Papua

Why Go?

Even a country as full of adventure as Indonesia has its final frontier. And here it is: Papua, half of the world’s second-biggest island, New Guinea. It may be the youngest part of Indonesia, but Papua’s rich tribal traditions span thousands of years. This is a place where some people still hunt their food with bows and arrows. A place where roads are so scarce, that to travel between towns you often have to take to the air or the water. So unlike any other part of Indonesia, the province formerly known as Irian Jaya can feel like a different country – which is what many Papuans, who are Melanesian and ethnically distinct from other Indonesians, would prefer it to be.

Travel here is a challenge, and it’s not cheap. But those who do so are awed by the charm of Papua’s peoples, the resilience of its cultures and the grandeur of its dramatic landscapes and idyllic seascapes.

When to Go

Apr–Dec Generally benign weather in the Baliem Valley; perfect for trekking.

Aug With the Baliem Valley Festival comes feasting and fun (and inflated prices).

Oct–Mar Ideal conditions for marvelling at the aquatic wonders of the Raja Ampat Islands.

Best Places to Eat

A Resto & Cafe Rumah Laut

A Mansinam Beach Restaurant

A Yougwa Restaurant

A Warung Makan Barokah

Best Places to Stay

A Cove Eco Resort

A Nut Tonton Homestay

A Padaido Hotel

A Hogorasuok Guesthouse

A Baliem Valley Resort

Papua Highlights

1 Baliem Valley Hiking among the thatched-hut villages, tribal culture and mountain grandeur.

2 Raja Ampat Islands Diving and snorkelling in the real-life tropical aquarium.

3 Korowai Hiking through steamy lowland jungle to visit the world’s most accomplished tree house architects.

4 Nabire Swimming and scuba diving with whale sharks.

5 Pegunungan Arfak Hiking into the mountains in search of birds of paradise and other exotic wildlife.

6 Pulau Biak Checking out WWII sites and enjoying island life among friendly folk.

7 Wasur National Park Searching out the indigenous lowland culture and Australia-like flora and fauna.

History

It’s estimated that Papua has been inhabited for 30,000 or 40,000 years, but contact with the outside world was minimal until the mid-20th century. Three colonial powers agreed to divide the island of New Guinea between them in the late 19th century: Holland got the western half, and Britain and Germany got the southeastern and northeastern quarters respectively (together these two parts now comprise the country of Papua New Guinea). Dutch involvement with Papua was minimal up until WWII when Japan seized most of New Guinea in 1942. Japan was then driven out in 1944 by Allied forces under US general Douglas MacArthur.

Indonesia Takes Over

When the Netherlands withdrew from the rest of the Dutch East Indies (which became Indonesia) in 1949, it hung on to its half of New Guinea, and then began to prepare it for independence with a target date of 1970. Indonesia’s President Sukarno had other ideas and in 1962 Indonesian troops began infiltrating the territory in preparation for an invasion. Under pressure from the US, which didn’t want to risk a damaging defeat for its Dutch ally by the Soviet-backed Sukarno regime, the Netherlands signed the New York Agreement of 15 August 1962. Under this agreement, Papua became an Indonesian province in 1963. The Papuan people were to confirm or reject Indonesian sovereignty in a UN-supervised vote within six years. In 1969, against a background of Papuan revolt and military counter-operations that killed thousands, Indonesia decided that the sovereignty vote would involve just over 1000 selected ‘representatives’ of the Papuan people. Subjected to threats, the chosen few voted for integration with Indonesia in what was officially named the Act of Free Choice.

The following decades saw a steady influx of Indonesian settlers into Papua – not just officially sponsored transmigrants but also ‘spontaneous’ migrants in search of economic opportunity. Intermittent revolts and sporadic actions by the small, primitively armed Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Organisation; OPM) guerrilla movement were usually followed by drastic Indonesian retaliation, which at times included bombing and strafing of Papuan villages. In the early years, Indonesia invested little in Papuans’ economic or educational development, while the administration, security forces and business interests extracted resources such as oil, minerals and timber.

Papua in the 21st Century

Following the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, the reformasi (reform) period in Indonesian politics led many Papuans to hope that Papuan independence might be on the cards. In June 2000 the Papua People’s Congress (more than 2500 Papuan delegates meeting in Jayapura) declared that Papua no longer recognised Indonesian rule and delegated a smaller body, the Papua Council Presidium, to seek a UN-sponsored referendum on Papuan independence. But the ‘Papuan Spring’ was short lived. The second half of 2000 saw a big security force build up in Papua, and attacks on pro-independence demonstrators. In 2001, the Papua Council Presidium’s leader Theys Eluay was murdered by Indonesian soldiers.

The year 2001 also saw the passing of a Special Autonomy charter for Papua – Jakarta’s response to Papuan grievances. The major provision was to give Papua a bigger share (70% to 80%) of the tax take from its own resources, plus more money to develop education and health. But many Papuans argue that Special Autonomy has not benefited them significantly, complaining that too much of the money disappears into the hands of the bureaucracy. They also complain that non-Papuans control Papua’s economy and government in their own interests, and are exploiting Papua’s natural resources with minimal benefit for the native people. The Grasberg Mine, part-owned by US mining company Freeport-McMoRan and the Indonesian government, is digging the world’s biggest recoverable lodes of gold and copper out of the mountains north of Timika, and using the Indonesian police and army as part of its security force, is often considered a classic symbol. Its troubled relationship with local communities has seen violence on numerous occasions, and its installations and workers have been targets of attacks usually attributed to the OPM.

Pro-independence activism and OPM activity continued in Papua in in the early 2000s, with killings, torture, rape and disappearances carried out by the Indonesian security forces reported by human-rights bodies. Papuans received jail sentences of 10 years or more for simply raising the Morning Star flag, the symbol of Papuan independence. A meeting of the Papua People’s Congress in 2011 reaffirmed its independence declaration but was broken up by troops, with six people reported killed.

More recently, living standards in many of Papua’s villages have risen, with the Indonesian government investing in new roads, infrastructure, schools and tourism projects to employ native Papuans. Government handouts of cash and (sometimes) rice have quieted some voices of opposition, as has hiring some former dissenters to local police forces. Still, a staggering number of Papuans express hopes to be free of Indonesian rule. Their chances of achieving it in the near future seem slim, as by some estimates, half of Papua’s four million people are non-Papuans.

Culture

Papua is a land of hundreds of cultures – those of the 200-plus indigenous peoples and those of all the immigrants from other parts of Indonesia, who dominate in the cities and now make up about half of Papua’s population. Relations between native Papuans and immigrants can be good on a person-to-person level but poor when it comes to group dynamics. The immigrants are predominantly Muslim, while Papuans are mostly Christian with an undercoat of traditional animism.

Indigenous Papuan culture is much more apparent in the villages than the towns. It has altered a lot under the influence of Christian missionaries and Indonesian government. Tribal warfare, headhunting and cannibalism, practised by some tribes well into the second half of the 20th century, have all but disappeared. But reverence for ancestors and pride in cultural traditions such as dances, dress and woodcarving persist. Papuan woodcarving is prized throughout Indonesia and beyond: the Asmat and Kamoro peoples produce the most striking work.

Tribal culture varies from area to area starting with languages, of which Papua has approximately 280. Traditional housing varies with the environment – people who live close to the water often live in stilt houses, the Dani of the Baliem Valley inhabit snug, round, wood-and-thatch huts known as honai, and the Korowai of the southern jungles once built their homes high in trees (but have since descended to safer abodes). Gender roles remain traditional. Polygamy is still practised by some men, and women do most of the carrying as well as domestic tasks.

Wildlife

Thanks to Papua’s former existence as part of the Australian continent (it was still joined to Australia 10,000 years ago), its wildlife has big differences from the rest of Indonesia. Marsupials such as tree kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots and cuscuses dwell here, as well as echidnas, which, along with Australia’s duck-billed platypuses, are the world’s only egg-laying mammals.

Papua is still three-quarters covered in forest. Its diverse ecosystems range from savannahs and mangroves to rainforest, montane forest and the glaciers around 4884m Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), the highest peak in Oceania. It’s home to more than half the animal and plant species in Indonesia, including more than 190 mammals, 550 breeding birds, 2650 fish and more than 2000 types of orchid.

The megastars of the feathered tribe are the birds of paradise, whose fantastically coloured males perform weird and wonderful mating dances. Also here are large, ground-dwelling cassowaries, colourful parrots and lorikeets, unique types of kookaburra, crowned pigeons, cockatoos, hornbills, and the curious bowerbirds, whose males elaborately decorate ground-level dens in an effort to find mates.

Marine life is even more fantastic and varied, especially around the Vogelkop peninsula, where the still-being-explored seas of the Raja Ampat Islands have earned a reputation for some of the world’s best scuba diving.

New species continue to be found in the sea and on land. New discoveries on and around the Vogelkop peninsula have in recent years included two new types of crayfish, at least seven new variations of fish, four new orchids and even a new bird of paradise. The bird is particularly exciting because scientists previously believed that there was just one variety of the superb bird of paradise, which puts on one of the world’s most captivating – if slightly creepy – mating dances. (It spreads a black cape and hypnotically semi-circles the female.) The new species, dubbed the Vogelkop superb bird of paradise, sings slightly different songs than its cousin, and when dancing it shuffles its feet and glides rather than bending at the knee and bouncing. Over in the Misool Private Marine Reserve, a new sand perch was unearthed in 2018, and it’s likely that many more creatures await discovery throughout New Guinea.

Economic developments threaten Papua’s wildlife. Forests are under assault from logging (much of it illegal, with the timber smuggled out to Asia), road construction, mining, transmigration settlements and burgeoning oil-palm plantations. Bird-of-paradise feathers have long been used in Papuan traditional dress, and they became so popular as European fashion accessories before WWI that the birds came close to extinction. Trade in the feathers has been illegal in Indonesia since 1990, but birds of paradise continue to be smuggled out of Papua.

PAPUA TRAVEL PERMIT

In the fairly recent past, visiting Papua meant filling out reams of forms and obtaining a special travel permit known as a surat keterangan jalan (commonly called a surat jalan). Recently, though, permit restrictions have been eased for many areas (though this could just as easily be reversed). At the time of research, exactly where a surat jalan was required seemed to depend on whom you asked. The police in Jayapura insisted one was required for almost every town and area in Papua, but the reality was that in all but the remotest areas you now very rarely get asked to produce a surat jalan. To be on the safe side, however, if you’re heading to the Baliem Valley, Yali country, Agats and the Korowai region it’s better to get one.

A surat jalan is usually easily obtained from the police in the capitals of Papua’s 30-odd kabupaten (regencies). The relevant police departments are typically open from about 8am to 2pm Monday to Saturday; times and days vary, and some departments can attend to you outside their official hours. Take your passport, two passport photos, and photocopies of your passport’s personal details page and your Indonesian visa. The procedure normally takes about an hour and no payment should be requested. The duration of the permit depends on how long you request and the expiry date of your visa.

Some police stations will only issue a surat jalan for their own regencies or limited other destinations. The best place to obtain a wide-ranging surat jalan is the polresta or polda in Jayapura, where you can present a list of almost every place that you intend to visit, the exception being places considered West Papua. Take care not to omit any obscure, small, off-the-beaten-track places, and you can ideally get everything included on one surat jalan. You might have similar luck in other relatively large cities such as Biak or Manokwari.

Once you have your surat jalan, make several photocopies of it. In remoter areas your hotel should report your arrival to the police and they will likely need photocopies of your passport and/or surat jalan to do so. In a few places you may need to report to the police yourself. Carry your surat jalan on out-of-town trips.

Some parts of Papua are sometimes off limits to tourists, usually because of Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Organisation; OPM) activity. When you apply for a surat jalan, the police will tell you if anywhere on your itinerary is off limits.

Note: some Indonesian embassies may tell you that in order to visit Papua you must obtain a special permit from the Indonesian immigration authorities and/or the police department in Jakarta – some have even reportedly refused visas to applicants who said they planned to visit Papua. This is not true. In practice, as long as you have an Indonesian visa then you’re free to travel to and around Papua (and don’t worry, airlines never ask to see a surat jalan).

TTours & Guides

While travel in Papua is, in many cases, no more challenging than anywhere else in Indonesia, there are certain areas where the logistical difficulties of travel mean that it makes sense to take a guided tour. This is particularly true of the Asmat and Korowai regions, and the little-explored Mamberamo basin in the north. Guided tours are essential (given the bureaucracy involved) for mountaineers wanting to climb Papua’s high peaks such as Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya) or Gunung Trikora.

Some guides and agencies offer trips in specific regions, while others bring visitors to a range of Papua destinations.

Adventure Indonesia (www.adventureindonesia.com) Top Indonesian adventure-tourism firm that does Asmat, Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), Korowai and Baliem Valley trips.

Andreas Ndruru (%0813 4496 9100; andreasndruru@hotmail.com) Andreas is a Sumatran-born, Papuan-passionate freelance guide who speaks fluent English and has loads of experience in Papua. He’s based in Sentani but specialises in hiking trips and tours to tribal regions, particularly Korowai.

Antoni Sitepu (%0812 4770 8187; www.papuajayatours.com) Based in Jayapura, Antoni has been guiding trips around Papua and beyond since 1993. He speaks excellent English and is well-versed in the ways of the local tribes in the Baliem Valley, Korowai and Yali country. Very nice guy.

PT.Ekowisata Papua Tours & Travel (%0812 4036 4457, 0852 4494 0860; www.discoverpapua.com; h8am-4pm) An efficient, well-established Biak-based agency that can set up just about any trip you want throughout Papua.

Papua Expeditions (www.papuaexpeditions.com) This ecotourism-minded, Sorong-based company specialises in birding in all the best Papuan destinations. Its website is a great resource.

PAPUA TRAVEL WARNING

Outbreaks of civil unrest often involve the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Organisation; OPM) or the Indonesian army or the police. Many of these incidents occur in remote parts of the highlands (the Carstensz Pyramid area was particularly unstable at the time of research) or around the Freeport mine near Timika, although the Baliem Valley and the Jayapura areas also see some violence.

Although foreigners are rarely targets or victims of violence in Papua, you should stay abreast of current events and ask the police if you have concerns about particular places.

8Getting There & Around

Intercity roads are still a thing of the future for Papua. Boats are an option for travelling to Papua and between its coastal towns if you have enough time, or along its rivers if you have enough money. Flying is the most common way to reach Papua and to travel between its cities and towns.

AIR

To fly to Papua you must first get to Jakarta, Makassar, Denpasar, Surabaya, Manado or Ambon, then take a domestic flight. For the Baliem Valley, fly first to Jayapura and take an onward flight to Wamena from there. Jayapura is served by multiple airlines from Jakarta and Makassar, and by Garuda from Denpasar (via Timika). Jakarta–Jayapura fares start at around 1,500,000Rp one-way. For the Raja Ampat Islands, fly to nearby Sorong from Jakarta, Makassar or Manado.

Most commercial flights within Papua cost around 600,000Rp to 1,200,000Rp, plus or minus a hundred thousand or two.

Missionary airlines such as the Roman Catholic Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) do a lot of flying between small, remote airstrips. They will sometimes carry tourists if they have spare seats. Chartering a small plane for seven to 12 people is another option for routes not served by scheduled flights. Airlines servicing Papua include Batik Air (www.batikair.com), Citilink (www.citilink.co.id), Garuda Indonesia (www.garuda-indonesia.com), Lion Air (www.lionair.co.id), NAM Air (www.sriwijayaair.co.id), Sriwijaya Air (www.sriwijayaair.co.id), Susi Air (www.susiair.com; flies small planes on local routes within Papua), Trigana Air (www.trigana-air.com) and Wings Air (www.lionair.co.id).

BOAT

Every two weeks, five Pelni liners sail into Sorong from Maluku, Sulawesi, Kalimantan or Java, continue to Jayapura via various intermediate ports along Papua’s north coast, then head back out again. There are also a few sailings connecting Agats and Merauke on Papua’s south coast with Sorong and ports in Maluku. Note that these ferries are incredibly slow and often populated with shady figures and pickpockets.

Various smaller, less-comfortable passenger boats serve minor ports, offshore islands and routes on a few rivers; some have more or less fixed schedules, others don’t. On routes without any public service, you can charter a boat, which might be a fast, powerful speedboat, or a longbot (large motorised canoe) or a ketinting (smaller motorised canoe; long-tail boat). Charter costs are negotiable and depend on the boat, its fuel consumption, the distance and the petrol price. Expect to pay a considerable sum, though.

West Papua

The province of West Papua chiefly comprises two large peninsulas – the Vogelkop (also known as Bird’s Head, Kepala Burung and Semdoberai) and the more southerly Bomberai Peninsula – and several hundred offshore islands. The attractions here are primarily natural – above all the world-class diving and gorgeous island scenery of the Raja Ampat Islands. Sorong and Manokwari are well-provided urban bases from which to launch your explorations.

Sorong

%0951 / Pop 219,958

Papua’s second-biggest city, Sorong sits at the northwestern tip of the Vogelkop. It’s a busy port and base for oil and logging operations in the region. Few travellers stay longer than it takes to get on a boat to the Raja Ampat Islands, but Sorong can be interesting for a day or two, and there are some worthwhile destinations in the surrounding region.

4Sleeping

Waigo HotelHOTEL$$

(%0951-331991, 0951-333500; Jl Yos Sudarso; r 495,000-711,000Rp, ste from 1,035,000Rp, all incl breakfast; aW)

This hotel, facing the Tembok Berlin waterfront, offers fair value, large and bright (sometimes a bit too bright and pink) rooms, which have a few nice touches such as art and masks on the walls. The ocean-view ‘suites’ are massive. The in-house restaurant Kuskus (mains 25,000Rp to 65,000Rp) is good value.

JE Meridien HotelHOTEL$$

(%0951-327999; jemeridien.sorong@yahoo.com; Jl Basuki Rahmat Km7.5; r 534,000-836,500Rp, ste from 1,009,000Rp, all incl breakfast; aW)

Handily located opposite the airport, the Meridien offers nicely aged, slightly old-fashioned rooms of generous proportions. Rooms come with TV and tea and coffee makers, plus you can get a free ride to the airport or the Raja Ampat ferry. The buzzing lobby has a good coffee shop and restaurant.

oSwiss-Belhotel SorongBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(%0951-321199; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Jendral Sudirman; r incl breakfast from 743,800Rp; aWs)

Opened in 2014 and setting new standards for Sorong hotels, the Swiss-Belhotel is one of the swankier options in town – though if it were in Jakarta it wouldn’t earn its four-star status. The staff are exceptionally helpful and there’s a good in-house restaurant (mains 65,000Rp to 100,000Rp).

FavehotelDESIGN HOTEL$$$

(map Google map; %0951-3173888; www.favehotels.com; Jl Basuki Rahmat; r incl breakfast from 700,000Rp; aW)

Conveniently close to Sorong’s airport, this six-storey boutique accommodation offers modern trappings and splashes of pink throughout its posh lobby, meeting rooms and 75 stylish units. A cheerful, artsy hotel restaurant, Lime Cafe, serves tasty Indonesian and international dishes.

5Eating

Sorong restaurants are some of the only places to purchase alcoholic drinks in Papua, where it’s generally illegal to sell or consume booze. There are a few nice restaurants on and around the waterfront Tembok Berlin (Jl Sudarso), as well as dozens of seafood stalls that set up there in the evenings.

oKitong PapuaSEAFOOD$$

(%0951-3175566; www.facebook.com/Kitong.Papua.Resto; Jl Yani Klademak 12; mains 70,000-140,000; h9am-10pm)

Although the dining area isn’t as scenic as waterfront competitors, Kitong more than makes up for this with its heaping plates of fresh, spicy seafood and delicious traditional Papuan food – think yellow soup with blood clams, fish head gulai (curry) and papaya flower. The crabs are as big as your face and the milkshake floats are divine.

If you call or message the restaurant on Facebook, it is possible to arrange for a free shuttle to transport you from your hotel and back.

Sunshine BeachINDONESIAN, CHINESE$$

(%0822 4862 0005; Jl Yos Sudarso, beside Hotel Tanjung; mains 50,000-120,000Rp; h9am-10pm Mon-Sat, 4-10pm Sun)

This spacious, semi-open-air place with sparkling lights is built over the edge of the sea. It offers everything from fried rice or noodles to prawns, crab, fish, squid and beef, prepared in assorted ways. For something different dig into a plate of sea cucumber (456,000Rp). There’s an air-conditioned bar, too.

7Shopping

Misool Filling StationGIFTS & SOUVENIRS

(%0951-3160388; Jl Basuki Rahmat; h7am-7pm)

Before heading off to the islands, hit up this two-storey cafe and boutique for last-minute purchases such as dive equipment, guidebooks, healthy snacks or flip flops. There’s also a good wi-fi connection and delicious coffee and fresh juices.

The cafe is associated with Misool Eco Resort, and 3% of the revenue goes toward protecting the surrounding coral reefs.

8Information

There are plenty of ATMs scattered around town.

Hotels usually offer wi-fi, as does the Misool Filling Station across from the entrance to the airport.

Polresta Sorong (%0951-321929, 0811 487 2016; Jl Yani I) Head to this police station, 1km west of the airport, for a surat jalan (travel permit). It’s unlikely you’ll be asked to show it in Sorong or anywhere in Raja Ampat, though.

8Getting There & Away

AIR

All airlines have ticket counters at the airport.

FLIGHTS FROM SORONG

DESTINATION	AIRLINE	FREQUENCY
Ambon	Wings Air, Garuda, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air	daily
Fak-Fak	Wings Air	3 weekly
Jakarta	Sriwijaya Air, Batik, Garuda	daily
Jayapura	Garuda, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air	daily
Kaimana	Wings Air	3 weekly
Makassar	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air, Batik
Manado	Garuda, Lion Air, Nam Air	daily
Manokwari	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air, Wings Air, Batik	daily
Timika	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air	daily

BOAT

Pelni (%0852 5500 0497; Jl Yani 13), near the western end of Jl Yani, has several ships sailing every two weeks east to Jayapura (via assorted intermediate ports, including Manokwari, Biak and Nabire) and west to ports in Maluku, Sulawesi and Java. Another ferry heads down to Agats and Merauke on Papua’s south coast about every two weeks.

Boats for the Raja Ampat Islands depart regularly from Pelabuhan Feri (Pelabuhan Rakyat; Jl Feri, off Jl Sudirman).

8Getting Around

Official airport taxis charge 100,000Rp to hotels at the western end of town; on the street outside you can charter a public taksi for half that or less. Using the yellow public taksi (minibuses; 5000Rp), first get one going west outside the airport to Terminal Remu (600m), then change there to another for Jl Yos Sudarso. Short ojek (motorcycle) rides of 2km to 3km cost 15,000Rp; between the western end of town and the airport expect to pay 35,000Rp.

Raja Ampat Islands

The sparsely populated Raja Ampat Islands comprise more than 1500 islands just off Sorong. With their sublime scenery of steep, jungle-covered islands, fine white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, spooky caves, weird mushroom-shaped islets and pellucid turquoise waters, Raja Ampat is without question one of the most beautiful island chains in the world.

Unadulterated beauty isn’t the only thing drawing people here, though. Raja Ampat also has abundant wildlife, with a couple of species of birds of paradise dancing in the trees and a diversity of marine life and coral reef systems that are a diver’s dream come true (and fantastic for snorkellers and kayakers, too).

So great is the quantity and variety of marine life here that scientists have described Raja Ampat as a biological hot spot and believe that the reef systems here restock reefs throughout the South Pacific and Indian Oceans.

2Activities

Diving

You can get up close to huge manta rays and giant clams, gape at schools of barracuda, fusiliers or parrotfish, peer at tiny pygmy seahorses or multicoloured nudibranchs, and, with luck, encounter wobbegong and epaulette (walking) sharks. The reefs have hundreds of brilliantly coloured soft and hard corals, and the marine topography varies from vertical walls and pinnacles to reef flats and underwater ridges. To generalise, Raja Ampat is better suited to advanced divers; it’s not exactly a learn-to-dive hot spot. There are, however, some dive spots and courses suitable for relative novices.

Most dives are drift dives. Beware: the currents that whip you along the edge of the reefs can be very strong. You can dive year-round, although the usually smooth seas can get rough from July to September (the Raja Ampat/Sorong area gets its heavier rain from May to October). The dive resorts generally offer packages of a week or more and focus on spots within about 10km of their resort. Some will take nonguests diving if they have places available, for around 550,000Rp per dive, plus extra for equipment rentals. Valid insurance and dive cards are required at reputable dive operators.

Many of the ever-growing number of homestays on Arborek, Pulau Kri and Pulau Gam also offer diving services, but only highly experienced divers should consider these options – the guides can be short on professional training and the equipment is sometimes subpar. We’ve heard numerous stories of people who’ve signed up to dive with a homestay and run into problems, including sickness due to poor air quality in tanks, severe cases of the bends and having to be rescued by boats from the top-end dive resorts. If you do dive with a homestay, ask to see its certification. There’s a decompression chamber in Waisai, but the quality of the facility is unreliable; the nearest decent chamber is far away in Manado, in north Sulawesi.

oWayagISLAND

These small, uninhabited and incredibly picturesque islands, 30km beyond Waigeo, feature heavily in Raja Ampat promotional material. It’s mainly liveaboards that dive here, but Wayag also attracts nondivers for its scenery, snorkelling and the challenge of scaling its highest peak, Pindito, also known as Wayag I. A second, slightly lower peak (referred to as Wayag II) offers equally breathtaking views.

The most popular dive site in Wayag is Eagle Rock, an advanced endeavor with considerable current and frequent sightings of wobbegong sharks, sweetlips, barracudas, reef sharks and manta rays. Wayag’s Gate, a less challenging site with little to no current, features awe-inspiring coral and the occasional manta ray.

An all-day speedboat round-trip from Waisai for six to 10 people usually costs between 15,000,000Rp and 20,000,000Rp.

PianynemoISLAND

(Fam Islands)

Often referred to as Little Wayag, this scenic overlook offers striking views of the jagged Fam Islands poking out of calm, turquoise waters. Getting here is relatively cheap, fast and simple compared to Wayag, as many of the region’s accommodation is within an hour or two of the site by speedboat. Also, the hike is a breeze thanks to stairs and a viewing platform. Nearby, a second, slightly more challenging climb offers views of the lovely Star Lagoon.

The hikes are just a few minutes from some top-notch undersea experiences, so visitors often dive, snorkel and scale Pianynemo all in one trip. There are also some local residents selling coconut water and oil, along with coconut crabs, which are thought to be endangered. Do not buy the crabs.

oSauwandarek JettyDIVE SITE

(Sauwandarek Village)

An absolutely stunning dive and snorkel site, with water clear as quartz and an abundance of marine creatures rarely spotted elsewhere, as well as a coral restoration project. Historically, this has been a popular feeding area, and for that reason, hundreds (if not thousands) of fish congregate in and around the multi-colored hard and soft corals, along with octopuses, massive turtles and giant clams.

At research time a homestay was opening near the jetty, and it’s likely to become a favourite among snorkellers.

Blue MagicDIVE SITE

The runaway favourite among local dive professionals who have seen it all, this submerged seamount teems with life, including tassled wobbegong sharks, schools of barracuda and jacks, massive manta rays and plenty of corals and smaller creatures such as pygmy seahorses. Best to dive here with stronger current and an advanced certification.

Fam IslandsDIVING

Calm waters, stunning coral and masses of fish, notably at the Melissa’s Garden dive site. Fam Channel, Anita’s Garden and Rufus (a lovely wall dive) are also popular and teeming with undersea creatures large and small.

Mike’s PointDIVE SITE

A popular and advanced dive site, just off Pulau Kerupiar. The island was mistaken for a Japanese ship during WWII and subsequently bombed, and while the damage is still visible above the water, the undersea life has burgeoned beneath. There’s lots of hard and soft coral and big schools of sweet lips, jacks and barracuda. There’s also a famous overhang and a gorgonian fan garden.

Careful planning and an experienced dive masters are essential, as there can be dangerous down currents here.

Manta SandyDIVE SITE

At this famous site between Mansuar and Arborek islands, numbers of huge manta rays, some with wingspans over 5m, wait above large coral heads to be cleaned by small wrasses. Best visited from October to April.

In recent years, the dive site has been bombarded with visitors who are not always respectful of the manta rays. As a result, visitation is now capped at 20 divers per day, and must be booked in advance. Your dive operator will handle this.

Cape KriDIVE SITE

The fish numbers and variety at the eastern point of Pulau Kri have to be seen to be believed. A world-record 374 fish species in one dive was counted in 2012. Schools of barracuda, jacks, batfish and snapper coexist with small reef fish, rays, sharks, turtles and grouper. Beautiful coral too. Currents can be strong, so you’ll need a minimum of 50 logged dives.

Sardine ReefDIVE SITE

Sardine, 4km northeast of Kri, slopes down to 33m, and has so many fish that it can get quite dark. The fish-and-coral combination is great for photographers. Currents can be strong.

Pulau MisoolDIVING

This remote southern island – especially the small islands off its southeastern corner – has stunning coral. The pristine reefs attract pygmy seahorses, epaulette sharks, manta rays and a vast range of schooling fish. Liveaboards visit the region, but the easiest way to dive around Misool is to stay on the island.

A regular fast ferry run by Marina Express now services Misool, and several new homestays have opened up in the area, prompting an increase in visitors.

The PassageDIVING

This 20m-wide channel between Waigeo and Gam is effectively a saltwater river. Its dive sites are heaven for advanced macro-enthusiasts for the nudibranchs, sponges and tunicates (‘sea squirts’). Sharks, archerfish, turtles, rays and schools of bumphead parrotfish are seen here, too. Beware of crocodiles.

Teluk KabuiDIVING

The bay between Waigeo and Gam is packed with picturesque jungle-topped limestone islets. The Batu Lima dive spot in the bay’s entrance has a great variety of fish and beautiful soft corals. Schools of barracuda and wobbegong sharks tend to hang around here also.

DIVE OPERATOR CHECKLIST

Before choosing a dive operation in Raja Ampat, check that it meets the following recommended requirements.

A The shop employs certified dive masters and/or instructors.

A The condition of the rental equipment and storage facility meet your standards.

A The boats are in good condition and are not overloaded on dive trips.

A The dive shop has oxygen and first aid kits, along with staff trained in responding to emergencies.

A The dive shop either requires or strongly recommends that individuals carry dive insurance.

A The dive shop responds promptly and professionally to questions.

Snorkelling

There are strong currents in some areas of the Raja Ampat Islands, but snorkellers can enjoy top dive locations including Cape Kri, Manta Sandy (although the manta rays are often a bit deep to see properly), the Fam Islands, Pulau Wai and Mioskon (10km northeast of Kri). Trips cost around 200,000Rp per person.

You can also see wonderful coral and marine life just by stepping off the beach or plopping in off the jetty in many places. The Arborkek, Yenbuba and Sauwandarek jetties are particularly rewarding. Most accommodation, including homestays, can rent or loan snorkelling gear.

Be sure to ask about potential hazards before setting out; some areas are known for their populations of large saltwater crocodiles. Also, keep in mind that as the pace of development increases around the islands, crocs may begin turning up in less expected places.

Birdwatching

The many exotic birds on the islands include two fantastically coloured endemic birds of paradise, the red and the Wilson’s. The red male has a spectacular courtship dance in which he spreads his wings and shakes like a big butterfly. Village guides in Waisai and Pulau Gam provide a relatively easy way to see this, charging around 300,000Rp per person for early-morning walks to nearby display spots. More experienced birders seeking a guide with deep knowledge will want to go with Charles Roring, who charges 500,000Rp per day and brings a spotting scope, field guide and sound player. Sorong-based Papua Expeditions (www.papuaexpeditions.com) also offers specialised Raja Ampat birding trips.

VOLUNTEERING

Barefoot Conservation (%in the UK +44 333577 0067; www.barefootconservation.org; Pulau Arborek; 3-week package all meals incl w/without dive certification £1595/1395) is a marine conservation volunteer program based on Pulau Arborek, involving basic accommodation and meals as well as an education in monitoring local coral reefs, with built-in scuba training and certification. Additionally, the nonprofit runs a manta ray identification program, several community development projects and a liveaboard dive boat (Ratu Laut) that takes volunteers to remote and beloved islands such as Wayag.

Rooms are private or dorm-style and constructed of wood and thatch, all with shared bathrooms. Volunteering requires a minimum of three-week commitment if you are not yet scuba-certified.

Island Climbing

The two most gorgeous overlooks in Raja Ampat are at Wayag, and Pianynemo. At both attractions, the authorities will ask to see your Raja Ampat tourist tag.

Kayaking

oKayak4ConservationKAYAKING

(K4C; %0811 483 4617, 0811 485 7905; www.kayak4conservation.com; Pulau Kri; 8-day packages from 25,700,000Rp per person) S

Established by the forward-thinking folk at Papua Diving and the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC) on Pulau Kri, Kayak4Conservation provides exciting multiday expeditions around the Raja Ampat Islands by kayak, staying at locally owned guesthouses and guided by a community member.

PROTECTING THE MARINE EPICENTRE

Marine biologists consider eastern Indonesia to be the world’s epicentre of marine life, and Raja Ampat – dubbed a ‘species factory’ by conservationists – harbours the greatest diversity of all. This includes more than 1400 reef-fish species and more than 600 hard corals (more than 75% of the world total). Ocean currents carry coral larvae from here to the Indian and Pacific Oceans to replenish other reefs.

Seven marine protected areas, covering 9000 sq km, were established in 2007 to protect Raja Ampat’s reefs from threats such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, large-scale commercial fishing and the effects of mining. In 2010, the entire 50,000-sq-km Raja Ampat area was declared a shark sanctuary. This was a significant move against the practice of shark finning, which threatens numerous shark species with extinction, mainly to satisfy demand (primarily in China) for shark-fin soup. In 2014 the Indonesian government went one step further with the establishment of a nationwide ray and shark sanctuary, which means it’s now illegal to hunt for rays or sharks anywhere in Indonesian waters. Most recently, turtles, Napoleon wrasse and lobsters (dependent on size) were added to the list. The problem, of course, is that Indonesia is a very watery country, hence difficult to patrol.

Responsible tourism can also play a part in the conservation effort, providing sustainable income sources for local people and funds for conservation initiatives. Foreign visitors must pay 1,000,000Rp for a tourist tag (pin/badge) to visit the islands (Indonesians pay 500,000Rp): you can get one at Waisai’s Tourist Information Centre. Most dive resorts and liveaboards include the tourist tag in their package rates. The money goes to conservation, community development and the Raja Ampat Tourism Department, in roughly equal shares.

Note that in recent years, many homestays have sprung up and allowed guests to slide by without paying the park fee, leading to a considerable shortfall in conservation funding. There is an ongoing discussion about enforcing steep penalties should this continue; be sure to pay the fee in Waisai and keep the tourist tag on you at all times. Also, when selecting a homestay, ask if the property uses sustainable practices in the disposal of its waste, and whether lobster or coconut crab is (illegally) served at mealtime. If you don’t like the answers, continue your search.

4Sleeping

Accommodation options in Raja Ampat are growing fast (some people worry that it’s too fast and lacking regulation) and can be divided into three options: high-quality dedicated dive lodges, homestays and liveaboard dive boats. Land-based accommodation is for the most part spread across the islands of Waigeo, Kri, Arborek, Gam, Batanta, Mansuar and Misool. Kri is the most centrally located.

Upmarket dive lodges typically include stylish bungalows with private bathrooms, excellent restaurants and professional dive instruction, and they are often booked up weeks or even months in advance. They typically offer packages including ‘unlimited’ diving (up to four boat dives per day within about 10km, plus house-reef dives), accommodation, meals and Sorong transfers on fixed days of the week. Transfers from Waisai are also possible. More distant dives, equipment rental and transfers on nonstandard days cost extra. Most dive resorts offer cheaper rates for nondivers.

A growing number of much-less-expensive ‘homestays’ are opening up on several islands – the majority on Kri, Gam and Arborek. Few of them are actual homestays but groups of purposely built palm-thatch huts close to or even over the water. Several now have private bathrooms but most just have shared mandi (ladle bath).

They all offer snorkelling, birdwatching and other outings. Three (mainly fish-based) meals a day are usually part of the deal. Homestays will normally pick you up in Waisai if you contact them a day or two ahead (best by phone, SMS or WhatsApp), typically for 1,000,000Rp per boat return-trip to Kri, Gam, Arborek and increasingly more distant places. Boat outings can cost anything from 400,000Rp to 1,500,000Rp, or even more, depending how far you go.

The Waisai Tourist Information Centre connect you with homestays, or visit www.stayrajaampat.com, which lists all homestays and includes contact details, rates and reviews. A warning: tourism is a relatively new industry here, and operators often have little experience or training. Many are poor stewards of the environment, failing to manage waste sustainably and illegally hunting lobster and coconut crab to serve at mealtimes.

`4`Pulau Kri

Yenkoranu HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0813 4449 8319, 0821 9849 8519; Pulau Kri; s/d incl meals from 550,000/850,000Rp)

A well-run establishment with a dive shop on the northern stretch of Kri, where coral reefs burgeon right off the jetty. A range of accommodation is on offer, along with a waterfront restaurant featuring cold Bintang. The operators also run a budget-friendly, Papua-owned liveaboard that makes multi-day trips to Misool and Wayag.

Speedboat transfers to and from Waisai are 700,000Rp each way, with the cost shared among passengers. Guests staying at least seven nights get free transfers.

Mangkur Kodon HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0852 4335 9154; Pulau Kri; s/d incl meals 400,000/700,000Rp)

This guesthouse is set where two perfect beaches meet in one tight triangle – a sight known to induce tears of joy. Combine that with top-class snorkelling out front, and inviting palm-thatch huts and you’ve got it made. Note though that the owners can be a bit disorganised, leaving guests stranded in Waisai and serving meals at odd hours.

It’s on the far southwestern edge of the island, and a short walk (or wade at high tide) from the other accommodation options.

Koranu Fyak BungalowsHOMESTAY$$

(%0823 9740 1047; s/d incl meals 400,000/700,000Rp)

This expat-managed Kri homestay understands the needs of backpackers and serves them up simple thatched huts with separate shared bathrooms lined up along a sparkly white beach. If you don’t like dogs, steer clear; there are loads of them hanging around here. English and Spanish spoken.

Kri Eco ResortRESORT$$$

(%0811 483 4614; www.papua-diving.com; Pulau Kri; 7-night unlimited diving package s/d from €1877/3334; W) S

Operating since 1994, Kri Eco is the original Raja Ampat dive lodge. It’s a professional operation with a gorgeous setting. Baby black-tip reef sharks are frequently seen swimming in the shallows below the restaurant. All 13 rooms are on stilts at the edge of the crystal-clear water but most have on-land, shared bathrooms (with mandis and hot-water showers).

The owner is a prominent conservationist and the resort donates 10% of the profits to local communities and sustainability initiatives.

Sorido Bay ResortRESORT$$$

(%0811 483 4614; www.papua-diving.com; Pulau Kri; 7-night unlimited diving package €2793-3883; aW) S

Sorido offers top diving standards along with Western-style comforts, such as air-con, camera workstations and hot showers in spacious, well-equipped beachfront bungalows. The tucked-away location fronting a divine beach is superb, and the operators are good stewards of the environment.

Owner Max Ammer pioneered diving in Raja Ampat after he stumbled upon the potential while searching the area for crashed WWII aircraft. From that you will probably quite rightly deduce that he’s a real character who’ll add much to your stay.

At research time he was looking to purchase the resort’s first solar-powered dive boat (and later, a whole fleet of these). He was also negotiating with village elders on Kri to lease more land and keep it pristine, preventing more homestays from popping up.

`4`Pulau Gam

Kordiris Homestay & DivingGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0852 4412 4338; kordirisrajaampat@gmail.com; Pulau Gam; r incl meals per person 300,000-350,000Rp)

This well-organised homestay, which sits in a secluded, dreamy bay dotted with tiny coral islands, is one of the best around. The rooms are made of palm thatch, and while some are in the cool shade of trees, others are over the crystal-clear water or on the salty white sand. There’s a dive centre on-site, but no certification program.

Mambefor HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0812 4880 9542, 0852 5453 2631; Sawinggrai Village, Pulau Gam; r incl meals per person 350,000Rp)

A basic little over-water homestay right on the jetty in Sawinggrai village, with a view of surfacing marine creatures and a short walk to prime red-bird-of-paradise-watching territory. There are six rooms with floor mattresses and shared bathrooms (squat toilet and bucket showers) 50m away. As such, a stay here is more about cultural interaction than beach lounging.

Don’t expect much privacy – or much beach.

oRaja Ampat BiodiversityLODGE$$$

(%0821 8922 2577; www.rajaampatbiodiversity.com; Pantai Yenanas, Pulau Gam; 7-night incl meals & 14 dives s/d from €1557/2877)

Two kilometres east of Yenbeser village on Gam, Biodiversity is one of the overall best-value places to stay on the islands. Accommodations include nine spacious, comfortable cabins featuring private, beachfront pergolas with sunbeds. Good Indonesian and international food is served, and the new bar offers cocktails, wine and beer.

The dive operation is of a high standard, and PADI and SSI diving courses are offered too. During research, a massage and yoga centre were under construction. Packages shorter than a week are available, and transfers from Waisai cost €40 per person each way.

Papua Explorers ResortRESORT$$$

(%0822 4814 8888; www.papuaexplorers.com; 7-night dive package incl meals s/d €2865/4700, incl 3 boat dives daily & unlimited house-reef dives; aW)

One of the flashiest and biggest of the dive resorts, Papua Explorers is set in a large, pretty bay and has 15 palatial over-water bungalows. It’s all very polished – maybe too much for some – and food has left some guests unimpressed. All bungalows have elegant furnishings and tribal decoration, hot-water bathrooms, terraces with easy sea access and in-room wi-fi.

Raja4DiversRESORT$$$

(%0811 485 7711; www.raja4divers.com; Pulau Pef; 7-night unlimited diving package s/d €3350/5200; iW)

A classy small resort on an idyllic island beach with a reef out front, Raja4Divers sits off western Gam, giving better access to some superb dives that are beyond the normal reach of Dampier Strait resorts. The large, airy water’s-edge bungalows are decked with intriguing artefacts and are as refined as they come.

There’s no extra charge for distant dives here, but you do have to pay (€250 per person return) for the scheduled Sorong transfers. Rental equipment and the marine park fee aren’t included either.

`4`Pulau Misool

oNut Tonton HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0852 3465 3800; nuttonton@gmail.com; Misool; r incl meals from 600,000Rp)

This newer homestay in the vicinity of Pulau Misool is an absolute dream for the secluded location and setting, with six overwater bungalows backed by enormous rock formations, mere steps from the white-sand beach and coral gardens. Standard rooms have floor mattresses, mosquito nets, outdoor showers and squat toilets; deluxe rooms are larger and have flush toilets.

The homestay also offers a jetty and a long boat to whisk you around Misool’s enchanting islands. The boat transfer from Misool’s ferry dock to the homestay costs 350,000Rp per person each way.

Harafat Jaya HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0813 4435 3030; Harapan Jaya Village, Pulau Yapen; r incl meals per person 450,000Rp)

This homestay was the first on the large, remote Pulau Misool (actually it’s on a small offshore island, next to the village of Harapan Jaya). Other Misool homestays have since opened and eclipsed Harafat Jaya, but it’s still a decent base for exploring Misool’s breathtaking islands, beaches, caves and waterfalls.

Getting there either involves charting an expensive speedboat or taking scheduled, five-hour ferry rides to and from Sorong.

MisoolRESORT$$$

(www.misoolecoresort.com; Pulau Batbitim, South Raja Ampat; 7-night package with/without unlimited diving from US$2825/1045; hclosed from early June to late Sept; aW) S

On a beautiful private island off southeastern Misool, this comfortable dive resort has a strong conservation and community ethos and superb dive sites within a few minutes’ boat ride. Guests choose from overwater cottages in splashing distance from the reef, and secluded, beachfront villas; all with open-air bathrooms. The resort recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and is wildly popular.

The place has quite an interesting backstory, as it was constructed on the site of a former shark finning camp. The owners now protect a 1220-sq-km private marine reserve in collaboration with a sister NGO organisation, Misool Foundation (www.misoolfoundation.org), together spearheading sustainable employment options, community education initiatives and conservation projects such as a recycling program.

Speedboat transfers from Sorong are US$335 per person.

LIVEABOARDS

The ultimate Raja Ampat experience could be cruising around on a Bugis-style schooner specially kitted out for divers. Some 40-plus Indonesian- and foreign-owned liveaboards do regular one- to two-week dive cruises, usually starting and ending in Sorong. Some itineraries combine Raja Ampat with Maluku, Teluk Cenderawasih or Triton Bay (Teluk Triton) south of Kaimana. Most boats carry 12 to 16 passengers and some are luxurious, with air-conditioned cabins and en-suite bathrooms. Most cruises run between November and April, when Raja Ampat seas are calmest. It typically costs between US$300 and US$500 per person per day. A few recommended operators include:

Grand Komodo (www.grandkomodo.com) A long-running Indonesian operation, which has multiple liveaboards operating year-round and is among the least expensive.

Seven Seas (www.thesevenseas.net) The Seven Seas is probably the last word in Raja Ampat liveaboard luxury.

Shakti (www.shakti-raja-ampat.com) Well-established, quality operator.

Pindito (www.pindito.com) Beautiful boat, cruising in a beautiful place.

Ambai (www.indocruises.com) Excellent operator around Raja Ampat and elsewhere.

Samambaia (www.facebook.com/samambaialiveaboard) A magnificent pinisi ship with modern trappings; accommodates 14 passengers.

Those intent on spending less should look into budget liveaboard KLM Insos Raja Ampat (%0813 5400 1932; www.stayrajaampat.com/accommodation/insos-raja-ampat-liveaboard; 10-day cruise and dive package from 22,500,000Rp per person), which takes up to nine passengers (and no fewer than eight) on multiday diving trips to highly desirable, far-flung sites and islands. Barefoot Conservation also operates a lower-cost liveaboard for volunteers.

See www.cruisingindonesia.com or www.diverajaampat.org for lists of high-quality operators.

`4`Other Islands

oCove Eco ResortRESORT$$$

(%0821 1000 8548; www.coveecoresort.com; Pulau Yeben; 7-day all-incl without/with diving package from US$1859/2483; W)

Centrally located from many of Raja Ampat’s finest diving spots and land-based excursions, this year-old, intimate private-island resort simply has it all. Dreamy oceanfront villas? Check. Best meals in Raja Ampat? Check. Spectacular, knowledgeable staff. Check. And the actual cheque? Very reasonable, considering that boat transport and an excursion to Pianynemo and the Fam Islands are included.

Excursions to other areas such as Wayag have an additional cost, but it is divided among attending guests.

The island’s perks also include private beaches and snorkelling spots, along with a hiking trail through the forest and over the top of the island. Translucent kayaks and paddleboards are free for guests, and an ideal way to visit dozens of baby sharks that live around the mangrove nursery fronting the resort. There’s also a recreation area with ping pong and a pool table.

Agusta Eco ResortRESORT$$$

(%0821 9922-6357; www.agustaresort.com; Pulau Agusta; 7-night incl meals s/d €2180/3300; aWs)

Tucked away on a dreamy private island, Agusta excels for its stylish beachfront villas, top-notch Italian restaurant and exceptional hospitality. The swimming pool (a rarity in Raja Ampat) comes in handy for scuba training with the resort’s excellent dive operation, which zips guests around the islands to most of the area’s top undersea attractions.

Unique offerings include a lovely hike to a lighthouse and night dives on a thriving reef discovered by one of the dive masters.

Dive packages begin at €550 for 11 dives (one night dive is included). Equipment rental and private divemasters cost extra. Snorkelling packages and excursions are also on offer.

Papua ParadiseRESORT$$$

(www.papuaparadise.com; Pulau Birie; 7-night unlimited diving package s/d €2282/3836; W)

With large, elegant over-water bungalows on a gorgeous, pristine, small island off northern Batanta, and masses of good diving nearby, this resort is among the best in Raja Ampat. It’s also a good base for birdwatching (including the red and Wilson’s birds of paradise) and offers PADI courses. Bonus points for the dreamy spa.

Raja Ampat Dive LodgeRESORT$$$

(%0812 3872 672; www.grandkomodo.com/raja-ampat-dive-lodge; Pulau Mansuar; 7-night all-incl diving package US$2,546; aW)

A recommended resort that also runs six liveaboard vessels and a resort in Komodo, all under the umbrella of Grand Komodo (www.grandkomodo.com). The beachfront lodge is beloved for its secluded locale, highly professional dive operation and wood-panelled beach villas, each with a relaxing porch overlooking the Dampier Strait.

8Getting There & Around

Waisai has an airport, but its runway is very short – too short for full-sized passenger planes. Instead there are Susi Air (www.susiair.com) flights on Tuesday between Sorong and Waisai, but it’s just as quick (after all the messing around at the airport) to get the ferry.

Fast Bahari Express passenger boats (economy/VIP 100,000/215,000Rp, two hours) depart at 9am and 2pm daily for Waisai from Sorong’s Pelabuhan Feri. The boats head back from Waisai at 9am and 2pm as well. PT Fajar has a ferry offering the same routes at the same times.

Marina Express runs a boat service between Sorong and Misool three times a week, for 250,000Rp each way. It leaves from Sorong’s Pelabuhan Feri Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon and returns from Misool at 8am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The journey takes about five hours.

An overnight Fajar Indah boat to Waigama and Lilinta on Misool leaves at midnight on Tuesday (economy/VIP 200,000/300,000Rp) arriving in Misool on Wednesday around 9am. The boat returns Friday morning at 9am, arriving in Sorong around 5pm.

Ojeks to Pelabuhan Feri cost around 20,000Rp from the western end of Sorong or outside the airport; a taxi is around 50,000Rp. Ojeks between port and town in Waisai (2km) are 20,000Rp.

Other passenger boats to and around the islands are irregular. To arrange transport around the islands once there, your best bet is to ask at your accommodation or the Waisai Tourist Information Centre (Waisai; h11am-1pm). Prices depend on boat, distance and petrol prices and are usually negotiable.

Manokwari

%0986 / Pop 164,586

Capital of Papua Barat (West Papua) province, Manokwari sits on Teluk Cenderawasih near the northeastern corner of the Vogelkop. It merits a visit mainly for the natural attractions in the surrounding area, notably the Pegunungan Arfak. Most travellers’ facilities are in the area called Kota, on the eastern side of the Teluk Sawaisu inlet. Local transport terminals and the airport (7km from town) are to the west and southwest.

Manokwari

2Activities, Courses & Tours

1 Taman Gunung MejaC2

4Sleeping

2Billy Jaya HotelB2

3Hotel ManggaC4

4Swiss-BelhotelA2

5Eating

Billy Cafe & Tuna House(see 2)

5Rumah Makan Salam ManisB2

1Sights & Activities

Pulau MansinamISLAND

Two German missionaries settled on Mansinam Island off Manokwari in 1855 and became the first to spread Christianity in Papua. The picturesque, rainforest-covered island is home to a small village, a none-too-subtle church, and a wannabe Rio de Janeiro statue of Christ. There’s also a pleasant beach along its western and southern shores. The coral reef off the southern end offers good snorkelling.

Outrigger boats (10,000Rp one way) sail to Mansinam from Kwawi, 2.5km southeast of central Manokwari, when they have enough passengers.

Pantai Pasir PutihBEACH

About 5km southeast of town, this 600m curve of clean white sand and clear water is good for swimming, and snorkelling if you have your own gear. It’s generally quiet – except on the weekends when half of Manokwari invades.

Taman Gunung MejaWALKING

(map; Table Mountain Park)

The protected forest makes an enjoyable walk if you start early enough to catch the birdlife and morning cool. A 1km walk up from Jl Brawijaya brings you to the white entrance gate, from where a fairly level 3km track, mostly paved, runs north through the forest.

After 800m the Tugu Jepang, a Japanese WWII monument, stands 100m to the left along a branch track. From the far end of the forest track, follow the paved road 600m past houses, then go left at a T-junction. This brings you in 400m to the Manokwari–Amban road, where you can catch a taksi or ojek back to town.

4Sleeping

Hotel ManggaHOTEL$

(map; %0629-8621 1693; www.mangga-hotel.com; Jl Siliwangi 1; r from 250,000Rp; a)

The paint may be peeling and the furniture may hail from decades forgotten, but this old, yellow-walled hotel will suit budget backpackers just fine. The owner speaks English, the beds are comfy and rooms come with air-con and (sometimes) hot water.

The location is also a plus, as the hotel is close to the ferry terminal and is flanked by a laundry business, an internet cafe, a couple of ATMs and some seriously tasty warungs.

oMansinam Beach HotelHOTEL$$

(%0986-213585; www.hotelmansinambeach.com; Jl Pasir Putih 7; r incl breakfast 450,000-780,000Rp; aW)

About 5km southeast of the city centre, this beach hotel offers the best value in town, with affordable third-storey rooms offering views of Mansinam Island. Some lower-level rooms smell a bit funky, so ask to see a few before committing. The breezy waterfront restaurant (mains 75,000Rp-250,000Rp) is tops for spicy seafood.

Billy Jaya HotelHOTEL$$

(map Google map; %0811 480 8567, 0986-215432; hotelbillyjaya@yahoo.com.sg; Jl Merdeka 57; r incl breakfast 250,000-900,000Rp; aW)

The older, cheaper rooms (up to 350,000Rp) range from small and dark to large, windowed and acceptable. The newer section is much better, with shiny tiled floors and nice white bedding. The old Vespa with sidecar in the hotel lobby is an unusual talking point. The hotel offers free airport drop-offs (though, sadly, not in the Vespa).

Swiss-BelhotelBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(map Google map; %0821 9768 2825, 0986-212999; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Yos Sudarso 8; r incl breakfast from 900,000Rp; aWs)

The best hotel in town has comfy but surprisingly tired rooms, and the restaurant (mains 72,000Rp to 300,000Rp) provides a wide range of Asian dishes, plus steaks. It’s not deserving of its four stars.

5Eating

oBilly Cafe & Tuna HouseSEAFOOD$

(map Google map; %0986-211036; Jl Merdeka 57; mains 30,000-60,000Rp; h8am-9pm)

Visitors enter this Disney-esque seafood establishment through the toothy mouth of a giant shark replica, and the dining room is adorned in big fake trees and real aquariums populated with a diverse array of aquatic life. It’s unclear if any of those fish are on the menu, but there are definitely some tasty seafood dishes. Kids will adore the place.

Rumah Makan Salam ManisINDONESIAN$

(map Google map; Jl Merdeka; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; h9am-10pm)

Renowned far and wide for its nasi ayam panggang lalapan (grilled chicken with green vegetables and rice), this two-storey place is an excellent choice for a communal meal while sat cross-legged at low tables surrounded by pot plants on the second floor. Very popular with locals.

8Information

BNI Bank (Jl Yos Sudarso) With ATM.

Police Station (Jl Bhayangkhara; h9am-5pm) You can get your surat jalan here, but it’s not usually necessary in the region. It’s 1km southeast of the port.

8Getting There & Away

Tickets for the small planes of Susi Air (www.susiair.com) are only sold at the airport, 6km southwest of town. The office is open 9am-5pm.

Every two weeks Pelni (%0986-215167; Jl Siliwangi 24) has several sailings from its passenger terminal to Jayapura, Sorong, Makassar and Nabire, with less frequent departures for Biak, Ternate, Ambon and Banda. Once a week, ASDP Indonesia Ferry also offers sailings to Biak and Nabire (via Wasior).

FLIGHTS FROM MANOKWARI

DESTINATION	AIRLINE	FREQUENCY
Ambon	Wings Air, Garuda	3 weekly
Biak	Garuda, Susi Air, Sriwijaya Air	daily
Jakarta	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air	daily
Jayapura	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air	daily
Kaimana	Wings Air	3 weekly
Makassar	Garuda (not direct), Sriwijaya Air	daily
Sorong	Sriwijaya Air, Garuda	daily

8Getting Around

Airport taxis to town cost 100,000Rp. Some public taksi (5000Rp) pass the airport, bound for Terminal Wosi (Jl Pasir), halfway to the centre. At Wosi you might find another taksi direct to Kota (5000Rp); otherwise get one to Terminal Sanggeng, then another (or walk) to Kota. Terminal Sanggeng is the starting point for very frequent public taksi running through Kota and out to Kwawi and Pantai Pasir Putih.

Traveling by ojek in town costs 10,000Rp per ride. From the city to the airport it’s around 20,000Rp.

Around Manokwari

Several interesting places around Manokwari are best visited on multiday trips.

Pegunungan Arfak

The thickly forested Arfak Mountains, rising to more than 2800m south of Manokwari, are a region of beautiful tropical scenery, exotic wildlife (especially birds) and a mostly indigenous Papuan population referred to as the Hatam-Moley, who once occupied traditional ‘thousand-leg’ stilt houses. The first and one of the biggest Papuan revolts against Indonesian rule happened here from 1965 to 1968.

The best-known birdwatching base is the Mokwam region, a collection of three small villages called Syobri, Kwau and Mokwam, all perched a few kilometres down a side road about 50km from Manokwari. In February and March, visitors may also observe spectacular, iridescent birdwing butterflies with wingspans of up to 25cm.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

TRITON BAY

A few years back, word got out that the undersea ecosystems of Triton Bay (Teluk Triton) might be more impressive than those of Raja Ampat. That’s still up for debate, but certainly the wealth of marine life here is extraordinary.

Of the many highlights are pygmy seahorses, Nursalim flasher wrasse, Triton Bay walking sharks, wobbegong sharks, big pods of dolphins, marlin, groupers, sweetlips, large schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish and arguably the most spectacular soft corals in the world. And if all that weren’t enough, there’s also the big daddy of them all, whale sharks, which are attracted to the fishing bagang (platform).

There are now more than 30 identified dive sites ranging from pinnacles to shallow soft-coral gardens and drift and wall dives. The one downside is that average visibility ranges from 8m to 10m, though it can be up to 25m or as little as 5m.

Very few people have had the opportunity to dive here, and only the occasional liveaboard boat comes through. But with the 2015 opening of Triton Bay Divers (www.tritonbaydivers.com; Aiduma Island; 7-nights full board incl 15 dives €2090 per person; hclosed Jun–mid-Sep), the first resort in the area, the reefs became easier to access. The resort is set on Aiduma Island, with just six elegant wooden cottages on a beautiful white sand beach. A full board of Asian and international meals is provided to guests.

Access to Triton Bay is via Kaimana. Wings Air (www.lionair.co.id) connects Kaimana with Sorong, and Garuda flies there from Ambon six days a week.

Upon arrival in Kaimana, Triton Bay Divers retrieves guests in a speedboat and transfers them to the island resort. The ride takes around two hours and is free on Saturdays. Otherwise it costs €165 per boat (with a maximum of five people).

TTours

Fees for birdwatching tours range from 700,000Rp to 800,000Rp per day, with additional fees if you stay in a guesthouse or make use of hides, firewood, porters or cooks.

Hans MandacanBIRDWATCHING

(%081 344 214965; 700,000Rp per day)

Hans is an excellent local guide, with intimate knowledge of the mountain and its birdlife. He’s also very skilled at setting up a campsite and maintaining his hides, from which visitors can watch several species of birds of paradise feeding on forest fruit. These include the superb bird of paradise, the magnificent bird of paradise, the black sicklebill and the Western parotia.

Zeth WonggorBIRDWATCHING

(%0852 5405 3754; guiding fee 800,000Rp per day)

In Syobri ask for Zeth Wonggor, a highly experienced guide who has worked here with, among others, Sir David Attenborough. He has forest hides for viewing the magnificent bird of paradise, Western parotia and Arfak astrapia (also birds of paradise), the Vogelkop bowerbird and other exotic feathery species.

Arfak Paradigalla ToursBIRDWATCHING, HIKING

(%0812 4809 2764; yoris_tours@yahoo.com)

This one-man, English- and Dutch-speaking outfit offers city tours as well as Arfak trips. Yoris Wanggai is very knowledgeable about the area’s birds, plants and insects. He charges around 800,000Rp per day for overnight trips, not including transport, accommodation or food.

SENOPI & AIWATAR HILL

The Senopi area, though closed to visitors at the time of research due to tribal conflict over land rights, will someday again be ripe for exploring. The main draw to Senopi is a day’s walk through the forest at Aiwatar hill, a salt water spring surrounded by coastal vegetation (40km from the sea). Each morning, thousands of birds pop in for a drink.

Senopi village has the unexpectedly good Senopi Guesthouse (d incl full board 350,000Rp).

4Sleeping & Eating

There are basic guesthouses in two of the villages: Syobri and Mokwam, and also a more isolated, mountainside guesthouse surrounded by flowers, off the main road.

Simple meals are available in the villages but are pricey. It’s wise to bring your own food from Manokwari.

Papuan Lorikeet GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$

(%081 344 214965; 150,000Rp per person)

Owned and operated by Hans Mandacan, this mountainside retreat offers a couple of lovely hardwood guesthouses on stilts, surrounded by flowers and gorgeous butterflies. The only downfall is that the beds don’t have real mattresses and aren’t comfortable.

Syobri GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$

(200,000Rp per person)

Guide Zeth Wonggor offers tourist accommodation in three well-built wooden houses at the top of a steep road in Syobri.

8Getting There & Away

You can get a 4WD double-cabin pickup to Mokwam (150,000Rp, 2 hours) from around 7am, 100m along the street past Manokwari’s Terminal Wosi. Talk to drivers the day before or get to the stop in good time if you don’t want to end up chartering a whole vehicle for 1,300,000Rp (one way).

Getting back to Manokwari is easier. You can wait at the main intersection on the road to the Mokwam villages, and jump in any 4WD vehicle headed for Manokwari (100,000Rp).

Tambrauw

To the west of Manokwari, the mountains and coastline of the little-explored Tambrauw Regency are brimming with natural splendor and adventure. The tree-shrouded peaks are home to birds of paradise and other exotic species, the offshore islands are ringed with coral reefs and the secluded white-sand shoreline is a nesting site for leatherback, Olive Ridley and green turtles.

Fledgling ecotourism projects are emerging around the region, driven mainly by the need to employ locals with something other than logging, mining and poaching wildlife. Village activities within these projects can be fascinating, but also frustrating, as some locals have continued shooting birds of paradise and other wildlife out of the trees.

The education must begin somewhere, though. At the moment, it’s difficult to visit the area without the assistance of guide Charles Roring (%0813 3224 5180; www.manokwaripapua.blogspot.com), who is closely linked with the projects and funnels visitors through them.

Charles offers hiking, camping, birding, nature and snorkelling trips all over the Vogelkop peninsula and as far as Triton Bay, south of Kaimana. His guiding fee is usually between 350,000Rp and 500,000Rp per day, depending on group size and destination.

Northern Papua

Papua provincial capital, Jayapura, and its airport town Sentani, are hubs of Papuan travel, and there’s a small selection of appealing things to see and do in and around these towns. Further west, Biak is a relaxed offshore island that’s good for beach lazing, snorkelling and diving, and has evocative land-based and underwater WWII sites to investigate. Nabire is the starting point for trips to snorkel and scuba dive with whale sharks.

Jayapura

%0967 / Pop 315,870

Downtown Jayapura is hot and buzzing with traffic, but it is perched beautifully between steep, forested hills opening onto Teluk Imbi, and has an appealing tropical air.

A small settlement named Hollandia was established here by the Dutch in 1910. In 1944, 80,000 Allied troops landed here to dislodge the Japanese in the largest amphibious operation of WWII in the southwestern Pacific. After WWII, Hollandia became capital of Dutch New Guinea. Following the Indonesian takeover in 1963, it was renamed Jayapura (‘Victory City’) in 1968. A public consultation exercise in 2010 favoured changing the name to Port Numbay, a name popular with indigenous Papuans, but this has yet to be officially ratified.

The city stretches 6km northeast from its centre, and its conurbation includes the formerly separate towns of Argapura, Hamadi, Entrop, Abepura and Waena. Cenderawasih University at Abepura is a hotbed of Papuan nationalism.

Jayapura

4Sleeping

2FavehotelB3

5Eating

6Duta CafeD2

7Resto & Cafe Rumah LautC3

8Waroeng PojokB1

7Shopping

9Mal JayapuraB1

1Sights

Museum Loka BudayaMUSEUM

(%0852 4438 0693; Jl Abepura, Abepura; 25,000Rp; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Cenderawasih University’s cultural museum contains a fascinating range of Papuan artefacts including the best collection of Asmat carvings and ‘devil-dance’ costumes outside Agats, most of which was selected by Michael Rockefeller and his team in the 1950s for exhibition in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The art remained in Papua after Rockefeller’s canoe capsized near the Asmat region and he was ostensibly eaten by cannibals.

The museum also contains fine crafts from several other areas, historical photos and musical instruments. Additionally, there’s a collection of stuffed Papuan fauna, which includes a monitor lizard, a cuscus and some birds of paradise. The museum is next to the large Auditorium Universitas Cenderawasih on the main road in Abepura.

Pantai Base GBEACH

Base G beach is nearly 3km long, sandy, clean and lined with wooden picnic platforms. The best beach easily accessible from Jayapura, it is usually near-empty, except on Sunday when locals come in droves to bathe, walk and pray. Beware the many rocks in the water. Base G was the American forces’ administrative HQ in 1944.

Frequent ‘Base G’ taksi (5000Rp) start from Jl Sam Ratulangi for the 5km trip; the beach is a 10-minute walk downhill from the last stop.

4Sleeping

Amabel HotelHOTEL$

(map Google map; %0967-522102; Jl Tugu 100; s/tw/d incl breakfast 253,000/297,000/363,000Rp; aW)

Easily the best budget option, the Amabel has neat little rooms with windows and its own inexpensive restaurant. It’s up a small, leafy side street, a block before the Mal Jayapura (map Google map; Jl Sam Ratulangi 46; h10am-10pm) shopping mall.

Hotel Grand ViewHOTEL$$

(map Google map; %0967-550646; Jl Pasifik Permai 5; r incl breakfast 450,000-750,000Rp; aW)

A very good deal. This place has plain but bright, modern, no-frills rooms, half of which peer directly out over the waters of the bay. The downstairs cafe-restaurant is a delightfully cheery strawberry red.

oFavehotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$

(%0967-5161888; www.favehotels.com; Jl Ahmad Yani 12; r incl breakfast from 588,000Rp; aW)

The fancy hotels in Jayapura are mostly tame when it comes to design. Not the case with Favehotel. Sleek and modern with magenta accents at every turn, this boutique property stands tall and exuberant at the city centre, and its Lime Restaurant features indoor and terrace dining, with a stellar Indonesian menu. Amenities include a spa, executive lounge and ballroom.

Events are frequent, so don’t be surprised if you’re sharing the hotel with a wedding.

Hotel YasminHOTEL$$$

(map Google map; %0811 482 7174, 0967-533222; www.yasminjayapura.co.id; Jl Percetakan 8; s 600,000-1,600,000Rp, d 680,000-1,600,000Rp; aW)

A quite classy place with well-equipped but small rooms, and a 24-hour restaurant. Some of the cheapest rooms lack windows and are dark, but head up a price band and you get smart, spacious and great-value rooms.

Swiss-BelhotelBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(map Google map; %0967-551888; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Pasifik Permai; r incl breakfast from 1,735,000Rp; aWs)

There’s nothing very Papuan about it, but the Swiss-Bel provides high-quality, European-style comfort in a harbourside location and it has a good open-air pool. Check the website for discounts, especially at weekends.

5Eating & Drinking

Unlike much of the rest of Papua, most restaurants in Jayapura serve Bintang, and hotel bars even sell cocktails. Entrop offers a few bars and nightclubs but they’re often empty, particularly of tourists.

Waroeng PojokINDONESIAN$

(map Google map; Mal Jayapura; mains 35,000-40,000Rp; h10am-9pm)

Part of a small national chain of cool, comfy restaurants serving classic Javanese cuisine and frothy milkshakes and juices. It makes a delicious change from the endless oily nasi goreng of small-town Papua or the sweet potatoes of the mountains. It’s on the 2nd floor of the Mal Jayapura shopping mall.

oResto & Cafe Rumah LautINDONESIAN, SEAFOOD$$

(map Google map; %0967-537673; Jl Koti; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h10am-10pm)

This upmarket place, built on stilts above the waters of Jayapura bay, is where locals come when they want to impress. The wide-ranging menu takes in Indonesian classics, a few Chinese options, and fish. Lots of fish. If you’re not eating, at least come for a fruit juice.

Duta CafeSEAFOOD$$

(map Google map; %0853 4414 5982; off Jl Pasifik Permai; vegetable dishes from 40,000Rp, whole fish 90,000Rp; h9am-11pm)

Open-air and riverfront, Duta Cafe serves up excellent ikan bakar (grilled fish) and offers a lively scene in the evenings.

Sky LandJUICE BAR

(Jl Raya Abepura; coconuts 15,000Rp; h10am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-5.30pm Sun)

Sip on fresh coconut water at this scenic overlook of Teluk Imbi and the dramatic cliffs plunging toward it. It’s a nice way to break up the drive if you’re coming from the airport on your way to Argapura.

8Information

ATMs abound.

BCA Bank (Blok C, Ruko, Jl Pasifik Permai; h8.30am-3pm Mon-Fri) Exchanges cash US dollars, euros and British pounds, with no minimum.

Immigration Office (%0813 7074 2956; Jl Percetakan 15; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) This office will issue one 30-day extension to a visa on arrival (VOA): apply at least one week before your visa expires.

Papua New Guinea Consulate (%0967-531250; Blok 6 & 7, Ruko Matoa, Jl Kelapa Dua, Entrop; h9am-noon & 1-2pm Mon-Thu, 9am-noon Fri) Issues 60-day tourist visas.

Polresta (Polda; Jl Yani 11; h9am-3pm Mon-Fri) Police elsewhere in Papua will often only issue a surat jalan for their own regencies, but here you can get one for almost everywhere you want to go in Papua (except West Papua). They do tend to request a donation for ‘administrative costs’, however. Processing normally takes about one hour.

In some cases when nobody is working the Polresta office, you’ll be sent to the Polda office across from Mal Jayapura.

8Getting There & Away

AIR

Jayapura’s airport, actually located at Sentani, 35km west, is the hub of Papuan aviation. Most flights arrive and depart between 7am and 2pm. Tickets are available online and at travel agencies, as well as at the airport and Jayapura offices of the airlines.

BOAT

Five Pelni liners leave from Jayapura in every two-week period, sailing to some 20 ports in Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Java.

The port (Jl Koti) is accessible by any taksi heading to Hamadi or Entrop. Pelni tickets are available there or at travel agencies.

Perintis boats also head along the coast to places like Manokwari, Sorong and even Agats, putting in at smaller ports en route and even heading to villages up rivers such as the Mamberamo. They normally leave from the APO port (Jl Sam Ratulangi) and typically take a week to arrive in a destination. Finding out about schedules will be a challenge. Bring food and drinks.

TRANSPORT FROM JAYAPURA

Air

DESTINATION	AIRLINE	FREQUENCY
Biak	Garuda, Sriwijaya Air	daily
Dekai	Trigana, Lion Air, Wings Air	daily
Denpasar	Garuda (via Timika)	daily
Jakarta	Garuda, Lion Air, Batik Air, Citilink	daily
Kaimana	Wings Air (via Nabire)	daily
Makassar	Garuda, Batik Air, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Citilink	daily
Manado	Lion Air (via Sorong), Nam Air (via Sorong), Garuda (via Sorong)	daily
Manokwari	Garuda, Sriwijaya	daily
Merauke	Garuda, Lion Air, Sriwijaya	daily
Nabire	Wings Air, Garuda, Nam Air	daily
Sorong	Garuda, Lion Air, Nam Air	daily
Wamena	Trigana, Wings Air, Lion Air	daily

Boat

DESTINATION	FARE (RP; ECONOMY CLASS)	DURATION	FREQUENCY (PER 2 WEEKS)
Ambon	420,000	2½-4 days	1
Biak	632,500	17-25hr	1
Makassar	763,000	4-5 days	4
Manokwari	271,000	1-2 days	4
Nabire	256,000	15-32hr	2
Sorong	370,000	1½-2½ days	5

8Getting Around

Official airport taxis from the airport at Sentani to central Jayapura cost 300,000Rp. If you organise a taxi yourself without going through the taxi booths, they will quote you the same fare but with bargaining will drop as low as 200,000Rp.

Going by public taksi from Sentani to Jayapura involves three changes and takes about 1½ hours if the traffic is on your side. Fortunately, each change is just a hop into another vehicle waiting at the same stop. Start with one from Sentani (outside the airport gate or heading to the right along the main road 400m straight ahead) to Waena (10,000Rp, 20 to 30 minutes). Then it’s Waena to Abepura (5000Rp, 10 to 15 minutes), Abepura to Entrop (5000Rp, 20 minutes) and Entrop to Jayapura (5000Rp, 20 minutes). Heading back from Jayapura, go through the same routine in reverse. You can pick up Entrop-bound taksi on Jl Percetakan or at Terminal Mesran (Jl Koti).

GETTING TO PNG: JAYAPURA TO VANIMO

There is one land border crossing between Papua and Papua New Guinea that is open to foreigners. It’s at Skouw (opposite Wutung, PNG), 55km east of Jayapura and 40km west of Vanimo, PNG. This border suffers occasional temporary closures, usually due to political tensions.

Getting to the border To cross the land border into PNG, you need a visa beforehand. The PNG consulate at Jayapura issues (free) 60-day tourist visas. You’ll need to apply a week in advance, as securing the visa can take up to five business days. It usually takes around three, but there are no guarantees. An application must include: a typed cover letter stating where you want to go in PNG and why; proof of funds in the form of a recent bank statement; a photocopy of a confirmed onward air ticket; a photocopy of your passport and visa (be sure this is clearly visible); and two colour photos (4cm by 6cm), with your signature on the back. Regulations and practices at the consulate vary from time to time and you might also be asked to supply a sponsor’s or invitation letter from PNG (if this is impossible, explain why in your letter of request).

To get to the border from Jayapura or Sentani, you usually need to charter a taksi for 600,000Rp to 800,000Rp, or take the 7am bus for 100,000Rp per person. The trip takes about two hours.

At the border Exit stamps for Indonesia are now obtained at the border and are free of charge, as is entering Papua New Guinea. The border is open from 8am-4pm.

Moving on Buses and vans link the border to Vanimo’s market area for around K20.

Sentani

%0967 / Pop 44,779

Sentani, the growing airport town 36km west of Jayapura, sits between the forested Pegunungan Cyclop and beautiful Danau Sentani, which hosts a lovely festival in June and features island fishing villages accessible by boat.

zFestivals & Events

Festival Danau SentaniCULTURAL

(hmid-Jun)

The Lake Sentani Festival, inaugurated in 2008, features spectacular traditional dances and chanting as well as boat events, music, crafts and hair braiding. It’s very popular with locals and lately has taken place at Kalkhote, on the lakeside 8km east of Sentani town.

4Sleeping

Rasen HotelHOTEL$$

(%0967-594455; rasenhotel_papua@yahoo.com; Jl Penerangan; s incl breakfast 250,000Rp, d incl breakfast 350,000-400,000Rp; aW)

The best backpacker choice near the airport, the Rasen has small, clean rooms with hot showers and TV, plus a decent restaurant and free airport drop-offs. Unsurprisingly it fills up, so try to call ahead. Some staff speak English.

oHorex Hotel SentaniBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(%0967-5191999; www.myhorison.com; Jl Raya Kemiri 79; r incl breakfast from 805,000Rp; aW)

Horex Hotel is geared toward business travelers and conferences, but weary tourists will find it an ideal spot to clean up and spoil themselves. Rooms are large and immaculate, with super comfy king beds and 24-hour room service. Staff are exceptionally well-trained and responsive, and the Indonesian breakfast buffet is spectacular.

Grand Allison HotelBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(%0967-592210; www.grandallisonsentani.com; Jl Raya Kemiri 282; r incl breakfast from 999,000Rp; aWs)

Quite possibly the fanciest hotel in Papua, the Grand Allison is business slick with international-standard rooms, facilities and unprecedented service. A highlight is the lovely swimming pool complex. Book online for discounts. The hotel restaurant, Pepito, offers an international menu, a fine cocktail list and a grand piano.

5Eating

Pondokan BambuINDONESIAN$

(%0811 481 2484; Jl Raya Kemiri; mains 20,000-45,000Rp; h6am-6pm Mon-Sat)

Follow the reggae music into this funky warung bedecked in jungle wall murals on Sentani’s main drag. You’ll be wowed by the spicy, tender BBQ chicken and refreshing smoothies (yes to the jackfruit!), and an attached cafe also serves Vietnamese-style and syphon coffee using beans from all over Papua.

oYougwa RestaurantINDONESIAN$$

(%0822 3952 7778; Jl Raya Sentani; mains 25,000-60,000Rp; h9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4.30pm Sun)

Sentani’s most charming dining is on the Yougwa’s breezy wooden terraces over the lake, 13km east of town. Try ikan gabus (snakeskin fish), a tasty lake fish that doesn’t fill your mouth with little bones. Locals also love the sago, a gooey (and frankly tasteless) dish made from the boiled heart of the sago palm.

8Information

The Polresta in Jayapura, 35km west of Sentani, takes about an hour to issue a surat jalan. An ojek from Sentani is 100,000Rp one-way. The Polda can also issue the surat jalan.

8Getting There & Around

Taxis at the airport ask an unbelievable 100,000Rp to take you the few hundred metres to most hotels, and even ojeks want 25,000Rp. Outside the airport gate, ojeks are 10,000Rp.

Public taksi (5000Rp) marked ‘Trm Sentani-Hawai’ shuttle up and down Jl Raya Kemiri between the taksi terminal at the western end of town and the Hawai area in the east.

Around Sentani

Several interesting places around Sentani can be easily visited on day trips.

Danau Sentani

You get a bird’s-eye view of 96.5-sq-km Danau Sentani, snaking its way between picturesque green hills, as you fly in or out of Sentani. This beautiful lake has 19 islands and numerous fascinating Papuan fishing villages of wooden stilt houses along its shores.

1Sights

Pulau AseiISLAND

Asei is the main centre for Sentani bark paintings. Originally done only on bark clothing for women of the chiefs’ families, bark paintings are now a Sentani art form. To reach Asei, take a taksi (5000Rp) to Kampung Harapan, then an ojek 2km south to the lake (10,000Rp), then a boat to and from the island (300,000Rp round trip).

Tugu MacArthurMONUMENT

(F)

For breathtaking views of Danau Sentani, head up to the MacArthur monument on Gunung Ifar. This was where General Douglas MacArthur set up his headquarters after his US forces took Jayapura (then called Hollandia) in April 1944. Today the site is occupied by a small monument and a room with displays on the American and Japanese participation in the fighting.

Situs Megalitik TutariARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

(Tutari Megalithic Site)

On the right as you enter the village of Doyo Lama, 6km west of Sentani, you’ll see the entrance to Situs Megalitik Tutari. This mysterious hillside site comprises various arrangements of rocks and stones, and dozens of rock paintings of fish, turtles, crocodiles and lizards. They are of uncertain age but still considered sacred by the villagers. The paintings are in six different fenced areas, all reached by a 1km concrete path. The lake views are also worthwhile.

Pulau Biak

Biak (1898 sq km) is one of Papua’s biggest offshore islands. It’s a relaxed and friendly place with good snorkelling and diving. It was once a popular destination with foreign travellers to Papua but today has been rather eclipsed by the Raja Ampat Islands.

Biak saw fierce fighting in WWII, with about 10,000 Japanese and nearly 500 Americans reported killed in the month-long Battle of Biak (1944). There are several historic sties worth visiting, including a cave that the US dropped a bomb on, killing 3000 Japanese soldiers, and a sunken US seaplane that’s now home to lots of fish and coral.

8Getting Around

Public taksi and a few buses reach most places of interest around the island. You can make things easier by chartering a car or ojek, or by taking a trip with PT.Ekowisata Papua Tours & Travel. Away from the south coast, most villages are little more than a handful of huts, with no accommodation or food for travellers.

Kota Biak

%0981 / Pop 41,250

This main town is your obvious, and only real, base on Pulau Biak. The airport is 3km east of the centre, along Jl Yani, which becomes Jl Prof M Yamin.

Kota Biak

2Activities, Courses & Tours

1 Byak Divers PapuaB2

4Sleeping

2Intsia Beach HotelC3

3Padaido HotelC3

5Eating

4Furama RestaurantD2

5Warung Makan BarokahC2

2Activities

Though Biak is not in the same league as the Raja Ampat Islands as a scuba destination, there is still some good diving and snorkelling. In general you’ll see most fish from May to July.

East of Kota Biak there are wall dives at Marau, Saba and Wadibu, which are also good snorkelling spots, as is Anggaduber. But the best diving and snorkelling is around the offshore Padaido Islands.

The island also attracts the odd hardcore exploratory surfer between November and April.

Byak Divers PapuaDIVING

(map Google map; %0852 4496 0506; biakdivers.ulis@yahoo.co.id; 5-day/4-night dive package 6,500,000Rp)

A seasoned divemaster with experience working on a Raja Ampat liveaboard, Yulius Kapitarau runs this reputable, boutique diving operation out of his home in Biak. His English is limited but his enthusiasm is not, and Yulius knows all the best spots. He offers dive packages in conjunction with stays at the Hotel Mapia Biak.

At the time of research, Yulius had plans to open an office in town.

oCatalina WreckDIVE SITE

The same amphibious American aircraft used to fight the Japanese during World War II is now a lovely abode for sea creatures 30m below the surface just off the island. In place of the bombs and torpedoes it once carried, the craft is now equipped with hard and soft corals and a multitude of angelfish, squirrelfish and damselfish that reside within the guts on the plane. Divers will also spot starfish and nudibranch in nearby coral.

No record of the seaplane, or what brought it down, has ever surfaced.

4Sleeping

Intsia Beach HotelHOTEL$

(map Google map; %0981-21891; Jl Monginsidi 7; r incl meals 250,000Rp; aW)

The best value hotel in Biak isn’t anything fancy, but rooms are adequate, beds are decent and included meals are tasty (though the coffee and white bread breakfast leaves something to be desired). The hotel isn’t actually on a beach, but the sea view is pretty and dive operators can scoop you up from here with a boat.

oPadaido HotelHOTEL$$

(map Google map; hotpadaido@hotmail.com; Jl Monginsidi 16; r incl breakfast 400,000Rp; a)

A hidden delight with just five immaculate, cheery marine-themed rooms. They’re full of thoughtful touches such as lights you can switch on/off from bed, and all have leafy terraces overlooking a small and pretty harbour.

Asana Biak PapuaHOTEL$$$

(%0981-21139; www.aerowisatahotels.com; Jl Prof M Yamin 4; r incl breakfast from 795,000Rp; aWs)

Almost opposite the airport terminal, this rambling old hotel received a major renovation in 2010 that has brought it bang up to date but still managed to retain some of its 1953 colonial-era ambience. There’s also a spacious Indonesian restaurant and a lovely oceanfront swimming pool.

5Eating

oWarung Makan BarokahSEAFOOD$$

(map Google map; Jl Ahmat Yani; mains 25,000-90,000Rp; h4pm-midnight)

If you like barbecued fish or chicken in a tasty sauce (the secret of which they do not want to give away) and served with green veg, rice and sambal, then this eternally popular place is for you. It’s cheap, simple and frankly brilliant.

Afterwards pop over the road to the market to grab some fruit for a takeaway dessert.

Furama RestaurantINDONESIAN, CHINESE$$

(map Google map; %0981-22022; Jl Ahmad Yani 22; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h9am-10pm Mon-Sat; a)

Offers cold Guinness and Bintang as well as plenty of good-quality Chinese and Indonesian dishes, including braised frog and stirred papaya flowers. It’s one of the few places in town that actually feels like a proper restaurant.

8Information

Bank Mandiri (cnr Jl Imam Bonjol & Jl Yani; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri) Exchanges cash US dollars and has Visa and Plus ATMs.

PT.Ekowisata Papua Tours & Travel A well-established agency that can set up just about any trip you want, not only around Biak but throughout Papua and beyond. The experienced, capable manager, Benny Lesomar, speaks excellent English. Call and he’ll meet you in town.

Police Station (Jl Diponegoro 3; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri) Surat jalan are issued in an hour or so here. For Biak, you normally only need one if you stay on an offshore island.

8Getting There & Away

AIR

Tickets for Garuda (Jl Sudirman 3; h8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat & Sun), NAM Air (%0981-26577; www.sriwijayaair.co.id; Jl Prof M Yamin 1) and Sriwijaya Air (%0981-26577; www.sriwijayaair.co.id; Jl Prof M Yamin 1) are sold at travel agencies as well as their offices. Tickets for the small planes of Susi Air (%0811 211 3090, 0811 211 3080; www.susiair.com; airport; h6am-3pm) are sold only at the airport. Between them, Garuda, NAM Air and Sriwijaya Air fly at least once a day to Jayapura and Jakarta. Garuda also flies daily to Nabire and Makassar. NAM Air also flies to Meruake three times weekly. Susi Air heads to Manokwari three times weekly and to Nabire daily.

BOAT

ASDP Indonesia Ferry (%0981-22577; Jl Suci 21) Has weekly boats on for Manokwari and Nabire, sailing from Mokmer (6km east of Kota Biak).

Pelni (%0981-23255; Jl Sudirman 37) Every two weeks, Pelni has three liners heading east to Jayapura and west to Sorong and beyond. Some Sorong-bound sailings also call at Nabire and Manokwari.

TAKSI

Blue taksi to Bosnik (10,000Rp, 30 to 40 minutes), passing Mokmer and Taman Burung, run every few minutes; you can catch them at the ‘Lampu Merah’ (Traffic Lights) stop on Jl Bosnik Raya in the northeast of town. The main terminal for other taksi is Terminal Darfuar, about 5km northwest of downtown. On most routes, service winds down in the afternoon.

8Getting Around

Yellow public taksi (5000Rp) going to the right (west) outside the airport terminal head into town. Returning, take one marked ‘Ambroben’ from the corner of Jl Imam Bonjol and Jl Monginsidi or heading east along Jl Yani. A taxi from the airport to a downtown hotel is around 100,000Rp.

Around Kota Biak

1Sights

Goa JepangCAVE

(%0812 9388 2131; Jl Goa Jepang; 50,000Rp; h7am-5.30pm)

The Japanese Cave, 4km northeast of Kota Biak, was used as a base and hideout in WWII by thousands of Japanese soldiers. A tunnel from it is said to lead 3km to the coast at Parai, but an earthquake made it impassable. In 1944, an estimated 3000 Japanese died when US forces bombed a hole in the cave roof, dropped petrol drums into it and then bombarded it from above.

Taman Burung & Taman AnggrekGARDENS

(Jl Bosnik Raya Km12; 20,000Rp; h8am-6pm)

At Ibdi, 12km east of Kota Biak on the Bosnik road, the Bird & Orchid Garden contains a sizeable collection of (caged) Papuan birds, including strikingly coloured lories, hornbills, cockatoos and three sad-looking cassowaries in cages that are far too small for such birds. Mixing it up with the birds are dozens of types of orchid.

Bosnik & Around

Bosnik, 18km from Kota Biak, is a laid-back village strung along the coast for 2km. Its daily morning market (h8am-3pm Tue, Thu & Sat) is bustling on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, when Padaido islanders come in large numbers. The beaches are far from the best in Indonesia, but there’s one attractive stretch of sand at the eastern end of town, Pantai Segara Indah (10,000Rp parking fee), that is lively on weekends and tranquil during the week. Continue a bit further east and you’ll come to a less-frequented beach, Pantai Anggopi, and a fresh water lagoon just beside the sea.

The thing to do is grab some snacks at the market and bring them to Pantai Segara Indah, then rent a gazebo and feast. There is one tiny restaurant with no name, located across from the market.

Bosnik-route taksi from Kota Biak usually go as far as Opiaref, where the coast road turns inland. You can continue on foot 6km through Opiaref to Marau, Saba and Wadibu, where a road heads 500m inland to join the Anggaduber road.

Padaido Islands

This lovely cluster of 36 islands and islets (only 13 of them inhabited) makes for a great day trip from Kota Biak or Bosnik, and you can stay overnight on some islands. Virtually all have jungle-backed, white-sand beaches with crystal-clear waters, coral reefs and plenty of marine life.

Biak Padaido Divers (%0813 4436 6385, 0822 3904 0283; biakpadaidodivers@yahoo.co.id; 2-tank dive 900,000-3,000,000Rp, full equipment rental 300,000Rp, full-day snorkelling trip 1,500,000Rp) offers diving trips and snorkelling trips all around the islands. Alternatively, you could come out here on a day trip from Kota Biak with Byak Divers Papua.

Top sites include the western end of Pulau Owi, with good coral and big fish; Pulau Rurbas Besar for coral, sharks, turtles and more big fish; and Pulau Wundi, with a cave, a long wall and good coral.

More recently discovered spots include Pulau Pakreki, where white tip and grey reef sharks, batfish and Napoleon wrasse are frequently spotted. A new wall dive off Pulau Mansur Babo is great for schools of barracuda, a variety of reef sharks and lots of coral.

The best snorkelling spots include Pulau Wundi, which has good coral and many fish near the surface, Pulau Rurbas Kecil and Pulau Meoswarek.

You can normally find accommodation for 100,000Rp per person in an island house or by asking the local church-keeper. There is also a four-room guesthouse run by Biak Padaido Divers owner Erick Farwas on Pulau Wundi. Erick’s Wundi Homestay (%0822 3904 0283, 0813 4436 6385; Pulau Wundi; per person incl meals 250,000Rp) offers dive and snorkel packages and had its own dive shop under construction during research.

Nabire

%0984 / Pop 45,000

For travellers the main attraction of this relatively prosperous town is swimming with whale sharks. Growing over 10m long, whale sharks feed mainly on plankton but also on small fish and for this reason they hang around fishing platforms called bagan in the southwest of Teluk Cenderawasih, 1½ hours from Nabire by boat. Close encounters with at least a few of these harmless giants are almost guaranteed any day of the year. Don’t touch or interfere with the whale sharks, and try to discourage locals from doing so as well.

1Sights

oTaman Nasional Teluk CenderawasihNATIONAL PARK

(entrance fee 150,000Rp)

After fishermen set out wooden platforms to lure fish in the ‘90s, some unexpectedly large ones began showing up. Whale sharks! In 2002, this special habitat became Indonesia’s largest marine park, a whopping 1,453,500 hectares off the Vogelkop peninsula. Since then, 160 different whale sharks have been spotted and a few have been tagged with satellite technology. The trackers have shown that some of these creatures live in the bay – and can be visited by tourists – year-round.

Swimming with a whale shark (or five) is an undeniably epic experience, but there are some important rules. Visitors must be accompanied by a guide, and only six snorkellers or divers can partake at a time. Touching a whale shark is forbidden, and guests must stay at least 3m from the tails and 2m from the heads, or else they may get inadvertently whacked by the shark.

There are additional, daily fees for snorkelling (15,000Rp), scuba diving (35,000Rp) and underwater photography (250,000Rp). The money goes toward protection not only of whale sharks, but also more than 150 coral species and many marine creatures threatened with extinction. The park is currently under consideration for World Heritage site status.

TTours

oSeptinus BaransanoTOURS

(%0851 4577 6670; guiding fee 500,000Rp per day)

A native Nabire man and self-made guide, Septinus has been taking people to see the whale sharks since the enormous creatures began showing up. He speaks excellent English and enjoys helping other locals to develop their own tourism businesses. A true professional and all-around great guy.

4Sleeping

Hotel NusantaraHOTEL$$

(%0984-22442; Jl Pemuda; r incl breakfast 308,000-528,000Rp; aW)

The best deal in Nabire is this charming hotel, though guests in the less expensive rooms go without hot water or sinks. The staff couldn’t be more welcoming, though, and there’s some lovely landscaping in a large, central courtyard.

oKamusioh GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0984-23124; Jl Nylur 5; r 350,000-450,000Rp; aW)

Down a quaint side street, this bright-yellow, nine-room guesthouse is homely and welcoming, with a garden full of tropical foliage, an elegant dining area and a full kitchen available to guests. Hot water, air-con and one day of wi-fi are included; additional usage of wi-fi costs 10,000Rp per day.

Breakfast, tuna pasta, beer and soft drinks are also available for an additional cost.

Kali Lemon Dive ResortRESORT$$$

(%0812 4891 651; www.kalilemon.com; r all-inclusive 5,000,000Rp per person; W)

An intimate and castaway-cool beach resort, snugly ensconced between the jungle and the sea just a couple of minutes from the whale shark platforms. There are six bungalows, adeptly constructed from local hardwoods, and one dreamy treehouse that juts out over the sea. Everything is included in the price: accommodation, meals, diving, snorkelling, birds-of-paradise-watching and all transport.

Rooms are fan-cooled and there is no hot water. Also, the dive gear is barely adequate and the local ‘dive masters’ need further training. For professional service and better equipment, contact Yulius Kapitarau of Byak Divers Papua, who accompanies groups to the resort. In addition to scuba diving with the whale sharks, there are several nearby dive sites where divers can check out coral reefs, giant clams, pygmy seahorses and a large variety of sharks.

Spotty wi-fi is available for 15,000Rp per hour.

PAPUA’S HIGHEST PEAKS

Papua contains the tallest mountains in Oceania including the granddaddy of them all, the 4884m Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya) and the 4750m Gunung Trikora, which comes in at number three. Carstensz Pyramid has several rapidly retreating glaciers and both mountains are frequently dusted in snow.

Climbing Gunung Trikora is possible, but requires several nights camping at high, cold altitudes, along with a stash of permits and the services of a recognised Indonesian tour company.

At research time, climbing Carstensz Pyramid had become a challenge due to political instability and violence nearby. The only safe way to reach the summit was to helicopter in, bypassing the troubled regions normally navigated on foot. Beyond that, a high level of fitness, lots of preparation and solid mountaineering skills are required for Carstensz Pyramid. Note that altitude sickness can be a danger here.

Adventure Indonesia (www.adventureindonesia.com) is one reliable operator offering trekking up Gunung Trikora and helicopter expeditions to Carstensz Pyramid.

5Eating

Rumah Makan SeleraCHINESE$

(%0812 4055 4500; Jl Pemuda; mains 50,000-70,000Rp; h9am-10pm)

It looks like a run-of-the-mill Chinese and seafood joint, but when the heaping plate of ayam masak Lombok (a spicy duck dish) arrives, you might just fall out of your chair. Not only do you get basically an entire duck for 60,000Rp, but it’s crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bathed in a delicious amalgam of sweet and spicy sauces.

The menu is enormous, and does not include English translations. Also the staff speaks no English. Just get the duck.

7Shopping

Wisata HatiARTS & CRAFTS

(%0823 9806 6696; Jl Jend Sudirman; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat)

Local handicrafts from the Mee tribe are available at this tidy little shop in central Nabire. Prized items include bags woven from orchid bark, and various souvenirs made with imitation cassowary and birds-of-paradise feathers.

8Getting There & Away

Wings Air flies to Ambon four times each week, while Garuda Airlines, Wings Air and Trigana fly daily to Jayapura. Garuda and Susi Air fly daily to Biak.

Pelni sails three times every two weeks to Jayapura (once via Biak), and three times to Manokwari, Sorong and beyond.

8Getting Around

There are two options for getting to the whale sharks from Nabire.

The first involves chartering a 4WD vehicle and driver for 800,000Rp for a 1.5-hour drive west to Wagi Beach, then a 40-minute boat ride (around 1,500,000Rp round trip). The drive back will again cost around 800,000Rp, unless you can bargain it down.

A more direct (but costlier) option is to charter a boat directly from Nabire, for a cool 5,000,000Rp. When seas are calm the trip takes 1.5 hours each way. When rough, 2 hours.

Baliem Valley

The legendary Baliem Valley is the most popular and most accessible destination in Papua’s interior. The Dani people who live here were still dependent on tools of stone, bone and wood when a natural-history expedition led by American Richard Archbold chanced upon the valley in 1938. Dani life has since changed enormously with stone axes being replaced by mobile phones and age-old belief systems with Christianity, but even so the changes are often skin-deep and the valley and surrounding highlands remain one of the world’s last fascinatingly traditional areas. Visiting the Baliem Valley and trekking through high mountain scenery, past neat and orderly Dani villages, takes you to a world far removed from Jakarta and is an honour and an experience to be savoured. For most people it is the highlight of Papua.

Wamena

%0969 / Pop 31,720

The obligatory base for travels around the Baliem Valley, Wamena is a sprawling Indonesian creation peppered with attractions such as farmers markets and surrounded by Dani villages, some of which display their 200-year-old mummified ancestors. The population is a mix of Papuans and non-Papuans, and the latter run most of the businesses.

Penis gourds worn by the Dani tribesmen were once banned here, during Indonesia’s ‘Operasi Koteka’ (an attempt to force the men to wear clothes) in the 1970s. But some old men who come into town for supplies or to hawk their wares are regularly seen wearing them.

Wamena

4Sleeping

1 Baliem Pilamo HotelC1

2Hogorasuok GuesthouseA3

3Mas BudiC1

4Putri Dani HotelA2

5Eating

5Cafe PilamoB2

7Shopping

6Oi-TourismC2

7Pasar MisiB5

4Sleeping & Eating

oHogorasuok GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$

(map; %0852 5431 2442, 0969-32382; www.wamena.org; Jl Pangeran Diponegoro; s/d incl breakfast from 300,000/400,000Rp; W)

On a quiet block just a short walk from the airport, this quaint guesthouse is the best backpacker option in town. There are just six rooms that are smallish but very tidy, surrounding a verdant courtyard. Note that the place is likely to book up in advance, particularly in August.

oBaliem Pilamo HotelHOTEL$$

(map Google map; %0813 4409 0719; baliempilamohotel@yahoo.co.id; Jl Trikora 114; r incl breakfast from 456,000Rp; W)

The hotel of choice for most visitors. The more expensive rooms are tasteful, contemporary, brown-and-white affairs in the newer section at the rear. Of the cheaper ones, the standards are smallish and plain but acceptable, and the superiors have a semi-luxurious feel and quirky garden-style bathrooms.

It’s 20,000Rp for three hours of barely functioning wi-fi.

Mas BudiHOTEL$$

(map Google map; %0969-31214, 0811 4814 003; Jl Patimura; r incl breakfast from 420,000Rp)

Run by the same owners as the Baliem Pilamo, this newer hotel offers 16 adequate rooms, all with hot water. The attached restaurant serves up some delicious local specialities such as fried shrimp, goldfish, deer meat, and the unbeatable tamarillo juice. Be warned, though, the kitchen can take up to two hours to prepare your food.

Putri Dani HotelHOTEL$$

(map Google map; %0969-31223; Jl Irian 40; r incl breakfast from 650,000Rp; W)

This small family-run place offers 15 spotless, comfortable rooms with hot showers and endless tea and coffee. The back rooms surround a Japanese garden complete with a fish-filled water feature.

Cafe PilamoINDONESIAN$$

(map Google map; Jl Safri Darwin 2; mains 35,000-90,000Rp; h9am-10pm, to 5pm Sun)

Cafe Pilamo is clean and pleasant, and even has three pool tables upstairs, but beware the karaoke, which may start up at any time. It has a long menu of Indonesian dishes, passable burgers and fantastic juices as well as espresso coffees.

BALIEM VALLEY FESTIVAL

To coincide with the busiest tourism season, a three-day festival (hAug) is held in the Baliem Valley during the second week of August. The highlight is mock tribal fighting, where village men dress up in full regalia and enact an old-fashioned tribal battle and accompanying rituals.

The festival also features pig feasts, traditional costumes and Dani music on instruments such as the pikon (a kind of mouth harp). Other goings-on include pig races, tourist-only spear-throwing and archery contests.

The spectacle can be interesting, but feels a bit phoney and even exploitative at times, with tourists chasing after tribesmen for photographs. Visiting the tribes in their villages is a far more authentic and rewarding experience.

In 2018 the main events took place at Walesi, and the turnout was far smaller than in previous years. There was an entrance fee of 75,000Rp, but every year the price seems to change.

7Shopping

The Dani are experts in the art of body adornment. Handicrafts include necklaces, pectorals, armbands and nose piercings, made from pig tusks, cowrie shells, bone, carved stone or feathers, as well as grass skirts, carved spears and arrows, noken (women’s bark-string bags), and assorted head decorations, made of cassowary or bird-of-paradise (or chicken) feathers and topped off with pig tusks.

Generally, it’s cheaper to buy in the villages, but it’s also worth checking out Wamena’s main market, Pasar Jibama (Pasar Baru; Jl JB Wenas; h8am-6pm), 2km north of town, which is full of neat piles of fruit and veggies, pigs off to slaughter and slippery fish from the coast. It’s a sight in its own right. Also, check out the NGO-run Oi-Tourism (map Google map; Jl Gatot Subroto; h7am-5pm Mon-Sat), or the handful of craft shops on Jl Trikora north of Jl Ambon. Asmat, Korowai and PNG artefacts are also available in the souvenir shops. Avoid buying items made from bird-of-paradise or cassowary feathers and any other products made from wild animals. Not only is it pushing these creatures closer to extinction, but trade in such items is illegal and airport customs will confiscate them and perhaps fine you.

Of course, the most popular souvenir is the penis gourd. These cost from about 20,000Rp to 100,000Rp, depending on size, materials and negotiation. Changing rooms in which to try them on aren’t provided!

Wamena’s three main markets, all functioning daily, are colourful places where you can pick up bundles of veggies for your trek. As well as Pasar Jibama, there’s also Pasar Misi (map Google map; Jl Ahmad Yani; h8am-6pm), in the south of town, and Pasar Sinakma, 2km west.

8Dangers & Annoyances

Local guides may approach you as you step off the plane at Wamena airport. If you haven’t made prior arrangements for one to meet you, treat any guide who approaches you with caution and firmness. If you accept any help at all, they may try to interpret this as an agreement to hire them, and can be hard to shake. Guides are useful for many tasks, from trekking to arranging pig feasts, but you might not want to choose the one who’s trying to choose you, and the best guides don’t usually need to tout for business at the airport.

8Information

No banks exchange travellers cheques. They’ll change some foreign currencies to rupiah but the rate is bad.

Bank Mandiri (Jl Trikora 92; h8.30am-3pm) ATM accepts Visa, Visa Electron and Plus cards.

BRI Bank (Bank Rakyat Indonesia; cnr Jl Yos Sudarso & Jl Trikora; h8am-3pm) ATM accepts MasterCard and Cirrus.

Papua.com (%0822 2624 1111; fuj0627@yahoo.co.jp; Jl Ahmad Yani 49; per hour 12,000Rp; h8am-6.30pm Mon-Sat) This efficient internet cafe has fax and scanning services. Its owner is a highly experienced Papua traveller and a willing mine of information. He sometimes runs trips up the mountain to search for wild dogs.

Police Station (%0969-31072, 0969-110; Jl Safri Darwin 1; h8am-2pm Mon-Sat) Come here to obtain a surat jalan.

8Getting There & Away

AIR

Flights can be heavily booked, especially in August. The carriers between Jayapura (Sentani) and Wamena are Wings Air (%0811 420 757, 0804 177 8899; www.lionair.co.id; Bandar Udara Airport; h5am-3pm), NAM Air (%0967-5189788; Bandar Udara Airport) and Trigana (%0969-34590; www.trigana-air.com; Bandar Udara Airport; h6am-3pm), and all operate out of Wamena’s airport terminal (Jl Gatot Subroto). There are numerous flights each day, and all cost around 650,000Rp. Wings flies twice daily in either direction. Susi Air (%0811 211 3080; www.susiair.com; Jl Gatot Subroto; h6am-3pm) operates small planes to remote airfields such as Dekai, Elelim, Kenyan and others. You can charter a plane with them to fly to Angguruk in Yali country.

Mission airline AMA (Associated Mission Aviation; %0967-591009; www.amapapua.com; Jl Gatot Subroto; h6am-3pm Mon-Sat) flies small planes to many small highland airstrips. They may carry tourists if spare seats are available. There is a better chance of getting a seat flying back to Wamena than for outbound flights. A seat from Angguruk to Wamena, for example, costs about 700,000Rp if you are lucky enough to get one. AMA also allows tourists to charter a flight to Angguruk for 14,250,000Rp. Another missionary airline, MAF, once carried tourists but no longer does.

PUBLIC BEMO

Overcrowded bemos head out along the main roads from several starting points around Wamena. Most just leave when they are full. The main terminals – Terminal Jibama (Jl JB Wenas), Terminal Misi (Jl Kurima) and Sinakma (Jl Timor) – are at Wamena’s three markets. Bemos get scarce after 3pm and don’t run on Sunday. Few villages or attractions are signposted, so ask the conductor to tell you where to get off.

CHARTERED BEMO & CAR

For more comfort than the public bemos, consider chartering a vehicle for out-of-town trips. A bemo costs around 400,000Rp one-way to Kali Yetni (a common trek starting point), or 800,000Rp for a return trip of about two hours to Jiwika. Cars (parked opposite the airport) cost 800,000Rp a day (possibly 1,000,000Rp in August) for a full-day trip around the northern ends of the valley.

BEMOS FROM WAMENA

DESTINATION	DEPARTURE POINT	FARE (RP)	DURATION
Aikima	Jibama	20,000	15min
Ibele	Sinakma	25,000	30min
Jiwika	junction 600m past Jibama	25,000	40min
Kali Yetni	Misi	25,000	1hr
Kimbim	Jibama	30,000	1¾min
Makki	Sinakma	100,000	3hr
Meagaima	Jibama	20,000	1hr
Sogokmo	Misi	25,000	35min
Tagime	Jibama	30,000	1¾hr
Tiom	Sinakma	200,000	4hr
Wosilimo	Jibama	25,000	40min

8Getting Around

For trips within town, ojeks and becaks charge around 10,000Rp. Bemos marked ‘A2’ (5000Rp) run up Jl Trikora to Terminal Jibama. An ojek or becak to Terminal Jibama is 15,000Rp. During the Baliem Valley Festival all prices skyrocket.

Northeastern Baliem Valley

A couple of intersesting villages along the northeastern Baliem Valley are within day-trip reach of Wamena, and some side valleys offer good hiking.

1Sights

Werapak Elosak MummyHISTORIC SITE

(100,000Rp)

About 8km from Wamena, nondescript Aikima is famous for its Werapak Elosak mummy, the (supposedly) 300-year-old corpse of a great chief, which was preserved (by smoking) to retain some of his power for the village. You’ll probably be asked to pay 100,000Rp per person for a viewing, but sometimes this price can be bargained down.

Wimontok Mabel MummyHISTORIC SITE

(130,000Rp)

The celebrated mummy is kept at the tiny settlement of Sumpaima, 300m north of Jiwika along the main road from the main village entrance (look for the black ‘Mummy’ sign). Wimontok Mabel was a powerful 18th-century chief here and his blackened corpse is the best preserved and most accessible of its kind near Wamena.

Air GaramAREA

At Iluwe, 1½ hours up a steep path from Jiwika, is Air Garam, a group of saltwater wells. Villagers soak sections of banana trunk in the water, then dry and burn them and use the resulting ashes as salt. Village boys will show you the way for around 50,000Rp, but to see the process at work, try to find a woman who will accompany you (100,000Rp per person). To avoid climbing in the midday heat, start from Jiwika before 10am.

Gua WikudaCAVE

(30,000Rp)

In Wosilimo, a 45-minute drive northwest from Wamena, Gua Wikuda is said to be several kilometres long, with an underground river that reaches Danau Anegerak. It’s possible to visit the first hundred metres of the cave which has a few stalagmites and stalactites. Ask for the lights to be turned on.

It’ll cost you about 35,000Rp to get there on a bemo from Wamena.

Gua KotilolaCAVE

(50,000Rp; h8am-4pm)

The road north from Jiwika is flanked by rocky hills with several caves. Gua Kotilola is a sizeable cavern up a short, pretty path behind a Dani compound, about 5km north of Jiwika. It contains the bones of past tribal-war victims – though they don’t show these to outsiders. It’s difficult to justify the high entry fee.

HIKING & TREKKING THE BALIEM VALLEY

Beyond the reach of roads in the Baliem Valley, you come closer to traditional Dani life. In one day you may climb narrow rainforest trails, stroll well-graded paths past terraces of purple-leafed sweet-potato plants, wend through villages of grass-roofed honai (circular thatched huts), cross rivers on wobbly hanging footbridges, and traverse hillsides where the only sounds are birds, wind and water far below.

The classic trekking area, offering up to a week of walking, is in the south of the valley (beyond Kali Yetni), along with branch valleys to the east and west. Dani life here is still relatively traditional, the scenery gorgeous and the walking varied. It can rain here at any time of year, but from April to December most days are fine and warm and the evenings cool. From January to March, mud and rain can make trekking hard work.

Accommodation is available in nearly all villages. Some have dedicated guest houses (sometimes in honai-style huts); elsewhere you can often stay in a teacher’s house, the school or other houses. Either way you’ll usually be asked a standard 150,000Rp per person (guides and porters excluded). You sleep on the floor, but it may be softened with dried grass (so not very soft at all!) and you may get a mat. It gets surprisingly cold at night. It’s a good idea to bring a decent sleeping bag and some thermals and fleeces. Other items worth bringing along include a torch, a solar-powered charger or spare batteries for your devices (there’s little or no electricity in the villages), a book (evenings can be long) and a water bottle and purifying pills (you’ll be refilling from streams a lot of the time). Good hiking boots are essential and walking poles are a good idea. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a sunhat and wet-weather gear (including gaiters or waterproof trousers) are also essential.

Larger villages have kiosks selling basics such as biscuits, noodles and rice (the final reliable supplies are at Manda and Kimbim in the north and Kurima in the south) and you can obtain sweet potatoes, other vegetables or fruit here and there. To be on the safe side, take enough food with you from Wamena. Villages can normally supply firewood for cooking for 20,000Rp per load.

Guides & Porters

In the more frequented trekking areas it’s technically possible to head off alone and ask the way as you go, or pick up a local porter-slash-guide for 250,000Rp a day if you need one. However, you would need to have excellent Bahasa Indonesia language abilities and, ideally, a grasp of the local Dani language to really pull this off. Trails are unmarked and often faint and confusing and there’s frequently nobody around to point out the correct route. It would be very easy for a foreign trekker walking alone to get very lost. To summarise: get a guide!

Finding a good, reliable guide can be a challenge. You should allow at least one day to find a guide you’re happy with and make trek preparations. Tricks played by unscrupulous guides may include pocketing some of the money you’ve given them to get supplies (go with them or get the supplies yourself); sending a junior replacement at the last minute; asking for more money mid-trek and refusing to continue without it; or disappearing and leaving you in the hands of a porter.

A good source of recommendations for reliable guides in Wamena is Papua.com. It’s worth seeking out one of the Baliem Valley’s 15 or so officially licensed guides. These are not the only good guides around, but they usually speak reasonable English, and have a professional reputation to look after.

There are no fixed prices in the Baliem trekking world. Hard bargaining is the norm. Don’t be put off by glum faces and do insist on clarifying any grey areas. No decent guide will agree to anything he’s unhappy about. Official licensed guides request 500,000Rp per day (and more for harder treks to, for example, the Yali or Korowai areas), but some decent, English-speaking guides will work for less. You’ll find a number of dependable agencies and individual guides in Wamena. There are also excellent trekking guides based elsewhere in Papua who will always be happy to act as a guide in the Baliem Valley; try Andreas Ndruru or Antoni Sitepu.

In addition to a guide, porters are a good idea and cost 150,000Rp each per day, depending partly on the toughness of the trek. A cook costs 300,000Rp per day, but guides or porters can cook if you’re looking to cut costs. You’ll have to provide enough food for the whole team (for two trekkers, a guide and two porters doing a one-week trek this is likely to cost around 3,000,000Rp to 3,500,000Rp in total) and probably cigarettes for them and your village hosts. It’s a good idea to have the whole agreement written down and signed by your guide before you start, and it’s normal to pay some money up front (70% is usual) and the rest at the end. Do not pay the entire cost of the trip up front! A 10% tip at the end is also expected for the guide, and 100,000Rp is acceptable for other members of the team.

4Sleeping

oBaliem Valley ResortRESORT

(%0812 4802 3489, Germany +49 6051 61388; www.baliem-valley-resort.de; s/d incl breakfast €110/126)

This stunning hotel occupies a gorgeous hillside position 21km east of Wamena, with large, rustic-style but comfortable guest cottages in picturesque grounds. A superb collection of Papuan (especially Asmat) art adorns the semi-open-air dining hall. The German owner has a wealth of Papua expertise and offers a variety of excursions and expeditions.

8Getting There & Away

Baliem Valley Resort can arrange private 4WD transport for a fee. Bemos for Jiwika and Wosilimo leave from Terminal Jibama in Wamena and cost little. Visitors can also travel by ojek (150,000Rp one way) or private taxi (around 1,000,000Rp round trip). The villages are within 45 minutes of Wamena.

Northwestern Baliem Valley

The western side of the Baliem Valley is less scenic than the eastern, but there are a few worthwhile attractions in the region. Kimbim is a pleasant administrative centre with a few shops and the main market outside Wamena, it’s busiest on Monday and Saturday.

1Sights

Danau HabbemaLAKE

This lovely lake, 30km west of Wamena as the crow flies, sits amid alpine grasslands at 3400m altitude, with dramatic, snow-capped mountains in view (4750m Gunung Trikora rises to the south). The fascinating ecosystem and its flora are draws for nature lovers. The ideal way to visit Habbema is to drive there and trek back through rainforest and villages (three to four days). To do this you will need a guide; find one in Wamena.

The usual route starting from the lake is via Yobogima (a forest clearing) and then through a spectacular gorge to Daela village and on to Pilia and Ibele.

It’s also possible to visit Habbema as a day trip from Wamena – the drive is around two hours each way. The road is paved for about half the way, and passes through a military checkpoint at Napua, 7km from Wamena. You can get a 4WD taxi in Wamena for around 2,000,000Rp round trip.

Alongga Huby MummyHISTORIC SITE

(Araboda; 80,000Rp)

The 280-year-old Alongga Huby mummy can be viewed in Araboda; viewings cost around 80,000Rp (plus another 50,000Rp to the holder).

PyramidVILLAGE

Pyramid is a graceful mission village named after the shape of a nearby hill.

PIG FEASTS & WARRIOR DANCES

Anemangi, just behind Sumpaima, and Obia (Isinapma) to the south of Jiwika, are among villages where traditional Dani pig feasts and colourful warrior dances based on ritual warfare can be staged for tourists, if requested a day or two ahead. A typical price for a warrior dance alone is about 1,500,000Rp depending on the number of dancers, and there may also be a demonstration for how to make fire with all natural materials. For the pig feast you’ll pay at least 2,000,000Rp and more if you’re a large group, plus you buy the pig (a small one costs about 2,000,000Rp).

8Getting There & Away

You’ll need to charter a car to reach this area. From Wamena the going rate is around 1,000,000Rp return.

Yali Country

Over the eastern walls of the Baliem Valley, amid scenery that is often just as stunning, lies the home of the Yali people. Only contacted in the 1960s and rumoured to have cannibalised a missionary or two, the Yali are one of the more traditional highland peoples. Although many villagers have in the last 15 years taken to shorts and T-shirts, the older men may still be seen in ‘skirts’ of rattan hoops, with penis gourds protruding from underneath. Missionaries provide much of the infrastructure here, such as schools and transport.

Yali country is a great destination for more adventurous trekkers with time to explore. From here, you can trek southeastwards into the territory of the Mek people, who are similarly small in stature to the Yali (their main village is Nalca), and even cross Papua’s north–south watershed to Langda, the main village of the Una people (considered pygmies).

The most popular trekking route to Yali runs from Sogokmo or Kurima to Ugem, then up the Mugi Valley, over 3500m-plus Gunung Elit with at least one night (but often two) camping, then down to Abiyangge, Piliam and Pronggoli in Yali country. There are sections of long, steep ascent, and the upper reaches over Gunung Elit involve climbing up and down several rustic wooden ladders. From Pronggoli to Angguruk, the biggest Yali village (with a large market twice a week), takes another one or two days.

An easier but longer option, about eight days from Sugokmo to Angguruk and still with plenty of up and down, is the southern loop via Wesagalep, Werima, Soba and Ninia.

Whichever route you take, you should have an experienced guide. You should be able to organise one in Wamena. Antoni Sitepu is particularly knowledgeable about the area, having led multiple treks to some of the farther-flung and more traditional villages, including Una and Kosarek.

Village stays are basic and cost 150,000Rp per person per night. Angguruk is the most developed of the villages and as such offers a good guest house. Other villages put travellers up in honai, school houses and other suitable structures.

Your guide will employ a chef and pack food for the entire trip. In villages, you may be able to supplement this with packaged noodles, sweet potatoes, taro and incredibly sugary coffee.

THE DANI

Dani is an umbrella name for around 30 clans in the main Baliem Valley and its side-valleys and some Mamberamo tributary valleys to the north. The total population is thought to exceed 200,000 people.

Most Dani speak Bahasa Indonesia but appreciate a greeting in their own language. Around Wamena, the general greeting is la’uk to one person, and la’uk nyak to more than one – except that men say nayak to one other man and nayak lak to more than one man. Wa, wa is another common greeting expressing respect or offering thanks.

Many older Dani men still wear a penis sheath (horim in Dani, koteka in Bahasa Indonesia) made from a cultivated gourd, and little else apart from a few neck, head or arm adornments. Others now prefer T-shirts and trousers or shorts. In the past women used to go bare-breasted, but it is less common to see that nowadays, though some still sport grass skirts. Women often still carry string bags called noken on their backs, strapped over the head and heavily laden with vegetables, babies or pigs. Noken are made from shredded tree bark, rolled into thread. Some Dani wear pig fat in their hair and cover their bodies in pig fat and soot for warmth.

After Christian missionaries arrived in 1954 and most Dani converted, their traditional pastime of village warfare went out the window. Villages used to go to war over land disputes, wife stealing or even pig stealing, with combat happening in brief, semi-ritualised clashes (with a few woundings and deaths nevertheless). Today such quarrels are normally settled by other, usually legalistic, means.

A Dutch government post was established in Wamena in 1956, and since the 1960s, Indonesia has added its own brand of colonialism, bringing immigrants, government schools, police, soldiers, shops, motor vehicles and becak (bicycle-rickshaws) to the valley. Big changes have been wrought in Dani life, but their identity and culture have proved resilient. Tensions between Dani and the security forces and Indonesian immigrants periodically erupt into violence, most notably during a large-scale uprising in 1977 and again in 2000, when clashes led to a temporary exodus of non-Papuans.

Today, villages remain composed of extended-family compounds, each containing a few honai (circular thatched huts). The men sleep in a dedicated men’s hut, visiting the women’s huts only for sex. Honai interiors have a lower level with a fire for warmth and sometimes cooking, and an upper platform for sleeping.

After a birth, sex is taboo for the mother for two to five years, apparently to give the child exclusive use of her milk. Some Dani are still polygamous: the standard bride price is five pigs, and a man’s status is measured mainly by how many wives and pigs he has. One of the more unusual (and now prohibited) Dani customs is to amputate one or two joints of a finger when a spouse or child dies. This was most frequently done by battering the finger with a rock, and many older Dani have the ends of fingers missing.

One thing that hasn’t changed, and probably never will, is the Dani’s love for the sweet potato, grown on extensive plots and terraces all over the valley. The Dani don’t mess about with fancy sauces or curries to go with their potatoes. They like them plain and steamed for each and every meal. If you spend long enough in the villages, you may get very tired of them!

8Getting There & Away

Villages with airstrips include Angguruk, Pronggoli, Kosarek and Welarek.

Susi Air operates charter planes to Angguruk, and Catholic missionary air service AMA flies small planes to many small highland airstrips. They may carry tourists if spare seats are available. There is a better chance of getting a seat flying back to Wamena than for outbound flights. A seat from Angguruk to Wamena, for example, costs about 700,000Rp if you are lucky enough to get one. AMA also allows tourists to charter a flight to Angguruk for 14,250,000Rp.

From Wamena, you need about a week to walk here (the Yali themselves can do it, barefoot, in two days).

HIKING THE SOUTHERN BALIEM VALLEY

South of Wamena, the Baliem Valley narrows and Kali Baliem (Baliem River) becomes a ferocious torrent. For the small number of hikers who come to Papua the southern Baliem Valley is easily the most popular hiking destination. The scenery is spectacular, the walking exhilarating and the village life fascinating.

From Kurima, the first village most trekkers reach, you can access a network of trails linking villages on the west side of the Baliem. Five- or six-day treks can begin on either the east or the west side of the river, as a couple of bridges link the sides with one another to form a circular route.

Walking times are based on an average ‘tourist pace’, including rest stops.

Day One

The paved road from Wamena passes through Sogokmo village after 16km (you may have to change vehicle here) and ends at the small but turbulent river, Kali Yetni. This is where you start walking. The only way across the Yetni is on precarious logs for which you need a helping hand from a guide. It’s a 45-minute walk from the Yetni to Kurima, a largish village with a police station (show your surat jalan here).

If you don’t have someone to help you over the Yetni, start walking from Sogokmo, from where it’s a 20-minute walk down to a metal hanging bridge over the Baliem. A path then leads down the east bank to neat Seima (1½ hours), from where you can descend to Kurima in 30 minutes, recrossing the Baliem by another hanging bridge.

One hour south (uphill) from Kurima you reach Kilise, a honai (circular thatched hut) village with glorious views. Alberth Elopore’s Guesthouse (Kilise; per person 150,000Rp) in Kilise is one of the best in the area, with cosy honai-style huts and a wonderful grotto-like kamar mandi (water-tank bath). Total walk time: two hours.

Day Two

From Kilise follow the gently rising and falling trail for an hour or two to the pretty village of Ibiroma, which offers splendid views up the imposing-looking Mugi Valley on the other side of the river. After a further hour of walking, the trail descends very steeply to Nalagatma with its attractive wooden church on a grassy plain. From here the trail narrows and disappears in and out of thick vegetation as it descends all the way to the Kali Baliem.

Continue 50 minutes further on and you reach the honai of tiny Kotele where the trail bends and provides the first views of the massive mountains to the south through which you will pass in a few days. It’s now just a 40-minute walk very steeply downwards along a trail that is treacherously slippery after rain to a stream, small bridge and delightful Wamerek, where the son of the late Mr Yeki runs the honai-style Kulugima Guesthouse (Wamerek; per person 150,000Rp). Total walk time: four to five hours.

Day Three

Today is a long, hard slog, but by the end of it you will be high in the mountains. One hour of walking from Wamerek will bring you to a rickety wooden bridge over the angry Kali Baliem. One look at this bridge, with its missing wooden planks and gentle sway in the breeze, might be enough to make some people decide they don’t like hiking after all. Assuming you make it over the river, it’s about a three-hour unrelentingly steep uphill slog to almost the very top of the mountain (look out for the high waterfall near the top where you can take an exhilarating shower). After reaching a bit of level ground, it’s another 20 minutes uphill to a small hamlet of perfectly formed huts which are often half-hidden under a cold mist. The path continues up through the mist-soaked mountains to Wesagalep village which is situated on a small, cold ridge with remarkable mountain vistas. Overnight in the village school/hall. Total walk time: five to six hours.

Day Four

Day four starts rudely with a steep, breathless 20-minute climb to a low pass. Don’t follow the obvious trail straight ahead (this just leads to gardens), but instead turn right along the fainter trail. After 45 minutes of steep climbing through muddy, muggy jungle the reward is a narrow, grassy ridge with endless views in all directions. The path skips along a spur before plummeting downwards for about three hours to the Kali Lubuk where you can reward yourself with a refreshing (read: bloody freezing) dip.

The path then climbs up another ridge dipping in and out of often very boggy forest before reaching a final ridge and dropping down to Userem village where accommodation is available in a teacher’s house for the usual 150,000Rp per person. Total walk time: five to six hours.

Day Five

This is a fairly short and gentle day, though the temperature and humidity rise fast as you descend. From Wuserem work your way along a spur for half an hour, from where there are memorable views to the north up towards Wamena. By now the track is fairly wide and well maintained and more and more villages start appearing. Descend gently and turn to the east into the Mugi Valley. From this point it’s just 45 minutes to an hour down to riverside Syokosimo, which has a basic wooden hut, teacher’s home and schoolhouse to stay in. You can have a dip in the river and enjoy an afternoon of rest. Total walk time: three to four hours.

Day Six

From Syokosimo follow the trail along the river heading further up the Mugi Valley. After 20 minutes you’ll come to Yuarima and a small bridge, built only of vines and tree branches, that crosses the river. From the other side a gentle climb takes you through beautiful meadows and past little farmsteads. Soon you’ll be out of the Mugi Valley and back into the Baliem Valley proper and the village of Hitugi (1½ hours after setting off). The path wends downhill for just over an hour to Ugem village. Both villages have accommodation.

Continue onwards; nearly five hours after setting out that morning you reach Seima. On the opposite bank of the Kali Baliem you’ll be able to see where you started trekking several days ago. You could stop in Seima for the night but most people choose to press on for a further 1½ hours. From Seima continue along the track heading north. It wends in and out of forest and farmland before dropping down to the river, which you eventually cross on a scary yellow hanging bridge, built of metal and sticks (some of which are missing). After a 10-minute uphill walk you’ll reach the tarmac road, the village of Sogokmo and transport back to Wamena. Total walk time: six to seven hours.

Southern Papua

Few travellers make it to the low-lying, river-strewn south, but Wasur National Park, accessed from Merauke, is one of Papua’s best wildlife destinations (for a few months a year), while the Asmat region provides a fascinating taste of life along jungle rivers with a headhunting past and marvellous woodcarving artisanry. Korowai is home to the world’s most skilled tree house architects.

Merauke

%0971 / Pop 87,600

Merauke is a reasonably prosperous and orderly town of wide, straight streets, renowned as the most southeasterly settlement in Indonesia. The best reason to visit is nearby Wasur National Park, which is like a small slice of Australian bush in Indonesia, wallabies and all.

It’s 6km from the airport at the southeast end of town to the port on Sungai Maro at the northwest end. The main street, running almost the whole way, is Jl Raya Mandala.

4Sleeping & Eating

Marina HotelHOTEL$

(%0971-326240; Jl Raya Mandala 23; s/d 165,000/220,000Rp)

Best deal in town with acceptable, clean rooms and cold showers. Also rents motorbikes for 50,000Rp per day.

Hotel MegariaHOTEL$$

(%0971-321932; www.megariahotel.com; Jl Raya Mandala 166; r incl breakfast from 390,000Rp; a)

The Megaria has a selection of 42 large, well-furnished rooms that wouldn’t win awards for being at the cutting edge of style but are otherwise OK. Get one as far away from the motorbike-infested road as possible. There’s also a new restaurant serving passable Indonesian dishes from 6am-10pm.

Swiss-BelhotelBUSINESS HOTEL$$$

(%0971-326333; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Raya Mandala 53; r incl breakfast from 1,005,000Rp; aWs)

The most stylish and luxurious option in town, the Swiss-Belhotel offers all the business-class frills. There are some niggles, though, like uneven water pressure in the showers and overly inquisitive staff members.

8Getting There & Away

Garuda, Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air fly daily to Jayapura. Batik Air offers a flight to Jakarta with a stopover in Makassar. Airport taxis cost 100,000Rp into town. Yellow public taksi (4000Rp) from the airport parking area, or the road just outside, run along Jl Raya Mandala.

About every two weeks, a Pelni ferry sails from Merauke to Agats and Sorong. Another sails to Agats then through southern and central Maluku to Sulawesi, every four weeks. Smaller boats run up and down the coast to Agats and as far inland as Tanahmerah.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

RIVER SURFING KEPALA ARUS

Only one group of international wave chasers has ever attempted to surf Kepala Arus, a strong tidal bore where the Digul and Mappi rivers merge in Papua’s seldom-visited southern interior. But Merauke-based guide Bony Kondahon swears that any relatively confident surfer or stand-up paddleboarder can take it on, and we’re inclined to believe him.

Quite a lot of planning goes into the trip, as the 2m wave only appears for four or five days at a time, usually breaking just before the full and new moons and largely depending on tidal intensity. Also, be sure to come between May and October, or you’ll have to surf this thing in the dark.

You bring the surfboard (or SUP and paddle), and the local team of experienced boat drivers in Bade will bring you to the wave. The ride is ‘gutsy’ according to the professionals, and lasts a few minutes (up to half a kilometre), starting very far downriver near Isyaman village and travelling to another village called Mam (both in Asmat territory). A spot in between called Muara Kalamati apparently offers the biggest thrills. There are crocs nearby but they rarely turn up during the day.

Staying in Bade is an experience of its own, and spectators may also find the journey (which involves chartering a plane for 59,000,000Rp or taking a combination of boats and 4WD taxis for a negotiable 8,500,000Rp) worthwhile. In Bade, there’s one basic hotel and a restaurant serving deer and some strange-looking river fish. Well before dawn, prayers begin emanating from the local mosque.

Wasur National Park

The 4130-sq-km Wasur National Park (%0971-324532; 150,000Rp per day), stretching between Merauke and the PNG border, will fascinate anyone with an interest in birds and marsupials. But come in the later part of the dry season (mid-July to early November), otherwise most tracks will be impassable.

Bony Kondahon (%0813 4458 3646; bonykondahon@rocketmail.com), an excellent Merauke-based guide, can help with arrangements and show you the park. He charges 700,000Rp per day for guiding and cooking and maintains a nice campsite (%0813 4458 3646) (with one hut on stilts) in the park’s northwest.

Part of the Trans-Fly biome straddling the Indonesia–PNG border, Wasur is a low-lying area of savannahs, swamps, forests and slow-moving rivers that inundate much of the land during the wet season. Wasur’s marsupials include wallabies and small kangaroos, though illegal hunting means numbers have fallen. There are also nocturnal cuscuses and sugar gliders and towering termite mounds. Among the 350-plus birds are cassowaries, kookaburras, cockatoos, brolgas, magpie geese and three types of bird of paradise.

The southern part of the park is the best for wildlife-spotting as it has more open grasslands and coastal areas. At Rawa Biru, an indigenous village 45km east of Merauke (300,000Rp one way by ojek, or 2,500,000Rp to 4,000,000Rp round trip in a rented 4WD vehicle with driver), you can stay in local houses for 150,000Rp per person (bring food and mosquito nets). From Rawa Biru it’s a two- to three-hour walk to Prem, with a small savannah surrounded by water, and a good chance of seeing wallabies and various waterbirds. Also within reach (20km) is Yakiu, where chances are high of seeing the greater, king and red birds of paradise in the early morning and late afternoon. In the south part of the park, you may also be asked for a 300,000Rp ‘land owner fee’ (this ostensibly incentivises locals to protect rather than hunt wildlife).

Asmat Region

The Asmat region is a massive, remote, low-lying area of muddy, snaking rivers, mangrove forests and tidal swamps, where many villages, including their streets, are built entirely on stilts. The Asmat people, formerly feared for their headhunting and cannibalism, are now most celebrated for their woodcarvings – the most spectacular of Papuan arts. It’s a fascinating area to explore but it requires time, money and patience.

Most visitors who do make it here spend time boating along the jungle-lined rivers to different villages, seeing and buying Asmat artefacts, and maybe seeing a traditional dance or ceremony.

Villages to visit for their carving and ceremonial canoe welcomings and races include Atsy, Ambisu, Jow and Amborep, all of which are south of Agats, or Sawa Erma to the north. These traditional celebrations are costly, but the price per person drops as group size increases.

Agats

%0902 / Pop 1400

Capital of the Asmat Region is the overgrown village of Agats, on the Aswet estuary. Due to the extraordinary tides and location, its streets are raised boardwalks. It’s a curious and charming place to wander around, with markets, shops, mosques, churches and unsightly monuments on a bustling waterfront.

1Sights

Museum Kebudayaan dan Kemajuan AsmatMUSEUM

(Asmat Museum of Culture & Progress; %0821 4742 3651, caretaker John Ohoiwirin 0813 9478 8993; http://asmatmuseum.com; Jl Missi; admission by donation; h8.30-10.30am & 11am-2pm Mon-Sat)

This museum has a fantastic collection of Asmat art and artefacts, from bis poles and skulls to full-body dance outfits. The collection is split between this location (which still keeps regular hours), and a newer one on Jalan Yos Sudarso at the southern end of town that has struggled for nearly three years to officially open its doors. The collection, which belongs to a German art-collecting couple and the previous Bishop of Agats, includes feast masks, carvings, woven art, tools, bows, arrows and more.

Impressive carvings created for the annual competition during Pesta Budaya Asmat, a culture festival are displayed in the old location. Guests can sometimes visit the new one by contacting caretaker John Ohoiwirin, who does his best to get people in. At the time of research, though, the boardwalk leading to the entrance of the new structure was severely damaged.

zFestivals & Events

Memorable and incredibly odd celebrations referred to as Asmat Feasts often begin when the chief of an Asmat village has a dream, during which his ancestors give instructions to prepare a feast. The chief will then discuss the plan with other area chiefs and recruit villagers to start gathering sago worms, bananas and other forest foods. Villagers also craft masks and other costume items, sometimes over a period of months, before everything is deemed ready.

During the feast, villagers perform what’s referred to as a ‘satanic dance’, although it has nothing to do with the devil. Rather, it is a way of summoning tribal ancestors.

The best place to witness an Asmat Feast is Sawa Erma, north of Agats. Note there is no set schedule and outsiders are rarely informed of when these feasts will take place. For more information, try the Catholic Diocese of Agats (0902-31056; www.keuskupanagats.org).

Pesta Budaya AsmatCULTURAL

(hOct)

Over five days in October each year, Agats comes alive with this exhibition of the region’s craftsmanship and culture. Festivities include carving contests, canoe races and tribal ceremonies.

4Sleeping

Hotel AnggrekHOTEL$$

(%0902-31267; Jl Dandeuw; r from 350,000Rp; W)

A solid choice just a few minutes walk from the waterfront, with sizable rooms, comfy beds and mandi (cold-water ladle bath).

Hotel AsseduHOTEL$$

(%0813 4302 4240; Jl Pemda 1; s/d incl breakfast 440,000/495,000Rp, s/d with air-con 522,500/605,000Rp; a)

This government-run hotel has clean rooms with comfy beds and almost-tasteful plastic flowers. Due to an earthquake, the floors slant considerably.

7Shopping

oAsmat Queen Art ShopGIFTS & SOUVENIRS

(%0813 4006 3500; Jl Sudarso; h8am-8pm)

A longstanding tribal art emporium offering up some of Asmat’s finest pieces, including shields, spears, totem poles, costumes, wood carvings, drums and even crocodile skulls. Expect to spend upwards of 700,000Rp (and possibly much, much more). Items are much cheaper if you buy them in the villages, but usually of lower quality.

8Getting There & Away

Agats has an airport (Ewer), with a few regular flights and frequent charters connecting it to Jayapura, Merauke and Timika. Visitors also arrive and depart by longboat (which is very expensive and time-consuming) or ferry (which is cheap but even more time-consuming).

Korowai

Far inland, in the region of the Dairam and upper Sirets rivers, live the Korowai people, semi-nomads and architects of towering tree houses that historically protected them against animals, enemies, floods, mosquitoes and (apparently) evil spirits. The Korowai were not contacted by missionaries until the 1970s, and though many have since settled in new villages of ground-level houses, a select few still live their traditional way of life, wearing little clothing and employing stone and bone tools.

Most Papua-based tour companies offer tours to this area (an organised tour is, for all intents and purposes, the only feasible way of currently visiting). Depending on group size, you’re looking at €1500 to €2000 per person for a 10-day trip, with perhaps half that time actually in Korowai territory.

Top guides for Korowai are Antoni Sitepu, Bony Kondahon and Andreas Ndruru.

Two Korowai villages that feature tall tree houses and often host tourists are Ngguari and Haiganop. These villages will demonstrate traditional activities, including sago harvesting, trap building, fish poisoning and sago worm (beetle grub) gathering. Although grubs are often eaten raw, the women also cook them over an open fire.

Bold travellers are welcomed to climb into the highest tree houses and pitch tents inside them. (Note that least one visitor has died from the impact of a fall from a precarious ladder, as have a great many tribespeoples.) Most of the villages also offer lower tree house options and huts on stilts.

Prized dog-tooth necklaces are often available for purchase and cost around 1,000,000Rp. Grass skirts, bows and arrows and tools may also be for sale.

HARVESTING SAGO

Perhaps the most impressive endeavor of the Korowai (other than tree house building, of course) is that of sago harvesting. The laborious process begins with tribe members chopping down a large palm tree with a stone axe, then splitting open the core and beating it to a pulp with stone tools while entertaining themselves with traditional songs. Next, they send the material with river water through a natural filtration system (constructed entirely of palm tree parts), which separates a nutritious starch that can feed a family for weeks. The endeavor takes the better part of a day and is often undertaken mainly by women.

8Getting There & Away

Tours typically fly from Jayapura or Wamena to Dekai, then boat down Kali Brazza and up Kali Pulau to the first Korowai village, Mabul. You then spend some days walking along muddy, slippery trails through hot, humid jungles.

Alternatively, some travellers will fly to Yaniruma or Bomakia and hike and/or take long boats to villages from there.

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VOLUNTEERING

PROTECTING THE MARINE EPICENTRE

4Pulau Kri

4Pulau Gam

4Pulau Misool

LIVEABOARDS

4Other Islands

Manokwari

Around Manokwari

Pegunungan Arfak

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

TRITON BAY

SENOPI & AIWATAR HILL

Tambrauw

Northern Papua

Jayapura

GETTING TO PNG: JAYAPURA TO VANIMO

Sentani

Around Sentani

Danau Sentani

Pulau Biak

Kota Biak

Around Kota Biak

Bosnik & Around

Padaido Islands

Nabire

PAPUA’S HIGHEST PEAKS

Baliem Valley

Wamena

BALIEM VALLEY FESTIVAL

Northeastern Baliem Valley

HIKING & TREKKING THE BALIEM VALLEY

Guides & Porters

Northwestern Baliem Valley

PIG FEASTS & WARRIOR DANCES

Yali Country

THE DANI

HIKING THE SOUTHERN BALIEM VALLEY

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Southern Papua

Merauke

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

RIVER SURFING KEPALA ARUS

Wasur National Park

Asmat Region

Agats

Korowai

HARVESTING SAGO

`4`Pulau Kri

`4`Pulau Gam

`4`Pulau Misool

`4`Other Islands