Short Tour in Manokwari

On a water taxi in Dore bay of Manokwari

Last week I guided a Portuguese tourist, Mr. Peixoto, on a short trip around Manokwari. I met him at the airport and by a chartered car, we had a tour to several important places in Manokwari. We stopped for a while at Mansinam Beach Hotel where he had his lunch. He was with a travel agent from Central Sulawesi. After that we went to Mansinam island by water taxi. It took around 15 minutes to reach the island. We visited the Gospel Landing Monument where 3 German evangelists Carl Wilhelm Ottow, his Wife and Johan Gottlob Geissler. They landed on the island on 5 February 1855 to preach Christianity to the indigenous Papuan people.

Mansinam island

When we were inside of the monument, we took some pictures and saw relief painting on the background wall of the monument. The relief depicts the long journey of German Missionaries from the Netherlands to Mansinam island. We also had a short walking tour around the village of the island where we met some children who were playing a plastic ball. They were very enthusiastic when they knew that the tourist was from Portugal. It was the country where Christiano Ronaldo came from.
After visiting Mansinam, we returned to mainland and continued out trip to

Pasir Putih Beach

Pasir Putih Beach. There he had the opportunity to taste rujak - a spicy fruit salad that is very popular "snack" at the beach.
We headed to Anggori where we tasted durian fruit. It smells like hell but it tastes like heaven.  Mr. Peixoto tried some durian but he said he did not like it very much. We stopped for a while at Catholic Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Amban area and then at the front gate of Univeristas Papua. It was a stated owned university.
The clouds in the sky was getting darker. Soon it would rain. So, we decided to conclude our short tour in Manokwari by going to Swissbel Hotel where this Portuguese visitor would stay for one night. We still had dinner at a cafe in town before saying good bye to one another. It was a short but memorable trip.
If you are interested in taking a short tour around Manokwari and need a tour guide, you can contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text by whatsapp to my number: +6281332245180.

Snorkeling Trip in Mansinam with 5 Dutch Tourists

I went to Mansinam island again this morning. This time I guided 5 visitors from the Netherlands. We went there by boat. We enjoyed snorkeling for approximately two and a half hours until low tide period when it was impossible for anybody to swim over reef flat. But we spent most of our snorkeling activity at the drop off area of the coral reef. I brought a digital camera which I borrowed from a friend of mine. The weather was very good that morning with bright sunlight penetrating through the water and onto the surface of the coral reef. So, I could take pictures of the reef, fish, anemone and sea star that I saw in the water.

There are a lot of coral reef areas in Manokwari regency. If you are interested in visiting Manokwari or other places in West Papua, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will be happy to organize your tour and guide you.

Manokwari City Tour and Snorkeling Tour

Manokwari - the Capital of West Papua Province
Manokwari is a city that is located in Dorey bay. It is the administration center of West Papua province. The city has been famous among recreational divers as the gate to Cendrawasih bay and among birdwatchers as the gate to Arfak Mountains and Tambrauw Mountains.

Nostalgic City Tour
I have just completed a tour for two Ducth tourists in Manokwari. My guests this time were Mr Janssen and his wife. We had a day tour inside the city where we visited several buildings that were used by Dutch government until 1962. The territory of West Papua was a Dutch colony. Its name was Nederlands Nieuw Guinea. Every year. Manokwari is visited by Dutch tourists who come to see their old houses or friends or enjoy snorkeling and wildlife watching.

Manokwari city

Now West Papua is under the administration of the Republic of Indonesia. During the city tour we visited hotel Arfak, Governor office and woodmill and passed by shipyard of Manokwari. We also went to Sarinah (Brunnenweg) and Kampung Ambon Atas and SD Padma 1 (formerly called St. Vincentius), and Church Elim in Kwawi area of Manokwari.
Snorkeling Tour

On the second day, I guided them to Mansinam island where we enjoyed snorkeling for a few hours. During the snorkeling tour, we saw parrotfish, moorish idol, anemonefish, surgeonfish, and a lot more. In the middle of the day, we continued our trip to see Cross Monument and Museum which explains the history of the early development of Christianity in Mansinam island, Manokwari and the whole region of West Papua.
We also had a walk through the village and drank fresh coconut juice. Mr. and Mrs. Janssen were really happy with the tour.
If you are interested in visiting Manokwari to explore its city, its forest and coral reef.

Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon)

Birding Tour
The tropical rainforests in Arfak mountains and along the northern coast of Manokwari is the natural habitat of various species of birds. A lot of birdwatchers have visited Manokwari to see the colorful birds that make our forest as therir natural habitat.
From my personal birding experience in lowland forest along Dopi river, I saw such birds as Gray Goshawk, Brahminy Kite, Blyth's hornbill, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Dollarbird, Western Crowned Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Vulturine Parrot, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Pygmy Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Beautiful Fruit Dove and a lot more.

Rainforest Tour
In addition to birds, the lowland tropical rainforest of Manokwari is the habitat of cuscus possum, soa-soa lizard, wallaby, deer, and wild pigs. To fully experience jungle tour and wildlife watching, I usually stay with tourists for several days in the jungle. Because there are no hotels, we use dome tents and built our camps near a river. Visitors who want to go to Manokwari need to know this so that they will be more prepared for the jungle tour.

Anemonefish in the waters of Manokwari city

Typical Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Manokwari
City Tour or Jungle Walk
Day 2
Snorkeling inside Dore bay Mansinam
A visit to Mansinam village and museum
Day 3
Snorkeling in Raimuti
Snorkeling in Anggresi
Day 4
Jungle walk in lowland forest of Dopi river or
Jungle walk in Warmarway forest of Arfak mountains
Day 5
Transfer to airport

Prices: 5 million rupiahs/ person (at least 2 participants)
For customized itinerary, the cost of the tour will depend on how many days you want to spend in Manokwari and the number of participants.

How to get there?

• Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
• Fly from Jakarta to Manokwari by domestic airline such as Garuda, Xpress Air, or Sriwijaya Air
• I will be happy to meet you in this city and organize your tour.

Please, book now
If you plan to visit Manokwari, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Gospel Preaching Day 5 February 2011 in Kwawi and Mansinam island of Manokwari

Today is 5 February 2011. It's a big day in Manokwari. Thousands of people gathered in Kwawi to celebrate the 156 anniversary of Gospel Preaching Day. On 5 February 1855, two European evangelists C.W. Ottow and Geissler landed on a beautiful tropical island, Mansinam, to preach Gospel to the indigenous Papuan people.

This morning, I attended the GKI in Papua land service. The great-granddaughter of Ottow, Mrs. Minneke Ottow, and the great-grandsons of Reverend W.L. Jens also came to the service.  Thousands of Christians who came from all corners of Manokwari city as well as other regencies in West Papua attended the church service in Kwawi and Mansinam island that day.

After the service, the committee of the event gave the opportunity to Mrs. Minneke Ottow and Mr. Renier Jens to go to the front stage for giving a little speech about their ancestors' works in the Papua land in preaching the Gospel and how they feel about the anniversary. As an interpreter, I went to the stage together with them. At the end of the speech, Mr. (Renier) Jens gave a book that is the diary of their forefather, Rev. W.L. Jens, who worked in Mansinam, Kwawi, Andai and Doreh from 1877 to 1899. Mr. W.L. Jens' wife and his son died in Manokwari. He worked as priest and doctor. We tried to find the grave of Mrs. Jens on the 4 of February in Amban but we did not succeed. The old missionary house, the church was destroyed by the Japanese during World War and have never been restored again.
In his sermon that morning, Rev. Dr. Mawene who led the service stated his concerns over a number of issues such as the environmental degradation and the rapid spread of HIV AIDS in West Papua. He said that parents must control their youth so that they will not be trapped in free sex lifestyle otherwise the whole next generation of Christians in Papua will die and no one will take care of this land anymore. Youth must adhere to alcoholic and sex abstinence. He also urged Christians especially the women to wear proper dress in their daily activities to protect themselves from becoming victim of rape, or sexual harassment or abuse.

Every 5 February thousands of people go to Mansinam island. Although it is a religious festival, it is also a kind of picnic for the city dwellers who want to enjoy the day which is now an official holiday in West Papua. They usually visit the foundation of the old church, van Hasselt's well whose water is believed to have a healing power for curing various kinds of diseases and see the village of Mansinam.

Foreign tourists often go snorkeling or hiking in the southern area of the island. As the largest tropical islet in Doreh bay, Mansinam is now facing environmental degradation due to the continuous flow of plastic wastes from Manokwari that lands on its shore every day.

At 4 p.m. I guided the Jens to the Japanese War Memorial Monument in the Table Mountain, to Manggoapi slope, to a slope below the Bupati's house, and to SOGUN (Sowi Gunung) Hill near the DPRD office of Manokwari for taking some pictures of Manokwari city, Doreh bay and Arfak mountains. Tomorrow (6 Feb 2011), the Jens will leave Manokwari for the Netherlands whereas Mrs. Minneke Ottow and her husband, Henk will still be here until 10th February 2011. by Charles Roring

Also read: Gospel Landing Day

The Coral Reef and the Beach Clean-up Activities of Pak Jordan

A few days ago I accompanied 5 Dutch tourists traveling around Mansinam and Lemon islands. We enjoyed snorkeling in Mansinam island. Although Mansinam is only a small island, it is still covered with pristine tropical rainforest. The weather was very clear at that time. We were able to take very nice pictures of coral reef and fish. The fish were colorful and were not afraid to be near us.

After snorkeling, we continued our trip to the house of Peter Rumbruren, a Papuan artist who used to go to the Netherlands as part of a group of Papuan artists who performed traditional dances in Pasar Malam. Unfortunately, Peter Rumbruren was not at his home. We could only meet his wife and children. She picked some coconuts and opened them for us. The coconut juice was very delicious when we were drinking it that afternoon.

We were at Peter's house for around one hour and then we had to continue our trip that day to Lemon island. This time we did not swim or snorkel around. Instead we met an old Papuan who collects plastic bottles along the beach of Lemon island. His name is Jordan. He was raised by a Dutch family when West Papua was still part of the Netherlands colony. Wally Schepers, one of the Dutch tourists, gave special attention to his works. He welcomed us in his wooden house that is facing the beach. Wally took a chance of interviewing him a little about his motivation in collecting the plastic bottles, aluminum cans and glass bottles that are thrown by city dwellers in Manokwari and end up at the beach of Lemon island when the rain comes. Oom Jordan (his nick name) says that he collects the bottles to keep the beach clean. But he does not go to the city to sell the wastes. Sometimes people come to the island to buy them and resell them to a buyer in the city near the Wosi market.

Pak Jordan showed his enthusiasm when discussing ways to clean the waters of the Dorey bay of Manokwari and the islands. During the World Cup Football Season, he installed a big Dutch flag at the top of a tree near his house. The Dutch flag is still flying there now. Many Papuans still have the Dutch flags at the roofs of their houses or at the top of trees until now although the World Cup season in South Africa has been over for months. He planted 4 trees tens of years ago when the island was not crowded by people. Now the trees have been big. Pak Jordan explains that the planting of trees along the beach is very important for protecting the beach from erosion. He looked sad when saying that other people in the island have not followed his efforts in keeping the beach clean. 

The Lemon and Mansinam islands are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs that are "the tropical rainforest of the sea." They look strong but actually they are very vulnerable to marine pollution. If plastic bottles and tote bags drift to the area and cover the corals, sunlight cannot reach them. Algae that live on the surface of the corals cannot do the photosynthesis. This greatly affects the production of food for fish and marine animals living in the coral reef area. It also undermines the absorption of CO2 gases that we emit every day.
It is important for the local government to have a comprehensive waste management program that encourages the city dwellers to fully participate in the collection of wastes so that marine pollution in the waters of Dorey bay can be reduced. 

With its current status as the capital of West Papua province in the Republic of Indonesia, Manokwari city is now experiencing rapid development. This triggers urbanization. People from other small villages and towns near Manokwari flock to this city. Even migrants from Java, Maluku and Sulawesi come to this coastal city to find jobs. The amount of wastes is definitely increasing in this city. It is now time for the government and the citizens to join hands to clean the city, beach and waters for protecting and preserving the coral reef in the Dorey bay before it is too late.

Manokwari city is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Every month tourists come to this city. If we are serious in developing this beautiful city as a leading player in eco-tourism that provide jobs to a lot of people and generate income to Papuan people living both along the coastal and mountainous region, the problem of plastic bottles and other industrial and domestic wastes that are now scattering all over the city and floating on the surface of the sea inside the Dorey bay has to be solved immediately. by Charles Roring

Also read: Underwater Photograph of Coral Reef in Mansinam island

Christmas Vacation in Tropical island of Papua

Where will you go during this Christmas holiday?

Christmas time is coming. Europe, Northern China, Japan and the United States will be in Winter again. Some people have already planned to spend their holidays in the Caribbean islands while others are probably willing to dive in Sinai region of Egypt. Well, I have a better offer to you, the tropical island of Papua. It is the largest tropical island in the world. In the world map, Papua is also called New Guinea. The eastern half of the island is administered by a free independent state of Papua New Guinea whereas the western half - the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia is located between the continents of Asia and Australia and the Pacific and the Indian Oceans.

Beautiful coastal city
Manokwari is a very beautiful city. It stretches along the Dorey bay that is surrounded by Arfak and Table Mountains. Along the coastal region of the inner side of the bay, tourists can enjoy swimming and snorkeling at Pasir Putih beach, Maruni beach or around the Mansinam, Lemon and Raimuti islands. There are around 4 small and big lakes in the southern area of the city at the foot of Arfak mountains. 

From snorkeling to deer watching and bird watching
There are a lot of ecotourism activities which tourists can choose while traveling to Manokwari. Those who love sun bathing can go to Mansinam island. Those who love surfing can go to Pantura beach where waves from the Pacific Ocean can reach up to 3 meters on certain months from December up to April. If you are somebody who likes taking photographs of nature, Manokwari regency has a lot to offer. From underwater world of coral reef and ornamental fish in Kaki island, to lesser birds of paradise, doves, cockatooes, deers and kuskus in the head water of Kamundan river in District of Senopi, wildlife photographers will  have plenty of objects to shoot while being in tropical nature of this Papua island.

Watching Birds of Paradise in District of Senopi

Senopi is located in Kebar valley, a great savannah between Manokwari city and Sorong city. Here in this district, you can enjoy natural hot spring water that is good to cure various kinds of skin diseases. Or if you are a bird lover, you  can hike through the tropical rainforest to see cockatoo, lory and crown pigeon, or birds of paradise perform courtship dance early in the morning or a few hours before sunset at quiet slopes to seduce their female birds. In the middle of nowhere, you can soak yourself in the fresh water of Kamundan river. You will frequently hear the sounds of deer like horns of big trucks in highway. At night, accompanied by a local Papuan guide, you will have the chance to see some kuskus with their bright red eyes coming out of their hiding places. Read my other article: Birding in Senopi to know more about it.

Learning Herbal Medicine from Kwau village in Arfak Mountains
Suppose that you are a nature lover, and you are interested in studying herbal medicine. If this is one of your dreams then Kwau village is a place that I'd like to recommend to you. I know someone there who is expert in curing many kinds of diseases using herbs that grow inside the tropical rainforest of Arfak Mountains. From the treatment of intestinal worms in children's stomach to the treatment of malaria tropica, Samuel Mandacan - a "herbsman" can teach you the local wisdom of the indigenous people on how they cure diseases and ailments. His knowledge of herbal medicine is an accumulation of hundreds of years of healing tradition which has been preserved and passed down inside his family as natural healers.
Why I promote this eco-tourism destination to you?
I have been promoting eco-tourism for Manokwari regency since last year. The number of foreign tourists coming to Manokwari and its surrounding districts is increasing steadily. I hope that more tourists will come so that we can provide alternative jobs to the indigenous people both in the islands near Manokwari city and in the Arfak and Tambrauw mountains. When these indigenous people get money from providing services and goods to tourists who come to their villages, they will be more appreciative to their environment. This will greatly prevent them from giving up their lands and forest to greedy loggers and palm oil plantation investors who have caused massive environmental destruction in Prafi valley.We know that tropical rainforest absorb great amount of CO2 gases which we emit everyday. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us around the world to help preserve this precious environment.
How to get to Manokwari?
Well, it is not difficult to come to this city. Manokwari is the capital of West Papua province. Just check a flight to Jakarta or Denpasar (two important cities) in the Republic of Indonesia. From those cities, you can book a flight to Manokwari. Several domestic airline companies such as Batavia Air, Merpati Airline , Express  Air and Lion Air provide direct flight service from Jakarta and Makassar city to Manokwari. If you plan to spend your holiday in a tropical island this Christmas, then Manokwari city should be in your list of consideration. When you arrive in this city, it is not only one island that you  will get see and enjoy but 5 tropical islands. You can even enjoy many more if you are willing to spend another week of your Christmas holiday in this West Papua province. by Charles Roring

Related articles:

• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birding in the Paddy Fields of Subdistrict Sonder
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in the Farmland and Forest of Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Tour: Birdwatching and Sightseeing
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Collared Kingfisher
• Birding in Minahasa of North Sulawesi
• Birding in Higher Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Snorkeling in Mansinam island

Snorkeling activities can be done in several islands in the Dorey bay, Bakarro beach, and along the northern coast of Manokwari regency. I went to Mansinam island with some Dutch tourists this morning. We enjoyed snorkeling there. Mansinam is a small tropical island. Along the beach, we could see coconut trees. Most of the island is still covered by tropical vegetation. It's amazing to see various species of fish that live among healthy coral reefs. Zebra fish and yellow tail blue fish were not afraid of me while I was taking pictures of them.

Reef Fish in Mansinam Island

The Beach of Mansinam Island

Eco-tourism and coral reef
Coral reef is not only important for eco-tourism but also for the environment. Coral reef absorbs CO2 gases which we emit everyday through our daily activities such as riding motorcycle or driving cars. During photosynthesis, the algae Zooxanthellae absorbs the CO2 and release oxygen. So the function of coral reef ecosystem is similar to the function of tropical rainforest. In fact, it is the tropical rainforest of the sea. It takes around fifty years for a coral to reach a size similar to an adult's head. The growth of coral reef  is very slow.  Coral reefs are tiny animals. They are very sensitive to extreme weather condition and disturbances on their surrounding environment. Therefore, we must protect it from destruction. Responsible eco-tourism is expected to help the local fishermen get additional income from the natural resources which they have so that they will not be tempted to use destructive method of fishing such as using bombs, poisoning, and  throwing of fishnets in the reef area.

Damsel fish in Mansinam Island

Problems on waste management in the waters of Manokwari bay
Although Manokwari bay is very beautiful with its coral reef and tropical islands, the city dwellers have not realize its potential. They still irresponsibly throw plastic bottles on the city streets which will finally end up at sea when the rain comes. It is important for all the citizens in Manokwari city to be more responsible in handling their domestic and industrial wastes so that the waters of the Dorey or Manokwari bay will not be polluted anymore. When the plastic wastes pollute the coral reef area, they will blockade the sunlight which is a very important component for the photosyntesis process to occur. The reef will slowly die. In popular term we call it coral bleaching. Bleached corals  look white and are dead corals. They cannot provide food to the fish. Then the number of fish will go down. It means the food stock in the area will automatically be affected. Fishermen have to go further away to the sea to catch fish. They will spend more fuel for that purpose. As a result the price of fish in the market will be higher than what we usually pay now.

Blue Sea Star

Coral reef aquarium industry
In addition to waste management, there is another thing which really attracts my concerns. The taking of corals from its habitat for making coral reef aquarium is absolutely a violation of law. Unfortunately the people who are responsible for the destruction of the reef have not been punished. The police and the government should enforce the law which is aimed at protecting and preserving the reef so that we can still have one of the most important marine ecosytems for current and future generations.      

Sea view of Manokwari

Other places that are nice for snorkeling are the Raimuti island, the coastal area near the mountain range of Arfak and  Kaki island. If you are interested in visiting Manokwari as a tourist who wants to enjoy snorkeling and sightseeing, you can contact me, Charles Roring, via email: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will be happy to arrange your trip in this area.

Also read:

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

Beach Hibiscus from Mansinam island

I like flower. Every time I walk around alone, with friends or with tourists, I will stop for a while when I see flowers. I also did the same when traveling to Mansinam island that is located at the Dorey bay of Manokwari regency. Several months ago, I went there with an English tourist, David Scott. We did some snorkeling there and I was happy to find a beautiful beach flower whose petals were yellow with maroon at the base.

Tropical Flower Beach Hibiscus

At that time, I did not know the English and Latin names of this flower. It is not the same as other ordinary flower plants whose height were between one and two meters. This flower was blooming from a tree.
To write this blog post, I did some research on the internet. From the website of Jamescook University Australia, I got the information that the latin name of the flower was Hibiscus Tiliaceus. It likes to grown along the coastal area where the temperature is warm. Another information that I got from Wikipedia is that this flower plant can reach a height up to 10 meters. It is interesting to know that its leafy shoots and flowers are edible besides its bark can be used to make rope for sealing the but joints of wooden boat. These coastal flower trees provide good shades during the sunny days for tourists who want to take a rest at the white sandy beach after swimming and snorkeling for a few hours among the coral reef of the Mansinam island.
Beside the beach hibiscus, there are various other flowers in Mansinam island some of them are orchid, flower tree - barringtonia asiatica and bougainvillea spp and many more.

 If you are now thinking of having a vacation in a tropical island, why don't you put Mansinam island into your consideration? by Charles Roring contact info: peace4wp@gmail.com or send whatsapp text message to my cell phone: +6281332245180

The Visit of the Labree Family to Wasior and Manokwari

Articles about Wasior can be seen on the following links:

• Wasior town before the October 2010 flood video
• Wasior town before the October 2010 Flood article and photographs
• Tropical rainforest in mountains and islands around Wasior

This October, Wasior in Papua island attracts the attention of the world due to a massive flood that hit the town. Hundreds of people lost their lives and thousands became refugees. This flood reminds us the importance of preserving the environment especially the tropical rainforest in New Guinea island that is shrinking rapidly due to illegal logging for timber exploitation and palm oil plantation.

Through this blog post, I want to express my condolences to all the victims of Wasior flood. I hope that God will strengthen them through this difficult times. We must see this disaster as a very expensive lesson so that we will be more aware of the preservation of nature both in the mountains and at sea.
Wasior town - the capital of Cendrawasih bay regency, had just received special guests from the Netherlands on 20 - 21 July 2010.  The Cendrawasih or Geelvink bay is the largest National Marine Park in Indonesia occupying 1.45 million hectares of lands and sea areas. The waters of the park has pristine coral reefs whereas the islands of park is still covered with dark green tropical rainforest.  These guests were the Labrees from the Netherlands- a beautiful country in Europe that is famous for its Tulip flowers and windmills. They were accompanied by Paul Gasper, a local Papuan tourist guide who can speak Dutch. The Labree family visited Wasior because this town was the birthplace of Mr. (Jan) Labree. While in Wasior, they tried to find a house where he used to live. As a matter of fact, it was not easy to find the house. Fortunately, Mr. Labree still had the video or photograph of his old house. When it was shown to a local Papuan who live in Wasior, he could recognize it and helped them find it. It was a happy and emotional day for the Labree family when finally they saw the house.

After staying for one and a half days in Wasior, the Labrees flew back to Manokwari. Here, they have a 4-day tour around Manokwari city.

Yesterday, I accompanied the Labree family traveling around the Mansinam and Lemon islands. We went snorkeling to see the beautiful coral reef and ornamental fish in the surrounding waters and the cross monument of Ottow and Geissler. While snorkeling, we could see urchin, blue fish and various kinds of colourful corals. Corals need at least twenty years to reach a size similar to a human head. In addition, We were also very lucky because we could see a rare baby tridachna gigas or giant clamp. It was located at the slope of the sea bed, some 6 meters under the surface. I wish I could show you the picture of the baby giant clamp. I do not have underwater camera.

On the afternoon, after swimming and snorkeling, we continued our trip to Mansinam village where we met the villagers and Peter Rumbruren, a Papuan artist who makes artworks mostly from wood. We were very thirsty and hungry. Peter was very kind to us. He provided us some coconuts and bananas. Peter has a small hut which he built in front of his house as an art gallery. He puts all of his artworks inside this "gallery" that is a replica of a traditional Papuan house. Mr. Labree bought a wooden Korwar statue from this artist as a souvenir for his relatives. All tourists who bought souvenirs from Papuan artists have directly support our efforts in developing eco-tourism project that is aimed at improving the living condition of the local Papuan people without destroying their natural environment. The Labrees will still be in Manokwari until 25 July 2010 and I still have some more stories about their travel experience and beauty of Papua's nature and the friendliness of the indigenous people. by Charles Roring

Manokwari city as seen from SOGUN Hill

The following video is the view of Manokwari city as seen or recorded from SOGUN Hill. Manokwari is a coastal city which has now become the capital of West Papua province in the Republic of Indonesia.

Manokwari has a number of tourist attractions ranging from scuba diving around the waters of Mansinam, Lemon, Raimuti and Kaki islands to hiking in Table Mountain and trekking in Arfak Mountains for bird watching. Those who like surfing can go to Amban Pante and Yonsoribo beach where high waves from the Pacific Ocean are everyday scenes. For more information, please ,contact me Manokwari travel guide Charles Roring via email: peace4wp@gmail.com

A visit to Mansinam Island and A meeting with Peter Rumbruren

Yesterday (20 May 2010), I went with Katja Zimmermann, a German tourist, to Mansinam island. It is located in the Dorey bay of Manokwari. Mansinam is an important island for Christians in West Papua. In 1855 German missionaries Ottow, his wife and Geisler landed on 5 February to preach Gospel to the indigenous people of Papua. Now most of the native population of Papua island are Christians. Katja and I did some snorkeling at the back of the island and then we went hiking along the coast to reach the Mansinam village that is located at the north of the island. After making mistakes in walking around in the forest back to the Manggewa - the starting point where we enjoyed snorkeling, we decided to walk along the beach to make sure that we would not get lost in the jungle for the second time.

Butterflies, birds, and wild flowers of the Mansinam island were very beautiful. Mansinam also has beautiful coral reef park at the southwestern region of the island and several shipwrecks that are potential to be the diving sites. It was nearly 3 p.m. when we arrived at the village. I asked a little boy named Leo to show me where the residence of Peter Rumbruren was. He is a Papuan artist whose carvings have become favorite souvenirs among tourists. Finally, we arrived in front of his house. I decided to take my wallet to give some money to the boy.

But Katja insisted that I must not give money to the boy. It would be considered as encouraging capitalism and damaging the spirit of eco-tourism. She said that Balinese children like to ask money from tourists. Instead of being creative children, they become beggars. I like Katja's idea. Based on her advice, we went to a kiosk around one hundred meters from Peter Rumbruren's house to buy some drinks. I gave Leo a bottle of orange juice. This boy supports the Netherlands for the World Cup football that is going to be held in South Africa.

We met Peter's daughter and asked if his father was around. She went to the back of the house calling his father. Peter was very happy to meet us. We had a one-hour conversation with topics about art, culture,  reactions from the church concerning his activities in making Korwar carvings. He also showed us his carvings and the interior of his traditional house that was full of various artworks. We took some photographs and drank fresh coconut juice. 

Peter is a prolific artist, his traditional Dorey hut is his art gallery. When I and Katja wrote our names on his guestbook, we could see that many tourists had visited this hut.
If you are interested in meeting him personally, you could find his house that is located at the back of the Lahai Roi church. It is not difficult to find it. You may ask the villagers and they will help you.
It was nice talking with Peter Rumbruren. It was around 4 p.m. when we left Mansinam island by Peter's boat. I hope this short story will give you an idea of how beautiful this tropical island for people who like Papua's nature. by Charles Roring

Also read: Watching Butterfly in the Table Mountain of Manokwari of West Papua

Dorey bay of Manokwari City

Dorey bay is the name which Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist, mentioned in his book "The Malay Archipelago". He came to the bay in 1858 to conduct research on birds of paradise and anything that was related to natural history of New Guinea island. Since then people who read his book have come from all over the world to Manokwari to see with their own eyes this beautiful Dorey bay.
Well, in general it is similar to other bays in the world. But every bay has its own history and uniqueness. Here in Dorey bay, tourists can travel around some small islands. The most famous one is Mansinam. It is a small island that is located at the outer most part of the bay. Mansinam became the first to receive German missionaries who went to this Netherlands New Guinea to preach Christianity. Mansinam is considered by the indigenous Papuan people as the island of civilization.
The photographs that I show below is about children in Mansinam island who were fishing at the harbor. They have been resized, and optimized in Adobe Photoshop CS3 before being uploaded into this blog. 

Children were fishing at a jetty in Mansinam

During World War II era, Japanese forces constructed a lot of bomb shelters to defend Manokwari against their enemies, the Allied forces. The Imperial Japanese Army deployed 50,000 soldiers to Western New Guinea to reinforce their defense line in the Pacific. Lieutenant General Fusataro Teshima from 2nd Army led the troops and chose Manokwari as their headquarters. 

Activities that can be done around the small islands of Dorey bay are swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking and bird watching. Tourists can also meet the villagers who live in Mansinam and Lemon islands and have friendly conversation with them about interesting topics. For shipwrecks sites, Dorey bay is the best in Indonesia.

If you want to snorkel or scuba dive in Dorey bay, don't forget to bring your own gear. Although these Mansinam and Lemon islands are located close enough to Manokwari city, they are very calm. The pace of living looks slow.

 As a tourist guide, I provide a tour package for tourists who want to travel around the islands in Dorey and see the beauty of their coral reef.

Coral reef and butterfly fish in Mansinam island

Don't forget to contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com when you have arrived in Manokwari city, I will be happy to be your tourist guide and arrange your tour around the city or even deeper into the interior region of Papua that is suitable to your needs and physical condition. by Charles Roring
Also read: 

Hiking, Snorkeling, and Freediving in Manokwari

David Scott Enjoyed Snorkeling in the Dorey bay of Manokwari

As a nature lover, I like traveling around hiking in the tropical rainforest of Papua or just swimming and snorkeling at the beach of Mansinam or Lemon islands. Snorkeling is a fun activity is you want to enjoy the beauty of Papua's nature particularly its coral reef and colorful ornamental fish.
Last Wednesday 31 March 2010, I accompanied Mr. David Scott to Mansinam islands in the Dorey bay of Manokwari Papua. Manokwari is the capital town of Papua Barat Province in the Republic of Indonesia. It stretches along the Dorey bay where two or three islands protect the city from big waves that flow from the Geelvink bay (now also known as Cendrawasih bay).
Besides snorkeling, we also visited the old church and a well made by Dutch missionaries who worked in Mansinam island after German evangelists Otto (and his wife) and Geisler began spreading Christianity in 1855. At around 12.30 p.m. I, Paul and David Scott took a brake at a wooden stage across the Lahai Roi church. During the lunch brake, I and Mr. Scott were discussing Wallace expedition in the Dorey bay. From his book, the Malay Archipelago, Alfred Russel Wallace said that his boat landed on Mansinam island and Otto went to meet him. I know Wallace expedition in Dorey bay, that's way I could discuss the content of the book with him. David Scott said last night he read the pages of the book where when Wallace was going into the forest, Papuan children were shouting "Arfaki, Arfaki" at him trying to warn him not to go into the forest because the people from the Arfak tribe could kill him. Wallace ignored their warnings and continued to go up to the mountain, which in our opinion is what we now call the Table Mountain.

Bird watching and snorkeling in the Dorey bay around Mansinam island can be done especially in the morning when the weather is bright and the sea is calm. We swam around along the southern beach of the Mansinam island. Mr. David Scott brought his own snorkeling gear which was good for observing beautiful corals and the fish.

 

The islands in the Dorey bay of Manokwari are also good for scuba diving. There are shipwrecks around that can be dived on. When I, Paul and Mr. David Scott visited these islands, we did not bring any diving gear. I am not a PADI certified diver either, so I could not guide tourists underwater. Well, I think in the future, I will get my diving certification. Mr. David Scott commented that the two days tour around forest and the islands in the Dorey bay were fun. He thanked us and left for his hotel when the sun nearly set in the West. 

If you are interested in traveling around Manokwari, I can help you by arranging some guided tours that are suitable to your needs and physical condition, just contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com or cell phone: +62181332245180  by Charles Roring 

 

Manokwari Street Parade Commemorating Gospel Landing Day

Street parade has been an annual agenda for GKI di tanah Papua (Evangelical Christian Church in Papua Land). It is usually held on 3 and 4 February before the celebration of Gospel Landing Day on 5 February. Today is the 4 fourth of February and I just returned from Jalan Merdeka to watch the street parade or in the local term here we called Karnaval Budaya (meaning Cultural Carnival). 

During the parade, the participants sang songs gospel and traditional songs, performed dances, and wore traditional costumes. Tens of thousands of Christians come from various towns and villages in Papua and other provinces in Indonesia to Manokwari town the participate in this parade creating several kilometers of traffic congestions along the main streets.

Set in the Dorey bay under the Arfak mountain facing the Manokwari town, Mansinam island became the first place where two German missionaries settled to preach Christianity to Papuan people. Otto and Geisler landed on Mansinam island to preach Christianity to, what Alfred Russel Wallace in his book entitle the Malay archipelago called, "the savage people."  Now majority of the Papuan population are Christians. 

Besides being famous for religious tourism, its beautiful scenery and underwater shipwrecks continue to attract foreign tourists from around the world. Just tens of meters away off the Cross monument of the island, lies the Pillbox shipwreck which has usually become the starting point for divers. Another bigger shipwreck, the Shinwa Maru - a Japanese ship and coral reef can be explored at the south east off the island.
Private Guided Tour
Manokwari is your gate to Arfak mountains - a very beautiful hiking trip destination. Travelers who want to go to Numfor island also need to go to Manokwari first before continuing their trip by airplane or by ferry boat to Numfor. As a tour guide, I provide a private guided tour services for you if you want to go hiking in the mountains or enjoy snorkeling over the coral reef of Mansinam and Numfor island. I can also escort you to see the Mount Botak in Momi Waren of in the southern region of Manokwari regency. If you are interested, please, contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com, I will be happy to arrange your trip and escort you around Manokwari or Numfor island.

Pulau Mansinam Manokwari, tempat pendaratan injil pertama kali di tanah Papua

Pulau Mansinam, tempat di mana misionaris barat, Carl Wilhelm Ottow dan Johann Gottlob  Geissler, mendarat untuk pertama kali di Tanah Papua untuk menyebarkan Injil pada 5 Februari 1855. 

Pemandangan Teluk saat dilihat dari Pulau Mansinam

Mansinam island, the place where western missionary, Otto and Geisler, landed for the first time in Papua land to preach the Gospels on 5 February 1855