West Papua, formerly known as West Irian, is one of the easternmost provinces in Indonesia, located on New Guinea Island. The region is endowed with plentiful natural paradises. It is the perfect place to explore ancient forests, enthralling mountains, breathtaking marine life, and fascinating local traditions. Before booking your flight, here are some of the most favorable places for your West Papua holiday.
2 Top Fascinating Places for Your West Papua Holiday
Raja Ampat Archipelago
Raja Ampat Archipelago, also known as the Four Kings, is located on the western part of the Doberai Peninsula or Bird’s Head Peninsula in Raja Ampat Regency. It has the world’s richest marine biodiversity consisting of more than a thousand tiny islands and the four largest islands called Batanta, Misool, Waigeo, and Salawati. Raja Ampat’s marine biodiversity comprises hundreds of complex coral species and thousands of reef fish.
If you love exploring the wonder of underwater, Raja Ampat Archipelago is the best place for you. You can book a tour that provides a travel package for diving, snorkeling, and kayaking. Then, stay in a resort near the most sought diving spots. To go to Raja Ampat Archipelago, you must travel by boat after arriving at Sorong Airport.
For those who do not enjoy getting soaked, there is a tourism village in Raja Ampat known as Arborek Tourism Village for your West Papua holiday. The town is located on a tiny island, with a size of 7 hectares, called Arborek island. With this size, you can tour the island in less than an hour. Start with taking a stroll on the beach to witness the beautiful setting sun and nearby marine life. You can roam around the village the next day to see the local traditions.
To reach this place, you can travel via the sea using a ship available in one of the Ports in Sorong to Waisai. Then, you can continue a two-hour journey by longboat from Waisai to the village. Homestays in the town mainly prepare the sea transport. So, do not forget to contact your homestay owners to ask about this service.
Manokwari Regency
The second place for West Papua holiday is Manokwari. Manokwari Regency is the capital of West Papua Province. It is home to more than 100,000 people, which consists of several native tribes. The majority is the Arfak Tribe and its sub-tribes, such as Hattam-Moiley Tribe, Meiyah Tribe, Manipur Tribe, and others. The region has many tourist destinations, such as historical sites on Mansinam Island and some water tourism spots.
A perfect place if you are an avid historian is Mansinam Island. It houses several religious heritages from the beginning of West Papua’s civilization. There is an Evangelist grave site with the Biak Tribe’s architectural style called Rumsram, a Gospel Monument of Jesus Christ, a Monumental Cross, and the Old Church of Lahai-roi.
Besides the historical sites, Manokwari has many beautiful beaches, such as Bakaro Beach, Yen Bebay Beach, Amban Beach, and Maruni Beach. Each beach has bluish-clean water, which is a perfect place for diving and snorkeling, especially Yen Bebay Beach. You can rent diving or snorkeling equipment there and then witness the beach’s underwater beauty. In addition, the beach is famous for its soft white sand. You can stroll along the beach shore while catching a glimpse of the colorful coral reefs.
Those are the best places to visit for your West Papua holiday. Raja Ampat Archipelago is the right destination if you love swimming, diving, or snorkeling. If you want to capture the diversity of life on land, go to the remaining tourist destinations such as Arborek Village and historical sites in Manokwari Regency.
