Indonesian islands of Raja Ampat are one of the best diving spots on the planet

An Indonesian diver dips below the waters off Batanta Island, one of the 1,500 islands that make up the archipelago of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The islands, where the Indian and Pacific oceans meet, are renowned for the rich marine life of their coral reefs. Benson shot this with a Nikon underwater camera during a trip with his wife in February. "Batanta Island is one of four major islands in the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua province, Indonesia. It has some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world," Benson wrote in an e-mail. "Raja Ampat is absolutely beautiful. If you love to go diving or snorkeling, it is one of the best locations in the world. However, it is quite remote and a challenge to get there, but worth the effort." After a homestay there, the couple returned to Minnesota on March 10, the day before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.