Formerly known as Irian Jaya, Papua Province is the western half of the New Guinea Island. With a combined area of over 420 thousand square meters, Papua consists of thick impenetrable jungle where many traditional tribes that survive harsh conditions and ‘protect’ itself from modern influences.
Despite having some of the most beautiful and extreme natural attractions in Indonesia, if not Southeast Asia, Papua is also one of the least visited destinations in Indonesia due to the limited direct flights, and also cost.
As pointed out before, the province is vast and can hardly fit into one recommendation article, but we’d like to highlight some of the points of interests to ignite your curiosity to the incredible enigma that is Papua.
Important: surat jalan or travel permits are required for all travelers visiting Papua beyond the main coastal towns. This permit can be easily obtained in Jayapura or Biak.
1. The Baliem Valley
The most popular destination in Irian Jaya and also the most accessible place in the inner valley, with its own Baliem Festival held between 9 to 14 of August each year. The highlight if the festival is the mock ‘tribal fighting’, where men from villagers dress up in full traditional regalia. The festival also features plenty of traditional dancing by both men and women of the Dani tribes, as well as music. Although the festival is tourist oriented and there’s no shortage of foreigners watching the events, the festival is a magical (and very photogenic) occasion.
2. Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. The Raja Ampat archipelago is the part of Coral Triangle which contains the richest marine biodiversity on earth. It is no exaggeration to call Raja Ampat as the “heaven for divers”.
The geographical location of Raja Ampat archipelago in the hub of the world’s coral triangle has made Raja Ampat waters rich of marine biodiversity.The abundance of natural resources of Raja Ampat archipelago lays not only in its waters but also above the land. It is a paradise for bird watchers and one of the very few places where you can see wild Birds of Paradise like the Cendrawasih (Red) Bird of Paradise or the Wilsons Bird of Paradise, different cockatoos, eagles and many more.
3. Diving
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Although it is a destination worth of its own category, there is more to diving in Papua than ‘just’ Raja Ampat. Biak Island, Yapen Islands, and also Cendrawasih Bay Marine Reserve boast some astonishing coral and marine life with many WWII ships that are yet to be explored or even discovered.
After Pearl Harbor, the Dutch declared war on Japan which rendered Irian Jaya, then a part of the Dutch Indies, a crucial point in the battle for the pacific and made the waters abundant with ship and plane wrecks. These areas have the potential to rival northern Sulawesi but Biak, Sorong and Jayapura have the only dive centers.
4. Cenderawasih Bay National Park
A national park that includes the Cenderawasih Bay Marine Reserve, Indonesia’s largest marine reserve that spans 14,300 sq km with 18 islands and over 500 km of coastline. It is home to the incredible whale sharks, endangered species turtles, dugongs and offers some of the best diving (130 species of coral), bird watching, and trekking. A haven for wildlife enthusiasts.
To get there, From Jakarta, take a flight to Biak and on to Manokwari or Nabire. From Nabire take a longboat to the Park at Rumberpon Island, which takes about 5.5 hours.
To visit the Park, contact the Office at:
Jalan Trikora Wosi Rendani, PO Box 220
Manokwari 98312, West Papua
Tel.: 62-986-212212
Email: btnc@manokwari.wasantara.net.id
5. Lorentz National Park
The Lorentz National Park is located in Indonesia’s Papua Province, along the ‘Pegunungan Mandala’ range which has the only permanent snowfields and glaciers in the region and whose Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m asl) is one of the world’s seven ultimate summits. The park itself is named after Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, a Dutch explorer who passed through the area on his 1909–10 expedition, covers an area of 2.35 million hectares, making it the largest protected area in South-East Asia. It is the only protected area in the world to incorporate a continuous, intact transect from snowcap to tropical marine environment, including extensive lowland wetlands.
6. Danau Sentani (East Papua)
The magnificent Danau Sentani in itself makes a trip to Jayapura or Sentani, a small town 36 km off Jayapura. As you fly in, you will see the 9630 ha lake with its 19 islands and fishing villages such as Ayapo, full of wooden houses raised on stilts above the water. A boat trip is the best way to enjoy the lake and to visit some of the islands and villages. The most reliable way to find a boat trip is to arrange one from your place of stay.
7. Numfor Island (Central Papua)
a very undeveloped and uncommercialised island, halfway between Biak and Manokwari, with a seemingly endless selection of snorkelling and swimming opportunities. Pantai Asaibori and Pantai Pakreki are without question the best beaches on Pulau Numfor, while nearby, the island of Pulau Manem features some good sandy beaches, together with WWII wrecks and lots of birds.
8. Manokwari (West Papua)
based around the bay of Teluk Doreri and historically the very first missionary settlement in the whole of Papua. Manokwari is a relaxing place to explore Teluk Cendrawasih, with sightseeing opportunities ranging from wildlife trails within the beautiful Table Mountain Park (Taman Gunung Meja), to local landmarks, such as the Japanese Monument (Tugu Jepang) and the Japanese Cave (Gua Jepang). Nearby, the islands of Pulau Mansinam and Pulau Lemon offer sun, sand and snorkelling. Just 5 km / 3 miles to the east of Fak Fak, the Pantai Pasir Putih is another excellent beach, while to the north, the black sandy beach of Pantai Amban is regularly frequented by keen surfers.
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