Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City for Non Birders

I often receive request for tours in Sorong city from visitors who plan to travel to Raja Ampat. Most of my tours are related to birdwatching. However, I also provide sightseeing tours for visitors who are not keen on birding. Here are the places that we will visit. 

Tourist Attractions in Sorong city

Traditional Market - There is a market in Sorong city that is the place for city dwellers to buy and sell goods such as rice, fish, meet, vegetables, and fruits. There are also other products that we could see from kitchen and gardening tools to smart phones.

Architectural Buildings: 

Buddhist Temple has got unique architecture. It was built on a tower overlooking the city of Sorong. We could see the landscape of Sorong and some islands around it from the hill. The Chinese architecture looks unique compared to other buildings in Sorong city. 

Sightseeing Tour in Sorong

Cathedral Church of Christ the King whose design was inspired by the Bower of Vogelkop Bowerbird

The design of the Cathedral Church of Christ the King was inspired by the bower of Vogelkop Bowerbird. Its wooden carving is also beautiful. It shows the unique artistic skill of the Papuan people that is reflected from relief of the wooden carvings.

Hill Forest - This is another natural attractions of Sorong city. Visitors could see the landscape of Sorong, watch birds, or just enjoy the green vegetation and fresh air that is released from.the surrounding trees of the hill

Doom Island is a small island located off the coast of Sorong city. It was the first place in Sorong where Dutch government established their administrative post. Now Doom island has become one of the crowdest human settlement in Sorong. We could see old Dutch buildings that are mixed with houses of local people who work as fishermen, traders, civil servant and etc. 

Mangrove Forest is located near Sorong city. It is the place for visitors who love nature. There are several species of birds and butterflies that live in this natural places. Tour participants need binoculars and camera with telephoto lens in order to watch birds and butterflies in this site. Insect repellent lotion or spray will also be needed.

Booking

If you are interested in taking this sightseeing tour in Sorong city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Also read:

• Birding near Sorong city
• Birding in Sorong and Raja Ampat
• Short Birding Tour in Sorong City
• Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City

MINAHASA HIGHLAND TOUR

Minahasa is a region in the Province of North Sulawesi that is a good destination for visitors who love birdwatching, butterflywatching sightseeing. It has got mountains, hills, valleys, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. 

There are a lot of places in Minahasa which visitors can visit. Some of them are described below:

• Talawaan - This is a village in Minahasa that is located near Manado city. It has got waterfall, and farmland. Villagers grow papaya, coconut, duku in their farmland. Visitors could see both the farmland and the waterfall. For visitors who are interested in birdwatching, they could see various species of birds while doing roadside birding in this area. The birds that could be watched include: Black-naped Fruit Dove, Green Imperial Pigeon, Barred Rail, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Gray-rumped Treeswift, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sahul Sunbird, and etc. Binoculars, and spotting scope will be needed for this purpose. 

Manado City Tour

• Makatete Hills - This is a sightseeing site that located in Subdistrict Pineleng in the south of Manado city. Visitors could see the landscape of Manado city. Wind in this place is often strong. There is a café , church, the statue of Marry and huge cross around this hill.

• Mount Mahawu is located near Tomohon town. Visitors who love nature could see the crater of the volcano as well as the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. Along the slope of Mount Mahawu, visitors could enjoy birding to see Turquoise Flycatcher, Warbling White-eye, Sulawesi Myzomela, Crimson Sunbird and etc.
• Lake Linow is located near Lahendong village of Minahasa regency. It is a good site for sightseeing. Visitors could see various species of water birds such as Sunda Teal, Little Egret, White-breasted Waterhen and a lot more. There is a café on a hill near the lake. Because it is a volcanic lake, it emits hot steam that contains sulphur.
• Sonder is a subdistrict that is surrounded by hills, farmland, forest and waterfall. It is a good destination for tourists who love to agricultural lands that are filled with various kinds of food crops such as corn, papaya, chilli, tomato, cabbage, spring onion, rice, and etc. Along the riverside there are fish ponds and rice fields. Sonder is also a good destination for birdwatchers. A lot of species of birds could be watch in Sonder. They include Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Myzomela, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Black-naped Oriole, Javan Pond Heron, Little Egret, White-browned Crake, Barred Rail, Isabelline Bush Hen, Sulawesi Drongo, Hair-crested Drongo, Collared Kingfisher and a lot more. 

Subdistrict Sonder in Minahasa Regency

• Tincep

• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia
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• 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
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• Collared Kingfisher
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• Birding in Higher Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Short Birding Tour in Sorong City

This short birding tour in Sorong city is suitable for a solo traveling tourist, a couple or a small group of tourists who do not have much time. The tour starts at 06:00 and finishes at 10:00. 

The time of the tour can be changed to afternoon session from 14:00 to 18:00. 

White-bellied Cuckooshrike

We will go by a chartered car to mangrove forest a little outside Sorong city. It takes around 30 minutes to reach it. We will start to explore the mangrove forest on foot. It is an easy birding walk. Usually, there are not many tourists in that area in early morning time.

Blue-fronted Fig Parrot

There are several species of tropical birds in trees including Sahul Sunbird, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Little Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Blue-fronted Fig Parrot (formerly called Orange-fronted Fig Parrot), Brown-backed Honeyeater, Brahminy Kite, Willie Wagtail, Metallic Starling, Shining Flycatcher, Collared Imperial Pigeon and White-bellied Cuckooshrike. Coastal birds such as Common Sandpiper, and Striated Heron can also be watched in the area. 

To enhance the birdwatching experience, a pair of binoculars, spotting scope and camera with telephoto lens will be needed by the visitors.

The binoculars and spotting scope will enable birdwatchers to watch distant birds well. We will finish birding at 10:00. After that we will return to the hotel where the participants of this tour stay.

Brown-backed Honeyeater, Sahul Sunbird and Shining Flycatcher

After the tour, visitors could take another tour 1 day or half day nature tour at the outskirts of Sorong city or continue their trip to Raja Ampat or fly to another city.

Birdwatching in Sorong city

If you are interested in taking a short birding tour in Sorong city before or after your trip in Raja Ampat, and want me to organize your tour and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Related articles:

• Nature Tour Around Sorong City
• Birding Near Sorong City
• Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City for Non Birders
• Sightseeing and Easy Birding Tour from Sorong City
• Walking, Sightseeing and Easy Birding Tour from Sorong City

• Birding in Paddy Fields of District Sonder in Minahasa Highland
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
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• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder of Minahasa Highland

My Minahasa Highland Tour yesterday was about birdwatching and butterfly watching in the high elevation farmland of Subdistrict Sonder. I went there by motorcycle which took me around 10 minutes to reach it. The forest and the farm were still covered by fog. So, I only spent around 30 minutes birding in one place. 

Warbling White-eye

At that time, I saw Black-faced Munia, Warbling White-eye, Gray Wagtail, Crimson Sunbird, Hair-crested (White-eyed Drongo), Barred Rail, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, White-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Sahul Sunbird, and, again a bird that looks like, a Van Hasselt's Sunbird. Because the high elevation forest and farmland of Subdistrict Sonder was still in foggy condition, the pictures that I made were not so clear. 

Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly

For instance, this Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove that was sitting on the branch of a tree at the side of the road. I thought there was only 1 bird in the tree. As a matter of fact, when I was walking closer towards the tree, I saw 3 Sulawesi Cuckoo-doves flying away. 

Black-faced Munia (This picture was taken under foggy condition)

More birds were hopping around the branches of the tree but they could not be photographed easily because of the fog. At around 08:00, the fog disappeared but birds had flown into deeper forest to cooler area. I slowly rode my motorcycle down the slope. I saw Yellow-billed Malkoha landed on a branch of a tree of the slope. He was there for around 3 minutes and then flew again into deeper forest. 

Yellow-billed Malkoha

White-breasted Woodswallow

I still continued my birding tour that morning by motorcycle. I saw a few Collared Kingfisher sitting on higher branches. Perhaps, late November was their mating season. There were also Sulawesi Crow and White-breasted Woodswallow that were sitting at lower branch of trees. Sooty-headed Bulbul was very common. We could easily see them in farmland, forest edges and at the frontyard of the villagers.

Black Kite

Black Kite was soaring low looking for its prey. I aimed my camera at the bird and shot him several times. There was still some fog in the air. Farmland of Minahasa highland is rich of food crops. It attracts insects and rats. Birds that like to eat insect such as the kingfisher and the bird of prey that eats mouse could be found in the farmland.  There were a lot of other birds that I saw during the morning tour in the farmland. I will write more about them in my next posts.

Farmland in Minahasa regency

Where is Sonder?

Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It is surrounded by vegetable and fruit gardens, plantations (dry farmland), paddy fields (wet farmland) and forest. Sonder could be reached by car from Manado city for around 1 hour. Visitors need to fly to Manado city of Indonesia in order to explore the mountainous region of Minahasa with its beautiful landscape, forest, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, and farmland.

How to get to Sonder town in Minahasa highland?

Every day, there are regular flights that connect Manado with some major cities of Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Denpasar and Sorong. They are served by Garuda, Citilink, Super Air Jet, Lion Air, Batik Air, and TransNusa. 

Car route between Sonder town and Manado city

Subdistrict Sonder in Minahasa regency of Indonesia

Accommodation

There are homestays in Sonder town. There are also hotels in the nearby Tomohon town which visitors can choose to stay. 

Booking

If you are interested in taking a sightseeing, farmtour and birding trip in Minahasa highland of the Province of North Sulawesi; and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.  

Manado city and its surrounding farmland

Related articles:

• Birding in Sonder
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• Birding in the Paddy Fields of Subdistrict Sonder
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town
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• Birdwatching Tour in the Farmland and Forest of Minahasa Highland
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• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Tropical Birds in Sonder of Minahasa Highland

I frequently do field survey around the forest, farmland, and paddy fields of Sonder town in Minahasa highland. There are interesting birds and butterflies that I saw. Some of them are shown below.

Black Sunbird

 

This is a Black Sunbird in Sonder farm forest in Minahasa highland.

This is Turquoise Flycatcher. The bird is small and can be found hopping around the branches of shrub plants in higher elevation forest and farmland of Sulawesi island. According to Merlin, this bird also occurs in Maluku and the Philipines.  

Another interesting bird to see is Pale Blue Monarch. The male bird has got a thin dark line that devides his neck and chest. The nest of this bird has got the shape of a small cup and is attached to small branches of a tree or a shrub plant. Pale Blue Monarch eats insect.

Below is the picture of Sulawesi Hanging Parrot (Loriculus stigmatus). This is a male bird. He has got pale eye, and red patch on the forehead. The female one has got dark eye and does not have red patch on her forehead. They can be seen in fruiting and flowering trees. The plumage of both male and female Sulawesi Hanging Parrot is mostly green.  This parrot is often seen eating tree bark. 

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot in Sonder of Minahasa highland

Black-crowned White-eye

Black-crowned White-eye is a small bird that likes to sit on the twigs of trees. We can easily recognize the bird from his black forehead, and thick white eye ring and whitish underparts.

Yellow-billed Malkoha (also known as Sulawesi Malkoha) is an endemic malkoha of Sulawesi island. It can reach a length of around 50 cm. The wings and tail are purple. Its upper bill is yellow. 

Sulawesi Malkoha

Sulawesi Scops Owl

This Sulawesi Scops Owl usually comes out at dusk to look for prey and to find mating partner. The adult bird has got a length of 20 cm. I made this picture near a poultry and pig farm at the outskirt of Sonder town. At that time, I had to whistle mimicking his sounds in order to attract him to come out of his hiding place. He flew to a tree near where I stood and landed around 6 meters above me. I quickly aimed my camera and shot at the bird. 

Black-naped Oriole

There are several species of sunbird in Minahasa peninsula of North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, i.e. Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Black Sunbird and Crimson Sunbird. On page 452-453 of the first edition field guide book: Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago - Greater Sundas and Wallacea by James Eaton et. al, it says that the Subspecies of Crimson Sunbird in Sulawesi island is called Sulawesi Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja flavostriata). It has got yellow streaking on scarlet throat and extensive red margins on upperwing as well as wider yellow rump.

Sulawesi Crimson Sunbird

In addition to forest and plantation areas, Subdistrict Sonder also has got rice field sites which are the habitat of water birds such as White-browed Crake, Javan Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Cinnamon Bittern, Little Egret and Cattle Egret. We could also see other tropical birds in the paddy field areas such as Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, Collared Kingfisher, Zebra Dove, Rock Pigeon, Scaly-breasted Munia, and Chestnut Munia.

Collared Kingfisher

Getting to Sonder town in Minahasa Highland

The main gate to explore Minahasa Highland is Manado city. There are regular daily flights between Manado and some major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, and Sorong. They are served by Garuda, Citilink, Batik Air, Lion Air, Super Air Jet, and TransNusa. There is also direct flight between Manado and Singapore served by Scoot Air.

Flight routes to Manado city

It is easy to travel to Sonder town. From Manado city (the capital of the Province of North Sulawesi in Indonesia), visitors could go by car for approximately 1 hour.

Booking

If you are interested in traveling to Minahasa highland to do hiking, sightseeing and birdwatching, and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related articles:

• Birding Paradise: Exploring North Sulawesi from Manado to Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder
• 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
• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve of North Sulawesi
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Birding Walk in the Farmland and Paddy Fields of Sonder in Minahasa Highland

The subdistrict town of Sonder in Minahasa highland is surrounded by farmland, paddy fields and hill forest. They are the habitat of various species of birds such as Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Black-faced Munia, Zebra Dove, Black-crowned White-eye, Warbling White-eye, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, White-browed Crake, Cinnamon Bittern, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Oriole, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Green Imperial Pigeon, White-rumped Triller, Lesser Fish Eagle, Finch-billed Myna, and etc.

Yellow-billed Malkoha

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

Black-faced Munia

Birding and Walking Tour Around the Forest, Farmland and Paddy Fields

Hiking and birding activities are usually carried out in the mornings at 06:00 to 09:30 and in the afternoons at 15:00 to 18:00. Tour participants can wear sport shoes, and bring wildlife watching devices such as 8×42 or 10×42 binoculars, laser pointer, spotting scope. Flash light or torch will also be needed for night walk. 

Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Fantail, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Pygmy Woodpecker

Waterfall, flower garden, birds and butterfly in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa

Warbling White-eye

Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa that is surrounded by forest, farmland and paddy fields

Butterfly Watching

There are beautiful butterflies that tour participants can see during the morning and afternoon walks including Blanchard's Tree Nymph, Blanchard's Wood Nymph, Sulawesi Yellow Tiger Butterfly, Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus), Neptis Ida Celebensis, Sulawesi Leafwing (Dolleschalia polibete celebensis), The Clipper (Parthenos sylvia), Common Birdwing (Troides helena).

Some butterflies and an orchid flower in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa highland

Perhaps, these are Graphium meyeri meyeri butterflies.

How to get to Sonder

Sonder can be reached by car for 1 hour from Manado city which is the capital of the Province of North Sulawesi in Indonesia. Every day, there are regular flights between Manado city and some major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, and Sorong. Direct flight from Singapore to Manado city is served by Scoot Air.

Manado city is the capital of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia

Flight routes to Manado city

Car route between Sonder town and Manado city

After arriving at Sam Ratulangi airport of Manado city, visitors could continue trip to Sonder town by car. It takes approximately 1 hour to between the airport and Sonder. 

Booking and More Info

If you are interested in taking a hiking, sightseeing and birding tour in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa highland, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read: 

• Birding Paradise: Exploring North Sulawesi from Manado to Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder
• Tropical Birds in Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• 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
• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve of 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