively by MER.

Batbitim is a low-slung island with undulating green hills and coconut groves, ringed with powder-white beaches. The two beautiful beaches on the north side are protected by a glass-like turquoise lagoon. On the south side are two more stunning beaches, flanked by a deep water swimming hole.
 

The second location MER has contracted is a small nearby island called Gelu. This island is a high-traffic turtle nesting site, and its conservation is critical to the continued vitality of Raja Ampat's turtle population. We plan to build a small hide here to enable unobtrusive observation and study. Our presence and ongoing vigilance in this area will also help to stop poaching of the turtles or their eggs.

Marine Protected Area
In addition to those two areas, MER has reached an agreement with the local community to create a Marine Protected Area (MPA). MER has leased approximately 200 sq km of sea surrounding Batbitim, which includes many of Raja Ampat's finest dive sites, such as the Manta Cleaning Station, Boo, Fiabacet, Gorgonian Passage, and Yillet.
 

All fishing, shark finning, and irresponsible boat anchoring are strictly prohibited within this region. This will help to foster even richer fish populations and thriving reef systems. Additionally, it will result in more lucrative yields for local fisherman outside the MPA.
 

Misool Conservation Centre
The Misool Conservation Centre will be located on the south beach overlooking the deepwater swimming hole. A UK-registered nonprofit, the Conservation Centre will provide a well-equipped, functional base for scientific research and conservation projects, as well as accommodation for visiting researchers and scientists. It is our aim to facilitate continuing research, with hopes of filling a critical gap in our understanding of this complex ecosystem.
 

One of the Conservation Centre's first projects will be to establish a local patrol to enforce the MPA. We also hope to install a FAD (fish aggregation device) outside the perimeter of the MPA.

Guest Cottages
Misool Eco Resort is a small haven, comprised of just nine guest cottages, a restaurant, and a Dive Centre on the north side of Batbitim Island. On the south side of the island, there will be several privately held cottages reserved for our investors.
 

Each guest cottage rises on stilts over placid turquoise waters, with a broad verandah to take full advantage of the gentle tropical breezes and glorious equatorial views. The house reef is just a short snorkel away from your verandah.
 

Restaurant
Our beachfront restaurant will be located on the north side of Batbitim, looking out over a shallow turquoise lagoon. The kitchen and menu have been designed with the discriminating palate in mind by our internationally-trained European chef. We will offer exceptionally tasty, nutritious, and whenever possible, organic fare from local sources.