The 10 days we’ve spent onboard the Mutiara Laut – a 47-metre luxury phinisi – have provided us with ample opportunities to cool off in the equatorial waters around Raja Ampat. Apart from twice-daily dives over some of the richest coral reefs on Earth, we’ve squeezed in snorkelling adventures with dolphins and manta rays, while evenings have been reserved for sipping cocktails on deck and being fanned by sea breezes as the skies fill with stars. Despite the heat, there’s no way in hell I’ll be dipping a toe in this lagoon, though. A rickety stairway, built for a presidential visit that never eventuated, delivers us to this viewpoint on Piaynemo Island. It’s a view many would consider to be priceless, only this one has a value, featuring on Indonesia’s 100,000 rupiah note. Below, reef sharks and sea turtles cruise harmlessly through the shallows. “Last time we came here, we spotted a saltwater crocodile,” says cruise director Arie Pagak. No swimming then, I ask, half-joking. “Oh, no,” he laughs.