West Papua (Papua Barat)

1. Ancient Sites of Kokas
Ancient Sites of Kokas are remains of pre-history sites where you can find drawings on canyons. These drawings show palms and animals which are still clear until now. These drawings on canyons locally known as Tapuraran, were made using natural materials in red color, similar to human blood. Therefore, the local community often calls them blood paintings. In addition to the drawings, you can also enjoy beautiful sceneries of seas and atols on the way to these sites. Flying albatross is another attraction that you can see here.
2. Arborek Tourism Village
Arborek Tourism Village is known for their handicraft made of sea pandan leafs in hats and noken (bags). Nearly all mothers in this village produce such handicrafts for a living. In addition, this village also has interesting underwater tourism. Visitors can find many dive spots near this village. It also offers manta fish attraction for divers. This tourism village is not big, that it will not take so much time and energy to travel around the village. For snorkeling, you don’t have to travel far because you can find interesting underwater world near Arborek pier. For diving, it will take about 10 minutes by longboat to the dive spot.
3. Japanese Army Fortress
This Japanese fortress is located in Kokas city center, Kokas district, Fak-Fak, West Papua. This fortress is one of the Japanese fortresses during World War II. It was build by making a cave under a hill by a beach side. In this fortress, there are three gates and a bunker connected by the 138 meter long cave.
4. Kamaka Lake
Kamaka Lake is located in Lomira village, also known as Kamaka village, in Triton Bay, Kaimana, West Papua province. This lake is about 30 kilometers long, stretching out from Kamaka village to Saria village and it is about 1 kilometer wide. By the local community, this lake is also called Amafata Lake. This lake is unique as it has an extreme difference between low and high tides for a period of 5 to 8 years. During low tide, the local community usually use the lake land for planting crops. You can find big fresh lobsters here.
Since you must walk to the beautiful panorama of Lake Kamaka, you should have a good physical condition. It will take more than one day to travel around this 30 kilometer long lake. In addition to its beautiful panorama, you can also see big fresh lobsters in Lake Kamaka. If we are lucky, we can find wild deer. After a long walk, you can also swim in the lake so as to refresh your body.
5. Manokwari
The town of Manokwari is located right on the top of the Bird’s Head Peninsula in Papua, otherwise known as West New Guinea or West Irian. During World War II, Manokwari was the stronghold of the Japanese army against the Allied Forces and the US under the command of General MacArthur, who was headquartered at Hollandia--today called Jayapura--on the north coast of Papua. But by 1944, Manokwari and the entire north coast yielded to the Allied Forces. Manokwari stretches around Doreri Bay, and is attractively set among low hills dominated by the Arfak mountains to the south. Manokwari is the town from where Christianity spread in Papua, started by two German missionaries C.W.Ottow and G.G. Geissler who landed here on 5 February 1855. The remains of these pioneer missionaries now lie at the Koawi Church under a monument just outside of town on the way towards Pasir Putih. Further down at Pasir Putih--or the White Sand Beach, there is a shallow coral bank where one can go snorkeling and see a variety of reef fishes.
A hike up the hill is the Japanese War Memorial by the Gunung Meja forest Park commemorating the first landing of the Japanese 221 and 222 divisions. From here there is a panaromic view on the town, the Doreri Bay and the Arfak mountains. Facing Manokwari are Leman Island and Mansenam Island. A longboat from the harbor takes you to Mansenam island where there is a large white cross commemorating the pioneering work of the two German missionaries who first landed here and set up the first mission outpost in Irian. Nearby is an old church and a well. Further inland there is a cave full of flying foxes. On the west side of the island one can see a large Japanese ship sunk during World War II, lying on its side in clear water. The craft is now home to fish and coral formations. Manokwari is ideal for trekking to the Arfak mountains, see the bower bird, traditional houses built on hundred stilts, and the Magase traditional dance. Butterfly lovers will find unique butterfly species here. Ransiki is a transmigration town. A beautiful panaroma awaits trekkers between Manokwari and Ransiki. Further up the Arfak mountains are the Giji and the Gita lakes, where live the Hatam and Manikom communities with their own unique traditions.

6. Patimburak Old Mosque
Patimburak Old Mosque was built during the Portuguese colonial era i.e., in 1870 by Imam Abuhari Kilian. Despite many renovations, this mosque is still standing strong and used as a worship house for Moslems in Patimburak village. It has unique architecture as it is a combination of a church and mosque with the same square form. You can walk around the mosque and see the life of the Moslem community here. This simple mosque covers an area of not more than 200 square meters and is located in a village occupied by about 30 families. This mosque has unique architecture as it is a combination of a church and mosque. In addition, the life of the local inhabitants and beautiful panorama are things you should not miss when you arrive here.
7. Raja Ampat: Divers' Paradise
If you really like diving, after you've seen Raja Ampat, you might not want to return home. Raja Ampat archipelago covers an area of 43,000 km2. It has more than 610 islands, located at the west side of Papua Island. Here, you can find more than 540 types of reefs, 1000 types of reef's fish, and 750 types of mollusks. Raja Ampat offers 75% of the world's reef!
You can also witness other unique species such as pigmy seahorse, webbegong, manta ray and endemic fish called eviota raja (king eviota). One of the best spots is Chicken Reef, where you'll be surrounded by thousands of fish, bamboo sharks and snappers. There are just too many species in Raja Ampat, so unless you're a scientist, it's best to enjoy watching them rather than naming every one of them!
One of the most breathtaking diving experiences is the encounter with school of barracuda (an expert assistance will be needed in certain diving spot), reef sharks, and tortoise shells. In certain dive spots like Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo you can even find Dugongs or mermaids. Although probably not as beautiful as the ones in the myth, dugong fish have certain charms and allure.
Not only underwarter, Raja Ampat also offers amazing experiences inland. The sunset view is legendary. Lots of caves and historical sites to explore. Plus traditional villages you can visit. Here, there are as many experiences as the number of marine species. So when you visit Raja Ampat, forget about counting the wonders. Just enjoy them.
You may rent a small boat if you wish to make personal discoveries along the line of the beaches. Because Raja Ampat Islands have four mountainous main islands, namely Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool, and hundreds of small islands in their vicinity. In addition, the Karst area is a beautiful and original natural phenomenon, as it has various unique flora and fauna as its attractions e.g., Bird of Paradise (Cenderawasih) Botak, Red Cenderawasih, Maleo Waigeo, Kus-kus, orchids, palm etc. You can also trek around the islands to find hidden beauties, like waterfalls and ancient caves.
Raja Ampat is a true natural phenomenon with enormous biological diversity. So underwater photography should be on the top your list. However, Raja Ampat's also rich in other experiences, with its natural conditions, high endemic level of land, sea biodiversity, coastal ecology, and local culture & tradition. So you may also consider:
o Wreck diving
o Sailing
o Kayaking
o Exploring the islands by boat
o Visiting the Red Bird of Paradise
o Enjoying the karst islands around Wayag Island
o Exploring the bat caves (literally, not the Dark Knight variety)
o Make your own wood sculpture guided by an Asmat artisan
o Fishing using traditional Papuan techniques
o Trekking to discover waterfall
o Feeding couscous
o Snorkeling
o Watching The Sea Ghost
8. Sauwandarek Tourism Village
Sauwandarek Tourism Village is located in the western part of Waisai, the capital city of Raja Ampat district, West Papua province. This village is part of Meos Mansar district. Homes in this tourism village with 46 families or about 179 population have original leaf roofs. In this village, women, particularly mothers, produce hats and bags made of sea pandan leaf. This village is famous for its beautiful corals. In addition, there is a salty lake locally called Telaga Yenauwyau, which is located behind the village.
9. Sawinggrai Village
Sawinggrai village is located in Meos Mansar district, Raja Ampat, West Papua province. This village has 36 family heads and it is famous for its fauna and nature tourism. You can see this province’s icon of Cenderawasih (bird of paradise) and feed fish. There are four species of Cenderawasih cultivated in this village, namely Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson’s Bird of Paradise, Lesser Bird of Paradise, and Greater Bird of Paradise. From these species, Red Bird of Paradise is the icon for Sawinggrai village.
To reach the observation site of Cenderawasih bird, you have to climb Manjai Hill behind the village for about 30 minutes. To reach the fish feeding site, you can walk only for about 100 meters to a pier.
In this village, we can see dancing cenderawasih in the morning and afternoon. These birds usually dance in the morning (06.30-07.30 local time), and in the afternoon (16.30-18.00). It is not difficult to see these birds dancing if you arrive ontime. Tourists usually arrive in the location 30 minutes before the birds dance. In addition, feeding the fish is also an interesting activity. Fish in this pier are very friendly with humans. They will swim to get their food from our hand.
10. Sorong
The town of Sorong, located on the “beak” of the Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua is the departure point for your visit to the fabulous Raja Ampat marine park. The word “Sorong” is said to originate from the local Soreri language meaning “deep and turbulent seas”. The town is surrounded by mountains, hills, lowlands and protected forests. As a port, its inhabitants come from multi-ethnic descent. Sorong has long been one of the busiest harbours of West Papua because of the oil found in this region since 1932. However, today oil finds have declined significantly. The oil fields off Sorong were one of the reasons why the Dutch government hung on to Irian after having yielded to the independence of the rest of the Indonesian archipelago. Today, oil is still the dominant industry here, but timber export is a close second, with logs usually directly shipped overseas. Nowadays, government regulations require that milling and processing take place locally, and so plywood factories are being built in Sorong. The seas around Sorong are rich in tuna and shrimp which are also major export items. On Kabra island there is a Japanese farm for cultured pearls, while shark fins and trepang are shipped to Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.
In Sorong on a hill overlooking the town, is a war memorial to the Japanese dead, known as the Tugu Arfak. The complex includes an obelisk, a bronze Shinto deity and long, thin memorial plaques. During World War II, American aircrafts bombed the airfield on Jefman Island, originally built by the Japanese. The airport has now been moved from Jefman Island to Sorong, and is called the Domine Eduard Osok, or better known as DEO airport. To watch the birds of paradise and other endemic birds of Papua take a motorboat to Batanta Island, some three to four hours motoring. For a better view of the fabulous bird of paradise (Cendrawasih), take a trip to Waigeo Island, some five to six hours by motorboat. In Sawinggrai Village, for instance, you can observe four species of Cendrawasih. To stay overnight on Waigeo or Sawinggrai, you need to take your own tent or sleep in local huts.

11. The Bay of Triton
Bay of Triton is located in Kaimana district, West Papua. This area is known for its underwater beauty and cultural heritages. In this Bay, there are 959 types of coral fish and 471 types of coral where 16 of them are new species. The beauty of soft corals is a natural underwater attraction in the Bay of Triton. Here, you can easily find Bryde's whales looking for food near Lobo village. Ancient drawings from pre-history era on mountain sides showing palms and animals in Maimai is a cultural beauty which is as attractive as underwater world in this Bay.
In this Bay, you can see wall drawings in Maimai, Bryde’s whales in Lobo, and dive or snorkel near Temintoi, the Strait of Iris, still within the Bay of Triton. You can only travel around by sea. When the weather is good, you can visit many locations in one day.
In the Bay of Triton, you can enjoy underwater beauty and historical and cultural heritages. Here, interesting diving and snorkeling sites are located in the Strait of Iris in Temintoi where you can see the beauty of soft corals and various types of coral fishes. In addition, you can also visit Lobo village to see Bredy’s whales. Here, the local community live in peace and harmony with the whales. It is not difficult to see these whales on the water surface, looking for food. Another interesting thing is ancient drawings on mountain sides in Maimai. These drawings show human palms and animals in red color. You can see them clearly along 1 km mountainside.
12. Um Island
Um Island is located right in front of Maleumkarta village and it can be seen from Mailang beach in Makbon district, Sorong, West Papua. This island is famous as a habitat for bats and seagulls. Bats in this island look for food at daytime but seagulls at nighttime. It is always interesting to see thousands of bats and seagulls looking for food. In addition, you can also see sunset and beautiful panorama of white beach around the island. It will not take a long time to travel around Um Island. You can walk along the beach for about 15 minutes or by a longboat. In this island, we can see the activities of seagulls and bats. The most interesting thing is when you see thousands of seagulls and bats flying in turn to find food. In addition, you should not miss the beauty of white beach in this island.
13. Wayag Island, Raja Ampat: The Ultimate Underwater Beauty
Wayag Island is one of the islands within Raja Ampat district, West Papua province. This island is known for its beautiful atols and underwater beauty covering a total area of 155,000 hectares (about 383,013.3 acres). Here, you can find beaches with unique karst islands that look like mushrooms coming out from the sea. In these beaches, tourists can see fairy tale panorama. Water in these beaches are very clean and shady, that you can see clearly various types of flora and fauna living underwater. Raja Ampat district has at least 610 islands, but only 35 of them are occupied. These islands generally have extensive white beaches with beautiful marine parks. There are many beautiful and interesting underwater sites in Raja Ampat, that one visit will not be enough. It also has many dive spots. Based on the research conducted by various international agencies, Raja Ampat archipelago has the most complete coral reefs in the world. From 537 types of coral reefs in the world, 75 percent of them are situated in this archipelago. Here, you can find also 1,074 types of corals and fish, plus 700 types of mollusks.
It will not take a long time to travel around its unique beaches. But it takes a strong physical condition to enjoy beautiful panorama in Wayag from a top of atol as you have to climb the atol with steep sides for 30 minutes. In addition to Wayag Island, Raja Ampat also has amazing park of colorful coral reefs in Fam island, or various types of coral fish in Kri island and seahorses in Gam island. You can also see manta fish and remains of aircraft from World War II in Wai island. When diving in Dampier strait, you will surely be accompanied by tamed manta rays and thousands of fish of various types. Misool island in the southern part of Raja Ampat is also known for its underwater beauty, atols and caves.
In this area, we can see beautiful beaches with many atols. In addition, this area also has many dive spots with amazing underwater beauty. You can find various types of fish, turtles, lola, and coral reefs here. There is a species of fish called Kalabia, which is the primadonna among beautiful fishes in this area. If you want to take a break from diving, there are many other experiences to enjoy around Raja Ampat, from trekking and exploring to visiting traditional villages. So many wonders, so little time.

(references: www.indonesia.travel and www.my-indonesia.info)