As one of the tourist destinations in Indonesia, Papua does have a lot of exciting and fun tourist locations. Natural tourism, cultural, and even historical tourism are popular in the Papua region, which is the forefathers’ history of the Indonesian country.
Historical relics that still exist today are clear evidence of the lives of dead witnesses to Indonesian history, particularly the 7 Historical Tours in Papua that we may still see and experience.
Kokas Archaeological Site
This Kokas Archaeological Site is in the village of Kokas in the Fakfak Regency of West Papua.Several red handprints were discovered painted on the limestone walls of cliffs and caves along the beachfront in this location. This historical tourism site is known as the Kokas Archaeological Site, or as the Tapurarang Archaeological Site by the locals.
Because the red tint in the cliff handprint painting resembles the color of human blood, Tapurarang is also known as a blood handprint painting.
World War II Historical Tour on Owi Island, Papua
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In World War II, Owi Island played a critical strategic role in Allied forces defeating Japan in the Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. With such immense historical importance, it is not an exaggeration to say that Owi Island will be the primary point of tourism in the future.
With its natural beauty of the sea, Owi Island is surrounded by three Marine Parks: Padaido, Rani-Mapia Island, and Meos Indi Island. As a result, Owi Island is a destination for both historical and cultural tourism in the Papua region.
Raja Ampat Historical Tour
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Raja Ampat means “Four Kings,” a term that dates back to the 15th century, when one of Tidore’s Islamic Sultans appointed four local kings in Waigeo, Batanta, Salawan, and Misool. The four islands then became administrative areas of West Papua Province, with Waigeo serving as the capital of Raja Ampat Regency. Ancient civilizations in Raja Ampat can be found in historical remnants such as rock wall paintings in various caves on Misool Island. This old stone wall mural is thought to have been created some 2000 years ago.
In the Misool cluster area, prehistoric relics were found in the form of handprints affixed to rock walls. Uniquely, these handprints are very close to sea level and not in a cave. According to estimates, the age of these handprints is about 50,000 years and is part of a series of instructions for the distribution of humans from the western region of the archipelago to Papua and Melanesia.
Historical Tour To Dum Island Old Town
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Dum Island, sometimes known as Doom, is an island near Sorong, West Papua. This island has a long history in modern human culture and was included in the Dutch Colonial map in the 19th century. This island, which has a very beautiful natural appeal, is featured as part of a historical tour in the Papua region.
On Doom Island, we may still discover historical relics from the Dutch Colonial and Japanese Armies. This area is also quite enjoyable in the morning for travelers that appreciate history tourism. The Dutch colonial atmosphere on this island allows us to immerse ourselves in the nuances of the past.
Merauke Historical Tour
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Several monuments were built in Merauke and Soekarno-Hatta’s exile as a medium to commemorate a historic event such as:
- Merauke Monument which is a monument to commemorate the arrival of foreign nations to Merauke.
- The Pepera Monument, this monument was built on 17 September 1969 to commemorate the unification of West Irian (now Papua) into Indonesia.
- The Twin Monument, namely the Sabang-Merauke Monument, a twin monument that is only found in Sabang and Merauke. The same shape describes the area of Indonesia from Sabang to Merauke.
Here you can also see the place where the first President and Vice President of Indonesia were exiled to a dungeon by young people for the sake of Indonesian Independence, which is located approximately 600 km from Merauke Regency to be precise in Boven Digoel Regency.