Watching Cendrawasih Birds in Raja Ampat and Tambrauw Mountains (12 Days/11 Nights)

Cendrawasih is the local name of Birds of Paradise. These birds have become attractions for visitors who are interested in wildlife watching. Two important destinations in West Papua where visitors can go to watch Cendrawasih and other tropical birds are Tambrauw and Raja Ampat. 

Red Bird of Paradise

In Tambrauw mountains, there is a valley. Its namr is Fef valley. It is the capital of Tambrauw regency. Birds such as Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and King Bird of Paradise as well as Magnificent Birds of Paradise can be watched there. Other birds that can be seen in the valley and mountains of Tambrauw include Blyth's Hornbill, New Guinea Vulturine Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Moustached Treeswift, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove, Pinomln Imperial Pigeon and a lot more. 

Sausapor is a great destination of birdwatching too. There is a nice beach resort in Sansapor where visitors can stay during their holiday in Tambrauw. Visitors can enjoy watching Western-crowned Pigeon, Moluccan King Parrot, Grey Crow, Black Sunbird, Black-capped Lory, Yellow-faced Myna, Red-cheeked Parrot and a lot of other birds in this region. 

The beach in Sansapor is a great place for snorkeling. Visitors can enjoy swimming over the coral reef to see various species of tropical fish including parrotfish, anemonefish, grouper and a lot more. 

Another destination of this trip is Waigeo island in Raja Ampat. It is a place for watching Red Bird of Paradise (Cendrawasih Merah) and Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Cendrawasih Botak). It is also a great site for watching Common Paradise Kingfisher, Western-crowned Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Beach Kingfisher, and Hooded Butcherbird. 

Visitors can stay at a beach resort or at the homestays that are run by villagers.  If you are interested in taking a birdwatching holiday in West Papua, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Butterfly Watching Tour in West Papua

West Papua province of Indonesia is a great destination for visitors who like watching butterflies. There are a lot of places which tourists can visit to see them. I have prepared an itinerary for visitors as described below:

Birdwing Butterfly in West Papua

Day 1 -2

Tour participants should organize their trip to Manokwari city. We will meet you at the airport and organize your trip to higher elevation forest of Arfak mountains. There, you will be able to watch such butterflies as Ornithoptera titonus, Ornithoptera paradisea, Taenaris schoenbergi kenricki, Neptis sp. and a lot more. 

Day 3-4

We shall continue our trip by going down to lower montane forest to look for such butterflies as Cruiser butterfly, Silky Owl butterfly, Ulysses butterfly and etc.

Butterfly in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

Day 5-6

Fly to Sorong and transfer to Waigeo island. We explore the forest edge to see its butterflies such as Idea Durvillei, Graphium Agramemnon and etc.

Day 7

Watching butterfly in Sorong

End of Tour

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to +6281332245180.

Cendrawasih Birds

Cendrawasih is the Indonesian terminology for birds of paradise. There are approximately 43 species of cendrawasih and most of them can be found in rainforest of New Guinea. There are tens of places where visitors can go to watch them. Some of them include Waigeo island, Wondiboy Mountains, Arfak mountains and Tambrauw Mountains. 

Cendrawasih Raja is also called King Bird of Paradise

Cendrawasih Raja (Cicinnurus regius), also called King Bird of Paradise, can be watched in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari. It takes around one hour by car plus 1 hour 30 minutes of hiking to reach birding site. Cendrawasih Raja can also be watched in Klatomok village of Klasow valley. 

Paradigala Ekor Panjang

Paradigala Ekor Panjang (Paradigalla carunculata),  also called Long-tailed Paradigalla, is a bird of paradise whose living area is very limited. It can be found in higher elevation or cloud forest of Arfak mountains. This is an important target among birdwatchers who want to see endemic birds of New Guinea.

Parotia Arfak / Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata)

Parotia Arfak (Parotia sefilata), also called Western Parotia) is another species of Bird of Paradise that lives in cloud forest of Arfak mountains. The male bird dances like a ballerina. This cendrawasih bird has six antennas on his head. 

A Male Parotia Barat/ Western Parotia was performing his courtship dance

Before performing his courtship dance, a male Parotia Arfak pick-up fallen twigs and leaves from his "dancing stage." After that he calls his female partners to the dancing ground. He will do several dancing rehearsals. When the female Parotia Arfak comes, he will immediately perform his dance. It last for several minutes. During a mating season, the dance will be performed several times a day and the whole performance may last for around 1 hour or more.

Lesser Birds of Paradise in West Papua

Cendrawasih Kuning Kecil (Paradisaea minor), also called Lesser Birds of Paradise, live in lowland and lower montane forest of New Guinea. The male one has got yellow, brown, green, and white colours. A male Cendrawasih Kuning Kecil is more beautiful than the female one. 

Coral Reef and Rainforest in Roswar Island of Cendrawasih Bay

I have just returned from Roswar. It is an island in Cendrawasih Bay and part of the territory of Wondama regency. I stayed in Waprak village which is the capital of District Roswar.

Guesthouses near hot spring in Roswar island for visitors

It is a beautiful island that is surrounded by coral reef. Most of Roswar is covered by rainforest. Villagers of Roswar work as fishermen and farmers. They catch fish and lobster. When passenger ship visits the island, villagers sell their fish to passengers and crew of the ship at the jetty of Nordiwar village. The coastal area of Roswar consists of brown and white sand beaches, rocks and cliffs; and manggrove forest. A lot of fish make manggrove forest as their hiding and breeding sites. That's the reason why there is a lot of fish in Roswar. 

Roswar island in Wondama regency of West Papua

The forest of Roswar is the habitat of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. There are parrots, doves, and kingfishers in Roswar island. 

Visitors who travel to Roswar can enjoy hiking to see wildlife and snorkeling. They can enjoy fishing and grill their catch at the beach. Don't forget to bring binoculars, camera, and snorkeling sets (masks, snorkeling pipes and swim fins).

Another attraction of Roswar island is its hot stream water. Sometimes it is safe to swim in the stream, especially during high-tide and most often, it is dangerous especially during low-tide because the water of the stream will be too hot for visitors. 

Local government of Wondama regency has built guesthouses near the hot stream for visitors who want to stay there for weeks during their holiday. To stay there, visitors need to visit Waprak village and ask for permission from the head of District Roswar. 

Roswar island in West Papua

Getting There

• Visitor need to fly from their country to Jakarta, Denpasar - Bali or Surabaya
• After that they can continue their trip to Manokwari city by taking domestic flight served by such airlines as Lion Air, Batik Air, Sriwijaya Air. 
• The next part of the trip will be taking a short flight by a small passenger plane Cessna Caravan 208 operated by Susi Air from Manokwari to Wasior town. The sea trip between Roswar and Wasior town is around 2.5 hours by speedboat. There is direct ship route (around 4 hours) between Manokwari and Roswar but it is only once a week suitable for visitors who want to enjoy their vacation in Roswar for 1 full week. 

Flight route to Wasior town in Wondama Bay regency

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to +6281332245180 if you need further info.

Snorkeling Tour in Coral Reef of Cendrawasih Bay

Cendrawasih bay in West Papua province of Indonesia is a great destination for snorkeling visitors who want to see various species of marine creatures that live in coral reef. There are hundreds of coral reef sites which visitors can explore. The ones that have got pristine and beautiful coral reef are located in Wondama regency. 

Coral reef in Manokwari

As a tourist guide, I organize snorkeling adventure tours to several different places in West Papua province of Indonesia. One of them is to Wasior town. This is the economic  hub of Wondama regency. This is a great destination for marine lovers. Snorkeling to this regency can be organized in an Island-Hopping method. 

Roon island is a beautiful place for visitors who want to enjoy snorkeling. There are traditional fishing villages in the island where visitors can visit and stay. The nearby Rariyau and Manuop islands have got beautiful coral reef that is teeming with rich marine life. 

Soughwepu and Yembekiri in Wondama regency

Crossing the sea to the west, visitors will be able to see Rumberpon island that is the entrance gate to Purup Karst. There are small kiosks in Yembekiri village for visitors to buy snacks and mineral water. Soughwepu village is at other side of the straight that separates the Rumberpon island and the mainland.  Before visiting the Karst, visitors need to request permission from chief in Yomakan village.

Traveling further to the north, visitors will be able to see hot stream in Roswar island. It is too hot and too dangerous for the visitors to swim in it.

Flight route to Wasior town in Wondama regency

First, visitors need to fly from their country to Jakarta or Denpasar city of Indonesia. Second, they need to fly to Manokwari city. I will met and organize their trip to Wondama regency.

Wondama regency is a great destination for snorkeling tours. It has got hundreds of small and big islands which are surrounded by coral reef. Butterflyfish, angelfish, anemonefish, spadefish, damselfish, snappers, jacks, anthias, turtles, parrotfish are some of the many fishes which visitors can see while swimming over the coral reef of Wondama.

Snorkeling attractions in Wondama regency

The duration of the tour is usually 1 week. To share the cost, visitors can travel in a group of 4 to 6 people. 

For more info, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to peace4wp@gmail.com.

Coral Reef in Cendrawasih Bay - A Great Snorkeling Destination

Three important coral reef sites in Bird's Head Seascape that have got high marine biodiversity include Cendrawasih Bay, Triton Bay and Raja Ampat. There are a lot of islands in these regions where tourists can go to enjoy swimming and snorkeling. I personally have visited them. 

However, my recent visits were mostly in Cendrawasih Bay. I enjoyed snorkeling over the coral reef of Wasior town, Menarbu village, Yoop island and Purup islands. They were very beautiful. Reef fish such as parrotfish, surgeonfish, grouper, and anemonefish can be seen everywhere. I also visited Rariyau which was an uninhabited island. The seascape was fantastic. It was around 10 minutes by motorized boat from Yende village in Roon island.

Coral Reef in Cendrawasih Bay of Wondama regency

Today, visitors can travel to Cendrawasih bay easily. First, they need to fly from their country to Jakarta, Surabaya, or Denpasar city of Indonesia. After that, they can continue their trip by taking domestic flight to Manokwari city. Airlines such as Sriwijaya Air, Lion and Batik Air offer regular flights to Manokwari from major cities in Indonesia. So, there is flight to Manokwari every day.  From Manokwari, visitors can go by ferry boat or by airplane to Wasior town. 

Flight Route to Wondama in Cendrawasih Bay

There are small hotels, inns and homestays in Wasior town which visitors can choose to stay. Boats to islands in the bay are also available. Because Wasior is the economic hub of Wondama regency, visitors can buy various kinds of things in the town from clothing, fishing equipment to fruits and vegetables, biscuits and mineral water. 

If you are an avid snorkelers, please, bring your own snorkeling device. It is important to have snorkeling mask that is perfectly fit onto your face. 

Because Wondama regency has not been fully developed as tourist destination, visitors will not find luxurious resorts in remote beaches such as in Maldives, Wakatobi or Bali. Only traditional fishing villages that are scattered in many islands of Wondama regency. 

Coastal area of Cendrawasih Bay in Wondama regency

Bringing a waterproof underwater camera is also important because it will allow you to take beautiful underwater pictures of fish and coral reef.

Snorkeling adventure tour can be organized to this region. The trip usually lasts for at least 4 days covering many important coral reef sites of Wondama regency.

The trip can be combined with hiking tour through the forest to see tropical birds such as parrots, cockatoos, pigeons, and kingfishers. The number of participants can be as low as 2 people to as high as six people. Pristine rainforest can be seen in Wondiboy mountains which is the habitat of birds, mammals, insects and reptiles. Camping in the forest can be organized for visitors who want to study the complex ecosystem of rainforest. There are many small streams in Wondiboy where visitors can use as their base to build basecamp. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling adventure tour to Cendrawasih Bay, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

• How to take pictures in Coral Reef
• Threat to Coral Reef
• Coral Reef in the Waters of Manokwari

Coral Reef and Marine Biodiversity in Indonesia

Indonesia is a country that is in the center of coral triangle. It is also located between the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. The coral reef in Indonesia has got the highest marine biodiversity in the world. Raja Ampat, Triton Bay and Cendrawasih Bay National Park in West Papua province, as well as Wakatobi and Bunaken National Park of Indonesia, attract the attention of people from around the world to explore its beauty and wealth of its marine creatures. 

They come as marine biologists, recreational scuba divers, or just as ordinary visitors who like to walk and swim at white sandy beaches of Indonesia. Coral reef has now become a tourist attraction. Actually this is an additional pressure to coral reef environment. 

Bird's Head Seascape (Cendrawasih Bay in Wondama regency; Raja Ampat; and Triton Bay in Kaimana regency) which covers huge coral reef area in West Papua is the natural habitat of 1,864 species of reef fish and more than 600 corals. 

Birds Head Seascape also has got huge area of mangrove forest. These precious marine environment can be considered as fish factory. The plants along the coast provide food, construction materials and herbal medicines to the indigenous people who live in remote islands. They are not able to have quick access modern health clinics and hospitals in cities such as Sorong and Manokwari. They mostly depend on herbs from coastal plants around their villages.

For islanders in remote islands, coral reef is seen as their source of livelihood. They go there to catch fish, shrimp, and collect sea cucumber and seashells that have got high economic value. 

Diving in Raja Ampat islands

Unfortunately, coral reef is being massively destroyed by human whether we realize it or not. Our use of plastic bags, wrappings, and bottles and chemical substances is increasing every year. They become wastes that are harmful to the environment. Sea turtles eat the transparent plastic wrappings as if they are jellyfish. There are still a lot of factories that dump their chemical wastes into the river or the sea. They kill tiny organisms that live in coral reef. A lot of cities and towns still do not have proper sewage water treatment systems. Dirty and toxic water continues to pollute our seas. This happens globally. In other waters marine pollution is world wide problem.

We can start to overturn this phenomenon. We can reject plastic bags when we do shopping at supermarkets. We can increase our purchase of foods that are wrapped by environmentally friendly materials such as leaves from banana or teakwood trees. We can reduce our dependence on chemical liquids by finding more environmentally friendly materials. 

The exploitation of natural resources in coral reef has to be regulated so that it will not cause any damages to the precious marine environment.  Coral reef has to be preserved. Coral reef plays very important role in our environment. There are a lot of species of filter feeding animals in coral reef. Some of them include Snake Sea Cucumber (Synapta maculata), Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), clams, krill, sea cucumber, small fishes and even some sharks. They clean the seawater making it crystal clear and healthier for all living organisms in the sea. 

Zooxanthellae algae performs photosynthesis that produce oxygen and food for marine animals in the coral reef. In other words coral reef is the rainforest.

A well managed marine protected area can preserve coral reef and at the same time bring prosperity to local people who live in this fragile marine environment. 

• Coral Reef in Raja Ampat Archipelago
• Coral Reef in Cendrawasih Bay - A Great Snorkeling Destination

Aimas Town of Sorong Regency - A Recommended Destination for Culinary Tourism in West Papua

Aimas is the capital of Sorong regency. It is located around 30 minutes to the southeast direction from Sorong city. There are a lot of farmlands around Aimas. Farmers produce various kinds of food materials both to Sorong city and Aimas. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that there are a lot of eating houses in Aimas. Most of the menus that are offered to visitors are tasty Indonesian cuisines. There is grilled mujair fish that is offered with stir-fried kangkung, fresh basil vegetables and chilli sauce. There is also grilled chicken that is offered with sliced tomato, soy sauce, fresh basil leaves and chilli sauce. 

Spicy Indonesian Cuisines in Aimas town of Sorong regency

Visitors can also try seafood in many eating houses around Aimas. Visitors who are interested in trying the delicious Indonesian cuisines in West Papua can go to Aimas town. 

There are hotels, lodges and homestays in Aimas town that provide affordable accommodation for anyone who wants to stay there for a few days while exploring the farmlands of Sorong regency.

If you are interested in visiting Aimas town of Sorong regency and need a guide to accompany you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Wildlife Watching Tour in Wondiboy Peninsula

Wondiboy peninsula is located in West Papua province of the Republic of Indonesia. It is a great destination for visitors who are interested in rainforest and coral reef environments. Visitors can see various kinds of marine creatures when they enjoy snorkeling over its coral reef. The giant clam (Tridacna gigas),  Spinecheek Anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus), are some of the many marine animals that visitors can see.

Wondiboy Peninsula in Wondama Bay Regency

Flight route to Wasior town in Wondama Regency

In lowland forest, beautiful birds such as Lowland Peltop (Peltop blainvilii), Red Myzomela (Myzomela cruentata) and Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro) can be seen there when we do morning walks along the road. Important birding sites include District Naikere in the south of Rasiei town. 

Art Drawing of Fruit Dove

There are a lot of species of doves in tropical rainforest of West Papua. I always see some of them when I guide tourists on birding tours in Sorong, Raja Ampat, Tambrauw and Manokwari. 

They eat fruits and spread their seeds to all corners of the forest. Birds are seed dispersers, they are the ones who work tirelessly in planting trees and safeguard the rainforest. 

I made a drawing of Beautiful Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus) using Derwent Water Colour Pencils. Using a drawing software, I erased its white background and upload it on to my tropical art shop in Redbubble. The artwork can now be ordered as prints on t-shirt, iPhone skin, hat, mug, and etc. 

Some products with prints of Beautiful Fruit Dove

Beautiful Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus) lives in lowland and lower montane forest of New Guinea and its satellite islands. They eat berries and can easily be watched all year round. However, the best time to watch the bird is during fruiting season. 

Wompoo Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)

I have also created a lot of other drawings including butterflies, flowers, baby turtle, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, and etc. They can be seen at my online Tropical Art Shop in Redbubble.

Please, see my other artworks as well:

• Red Bird of Paradise
• Lesser Birds of Paradise

Coloured Pencil Drawing of Whaleshark and Dolphins

Here are some pictures of fish that I created using coloured pencils and vector drawing software - Inkscape. The first one is whaleshark and a swimmer, the second drawing was manta and the third one is dophin. The sea has always been my source of art inspiration. The following drawings are now available as frame art prints in redbubble. Readers can see more artworks at this shop: Art Drawing Inspired by the Sea.

Swimming with Whaleshark

Coloured pencil drawing of manta and a swimmer 

Dolphins at sea

I used to guide tourists on snorkeling and sightseeing tour in Raja Ampat islands. We used speedboats to remote places where the coral reefs are in pristine condition. Some times at the middle of the sea, we saw dophins swimming on the surfice. They could also be seen when we stood on a jetty of bungalow while looking at the beautiful blue sea. 

An Australian visitor was taking pictures of the Kabui bay from a hill  in Waigeo island

In addition to the above drawings, I also drew various other fish both manually using watercolour pencils and digitally using Autodesk sketchbook application. They can be seen at the following slideshow:

There is a site near Arborek island where manta likes to gather. I and a number of visitors from Europe visited it early in the morning.  We swam on the surface while looking at the bottom of around  15 meters where mantas were swimming around. It was their cleaning station. 

I hope that these artworks can raise our awareness about the importance of preserving our beautiful environment. 

Please, have a look at my other artworks:

• Baby Turtle
• Clown Anemonefish (nemo)

Snorkeling at Abasi Beach of Manokwari

Abasi is beach in the suburb of Manokwari city. It is a great place for swimming and snorkeling. Its coral reef is the natural habitat of anemonefish, striped surgeonfish, damselfish, moorish idol, parrotfish, wrasse, and a lot more. Abasi beach can be reached by taking ojek (motorcycle taxi) from Manokwari city for around 25 to 30 minutes. There are houses along both sides of the street.

Marine life in coral reef of Abasi beach

Visitors need to bring their own snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel and swim fins) if they want to enjoy snorkeling at Abasi beach. Bringing an underwater camera will also enhance the snorkeling experience of visitors. 

Abasi Beach in the suburb of Manokwari city

Accommodation - Visitors can stay in one pf the many hotels in Manokwari city and go by ojek (motorcycle taxi) or stay in the villagers houses at Abasi beach. The latter option will significantly bring economic benefits to local people. 

Abasi is also a great beach for wave surfing especially from October to April when the waves are big. Visitors need to bring their own surfboards. Little boys and girls learn surfing using simple handmade wooden boards which they get from their village. 

Anemonefish in the coral reef of Manokwari

Internet connection - Most parts of Manokwari city is covered by mobile phone network with 4G internet service provided by Telkomsel of Indonesia. Visitors can buy voucher reload for their mobile phone at ATM machines or from shops in the city. 

Flights to Manokwari

Manokwari as tourist destination can easily be reached by planes from big cities in Indonesia. Sriwijaya, Batik Air and Lion Air have regular daily flights to Manokwari from such cities as Denpasar, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado, Sorong and Jayapura.

Flight route to Manokwari city

Other tourist attractions in Manokwari

In addition to snorkeling at Abasi beach, visitors who travel to Manokwari can go hiking and wildlife watching in Arfak mountains to see Vogelkop Bowerbird, Western Parotia and Magnificent Birds of Paradise.

Magnificent Bird of Paradise in the forest of Manokwari

If you are interested in visiting Manokwari and want me to arrange your trip, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Snorkeling in Manokwari
• Snorkeling Season in Manokwari

Tourist Attractions Around Wasior Town of Cendrawasih Bay National Park

Wasior is a small town in Cendrawasih Bay. It is the economic hub of Wondama regency. There are a lot of attactions around Wasior which visitors can see if they want to take their holiday there. Some of them are described below.

Tourist attractions around Wasior town

Rowi Stream - This is a fast moving stream that flows from Wondiboy Nature Reserve to the sea. It is located near the local government office of Wondama regency. Visiting this place, visitors can enjoy hiking along the sides of the stream and see the green trees of the rainforest. Picnics can be done in this stream too. The water here is cool.

Rowi stream in Rasiei area of Wondama 

There is an unused road that crosses this stream. It is a good site for birdwatching and insect watching. Birds such as Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Black Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Grey Crow, Coconut Lorikeet are common in this forest.

Butterflies in Wasior town

Flowers and Butterflies - The frontyards of local government buildings in Rasiei area (locally called: kompleks perkantoran pemda Wondama) are decorated with various kinds of flowers plants. They attract butterflies such as the Silky Owl Butterfy, Cruiser Butterfly, and New Guinea birdwing butterfly. More butterflies can also be seen in Perumahan Pemda (housing area of local government employees). There, visitors can see different colours of hibiscus and other tropical  flowers grown by home owners in their frontyards. Because the flower gardens of these housing and building areas are located at the foot of Wondiboy mountains, they are often visited by insects especially butterflies.

Orchid garden in Wondama

Still on the discussion about flowers, visitors can go to Karumatiri homestay located next to Ketapang Lima Beach. Visitors could see orchid garden at the backyard. The owner of the garden can provide a short tour for visitors  to see the orchids and explain how to grow them. 

Beach and Coral Reef

The coastal region of Wondama Bay has got a number of coral reef areas that are beautiful. Visitors can enjoy swimming and snorkeling there. 

Tropical Beach and Coral Reef in Wasior

Snorkeling can be done at Ketapang Lima Beach, Sobey Beach and its sand bank, Wandamui beach, the northern area of Rowor beach, and Cape Duairi of Aisandami village.  As a matter of fact there are hundreds of coral reef sites in Wondama regency that are within the national park of Cendrawasih Bay. 

Mangrove Forest and Sago Trees in Ramiki Village

Anyone who is interested in seeing the ecosystem of Mangrove forest can go to Ramiki village. It is a fifteen-minute ride from Wasior town. The best time to visit the forest is during the low tide. This can be checked using an Android based application such as Nautide. 

Mangrove forest in Ramiki village of Wondama bay during low tide

Visitors can meet local guide Eky Sawaki at Ramiki village to ask for guiding service to the mangrove forest and to a lot of other interesting places around Wondama.

Mangrove forest

Visitors can stay in homestays that belong to the villagers and enjoy balobe (night time spearfishing) with local villagers. They can also see how local people extract sago starch from sago tree using simple tools. The starch can be baked or cooked in various kinds of menu. A freshly baked sago is often consumed in the mornings and in the evenings with tea or coffee milk.

Baked Sago from Wasior town of Wondama regency

Kowi Viewpoint

The Wondiboy mountains behind Wasior town are great destination for hikers and mountain climbers. There are several view points which offer beautiful views of Wondama bay with its blue sea. This viewpoint is located above Kabuou village. Visitors can go to the village by ojek (motorcycle taxi) to meet the villagers who can guide them to Kowi viewpoint. Before starting the rainforest tour, visitors can buy water, biscuits and other food materials at small kiosks in the village or in Wasior town.

Kowi Viewpoint in Wasior

The forest in this viewpoint is the natural habitat of a lot of species of plants and animals. Tropical birds that can be seen in the mornings include Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Black-capped Lory, Hooded Butcherbird, Slender-billed Cuckoo Dove, Beautiful Fruit Dove and a lot more. Possum, bandicoot, cicada, butterflies, beetles, and soa-soa monitor lizard can also be found in this tropical forest. 

To reach this viewpoint visitors need to endure a 2 hour hiking up steep slopes. Camping can be carried out in coordination with local guides. The most recommended camping site is near water stream at one of the ravines of this mountain range. 

Culinary

Wondama is a maritime regency. This is clearly reflected by the kinds of food that people eat. While most of the people in Indonesia eat rice, chicken, tempe and tahu, the main ingredients of food which people of Wondama eat consist of taro, sago, fish, shrimp, seashell, squid. Papeda is congee made from sagoo starch. It is the staple food of people in coastal region of West Papua. Fish soup is added to papeda. For vegetables, green leaves such as kangkung (water spinach), ganemo, paku (fern), and flower of papaya are the common ingredients that visitors will find when buying food at eating houses, and food stalls in town. 

Typical ingredients of local food

Food materials from the surrounding rainforest are often included in the daily menu of local people, they include wild boar and deer meat for protein and bamboo shoots as vegetables.

Where to stay and Where to eat

As a small town, Wasior does not have big hotels like what people will see in cities around the world. There are small hotels, lodges, and inns which visitors can choose while spending their holiday in Wasior. 

There are a lot of eating houses and food stalls in Wasior town. A list of accommodation, restaurants, eating houses and shops in Wasior town. Here is a guesthouse for visitors at the Ketapang Lima beach.

Karumatiri Guesthouse at Ketapang Lima Beach of Wasior Town

How to get to Wasior town

It is easy to reach the town. International visitors need to fly from their country to Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar or Manado. From these cities of Indonesia, they can fly to Manokwari (the capital of Papua Barat province). Regular daily flights between Manokwari and those cities are served by Sriwijaya Air, Batik Air and Lion Air. 

There are hotels in Manokwari city for visitors who want to take a break for one or two days before their next trip to Wasior. The capital of Wondama regency is Rasiei. It is an integral part of Wasior town. 

Arriving in Manokwari, visitors can continue their trip to Wasior by a small passenger aircraft - Cessna Caravan 208 - operated by Susi Air. Tickets can be bought at the airport of Manokwari. The capacity of the aircraft is 10 people.

Flight route to Wasior (Rasiei) in Wondama Bay regency

There are also passenger ships that go to Wasior town. KM. Express Bahari 9E and KM. Margareth, KMP Napan Wainami sail between Manokwari and Wasior several times a week. 

Motor vessel KM. Margareth sails between Anggrem harbor of Manokwari and Port of Wasior based on the following schedule:

• Thursday: Manokwari - Wasior
• Friday: Wasior - Manokwari
• Sunday: Manokwari - Wasior
• Monday: Wasior - Manokwari

The passenger vessel leaves at 17:00 local time and arrives early in the morning at around 06:00. The ticket price is 160,000 rupiahs per person. Beds are available on decks. For those who want to get more privacy, they can pay for a room with 2 beds at additional cost 500,000 rupiahs/ room. Payment of the tickets and the rooms can be done directly in the boat. 

If you are interested in visiting Wasior town and want me to organize your trip and be your guide, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

This is written by Charles Roring

Snorkeling Tour in Cendrawasih Bay

There are a lot of tropical islands inside Cendrawasih Bay. Most of them are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs that are teeming with abundant marine flora and fauna. They become important attraction for visitors who like swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving.  

Around 500 hard corals can be seen in Cendrawasih Bay. They are the natural habitat of a lot of reef fish including Burgess's butterflyfish, Cendrawasih Bay Walking Shark (Hemiscyllium  galei),  Walton's flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus walton), Papuan Convict Goby (Priolepsis sp.), and etc.

Coral Reef in Cendrawasih Bay

Rowor beach in the suburb of Wasior town of Wondama regency

Most foreign visitors travel around the islands of the bay by liveaboard diving boats. It is a comfortable but quite an expensive trip. Now the visits to Cendrawasih bay can be organized in a group of 4 to 6 participants in more affordable cost. 

Local guides use speedboat to carry tour participants around the Cendrawasih bay in an island hopping tour style. Visitors can enjoy swimming and snorkeling in remote islands. At night they will go to a village and stay in homestays. It is also interesting for visitors to see local people in their daily life. 

Various kinds of corals in Cendrawasih Bay

To enjoy snorkeling in Cendrawasih Bay, visitors need to go to Manokwari city. It is the capital of West Papua province of Indonesia.  

Foreign visitors can take international flights from their country to Jakarta, Surabaya, or Denpasar city of Indonesia. They can also fly to Singapore and then continue their trip to Manado city by Scoot Tigerair. 

Flights from Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, and Manado as well as other major cities in Indonesia to Manokwari city are available every day and are served by Batik Air, Sriwijaya Air, and Lion Air. 

Rendani Airport of Manokwari with Arfak mountains at the background

Arriving in Manokwari city, visitors can stay for 1 night in one of the hotels in the city. The next day, they can go to Wasior town by a small passenger plane Cessna Caravan 208B in Rendani airport or by passenger vessels: KM. Margareth or KM. Express Bahari 9E at Anggrem harbor of Manokwari. 

Flight route to Wasior town in Wondama regency

A traditional market in Wasior town

Wasior is a small town. It is an economic, and transportational hub for visitors who want to explore islands in Cendrawasih Bay. Visitors can buy food, mineral water and other logistical material in Wasior town. There are small hotels, gueshouses, shops, and restaurants in Wasior town. 

Visitor attractions that can be seen around Wasior town include Aitumieri hill, Siewandamuni harbor, Sobey Sandbank (locally called Pasir Timbul), Wandamui hill, Wandamui beach and waterfall, Dusner waterfall, and Rowi river. 

Wasior town in Teluk Wondama regency

However, visitors need to bring snorkeling equipment from their own country. Buy snorkeling gear in Indonesia may not fit on the face of a snorkeler. 

In addition to swimming and snorkeling, visitors can also do other activities such as fishing, birdwatching or visiting the villages in the bay. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour in Cendrawasih Bay and want local guides to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.