Kri Eco Resort

Immerse yourself in nature on tropical Kri Island and stay with Raja Ampat pioneers at the first dive resort in Raja Ampat that is blessed with both verdant rainforest and pristine reefs as their natural front and back gardens. Kri Eco Resort has most certainly stood the test of time since opening in 1994, and is still an absolute gem despite the rapid growth in tourism to the region. Over water stilt bungalows are built in true Papuan style, using traditional building methods and natural materials to create relaxing and light filled homes for the lucky guests. Nestled as close to the jungle as possible and stretching out over the turquoise waters, your island home gives a soundtrack of lapping waves and an expansive ocean view which is best enjoyed from a hammock as you contemplate just how lucky you are to be here. Service at Kri Eco Resort is warm hearted and humbling as staff go out of their way to be helpful, a complementary laundry service is a great added bonus that was much appreciated during our stay, whilst mealtimes whether at the resort or ‘on location’ as part of a day exploring the region are served with a smile.

The Vegan Food at Kri Eco Resort

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are at set times and served buffet style in the communal dining room, a friendly hub where guests from all corners of this wonderful planet swap stories and share good times over simple yet delicious home cooked food. Fresh fruits, soy milk lattes, cereals and toast were available for breakfast, whilst the team prepared ‘vegan surprises’ for each day with our favourites being the pancakes and the scrambled tofu. We love scrambled tofu and have eaten it all over the world so trust us when we say they had nailed this vegan breakfast staple at Kri Eco Resort.  Our lunches and dinners comprised tofu, veggies, tempe, deliciously spicy chilli, garlic, onion and tomato sambal served with rice and / or noodles, we even had pasta with tomato sauce and vegan pizza and avocado salad one day! When spending so much time either on or in or under the water mealtimes were important as we were so hungry, so the variety, quality and quantity of the vegan food on offer was very much appreciated as was the protein packed tofu and tempeh creations which were omnipresent and oh so tasty…

Underwater at Kri Eco Resort

Snorkelling and diving excursions leave throughout the day, spaced out perfectly to allow time to enjoy the above water surroundings of Raja Ampat and to refuel with snacks, coffees and sweet treats ready for your next adventure. But you really don’t need to go far as the house reef, accessible from your bungalow or via steps from the resort jetty, is full of life and most certainly not to be missed. Fan corals splay out in colourful wonder as you dive into the clear blue water, met by giant napoleon wrasse, lion fish and colourful shoals as you set off to explore the underwater landscape. Boat trips to dive or snorkel on the multiple sites within easy reach will allow you to see dolphins, manta rays, whales, turtles and even more incredible coral formations, tiny reef fish and brightly coloured nudibranch. As if the underwater life wasn’t enough, there are plenty of above water adventures to be had like jungle trekking through towering trees and twisting vines to see birds of paradise in their glorious natural habitat and day trips out to the Fam Islands, the calling card of Raja Ampat, where craggy ancient limestone karsts frosted in green foliage and fringed with turquoise waters offer a view that is most certainly not to be missed. We were quite simply blown away by everything that we saw with Raja Ampat living up to the often used ‘last paradise on earth’ moniker and surpassing all of our wildest dreams and expectations.

Responsible Tourism at Kri Eco Resort

Of course the bathroom amenities are in refillable dispensers at Kri Eco Resort and of course there are filtered water dispensers where you can replenish your Papua Divers water bottle as and when you wish. And of course the team at Kri Eco Resort work tirelessly to protect the environment, educate those that need it most and empower the communities that call Raja Ampat home to farm and fish sustainably, create new business opportunities and benefit from interest free loans to support their lives and dreams. Working with Green Fins who “empower divers, snorkellers, the diving industry and coastal communities to reduce the pressures on coral reefs” and partnering with ReShark to promote an “international, collective effort to recover threatened sharks and rays around the world” are just two of the ways that Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Center (RARCC) try to make a difference. This independent NGO was set up by the founders of Papua Diving and much of the profits from both resorts are utilised to fund and support these projects and others in the region. It was truly refreshing to read about and learn about just some of the great work that they do, this truly is responsible tourism and something that many other operators could learn from as they try to create tourism with a positive impact.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

We loved our stay at Kri Eco Resort, the ‘older sister’ of Sorido Bay Resort which is located just around the jungle glad headland. For those who ‘need’ AC then Sorido is for you, but if being open to the elements and enjoying the gentle ocean breeze (alongside the electric fans) is more for you then you’ll just love Kri Eco Resort. The food, the service, the warm welcome and the breathtaking house reefs are simply perfect at both resorts, so it really comes down to AC or ocean breezes when making your choice. For us, we loved being so close to the water and enveloped by nature so we would happily stay with the ‘mature sister’ for our return to this kind of hidden paradise.

We were guests of Kri Eco Resort but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

Kri Eco Resort
Kri Island
Raja Ampat
West Papua
Indonesia

Telephone: +62 811 483 4614
Email: info@papua-diving.com
Cost From: £890 / $1150 per person for a seven night ‘Exploration Package’ during 2025