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Sunday, May 28, 2017

Raja Ampat Adventure Tour for Nature Lovers

Uninhabited Island
Raja Ampat is the most beautiful tourist destination in the world. If you are interested in having fun at empty islands, I could be your guide ;-)
Raja Ampat is the best destination in the world for marine tourism. As a tourist guide, I have organized tours for visitors who want to explore the bio-diversity of tropical rainforest and coral reef of the islands. There are a number of activities which visitors can enjoy while taking the adventure tours that I offer.
Tours to Empty Islands
There are hundreds of islands in Raja Ampat. Most of the big ones are inhabited but many small ones are uninhabited. We will go to these empty islands and enjoy swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing and walking tour. Fishing or spearfishing, and grilling fresh fish at the beach will be done at islands whose waters are not protected.
underwater world of Raja Ampat
The coral reef of Isanak beach, for example, is the natural habitat of anemone fish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, turtles, moorish idol, sea star, and a lot of other fish and marine creatures. We could spend overnight stay in the island using portable tents.
We will use flashlight or torch at night. Visitors can also enjoy fishing or just enjoy the beauty of the night by sitting around campfire at night.
In addition to seeing the beauty of the coral reef and tropical fish of the islands, we could also do birdwatching. Birds such as Brahminy Kite, Sunbird, Tern, Booby, Black Noddy, Plover, Frigate. To enhance birding experience, we provide binoculars for visitors.

River forest in Waigeo island
Birdwatching Adventure in River Forest of Waigeo Island
Waigeo is one of the 4 big islands of Raja Ampat. The other three are Batanta, Salawati, and Misool. The easiest way to explore forest is by going through a river. By doing so, we will be able to reach deeper area of the forest. We can build tents at the bank of the river and spend one night in the jungle before going hiking and watching Red of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) the next morning. The forest of Waigeo island is also the natural habitat of Papuan Blyth's Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Pink-spotted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus), Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Rufous-bellied Kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud) and a lot more.

Visiting Villages
We will also visit some coastal villages in Raja Ampat to see how local people live in their daily life. Most of the islanders work as fishermen and farmers. Some work as government employees. Fishermen catch groupers, sea cucumbers, and collect.

Booking
Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text message/ whatsapp message to: +6281332245180.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Raja Ampat Itinerary

Adventure Tour in Raja Ampat Islands
Here is an itinerary for visitors who are interested in visiting Fish Lagoon in Northeast of Raja Ampat archipelago.


Traditional Wooden Boat
Day 1
We are going from Sorong city to northeast region of Raja Ampat by a traditional motorized wooden boat. We will go to a village to put our things first, and after that we will go to Isanak beach to enjoy snorkeling and do some walks in the island to watch birds, its forest and tidal lakes. Before sunset, we will continue our trip to Mamdifu river and spend one night camping in the jungle.

Fish Lagoon of Raja Ampat islands
Day 2
We will wake up early in the morning at 05.00. After drinking tea or coffee and some biscuits, we will go hiking up some slopes to watch Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra). The forest is also the natural habitat of blyth's hornbill, kingfishers, pigeon and parrots.
At 09.00, we will return to the village to have lunch. After that, we will enjoy snorkeling at the beach. In the afternoon, we will have a walking tour in the village to see local people in their daily life. If there is still time, we will visit the nearby forest or harbor to watch birds.
Overnight stay in the village.

White sandy beach at en empty island
Day 3
We will continue our trip to another uninhabited island to enjoy snorkeling, fishing. Local guides will help us in catching fish and grilled them fresh at the beach as our lunch. If the tide is low, we will go to Sandbar that is located at the middle of the sea. We can enjoy swimming, and taking pictures or watching such sea birds as tern, black noddy, and plover that like to find fish in the surrounding waters of the sandbar. We will stay one night camping at the beach of the island
Sea star in Raja Ampat

Day 4
After that we can continue our trip to Fish Lagoon to see its karst islets formation.
We will go to the nearby village and take a rest for a while. In the afternoon, we will continue our trip to the jungle where we will go hiking and watching birds, hopefully, we could see Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Western Black-capped Lory and Papuan Hornbill.

Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra)
Day 5
We will go hiking to a hill behind the village and watch the panoramic view of the height.
In addition to seeing the scenery, visitors can also take pictures of tropical plants, flowers, butterflies, beetles, and birds.
We can enjoy snorkeling or birdwatching and have walking tours around the village. We will return to Sorong city after lunch.
Visitors can extend their tour in Raja Ampat to 1 full week or take land tour in the mainland West Papua on a separate itinerary.

Jungle Tour in Mainland West Papua
This tour can be extended to mainland West Papua for several more days in Klasow valley of Sorong Regency, Tambrauw mountains, or Arfak mountains of Manokwari. There, visitors can enjoy another adventure tour in the jungle to watch Paradise Birds, and see the bio-diversity of tropical rainforest.

Booking
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to my cell phone: +6281332245180.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Adventure Tour in Raja Ampat

Adventure in Raja Ampat
I have just completed a five-day adventure tour in north-east region of Raja Ampat islands with three visitors from India. We went snorkeling at Isanak beach. We camped at the bank of Mamdifu river and explored the forest to watch birds such as the Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra), Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), Blyth's Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Pink-spotted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus).
Fish Lagoon in Raja Ampat
The coral reef at Isanak beach was very beautiful and was the natural habitat of a lot of species of fish including butterfly fish, grouper, moorish idol, stingray, and anemonefish. One the second day, we had barbecue at the beach of an empty island where we grilled at ate fresh fish that were caught by our local guides. Squids, grouper, butterflyfish and red snapper became our lunch that day. Our local guides caught them by fishing and shooting.
Visiting Villages and Meeting Local People
Local villagers were very friendly to us. During the adventure tour, we visited several coastal villages in Waigeo island and stayed in the houses of local people. They were happy to receive us. We had the opportunity to walk around the villages and to see how people live in their daily life. Most of the villagers were fishermen. They caught fish, lobster and sea cucumber and sold them in Sorong city.
Fish Lagoon
Boat that brought us to visit islands
One of the most important destinations in our tour was Laguna Ikan (meaning Fish Lagoon). There were a number of karst islets that formed a protected waters for fish and fishermen. The lagoon was very beautiful. I and the Indian tourists went hiking to the top of one of the islands in the lagoon to see and make pictures of its landscape.
Hiking and Birding
In addition to snorkeling, and doing village tours, we made several trips into the tropical rainforest of Waigeo island. We did this to watch birds. Some birds that I recognized were Mountain Peltop, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, and Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, and Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). We did hiking and birdwatching trips early in the mornings and in late afternoons. We walked along the road that had just been constructed by local government to connect coastal villages in Waigeo. The road was still empty - no cars and motorcycles around. Most of the villagers use motorized boats to travel from one village to another.
Tidal Sandbar at sea in Raja Ampat
The north-east region of Raja Ampat has not been famous as tourist destination. There were no guesthouses or beach resorts in the area. Visitors have to stay in the villagers houses or built tents at white sandy beaches of empty islands or at the side of a river in the jungle.
Watching Red Bird of Paradise
We spent 1 night camping in the jungle to watch Red Bird of Paradise. The night when we were in the jungle, it rained a lot. We had to move to higher ground to avoid the rising water level from a flooding river. The next morning, we were able to see Red Bird of Paradise and other birds. We still did some birding in the village and were able to see starlings, sulphur crested cockatoos, yellow-bellied sunbird and kingfishers.
Booking
If you are interested in taking an adventure tour in Raja Ampat archipelago and you want me to guide you and organize the trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to my number +6281332245180.



Saturday, May 20, 2017

Camping and Birding in Mesirrokow Forest of Manokwari

There is a good site in Manokwari for visitors who are interested in birding and hiking activities. Its name is Mesirrokow forest. I have organized a number of camping and birding tours in the area for visitors who want to explore the lowland forest of Manokwari to see such birds as Yellow-faced Myna, Little-ringed Plover, Eclectus Parrot, Variable Goshawk, Dollarbird, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, as well as Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Willie Wagtail, Papuan Blyth's hornbill and a lot more.
The usual duration of the tour is 3 days/ 2 nights with the following itinerary:
Mesirrokow river forest in Manokwari
Day 1 
Arrive in Manokwari
Getting Surat Jalan (travel permit) from local police station
Buying food from local market
Transfer to the river forest of Mesirrokow in north-west region of Manokwari
Hiking along the banks of the river
Build tents at the bank of the river
Birding to see Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Brahminy Kite, Hornbill and etc.
Overnight stay in tents in the jungle

Mesirrokow river forest in Manokwari
Day 2
Hiking along the river to watch Little ringed Plover, Willie Wagtail, Rainbow lorikeet.
Visitors can also enjoy swimming and fishing. 
At night, we could try to find Large tail nightjar that usually lives in tall grass along both sides of the river.
Overnight stay in tents in the jungle

Day 3
We still have time to enjoy birdwatching to see Pygmy Parrot, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, We will dismantle our tents and walk back to the main road. Along the way, we could enjoy swimming or taking pictures of birds, beetles, butterflies, and wild flowers that we see along the river.
In the afternoon, we will go back to Manokwari city by car.

The trip can be extended to several more days of birding and camping in Arfak mountains or swimming and snorkeling in Dorey bay of Manokwari.
For booking the tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to my cell phone: +6281332245180.