Founded in 2003, it is the capital of the Raja Ampat Regency and is home to a little over 8,000 people.

[2] It is a transit point for tourists visiting the rest of the archipelago, and its airport is reachable by plane from the larger cities of Manado and Sorong, or ferry from the latter.

[3] While it is mainly a stopping point for tourists before continuing to the rest of the islands, the town includes a dive resort, several accommodations, and two beaches.

Waisai has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy rainfall year-round.

Unlike most parts of Indonesia, it experiences a rainfall maximum during the low-sun season due to local wind currents.