Snorkeling along the shore off Arfak Mountains

After my first snorkeling trip along the shore off the foot of Arfak mountains, I conclude that I will write more articles about the coral reefs there to raise awareness among citizens in Manokwari that they still have pristine marine park. To reach the snorkeling location, we need to go by boat from Arfai to Angresi beach. It takes around 30 minutes. If the weather is good, and the sea is calm, we can easily see various species of corals such as table coral, brain coral and staghorn coral and tropical fish at the depths between 1 to 15 meters below the sea level.

When I was snorkeling with 2 Dutch tourists on 17 August 2011, I brought my new waterproof camera. It's a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3. With this digital camera, I was able to shoot a lot of nice photographs of corals and fish although the visibility was not really good. It was raining one day earlier.

Coral reef in the waters near the foot of Arfak range

The above snorkeling pictures provide strong evidence that Arfak mountains are not only tourist destination for hiking, birding or butterfly watching but also snorkeling. The coral reefs at the foot of Arfak mountains are not as famous as the ones in Kri island of Raja Ampat or in Manado Tua island of Bunaken marine park of North Sulawesi but they are still in pristine condition. They are worth snorkeling and scuba diving. However, there is no diving center in Manokwari. So, the easiest way to explore the beauty of the underwater world of Arfak waters is by snorkeling. Please, bring your own snorkeling gear.

The waters off the coast of Arfak mountains still have world class coral reef. Snorkeling in these waters does not cost you an arm and a leg. So, if you plan to take a snorkeling trip that is affordable for you, then my recommendation will be the Manokwari bay.

Marine Life in Manokwari waters

Ecotourism helps local people generate alternative income from the natural resources in their surroundings. When they can positive benefits from their environment, they will preserve it. This was written by Charles Roring.