Wildlife Watching Trip in Tambrauw Regency

In the past few months I have been guiding tourists on wildlife watching tours in Sorong, Tambrauw and Arfak mountains as well as other parts of Indonesia such as Sumatra, Bali and Java. Our experience in Tambrauw was unique because tour participants could see both marine and rainforest environment. 

One of the destinations which we visited was Weyos beach. It was located in north-east region of Tambrauw. In early August 2023, I organized a trip for 8 French visitors. We went to Sausapor by 4WD car. It took around 3 hours to reach the town. 

Wildlife in Tambrauw forest

Accommodation

We stayed at Sansapore Pacific Park which was a great place to enjoy sightseeing, sunset watching, swimming and snorkeling, recreational fishing, butterflywatching and birdwatching. The rainforest at the outskirt of Tambrauw regency was a good place for birding.

Sansapore Pacific Park Beach Resort

It was a beautiful beach accommodation. However we did not stay long at the beach resort. The next morning, we continued our trip to Weyos beach by 3 small motor boats. It took approximately 3 hours to reach the beach.  Arriving at the beach, we put our belongings in a shelter. There were dome tents, mattrasses and pillows that I had prepared for the guests. For the next 3 days of our adventure at Weyos beach, we went swimming and snorkeling, watched birds along the sides of Wenyef river and visited that nesting site of leatherback turtles at night. There we saw baby turtles (hatchlings) coming out of the sand and crawling into the sea. 

Weyos beach in Tambrauw regency

Local villagers went to the sea to catch fish. So, everyday, we could eat grilled fish. 

The lek of Lesser Birds of Paradise was located on the slope of a hill around 20 minutes walk from our shelter. To watch the birds, we woke up at 05:00 and then made some preparations. At 05:30, we started walking to the site of the paradise birds. Most of the tour participants watched the paradise birds of the first time. It was a magical experience for them. They felt so happy after watching the courtship dance performance of the paradise birds. In the last day of our tour at Weyos beach, we posed for some photographs with local villagers. After saying goodbye to them, we left the beach by motorized boat to Sausapor town and then to Sorong city in the afternoon by 4wd cars again. All the tour participants were very happy with the trip. 

Birdwatching in Tambrauw

I hope that in the near future, more tourists will be interested in visiting Tambrauw regency.

If you are interested in traveling to Tambrauw regency to enjoy your holiday, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

BIRDING IN SONDER OF MINAHASA HIGHLAND

Sonder is a subdistrict town in Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. It is a highly recommended destination for visitors who love birding, and sightseeing. 

Sulawesi island itself is located in the transitional region between Asia and Australia. Wallace line is an imaginery line that separates wildlife of Asia and Australia. Sulawesi. The fauna of Sulawesi is influenced by the Avifauna di the Australian region. The forest and farmland of Sonder is the habitat of a lot of species of birds including:

Sulawesi Scops Owl

Sulawesi Scops Owl, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Malkoha, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Turquoise Flycatcher, Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Drongo, and a lot more. 

Visitors need at least 7 days to explore the forest in highland and lowland of North Sulawesi to watch most of its avifauna. 

Booking

For birding program and cost of the tour, please, contact: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read: 

• Birding in Minahasa
• Birding in High Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and butterflywatching in Sonder
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Birdwatching and Snorkeling in Tambrauw

Sansapore Pacific Park is a beach resort in Sausapor town of Tambrauw regency. It can be reached by 4WD car from Sorong city. The house reef of the resort is the natural habitat of a lot of species of marine creatures including tropical reef-fish (parrotfish, wrasse, butterflyfish, moorish idol, anemonefish and etc.), sea cucumber, sea star, Christmas Tree Worm and beautiful corals. Visitors who are interested in snorkeling to see the beauty of this marine life have to bring their snorkeling device such as mask, snorkel and swim fins. 

The best time to enjoy snorkeling at the beach of Sansapore Pacific Park is from April to October. 

Marine life at the beach near Sansapore Pacific Park Beach Resort

A good underwater camera such as the Nikon W300 or Olympus TG-6 will enable snorkelers to take pictures and videos of the marine life of Sausapor beach. 

Marine Life in Sausapor beach

Hiking in Tambrauw's forest

The hills around Sausapor town is the habitat of Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Western-crowned Pigeon, Helmatted Friarbird, Black Butcherbird, Hooded Butcherbird, and a lot more. Visitors need to bring their own binoculars. For taking photographs, visitors need to bring D-SLR camera with 159-600 mm lens. Another althernative can be a point and shoot camera such as Nikon Coolpix P1000 or Canon Powershot SX70. 

To identify birds, birdwatchers can use e-bird or merlin. 

Probosciger aterrimus

Visitors who like butterfly can also watch butterfly in the front and backyard of the resort. Cruiser butterfly, Ulysses and Common Green Birdwing Butterfly can be seen in the area.

Butterflies in Indonesia

Where to stay

For accommodation, visitors can stay at Sansapor Pacific Park. There are wooden bungalows that provide affordable accommodation for visitors. 

Sansapore Pacific Park Beach Resort

How to get there?

First, you need to fly from your country to Jakarta or Bali of Indonesia. After that you could take a domestic flight by such airlines as Lion Air, Batik Air or Garuda to Sorong city. Your trip to Sansapore Pacific Park beach resort can be organized by a 4WD car. 

Tambrauw regency is located between Sorong and Manokwari

If you are interested in taking a trip to West Papua region of Indonesia, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birding in Sausapor, Klabili and Sorong City
• Wildlife Watching Trip im Tambrauw
• Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour

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

Tourist Attractions in Sorong City

Sorong city which is the main gate for visitors who want to travel to Raja Ampat has got a number of interesting attractions: Usually they spend one or two days in Sorong city before continuing their trip to Waisai town or flying back to their country. Here are some of the attractions. 

Sahul Sunbird

• Rainforests in Sorong are located along the coastal area and in the hills behind the city. The forest that can be visited easily by birdwatchers is the mangrove forest. It has got boardwalk that allows visitors to watch birds, butterflies, beetles, lizards, fish, crabs, and see mangrove trees. 
• Hill Forest - There are several hill areas at the outskirts of Sorong city that is good for nature walk and birdwatching or butterflywatching. Visitors need an experienced birding guide and a rent car to visit these places.
• Traditional Market is the place for visitors who want to see goods and services that city dwellers buy and sell. Various kinds of fruits, vegetables, meat, kitchen equipment, electrical appliances, clothing and etc. 
• Islands - There are several interesting islands around Sorong regency. Visitors can go to the islands to the villagers or watch birds and other wildlife. 

Wildlife watching outside Sorong city

Sorong city has got supermarkets, department stores, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, spa, car rental, boat rental, traditional market, fast food restaurants, souvenir shops, and etc.

If you are interested in exploring the natural and cultural attractions around Sorong city and want me to organize your tour and guide you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to +6281332245180. 

Also read: 

• Sorong city tour
• Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City

• Birding in Sulawesi

Birding in Mangrove Forest of Sorong City

Mangrove forest of Sorong city is a good place for visitors who have short time to enjoy birding before they fly back to their country or continue their trip to Raja Ampat. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes to reach it. Visitors need to bring a good pair of binoculars, a camera with telephoto lens. The best time to start watching birds is early in the morning at 06:00 or in the afternoon at 15:30. 

Birds in Coastal Forest of Sorong

The common birds in mangrove trees are Brown-backed Honeyeater, Metallic Starling, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Shining Flycatcher, Sacred Kingfisher and Olive-backed Sunbird. There are also White-bellied Cuckooshrike, White-breasted Woodswallow, Willie Wagtail, and Helmetted Friarbird. 

I used to see Australian Ibis, Blue-Black Kingfisher, Nankeen Night Heron in the forest. However, they are not so common. 

When I guide visitors, I bring 2 pairs of SVBONY 10×50 binoculars. I use one pair for myself. The other pair is mounted on a tripod to function as spotting scope, so every tour participant will have the opportunity to watch the bird. Binoculars on tripod are perfect tools for finding birds in distant branches of trees. 

Orange-breasted Fig Parrot

I usually combine this short birding trip with tour to traditional market of Sorong city. 

For extended tour, a 4-day/3-night birding in Waigeo and a 3-day/ 2-night birding trip to Klasow valley of Sorong regency or Tambrauw regency can be offered to interested visitor(s). 

The birds in these regions include Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-faced Myna, Lowland Peltop, Red-cheeked Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Beach Kingfisher, Whimbrel, Striated Heron, and a lot more.

The number of participant for the long birding tour can be one visitor to a group of eight birdwatchers. 

Flight Route to Sorong City

Sorong city can be reached by plane from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Manado, Ambon, and even Jayapura. Garuda, Lion Air, Batik Air as well as Sriwijaya have got regular flights to Sorong city. 

There are a lot of hotels in Sorong. Some of them include Kyriad M, Swissbel Hotel, Aston, Waigo, and etc. 

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Sorong city, Raja Ampat islands, Tambrauw regency of South West Papua province of Indonesia, and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Sorong City Tours
• Private Walking Tour in Sorong City

• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town of Minahasa Highland

Birding in the forest near Sorong city of Indonesia

Sorong city is the entrance gate for visitors who travel to Raja Ampat. Usually after long flights from home, visitors who have just arrived in Sorong feel tired. They want to take a rest for at least one night in a hotel of the city. They are also interested in exploring interesting places such as its restaurants, traditional markets, the nearby village or island. Visitors who have just completed their holiday in Raja Ampat may also want to explore tourist attractions in Sorong city.

This bird picture was taken using Fujifilm HS50EXR

Bird or animal watching is an interesting activity that visitors can do. As a tourist guide, I have organized tours for solo or group travelers to watch birds in a forest not far from Sorong. 

Olive-backed Sunbird

We usually start early in the morning at 06:00. I bring 2 pairs of binoculars 10×50 binoculars. One pair is mounted on a tripod to function as spotting scope. I use the other pair to find birds. I also bring laser pointer and a small loudspeaker to call birds. However, in order not to disturb the bird, I don't play the bird very often. 

The lowland mangrove forest of Sorong is the habitat of tens of species of beautiful birds and butterflies. Based on my previous trips, the species that I have seen include White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Olive-backed Sunbird (now also called Sahul Sunbird), Brown-backed Honeyeater, Australian White Ibis, Nankeen Night Heron, Sacred Kingfisher, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Hooded Butcherbird, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Blue Black Kingfisher, Emperor Fairy Wren, Oriental Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, White-breasted Woodswallow, Yellow-faced Myna and a lot more. 

For butterflies, there are Priamus butterfly, Silky Owl Butterfly and etc. 

Flight route to Sorong city

I bring a bridge camera Fujifilm HS50EXR. It is an old photographic device with 42× optical zoom that is quite powerful in shooting flora and fauna in distant or tall trees. The birdwatching or animal watching tour lasts until 09:00 morning time. 

Birds in the lowland forest near Sorong city

After the tour in the forest of Sorong, I can extend the trip to the nearby traditional market or to a nearby island. Some visitors even request 4 to 6 days animal watching trip both in the forest of mainland West Papua and in Waigeo island of Sorong city.

If you are interested in taking the birding trip and want me (Charles Roring) to guide you, please, contact me by email to peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Related Posts:

• Birding Near Sorong City
• Short Birding Tour in Sorong City
• Birding Tour Outside Sorong City
• Birding at the Outskirts of Sorong City
• Sorong City Sightseeing and Birding Tour
• Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City
• Tourist Attractions in Sorong City
• Birding in Mangrove Forest of Sorong City

Also read:

• 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