Sorong City Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour

Sorong city is the main gate to Raja Ampat islands - a popular destination in Indonesia for marine tourism. A lot of tourists who like swimming and snorkeling fly to and leave from Sorong city every day. They spend one or two weeks in Waigeo, Mansuar, Kri, Gam, Arborek, Batanta and Misool islands.

So far most visitors think that Sorong city is only a transit point or transportational hub. As a matter of fact, there are interesting sites which tourists can go, to see and enjoy the natural beauty of the region or to see the wealth of the biodiversity of its flora and fauna.  For Sorong tours, here are some of the attractions:

In e-bird, this bird is called Blue-fronted Fig Parrot (Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii) 
This bird was named after William III - King of the Netherlands (1849-1890)

In field guidebook Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler, the above parrot is called Orange-breasted Fig - Parrot (Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii). In Greek mythology, Cyclop was a race of one-eyed giants. Psitta is parrot family. Gulielmi means William and tertii or tertius means the third. So, the bird is named after William III - the King of the Netherlands who ruled his country from 1849 to 1890.  

Most of the land in the suburb of Sorong is still covered by tropical rainforest. It is the habitat of a lot of species of colorful birds and butterflies. They can be watched when visitors take 1 or 2 days sightseeing and birdwatching tour. 

Sightseeing Tour in Sorong city

Taking this tour, the participant will be taken to forest area in the hills and coastal areas to watch such birds as Pinon Imperial Pigeon, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Yellow-faced Myna, Helmetted Friarbird, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-backed Honeyeater, and a lot more. 

Mangrove Tiger Butterfly

Birdwatching and sightseeing activity is easy because participants will walk along the roadside and boardwalk. 

During the wildlife watching activity, spotting scope will be provided to enhance the watching experience of each participant. 

Visitors can bring camera to take pictures of flowers, birds and butterflies that exist in the surrounding areas.

Sightseeing Tour in Sorong city

In addition to exploring the surrounding nature, during the Sorong tours, we will also see unique or historical architectural design of houses or buildings in the city. One of them is the Catholic Church of Christ the King in Kampung Baru area. Its design is inspired by the 'nest' structure of Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornatus). 

The Design of the Catholic Church of Christ the King was inspired by the structure of the "nest" of Vogelkop Bowerbird.

For tour package and cost, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read: 

• Birding in Sausapor, Klabili and Sorong City
• Walking, sightseeing and birdwatching tour around Sorong city

Birding in Raja Ampat, Tambrauw, and Sorong of Southwest Papua, Indonesia

I often guide tourists to watch birds and wild animals in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat regency; Sausapor and Klabili in Tambrauw regency; Malagufuk and Mangrove forest in Sorong regency. These are important birding sites in Papua Barat Daya Province of Indonesia that can easily be reached from Sorong city. 

I usually start the birding trip by meeting my clients at the airport of Sorong city and then organize their transfer by 4wd car to Sausapor town in Tambrauw regency. We usually spend around 2 days and 2 nights exploring the coastal area and the forest to look for such birds as Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Oriental Pratincole, Little-ringed Plover, Black-nap

ed Tern, Gray Crow, Blyth's Hornbill, Hooded Butcherbird, Black Butcherbird, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Slender-billed Cuckoo Dove, Helmetted Friarbird, Brown Oriole, Red-cheeked Parrot, Yellow-faced Myna, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Western-crowned Pigeon, King Bird of Paradise, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Long-tailed Honeybuzzard. There are several birding sites at the outskirts of Sausapor town that we can visit.

Some birds in Tambrauw regency

Butterfly Watching in Sansapore Pacific Park

Not only birds that we can see in the forest and coastal areas around Sausapor town. We could also watch butterflies and see various kinds of flowers such as zinnia, beach hibiscus, red hibiscus, Barringtonia asiatica, orchids and etc. Sansapore Pacific Park Beach Resort is a good base for visitors who love butterflying in the area. Some butterflies that we could watch in Sausapor town include Great Eggfly (Hipolimnas bolina), Dark Tiger (Tirumala hamata), Blue Mountain Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) God Art's butterfly (Cyrestis acilia), Common Green Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus) and a lot more. 

Some Flowers at Sansapore Pacific Park

Butterflies in Sansapore Pacific Park
Beach Resort of Sausapor town - Tambrauw regency

The next destination for birding in Tambrauw is Klabili village which is a great site for watching Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, King Bird of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Lowland Peltop, and Rufous-bellied Kookaburra,Frilled Monarch, Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Palm Cockatoo, New Guinea Vulturine Parrot, Papuan Babbler, Golden Myna, Helmetted Friarbird, and a lot more.  

Wildlife watching in Klabili village of Tambrauw regency

In Waigeo island of Raja Ampat, our targets include Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pinon's Imperial Pigeon, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Radjah Shelduck, Eclectus Parrot, Beach Kingfisher, White-eyebrow Wagtail or Willie Wagtail, Pacific Reef Heron, Crested Tern, Whimbrel, Osprey, and a lot more. 

I also organize excursions to islands and beach near Kabui bay to look for birds such as Coconut Lorikeet, Sahul Sunbird, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Lesser Frigatebird, Moustached Treeswift, Metallic Starling, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Beach Kingfisher and Pacific Swallow. Birding at the beach is relaxing. 

Visitors can also enjoy snorkeling during the excursion. My preferred choice is Lesser Urai Island or the beach of Gam island that faces Kabui bay. 

Birding Tour in Raja Ampat

It is not only birds that we photograph during the tour in Raja Ampat but also butterflies and flowers. Every time I see beautiful flowers such as plumeria, hibiscus, passion flower and orchid, I will stop and aim my camera at the flowers to take pictures of them. There are a few orchids that I have seen both in the forest and flower gardens of the homestays and resorts. 

Rainforest Orchid in Waigeo, perhaps, Dendrobium lanceolatum

Another rainforest orchid that I used to see in Raja Ampat was Grammathophyllum scriptum. It was not in the jungle but at the flower garden of a beach resort.

Tawa-tawa Orchid Flower in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat

In Sorong city, the usual birding sites are Mangrove forest, Love hill and Batu Lubang areas. There we can watch birds such as Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Shining Flycatcher, Sacred Kingfisher, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Golden Monarch, and a lot more. There are introduced species that we may see such as Spotted Dove, Scaly-breasted Munia and Yellow-vented Bulbul. Sorong city is a good site for any visitors who want to enjoy an outdoor activity before leaving for Raja Ampat or flying back to their home.

Birding and sightseeing in Sorong city

It is also the main entry point for visitors who want to spend their holiday in this Southwest Papua province enjoying swimming and snorkeling at the beach of Raja Ampat and Tambrauw as well as rainforest birdwatching and wildlife watching tour in Sorong and Waigeo. 

Flying Routes

Visitors who are interested in taking this tour need to fly to Sorong city. There are daily flights from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar and Makassar to Sorong served by domestic airlines Garuda, Lion Air, Batik Air. 

Flying routes to Sorong city

Visitors can enjoy their holiday by combining Manado city and Sorong city as their travel destination. 

If you are interested in taking a holiday tour in Sorong city and its surroundings (Raja Ampat, and Tambrauw) and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read: 

• Birdwatching and sightseeing tour around Sorong city
• Walking, sightseeing, and birdwatching around Sorong city
• Malagufuk birds
• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong
• Birding in Sausapor Klabili and Sorong
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Minahasa
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing