Birdwatching and Wildlife Watching in Susnguakti Forest of Manokwari

Susnguakti is the name of a forest in lower montane region of Arfak mountains. It is a great site for nature lovers to go hiking and watching birds of paradise and wild animals. It can be reached from Manokwari city by car. 

A couple of Lesser Birds of Paradise in Susnguakto forest of Arfak mountains
Manokwari regency - West Papua province - Indonesia

Birds that can be watched in this forest include Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) and Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), Red-bellied Pitta, Hooded Pitta, Black-billed Cuckoo Dove, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Western Ornate Fruit Dove, Hooded Butcherbird, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookburra, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Frilled Monarch, Golden Cuckooshrike, Papuan Spangled Drongo, Fairy Lorikeet, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Papuan Frogmouth, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc. 

Typical Itinerary

Day 1 

• Meeting with tour participants in Manokwari city
• Transfer to Susnguakti by car (1 hour)
• Hiking to basecamp (1 hour)
• Watching Lesser Birds of Paradise (first attempt)
• Night walk

Day 2 

• Wake up at 05:00, make preparation, have tea or coffee, walk to birding site of Lesser Birds of Paradise.
• Continue to the site of King Bird of Paradise
• Explore the forest to see various kinds of birds, insects (beetles, butterflies), reptiles as well as unique tropical plants.
• Night walk to fins possum and nocturnal animals.

Day 3

• Wake up early in the morning to watch Magnificent Riflebird which is another species of birds of paradise. 
• Explore forest to see more plants and animals
• After lunch, we will pack our things and walk down the mountains.  We will return to Manokwari city.

The walking tour in this forest of Arfak mountains can be extended for several more days to include tour to higher elevation forest to watch more birds of paradise and other animals of West Papua.

Natural Attractions of Susnguakti Forest

In addition to birds the forest of Susnguakti is the habitat of snakes, butterflies and beetles. 

Activities

Visitors can follow trails during the days and nights to see plants and animals of the forest. During night walks, local villagers can immitate the calls of a female cuscus possum to attract the male ones. When a male possum comes down from a tree, visitors can take pictures. During the day, visitors can go to the nearby stream to enjoy the cool water that comes out of the stones of the forest. 

Cuscus Possum is a nocturnal animal in the rainforest of West Papua

Insect Watching

There are butterflies, beetles, grasshopper, cicada, fireflies, and other unique insects in the forest. Visitors can see them when staying for a few days in the jungle camp of Susnguakti forest. Colourful butterflies of Arfak mountains can be seen in this forest. 

Butterflies can be watched and photographed in Susnguakti forest

Accommodation

As of today, most of the visitors who go to Susnguakti forest will stay in a basecamp as described in the following pictures.

A simple basecamp in the forest of Susnguakti for visitors to stay for a few days to watch birds of paradise and other wildlife.

Dome tents for tourists in Susnguakti forest

How to get to Manokwari city

International visitors need to fly to one of the major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya, Makassar, or Manado. After that they can continue their trip to Manokwari city. I can meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and organize your trip to Susnguakti forest.

Flight Routes from major cities in Indonesia to Manokwari city

To book your trip to Susnguakti forest, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

I could also organize a trip for you to Sorong, Tambrauw, Raja Ampat, Kaimana or even to Java and Bali, Sulawesi and Halmahera of Indonesia.

Also read:

• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Minahasa
• Manado City: Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour

Birds from Lower Montane forest of Manokwari

I often guide tourists on a 3 to 4 days of hiking and birding tours in lower montane forest of Manokwari. We stayed in a basecamp located near a small stream which we use to cook food and boil water.

King Bird of Paradise

Rainforest Birds

Bringing binoculars, spotting scope, and digital camera with telephoto lenses, we can watch such birds as: Lesser Birds of Paradise; Magnificent Riflebird; King Bird of Paradise; Grey Crow; Common Paradise Kingfisher; Yellow-billed Kingfisher; Azure Kingfisher; Frilled Monarch; Spot-winged Monarch; Pinon Imperial Pigeon; Brown-cuckoo Dove; Pink-spotted Fruit Dove; Beautiful Fruit Dove; Superb Fruit Dove; Great-cuckoo Dove; Hooded Butcherbird; Northern Variable Pitohui; Eclectus Parrot; Black-capped Lory; Rainbow Lorikeet; Fairy Lorikeet; Sulphur-crested Cockatoo; Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot; Olive-crowned Flowerpecker; Yellow-bellied Gerygone; Spangled Drongo; Black Sunbird; Mimic Meliphaga; Brown Oriole; Hooded Pitta; Red-bellied Pitta; Papuan Frogmouth; and a lot more

Hooded Butcherbird (Cracticus cassicus)

Lesser Birds of Paradise

In addition to birds, there are also other things which tourists can see while exploring the forest. Some of them include glowing mushrooms, Papuan forest dragon, cuscus possum, lizards, snakes, bandicoot, butterflies, unique tropical plants, and etc.

Hiking and Wildlife Watching in Manokwari forest

The name of the forest is Susnguakti. It has been visited by tourists who come from Japan, Korea, the Philipines, Thailand, the United States, Germany, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, France, Spain, and a lot more. This adventurous rainforest tour is suitable for those who are physically fit.

Birdwatching Device
To serve my customers, I usually bring a Kinglux 20-60×60 mm spotting, a pair of 10×42mm Visionking Binoculars, laser pointer, and field guide book Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler. Sometimes I bring my D-SLR camera - Canon 200D with Tamron 150-600mm telephoto lens that I use to take pictures of birds and other wild animals in tall trees.
Today, manufacturers of cameras have developed photographic devices that can shoot birds and other subjects that are far away. Some of them include Nikon P900, Nikon P1000, Canon SX70HS, and etc. These cameras have got smaller sensors but can produce high quality pictures that are adequate for identification. The photos of birds that they make are suitable for internet uses.

Accommodation

There is no guesthouse or hotel in Susnguakto forest of Manokwari. There is only a basic basecamp for visitors to stay at night. We provide dome tents with mattrasses and pillows for tourists so that they can stay there. There is no toilet in the forest. We use small stream near the basecamp to wash. The water from the stream flows into the ground again.

Our basecamp for tourists in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

Typical Dome tent, mattrasses, pillows that we provide for tourists in Susnguakti forest

To book your trip in Susnguakti forest, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birds in Raja Ampat
• Birding in Kabui of Raja Ampat
• Watching Birds in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat
• Morning Bird Walk in Raja Ampat
• Birding Trip in Raja Ampat and Tambrauw

Birding in Susnguakti Forest with 2 French Tourists

I have just returned from Susnguakti forest this afternoon. I and some local villagers guided two French tourists on a 4 day/ 3 night hiking, camping, bird and wildlife tour. They were Geoffrey and Jessica. Susnguakti forest is a lower montane forest in the south of Manokwari city. We went hiking in the mornings and in the afternoons to find birds of paradise. They were able to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, and Magnificent Riflebird.

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)

Small White Rose and Red Rose as well as other Flowers

I saw small white rose and red rose today at the side of the street near the main cross-road of the old downtown of Manokwari. The rose plants, together with other flower plants were grown as hedgerow in the frontyard of a house. Across from the roses plants, on the other side of the street was the compound of army MP. 

White Rose

Flowers in My Neighborhood

I made pictures of some beautiful flowers today. I have just returned from my afternoon walking exercise around my neighborhood. I walked to a football field around 500 meters (1,640 feet) from my house. A long the way to the field, I saw some tropical flowers. There were Yellow Beach Hibiscus, White and Red Bougainvillea in the frontyard of Saint Agustinus church. 

Yellow-beach Hibiscus

When entered the military compound next to the church, I saw some flower plants along the road-side too. Very beautiful white plumeria stood by the wall fence. There were also jasmine flowers on the other side of the road. They were planted by families of the military officers who live in the compound. In Bali the plumeria is called Frangipani but here in West Papua, we call it Kamboja.

White Plumeria

Crepe Ginger Flower (Cheilocostus speciosus)

Near the corner of the road that turns to right, I saw another white flower that usually grows in the forest edges. Its English name is Crepe Ginger Flower (Cheilocostus speciosus). I approached it and took one photograph of the flower. I did not bring my pocket camera Fujifilm XQ2. I only used the camera feature of my Samsung Tab A. In wikipedia, it says that this plant has got a lot of medicinal functions such as for fever, rash, asthma, an intestinal worms. 

As a walked up the slopes to the football field, I saw some pink orchid flowers at the front yard of a house. I stopped for a while to take pictures of the orchids. They look like Cattleya Orchids.

Orchid

The weather today was nice. It was not very hot. So, I enjoyed my walking exercises around the track of the football field. There were tens of people in the field. Some were playing football whereas others were just jogging or walking. Most of them were young men and women. 

Rainfall in this city is decreasing in its frequency starting from June. I hope to see more flowers where ever I travel. written by Leo Charles Roring
Also read:

• Rainforest Flowers
• Red Hibiscus and White Passion Flowers
• Passion Flowers
• Wild Flowers

Birdwing Butterfly and Red Hibiscus Flower

Please, support this blog by clicking and purchasing the following artdrawing of mine below that is printed on various products in Redbubble website: This birdwing butterfly Ornithoptera priamus lives in the jungle of New Guinea - the largest tropical island in the world. I saw this butterfly when I was guiding a British tourist on a rainforest tour in the northern coast of West Papua. 

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/20916614?asc=u

Butterfly and Red Hibiscus

Related Post: Flower Tour in Minahasa Highland

Birdwatching Tour in Lowland and Lower Montane Forest of Manokwari

Manokwari has been famous as an important destination for birdwatching. Most people go to higher elevation forest of Arfak. As a matter of fact, the lowland and lower montane forests of Manokwari are also interesting. Visitors can watch various species of parrots, fruit doves, kingfishers, and water birds in lowland. For lower montane region, they can watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Riflebird which are the main target for avid birders.

Moluccan King Parrot in Manokwari Forest

Lowland Forest

Because the birding activity is conducted in the middle of the lowland forest, the best way to enjoy birding in this area is by camping and hiking for several days. There are Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Black Butcherbird, Moluccan King Parrot, Azure Kingfisher, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Blyth's Hornbill, Brahminy Kite, Glossy Manucode, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, and Little-ringed Plover, Large-tailed Nightjar, Western-crowned Pigeon and a lot more.

Beautiful Fruit Dove

Lower Montane Forest

As I already mentioned above, the lower montane forest of Manokwari, especially the Susnguakti forest, is the natural habitat of various species of paradise birds. Some of them include Lesser BOP, King BOP, Magnificent Riflebird, and Common Paradise Kingfisher. Visitors who go to this place can also see Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Hooded Butcherbird, Fairy Lorikeet, Spangled Drongo, Great Cuckoo Dove, etc. 

Visitors can also do night walk to see cuscus possum, ground brown skink, and glowing mushroom. Basecamp for tourists are available. 

Duration of the tour

In general, the number of days tourists spend in lowland forest of Manokwari is 3 days. For lower montane forest, they take between 3 to 4 days. My recommendation will be: 3 days lowland, 1 day rest in Manokwari city, 3-4 days lower montane forest.

Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)

Birding Equipment

Most birdwatchers know what to bring. However, there are also ordinary tourists who are interested in visiting these forest to watch tropical birds, unique plants and wild flowers as well as the beautiful nature. A pair of binoculars is a standard birdwatching device that visitors need if they want to watch birds and other wild animals. I recommend a 10×42 mm or 12×50 mm roof prism binoculars made by Nikon, Swarovski, Leica or Canon. Super zoom camera such as Canon SX70HS or Nikon Coolpix P1000 is the latest birding camera that birdwatchers like to bring.

I usually bring my spotting scope Kinglux 20-60×60 mm. It is not the best in the market but it can enhance the birdwatching experience of tour participants.

Booking

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapl to: +6281332245180.

Watching Cuscus Possum in Manokwari

Cuscus possum is a marsupial animal that lives in the forest of New Guinea island. The animal lives in trees and eats leaves to survives. There are several species that live in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari. I like to guide tourists to this forest for watching birds during the day and watching cuscus possum at nights.

Cuscus

We usually our night walk at around 21.00. Cuscus comes out of their hiding places to find food and mate. To see the animal, we have to turn off pur lights. Local guides will immitate the sounds of female cuscus to attract the attention of the male one. When the male comes down to meet the "female cuscus," we will turn on the lights and take pictures of the nocturnal animal. In addition to watching cuscus, during the night walk, we may encounter other animals such as dragon lizard, brown grown skink, or bandicoot. There are also mushrooms that glow at night.
If you plan to visit Manokwari city and are interested in hiking to watch cuscus possum, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Manokwari is now in good season for Snorkeling

The sea around Manokwari waters is calm now. It is a good season for snorkeling. With snorkeling mask, fins and underwater camera, I go to the beach to enjoy swimming over coral reef. I often guide tourists who also want to see the underwater world of Manokwari. We go to the north coast of Manokwari where the sea is more connected with the Pacific Ocean that is rich in Marine Life.

Red and Black Anemonefish

Fish such as Red and Black Anemonefish, Striped Surgeonfish, Three-spots Dascyllus, Moorish Idol and Rabbitfish are some of the marine creatures which visitors can see. To take pictures of them, I like to freedive and move closer to the fish. Holding a big rock with my left hand to stabilize my body in the water, I shoot the fish with my right hand.

Some Reef Fish in Manokwari Waters

Snorkeling in Manokwari is a fascinating thing which tourists can do when visiting Manokwari. As a tourist guide, I can organize snorkeling tours that can be combined with hiking, and camping in the forest for visitors who want to see Birds of Paradise and cuscus possum. Manokwari is beautiful both underwater and in the rainforest.
If you are plan to visit Manokwari and want me to organize your tours both to the coral reef sites and to the forest, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Birds of Paradise in Susnguakti Forest of Manokwari

Lesser Birds of Paradise
in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

The lower montane forest of Manokwari that is a good site for watching paradise birds is Susnguakti. It is located in the south of Manokwari regency. To reach it, we need to go by motorized vehicle for 1 hour. Arriving at the foot of Mount Susnguakti, we still need to continue our trip by hiking up the steep slopes of the forest for another 1 hour to reach our basecamp. When I organize hiking, birding, and camping tour to the forest for tourists, I usually hire some villagers to carry our bags, food and camping gear. There is a base camp in the middle of the forest which we have built to accommodate tourists. This is a basic accommodation that we provide for tourists.

Watching Birds of Paradise

King Bird of Paradise in Susnguakti forest

The main tourist attraction in the forest of Susnguakti is Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor). Visitors who want to them can do it in the afternoons from 15.00-17.00 and in the mornings from 06.00 - 09.00. Bringing a good pair of binoculars such as Nikon, Leica, Swarovski 10×42 or 12×50 is highly recommended. There are birding huts that we have prepared for visitors to sit in in order to watch the paradise birds. There are other paradise birds that we can also watch during our stay in the forest. Some of them include King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), and Common Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea). The sites for watching these birds are scattered around 10 to 15 minutes walk from basecamp.
Usually, after watching Lesser Birds of Paradise, I will continue our morning tour to higher elevation area to watch King Bird of Paradise. It is a small bird whose back and wings are red. His underparts are white. The female one is similar to other female birds of paradise. Her feather is brown. Because the active time of the Magnificent Riflebird is the relatively the same as the Lesser Birds of Paradise, I usually organize the watching session for this bird on the second day.

Common Paradise Kingfisher

The Common Paradise Kingfisher is a very beautiful kingfisher that has got 2 long tails or antennas. Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist, who visited Manokwari in 1858 called it: Racquet-tailed Kingfisher. It is active in the morning at around 06.00. I usually organize a walking trip in the forest to watch this bird on the second or third day of the tour.

Taking Pictures or Birds

Most tourists like to take pictures of interesting animals or flowers that they see in the forest during the tour. Most birdwatchers know what to bring. For ordinary travelers who are not familiar to birdwatching, they might feel discourage when they find out that their pocket cameras are not able to shoot paradise birds in high trees. As a matter of fact there are cameras that are affordable and good enough for taking pictures of birds. Some bridge or super-zoom cameras that I recommend are Panasonic Lumix FZ80, Nikon Coolpix P900, P1000, B700; Canon Powershot SX70HS and Sony Cybershot DSC-HX400. For owners of D-SLR camera, a telephoto lens such as Sigma 150-600 mm sport or Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens is an affordable choice. 

Hooded Butcherbird

In addition to the paradise birds that I mention above, the rainforest of Susnguakti is the natural habitat of a lot of birds including the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Hooded Butcherbird, Black-capped Lory, Fairy Lorikeet, Mimic Meliphaga, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Marbled Frogmouth, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, and a lot more. 

When I guide tourists to this Susnguakti forest, I bring my spotting scope Kinglux 20-60×60. This birding device greatly enhances the birdwatching experience of tour participants. 

Night Walk

Glowing Mushroom

In addition to carrying day trips in the forest, I also organize night walks for visitors to watch cuscus possum, Papua dragon lizard, and glowing mushroom, fireflies, ground brown skink and bandicoot. Visitors need to apply mosquito repellent lotion, wear hiking boots and torch or flashlights in order to participate in this tour.

Booking

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) if you want to take this hiking and birdwatching tour to this Susnguakti forest of Manokwari at the folling details:

Whatsapp: +6281332245180

Email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Watching Paradise Birds and Wild Animals in Susnguakti Forest

Susnguakti is a lower montane forest in Manokwari. It is a nice destination for tourists who are looking for a true jungle trip experience.
I have just returned from the forest today. I guided 3 tourists on hiking, camping, bird and wildlife watching tour for 4 days/ 3 nights. They were Jeff and Charlotte from France, Toshiki Matsui from Japan. I guided them to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), and Common Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea).

King Bird of Paradise as seen in Susnguakti forest during night walk tour

Although our targets were paradise birds, we were able to see other birds as well. Some of them included Mimic Meliphaga, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Marbled Frogmouth, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Blyth's Hornbill, Black-capped Lory, Fairy Lorikeet, Hooded Butcherbird, Hooded Pitta, Spangled Drongo, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, and Yellow-billed Kingfisher. We watched these birds in the mornings and in the afternoons. I brought my 10×42 mm Visionking binoculars and 20-60×60 Visionking Binoculars. They greatly enhanced the birdwatching experience of the visitors.

Cuscus Possum

When we did night walks, we saw a King Bird of Paradise sleeping on a small branch of a tree around 4 meters above the ground. We spent a lot of time taking pictures of this small bird and admiring its beautiful feather. I used Canon EOS 200D with its 18-55mm lens. It was not a telephoto lens but it was good enough for taking pictures of the paradise bird. For 3 consecutive nights, we saw him sleeping at the same twig of the tree.
Birds of Paradise are active in the mornings and in the evenings. When we were waiting for a Magnificent Riflebird landing on its dancing site (which is a branch of a tree), we heard the sounds of Hooded Pitta walking among the bush. I immediately played its recorded sounds to attract him. He heard the calls and walked towards the place where I was sitting. I was holding camera and cell phone (which was my sound player). My camera was inside my bag and I was not ready to take pictures of the birds. Next time, I will be ready with my camera when I call him.
Cuscus possum was one of the most important attractions of Susnguakti forest. Local villager accompanied us during night walks to call cuscus. Yes, the male cuscus was called by immitating the sounds of female ones. We also saw bandicoot that looked like a big rat. Actually bandicoot was a marsupial animal.

Bandicoot in Susnguakti forest

There were a lot of butterflies, and other insects in Susnguakti forest. We saw cruiser, swallowtail blue mountain, priamus birdwing, and meadow argus butterflies. We also saw walking stick (an insect), ground brown skink, Papua dragon lizard, snake, firefly, lizard and frog.
The primary forest where we stayed was a very rich of tropical vegetation. There bamboo, glowing mushroom, giant ficus tree, orchid, and beautiful staghorn fern epiphytes.
The basecamp where we stayed were simple and very basic. I brought dome tents, provided mattrasses, pillows, and spotting scope as well as cooking and eating utensils. We used a small river as our bathing tub and toilet.
Tourists who are interested in taking this jungle tour have to be fit physically because they need to go hiking up steep slopes of Susnguakti forest for around 1 hour to reach the base camp.
After completing the tour, I arranged a public transport vehicle that brought the Japanese tourist to Swissbel hotel and the French couple to Oriestom hotel in Manokwari city.
Booking
Please, contact me: Charles Roring
by whatsapp: +6281332245180 or
by email: peace4wp@gmail.com
For more information about this bird and wildlife watching site, you could click this link: Susnguakti Forest

Snorkeling Holiday in Manokwari

written by Charles Roring

The sea in Manokwari is calm now. It is a good time to enjoy swimming and snorkeling especially in the beaches that have coral reef. To see coral reef, fish and other marine creatures, I need snorkeling equipment such as masks, snorkel, and swimfins. I also bring a good underwater camera such as Nikon W300, or Olympus Tough TG-5 to take pictures. I usually bring my Fujifilm XQ2 that is inserted into its waterproof case.

Red and Black Anemonefish (Amphiprion melanopus)

Morning time is good because the sea is calm. Visibility can be more than 20 meters. The sunlight can reach most part of the coral reef. Before taking pictures, I swim over the reef to find fish or beautiful reef garden. When I find some interesting fish, I will dive until I am close or nearly on the same level as the fish. By doing that, I could make pictures that look brighter. Red and Black Anemonefish, Lemon Damsel, Blue Damsel, Goldhead Damsel, Blenny, and Wrasse can easily be seen in shallow water. After spending around twenty to thirty minutes snorkeling, freediving and shooting fish, I will swim back to the shore and take a rest.

Coral Reef Garden in the north coast waters of Manokwari

Sometimes, birds like Lesser Frigatebird, Black Noddy and Crested Tern can be seen flying in the area. Big butterfly such as the Ornithoptera priamus is common innthe coastal area too. I also guide tourists to the beach to enjoy snorkeling with me.
I provide life jackets, and some masks for tourists who want to visit Manokwari city as their holiday destination. The snorkeling holiday can be combined with hiking tour along the coastal forest and villages of Manokwari. In the hiking tour, tourists could see how local people live in their daily life. We can see birds, butterflies, beetles, frogs, and various kinds of tropical plants from the common coconut trees to the beautiful hibiscus flower plants.
Coral reef is similar to tropical rainforest. It is the natural habitat of hundreds of species of fish. Coral reef also turn CO2 gases into Oxygen and provide food and life in the ocean. This marine ecosystem has to be protected.

Tropical Reef Fish: Moorish Idol

Please, support this blog by purchasing the above drawing on various products of Redbubble such as t-shirts, tanktop, zip hoodie, scarf, iPhone, duvet cover, and a lot more. You could also see other artworks in my Redbubble shop at this link: Nature Art.

Hiking Tour Along Manokwari Coast

I offer an affordable hiking tour package for tourists who are interested in seeing birds, insects, tropical wild flowers that live in Manokwari coastal forest. This tour is suitable for everyone who wants enjoy hiking along a clear road with green vegetation on both of its sides. The best time to do the hiking tour is in the morning and in the afternoon. Visitors can see a lot of species of butterflies, grasshopper, spider and dragonfly as well as frigatebird, sunbird and forest lizard.

A butterfly with a broken wing

Because the walking tour is quite long, we need to bring water, some biscuits. We could also buy some fruits at the villages that we will be walking through. 

The trails are mostly flat and suitable for anybody who wants to see nature that is not far from Manokwari. 

Wild Flowers

In my previous trip with Margarete, a German lady, I was able to take pictures of tiger butterfly with broken wing and pink wild flowers. I highly recommend that visitors bring camera if they want to take pictures of them. A good pair of binoculars is also good for watching birds, or orchid in high trees.  While walking near a forest edge, I saw a toad crossing the road. I wait patiently until it reached the other side of the road. It was quite close to me. So, I aimed my camera at the toad and shot him from above.

Toad

If you are interested in taking this hiking tour with me in Manokwari, please, contact me by sending text message to my whatsapp: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Tour in Coastal Region of Manokwari

Manokwari is the capital of West Papua Province of Indonesia. It has been a famous destination among visitors who like nature. There are a lot of places around Manokwari which tourists can visit to see plants, insects, birds, butterflies and wild flowers in the forest as well as enjoy snorkeling over coral reef to see various colorful fish.
Because most of the terrains in this tour is easy to moderate, this tour is suitable for anyone who cannot do hiking in the steep slopes of Arfak mountains. It is also recommended for visitors who only stay for short period of time in Manokwari.

Hill Forest of Manokwari

ITINERARY
Here is the details of the program:
This trip is day trip. Visitors can stay in their hotel and do the tour during the day.
Day 1
Hiking in hill forest of Manokwari to see various kinds of tropical plants, wild flower, bird, butterfly, grasshopper, dragon fly, and etc. If the weather is good, we could explore a cave in the forest to see its stalactite and stalagmite as well as bats, frogs, and lizards that live in it.

Day 2
In the morning, there are birds such as starlings, frigatebird, kingfishers that are active in the forest of the island. There are butterflies and beetles too. We can go hiking to the top of the island to see the scenery. In the afternoon, we can walk to the beach to enjoy swimming and snorkeling.

Coastal Region of Manokwari

Day 3
We will start our exploration of the lowland area of Manokwari by walking along the coast. There are butterflies, birds, wild flowers that we can see along the way. In the hiking route, we can take a rest at the beach of a village in the north coast of Manokwari. We can enjoy swimming and snorkeling too.

Things to bring:
Insect repellent lotion, Drinking water, Snacks, Camera, Hat, Rain poncho, Snorkeling mask, and flippers, Binoculars for bird and widlife watching, What you can wear, T-shirts and jeans/ shorts, sport shoes or hiking sandals (with socks)


Cost: 5,000,000 rupiahs for 2 people
This includes transportation, snacks, guides and payment to local villagers whose beaches or forest we enter.

The cost does not include hotel accommodation and dinner after day tour in Manokwari city,

Booking
Please, contact Charles Roring
Whatsapp: +6281332245180
E-mail: peace4wp@gmail.com

Birdwatching in Montane Forest of Manokwari

I offer birdwatching tour in montane forest of Manokwari. The main target birds for lower montane area are Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), and Common Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea). For higher elevation area, we will focus on watching Magnificent Bird of Paradise (Dyphillodes magnificus), Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata), Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata), and Black Sicklebill (Epimachus fastosus). The duration of the tour is 1 week. We will spend around 3 days in Susnguakti forest and 3 days in Mount Soyti. Both birdwatching sites are located in Arfak mountains.

Visitors who want to take this tour need to bring their own binoculars and camera with telephoto lens. Bird of New Guinea (written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler) is our field guide.

Birdwatching in Manokwari

Itinerary

Higher Montane Forest

Day 1

Arriving in Manokwari city, you will be transferred by a 4wd car directly from the airport to a guesthouse in higher elevation forest of Arfak mountains. After drinking some tea or coffee, we will go to the birding ground of Vogelkop Bowerbird. At night, we could visit a nearby river to find frog.

Guesthouse of Birdwatchers in Mount Soyti

Beds in the guesthouse of Mount Soyti

Day 2

Early in the morning, we will walk to the birding ground of Magnificent Bird of Paradise. We will watch it until 09.00. Most often, other birds also come to the same site such as the Green-backed Robin, Black-eared Catbird and Black Fantail. When we walk back to the guesthouse, we may see other birds such as Western Smoky Honeyeater, Goldenface or Hooden Pitohui and Black-winged Monarch.

In the afternoon, we could go hiking to watch Western Parotia whose male one dances like a ballerina. After that we can walk back to the guesthouse. In the trees on both side of the road, there are birds that we can watch such as Modest Tiger Parrot, Mountain Fruit Dove, or Vogelkop Melidectes.

Day 3

We will wake up early in the morning to have tea or coffee. At around 05.00, we will walk up steep slope of Mount Soyti to the birding ground of Black Sicklebill. Sometimes other birds such as Superb Bird of Paradise and female Western Parotia also comes to the same birding ground.

Lower Montane Forest

In general, the typical program of the birdwatching tour can be described as follows:

Day 4

Transfer by car to Susnguakti forest. It takes around 1.5 hours by car to the foot of the mountain range. After that we will continue our trip by hiking to our basecamp. After eating some biscuits and hot tea or coffee, we could walk to the birding site of Lesser Birds of Paradise. We will watch them for around 2 hours. We will return to the basecamp to take a rest. There is no toilet in the forest. Participants of the tour could use the nearby river. After dinner, we could do night walk to find cuscus possum. There are also fire flies, mushrooms that glow in the dark.

There is no guesthouse in this lower montane forest of Arfak mountains. We only have simple basecamp. We provide dome tents, mattrasses, solar powered lights, cooking and eating utensils in the forest. We will use them as our supporting tools and devices during our stay in the forest.

Dome tent with mattrasses and pillows

our basecamp for tourists in the forest of Manokwari

Day 5

Early in the morning, we will go to the birding site of Magnificent Riflebird which is only around 10 minutes walk from basecamp. After watching the bird, we could continue our trip to the birdwatching site of King Bird of Paradise. It is a small bird with red wings, and white underparts. In the surrounding forest birds such as Rufous-bellied Kookaburra and Common Paradise Kingfisher can also be seen.

At night we could do another tour in the forest to find Papua Dragon lizard, ground skink, or frog.

Day 6

We could do a review of paradise birds that we haven't seen well such as the Lesser Bird of Paradise or the King Bird of Paradise. After lunch, we will walk down the steep slopes of Arfak range to the main road and then return to Manokwari city by car.

Day 7

A hiking trip to Mansinam island or to Table Mountain can be organized.

How to go there?

Fly from your country to Jakarta city (the capital of Indonesia). After that, take a domestic flight from Jakarta to Manokwari city. Airlines such as Garuda, Batik Air and Sriwijaya Air provide regular flights to Manokwari.

Flight route to Manokwari by Batik Air

This birdwatching tour in Arfak mountains can be combined with trips to other areas in West Papua such as Tambrauw Mountains for finding New Guinea Vulturine Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Mountain Peltop, Wompoo Fruit Dove; and Raja Ampat for watching Palm Cockatoo, Beach Kingfisher, Red Bird of Paradise, and Wilson's Bird of Paradise.

Hotels in Manokwari

There are a number of hotels which you could choose to stay after finishing your bird tour such as Mansinam Beach Hotel, Swiss Belhotel, Hotel Triton, Hotel Valdoz, Hotel Oriestom, Hotel Oriestom Bay, and etc.

Booking

If you are interested in taking the birding tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp message to: +6281332245180.