Birdwatching Tour in Southern Wageo of Raja Ampat

The island of Waigeo in Raja Ampat is often visited by birdwatchers and wildlife photographers. They go there to watch and take pictures of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects that could be found in the forest and coastal area of the island. 

Red Bird of Paradise

A female Red Bird of Paradise in Waigeo 

General birdwatching activity is usually conducted along the roadside to look for such birds as Papuan Eclectus, Blyth's Hornbill, Coconut Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot, Willie Wagtail, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Brown Oriole, Hooded Butcherbird, Helmeted Friarbird, Sahul Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Channel-billed Cuckoo and a lot more.

There are also sea birds that we could find along the beach such as Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Lesser-crested Tern, Common Tern, Black-naped Tern, Whimbrel, Pacific Reef Heron, Striated Heron, Purple Heron, Common Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Little-ringed Plover, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, and etc. 

The main attractions for visitors who love birding are Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. They can be watched in the mornings and in late afternoons depending on the weather. There are several places in the forest of Waigeo island to watch the paradise birds. 

Birdwatching Tour in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

If the weather is calm, visitors could enjoy swimming and snorkeling at the beach. Usually, the accommodation for tour participants is the beach resorts that are built along the southern beach of Waigeo. Participants could enjoy swimming and snorkeling after doing the birdwatching activity in the mornings and in the afternoons.

The duration of this birding trip in Waigeo is 3 days/ 2 nights. It can be combined with another 3-day/ 2-night wildlifewatching tour in Sorong regency's forest.  

Palm Cockatoo in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

If you are interested in taking this birdwatching tour in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Related Posts:

• Snorkeling and Watching Birds in Raja Ampat
• Birdwatching, snorkeling and sightseeing in Raja Ampat and Sorong
• Wildlife Watching and Snorkeling Tour in Sorong and Raja Ampat

Snorkeling, Island Hopping and Birdwatching Trip in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is one of the most favorite destinations in the world for marine tourism. For visitors who love snorkeling and island hopping, perhaps, this tour is interesting. We could start from the Kri island. The coral reef around this island is very beautiful. It is the habitat of a lot of species of marine creatures from batfish that likes to swim around the jetty of the resort or homestay to anemonefish and parrotfish that are common in coral reef of this tropical archipelago. For more unusual species such as the longtail carpet shark or also called epaulette shark, we could see it at night at the shallow water of the beach. 

A beach in Kri island

During the transition period from high tide to low tide in Yenbuba strait, most often, there is current. Tour participants need to wear swim fins. As a guide, I often carry an orange lifejacket with me which I can give to snorkeling participant who may have problems with leaks on his or her snorkeling mask. It is also a clear sign for boat drivers that there are snorkelers in coral reef area where they are passing. 

Homestays and dive resorts in Kri and Mansuar can be used as a base for marine tours around northern Raja Ampat archipelago. There are dive centers that provide equipment for snorkelers and scuba divers who want to see the beauty of coral reef and its marine life. 

Warahnus homestay in Kri island

Dive center in Warahnus homestay of Kri island

For those who are interested in birdwatching, the nearby Merpati island and Mioskon island are very good destinations to watch Lemon-bellied White-eye, Varied Honeyeater, Violet-necked Lory, Papuan Eclectus, Great-billed Parrot, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Beach Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, White-bellied Sea Eagle and etc.

Coral reef in the east of Waigeo island

Underwater picture of marine life in Mioskon

The next trip during the tour is going to Piaynemo. It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to reach it. The wonderful view of the karst of Piaynemo looks like emerald jewels that are arranged in turquoise blue water. One the way back, we could enjoy snorkeling in Piaynemo and Mansuar island. 

For visitors who are interested in birdwatching, the island of Waigeo is the next stop. It can also become the base for exploring other parts of Raja Ampat such as Kabui bay, Kali biru (Blue River), Gam Island, and a lot of small islands in the west of Waigeo. There are homestays and beach resorts along the south of Waigeo. 

Coconut Lorikeet in Waigeo island

A lot of species of birds could be watched in Waigeo. They include Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Brown Oriole, Papuan Eclectus, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc. 

Beautiful Fruit Dove

Tour participants need to bring birding binoculars such as the Nikon Monarch 7 or Leica Trinovod 10×42 mm, and photographic device with telephoto lens.

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling, birdwatching, and island hopping tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Birdwatching, Snorkeling and Sightseeing in Sorong and Raja Ampat

I have just finished running a tour for two visitors who came from the Netherlands. They were Femke and Mathijs. We spent 1 week exploring the rainforest of Sorong and Raja Ampat to watch birds, mammals, insects and reptiles as well as various kinds of unique tropical plants. 

Raja Ampat Marine Tour

In Raja Ampat, we did snorkeling, and sightseeing tour to see Piaynemo, Pasir Timbul (Sand Bank) and Friwen Wall. The sea current in the front waters of Arborek, between Gam and Mansuar island are quite strong.  That's why the coral reef in this area is the natural habitat of a lot of species of fish that like the current. However, we did not do snorkeling in the area where the current was strong. We went to Friwen-wall and enjoyed snorkeling there. After that we had our lunch at its beach which was on the other side of the islet. It was a nice experience because we can see colourful fish, and other marine animals of West Papua. Raja Ampat has got beautiful white sandy beach which is a good place for swimming and sunbathing. Sergeantfish, anemonefish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, are some of the many tropical fishes that Femke and Mathijs saw while snorkeling in Raja Ampat. 

Sightseeing and Birdwatching in West Papua

During the birdwatching tour, we saw Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise as well as a lot of other birds including Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Frilled Monarch, Yellow-faced Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and etc.

Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 if you are interested in taking a rainforest wildlife watching, sightseeing and snorkeling tour in West Papua province of Indonesia. 

Birds of Paradise Raja Ampat

Paradise birds such as Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) and Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica) can be watched in Waigeo, Gam and Batanta islands. Glossy Manucode (Manucodia ater), another species of bird of paradise whose feather is plain black, lives in the whole territory of Raja Ampat. They are not considered as important target by birdwatchers. Visitors usually choose Waigeo because they can easily go by fast passenger ferry that go back and forth between Sorong city and Waisai town twice a day. 

Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) is watched in the coastal area. I often see the male and female birds at Warduwer beach where they eat fruits especially in the mornings and late afternoons (before sunset). For Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica), it lives deeper in the rainforest. We must wake up early in the morning, usually at 04.00, and do long trip into the forest to reach its dancing site or display ground.

Red Bird of Paradise

Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica)

Several places have become an important birdwatching destinations in Raja Ampat. Saporkren is the famous one. For me, personally, I organize my tours to rainforest close to Kabui bay. I combine this rainforest birding trip to this site with snorkeling and sightseeing tours by boat. There is no road that we can use to reach the birding ground. So, we use motorized boats. I also organize birding trips to eastern and north-eastern regions of Waigeo. Usually, the birdwatching trips to this places are combined with village tour, riverwalk tour, swimming, and turtle watching activities. Tourists like them because they could  meet local people, watch birds and enjoy the beautiful nature of Raja Ampat.

Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

For other species such as Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor); Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus); and King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), they can be found in Salawati and Misool islands. However, because these birds can be found in mainland West Papua, most tourists watch them in the mainland. 

Birdwatching in Mainland West Papua
From Sorong city, tourists can take a 4WD car to Klasow valley and enjoy birdwatching in the villages of Klatomok, and Malagufuk. Klatomok is more suitable for elderly people or those who cannot walk for hours in the jungle because it is a roadside village. Because birding activity is carried out in rainforest, I cannot fully guarantee that visitors will be able to see all the target birds that I mention above. There are other birds that live in Klasow valley including Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Northern Cassowary, Lowland Peltop, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Blyth's Hornbill, and a lot more.
Another alternative is Tambrauw regency which is located further to the east. It takes around 5 hours to reach Fef which is the capital of the regency. I highly recommend that tourists go birding accompanied by birding guides who really know the areas. Ayapokiar village located deeper in Tambrauw mountains is the destination for avid birders.

Tambrauw is a great destination for birdwatching. Visitors should travel in a group of three to four people to share the cost of transportation.  Another alternative of traveling to Ayapokiar is by plane from Manokwari city to Kebar, tourists need to continue overland to District Senopi and then by 4wd car from Senopi to Ayapokiar. Susi Air operates Cessna Caravan 208 between Manokwari and Kebar several times a week. Tickets can be bought at the airport. There is a good guesthouse in Ayapokiar so visitors could stay in the village for several days and do day tours to the forest. The road in this remote mountainous region is empty. It is a very nice birdwatching site.

Also read:

Raja Ampat Snorkeling
Birdwatching Trip to Raja Ampat
Birding and Snorkeling Tours in Raja Ampat islands
Bird Tour in Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat Birds
Raja Ampat Birding
Snorkeling and Watching Birds of Paradise in Raja Ampat

Bird Tour in Raja Ampat

Last week, I guided six Singaporean tourists on a bird tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. They stayed at Putras, a beach resort in southern region of Waigeo. We enjoyed birding in the forest of Saporkren, at Warduwer beach and along the road side in the southern and eastern regions of Waigeo.

In the forest of Saporkren, the main target birds were Wilson's Bird of Paradise, and Red Bird of Paradise. However, there were other birds which we also saw such as the Common Paradise Kingfisher, Papuan Pitta, Brown-headed Crow, Frilled Monarch, Blyth's Hornbill.

Singaporean birdwatchers in Raja Ampat

It was quite difficult to watch birds under the canopy of the forest. So, at 10.00, we moved to Wardower beach to watch Hooded Butcherbird, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Spangled Drongo, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Glossy-mantled Manucode. Because there were more open spaces at Wardower beach, birdwatching activity could be carried out with the use of spotting scopes. The Singaporean birdwatchers brought Kowa and Swarovski spotting scopes. They greatly enhanced our birding experience. We even visited the beach twice - in the morning and in the afternoon.
When we were at the beach, we saw some construction workers were working at the beach. They were building wooden bungalows. Soon, a beach resort would be open at this beach. 

Red Bird of Paradise

If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat and want me to organize your tour and guide you, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Birdwatching Trip to Raja Ampat

I organize birdwatching tour to Raja Ampat for tourists who are interested in seeing Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Eclectus Parrot, Spice Imperial Pigeon, and a lot of birds that live in coastal and rainforest areas of the regency.
There are several sites in Waigeo and Gam which tourists can visit to watch Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra). The bird is usually active in the mornings and in late afternoons around 15.00 to 17.00. They usually dance in the branches of tall trees. When conducting courtship dance, most often the male one poses his body in upside-down position and flaps his wings to attract female birds.

Male Red Bird of Paradise (click this link to see artwork)

The duration of the tour is as short as 3 days/ 2 nights to as along as 1 week. Waigeo is the main island that we will explore. I highly recommend that visitors bring their own binoculars to enhance their birding experience. Swarovski, Leica, Nikon, Vortex are some of the best birding optics that are available on the market. A spotting scope with tripod is also recommended.

Birdwatching Trip to Raja Ampat

The trip to Raja Ampat can be combined with a trip to mainland West Papua where visitors can watch such birds as Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Riflebird as well as Western Parotia, Black Sicklebill and Magnificent Bird of Paradise.

We will use field guide book Birds of New Guinea (written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler) as our main reference when identifying birds.

In addition to watching birds, during the trip in Raja Ampat, we could combine it with snorkeling activity in coral reef area to see such fish as Striped Surgeonfish, Moorish Idol, and Anemonefish. 

If you are interested in taking the tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to my cell phone: +6281332245180.

Nature Tour in North Sulawesi

Purple-winged Roller

As a touris guide, I offer tours to North Sulawesi for visitors who are interested in seeing nature, watching birds, butterflies, and other animals in the forest. The duration of the tour can be as short as 7 to 9 days covering most of the important forest areas from Kotamobagu to Minahasa and then to Bitung.

The tour that I offer is not only for birding and wildlife watching but also for seeing beautiful natural places of Minahasa such as Pine Forest in Lahendong, Lake Tondano, Mount Mahawu, and Lake Linow, terraces of rice fields, and farmlands in the towns of Tomohon and Sonder that surround traditional villages of North Celebes.

Farmland in the highland of Minahasa

From my previous trips I and my clients saw various species of birds such as:

• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Chestnut Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Black-faced Munia
• Sahul Sunbird
• Crimson Sunbird
• Grey-sided Flowerpecker
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove
• White-faced Cuckoo Dove
• Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Black-naped Fruit Dove
• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Mountain (Warbling) White-eye
• White-necked Myna
• Purple-winged Roller
• Citrine Cannary Flycatcher
• Turquoise Flycatcher
• Finch-billed Myna
• Sulawesi Serpent Eagle
• Knobbed Hornbill
• Sulawesi Scops Owl
• Speckled Boobok
• Green-backed Kingfisher
• Large-billed Kingfisher
• Lilac Cheeked Kingfisher
• Ruddy Kingfisher
• Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher
• Collared Kingfisher
• Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo
• Sulawesi Drongo
• Black-naped Oriole
• Sunda Teal
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Barred Rail
• Finch-billed Myna
• Barn Swallow
• Sulawesi Scops Owl
• Brush Cuckoo
• Slender-billed Crow
• White-browed Crake
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• and etc.

Some birds in Minahasa highland

In addition to birds, while walking in the forest, we saw Crested-Macaque Monkeys, Gliding Lizard, snake, and Sulawesi bear Cuscus.

Sulawesi has got a lot of endemic animals. This tropical island is located in the transition zone between the continents of Asia and Australia.

Besides birding and wildlife watching, I also did trips to traditional eating houses of the region. We ate some traditional cakes, and spicy cuisine of Minahasa.

Lake Tondano, photo by Charles Roring

Visitors who plan to take this tour with me have to bring their own binoculars and if possible, camera with telephoto lens such as Nikon or Canon D-SLR with 400 or even 600 mm lenses. Sigma and Tamron manufacture 150-600 mm lenses that are suitable for bird and wildlife photography. Those who do not want to carry heavy photographic devices can bring Nikon P900 or Nikon P1000 that is very powerful in shooting birds and wild animals in distant trees.

Booking

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

Also read:

• Sonder's Birdwatching and Butterflywatching Sites
• Minahasa Beach and Great-billed Kingfisher
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• https//wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Sonder's Birdwatching and Butterflywatching Sites and Other Cultural Attractions

Sonder town in Minahasa highland of Indonesia

This is Sonder, a small town in Minahasa. I like to spend my time here exploring its villages, farmlands, roads and forest areas. Most of the town dwellers work as farmers. There are those who work as carpenters, construction workers, traders of agricultural produce, and government employees. 

Farmers plant rice, vegetables, and other agricultural crops. While in Sonder, I like to do exploratory trips to clove plantation areas, rice fields, fish farm and to chicken farm. 

In the past, people from Sonder were famous in North Sulawesi for their clove commodity. Clove was the raw material for making the Indonesian cigarette called Rokok Kretek. In 1970s and early 1980s, the price of clove was very high. A lot of farmers in Sonder became very rich.

Now, clove is not the only commodity that they rely on. Farmers in Minahasa have diversified their business by planting other crops. They also raise pigs and run chicken farms. When we walk along the farmland, we can see terraces of rice fields, vegetable gardens and fish ponds along the sides of rivers. 

Farmland in District Sonder of Minahasa regency

Palm Sugar

There is a village in District Sonder that produces palm sugar from the sap of aren tree. Its name is Rambunan village. Visitors who are interested in traveling to the village can see how the villagers collect the sap of the aren tree and how farmers boil the sap until it is thick enough to become palm sugar caramel which is used in various kinds of Minahasan foods.  The road between Sonder town and Rambunan village is a good site for birdwatching and butterflywatching. Visitors could see Chestnut Munia, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Black-naped Oriole, Sahul Sunbird and a lot of other birds while walking between this small town and the village. Manado Yellow Tiger and Blanchard's Tree Nymph butterflies are some of the many butterflies visitors could watch in Sonder. 

Aren Tree

Palm Sugar from Rambunan village

Hot spring

There are a few villages in District Sonder that have got hot springs. Visitors can go there for sightseeing or for enjoying the warm water from the hotspring. The stream that flows from the hot springs emits steam that causes the surrounding atmosphere to smell sulphur. 

Hot spring in Leilem village of District Sonder

Birding

The hills and farmlands in and around Sonder are the habitat of a lot of species of birds such as:

• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Chestnut Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Black-faced Munia
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Sahul Sunbird
• Black Sunbird
• Crimson Sunbird
• Gray-sided Flowerpecker
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove
• White-faced Cuckoo Dove
• Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Black-naped Fruit Dove
• Black-naped Oriole
• Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo
• Sulawesi Drongo
• Yellow-billed Malkoha
• Collared Kingfisher
• Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
• Brush Cuckoo
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• White-browed Crake
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• Mountain White-eye
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Barn Swallow
• Edible-nest (White-nest) Swiftlet
• and etc.

Some birds from Sonder's forest of Minahasa highland

In addition to Sonder, I also like to visit several other towns in Minahasa highland such as Tomohon, Kawangkoan, Tondano, and Langowan. These towns are surrounded by villages.

Blanchard's Tree Nymph Butterfly

There are various species of butterflies too including Helena Birdwing (Troides helena), Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly (Parantica menadensis), Clipper, Tree Nymph (Idea blanchardii), Blanchard's Wood Nymph (Ideopsis vitrea), and Sylvia's Clipper  (Parthenos sylvia) butterflies. 

Where is Sonder and how to get there?
Sonder is a small district town in Minahasa regency of the Province of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The main gate to this region is Manado city. It is easy to reach Manado. You could fly from your country to Singapore and other major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Balikpapan and Sorong. There are daily flights to Manado city that are served by domestic airlines such as Garuda, Citilink, Lion Air, Batik Air and etc.

Visitors can spend their holiday time by combining visits to Raja Ampat and Sonder. 

Flight routes to Manado city from Singapore, Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Sorong

Landing in Manado city, you could continue your trip to Sonder town in Minahasa highland by car. It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes for the trip. 

It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes by car from the airport in Manado city to Sonder town

Sam Ratulangi International Airport of Manado city

As a guide, I offer cultural tours for tourists who want to visit the highland of Minahasa. I can organize trips to see villages, and meet farmers, or have sightseeing tours to beatiful places such as Mount Mahawu, Lake Tondano, Lake Linow or terraces of rice-fields and waterfalls in Tincep village.

If you are interested in visiting Minahasa, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180

Also read:

• Birding in Minahasa
• Birds in the Highland of Minahasa
• Birding in North Sulawesi

What is Raja Ampat

What is Raja Ampat?

White sandy beach in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is a regency in West Papua province of the Republic of Indonesia. Its capital is Waisai town. The phrase Raja Ampat means Four Kings (Raja = King and Ampat = Four). Four big islands in this regency are Waigeo, Misool, Batanta and Salawati. There are also hundreds of small islands surrounded by white sandy beaches, coral reef areas.  They become natural habitat of thousands of species of marine creatures. Some of them include pink anemonefish, diagonal sweetlips, moorish idol, striped surgeonfish, lionfish, and even the black-tip shark, manta and hawksbill turtle.
The Richest Marine Biodiversity in the World
According to Wikipedia, Raja Ampat has got around 1,500 islands, 1,508 fish species, 537 coral species, and 699 mollusc species. This wealth of biodiversity attracts the attention of marine biologists, nature lovers, and tourists in general.
Marine Tours (swimming, snorkeling and freediving)

Marine Life in Raja Ampat

There are a lot of snorkeling sites in uninhabited beaches or islands. Visitors can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and bird/ wildlife watching for several days. Visitors need to bring their own snorkeling mask, snorkel and fins. A waterproof underwater camera is also needed to take pictures of the fish and the coral reef. As a tourist guide I often guide visitors to coral reef sites that are located in remote and uninhabited islands. For birdwatching, a good pair of binoculars and spotting scope will be needed for that purpose.
7 Snorkeling Spots in Raja Ampat
Sightseeing

The most famous sites are Wayag, and Pianemo. However, places such as Fish Lagoon and Kabui bay are worth seeing.

Birding
Tropical rainforest that covers most of the islands in Raja Ampat is home to a lot of species of birds such as Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) in Misool island as well as Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica) and Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) in Waigeo island. Other birds such as Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Papuan Hornbill, Eclectus Parrot, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hooked-bill Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Brahminy Kite, and Eastern Osprey can be watched in the archipelago too.
Where is Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat islands are located in the western most region of West Papua province in the Republic of Indonesia. Raja Ampat borders Halmahera and Obi islands (belong to North Maluku province) in the west and borders with Seram island (belongs to Maluku province) in the south. As an easy reference, Raja Ampat islands are located in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia.

Location of Raja Ampat islands

How to get to Raja Ampat
Most visitors fly from their country to Jakarta city first. After that they can take direct flight served by Garuda to Sorong city. There are other airlines such as Sriwijaya, Nam, Batik, Lion that provide regular flights to Sorong. From this city, visitors can cross to Waisai town of Raja Ampat by fast ferry and then to numerous islands in the regency.
Where to stay? There are dive resorts, homestays, and liveaboards in Raja Ampat which visitors can choose to stay. There are some lodges in Waisai town - the capital of Raja Ampat but most tourists prefer to stay in remote islands so that they could have direct access to pristine coral reef and white sandy beaches of the archipelago. To find a more affordable accommodation in the islands, please, type: stayrajaampat in your search engines.

Booking
If you are interested in taking a swimming, snorkeling, birdwatching/ wildlife watching tour in Raja Ampat, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or for fast reply, contact me by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read: Snorkeling Raja Ampat

Snorkeling and Hiking Tour in Raja Ampat

I have just finished a snorkeling and hiking tour in Raja Ampat islands. It was a great trip because I was able to see beautiful coral reef that is the natural habitat of thousands of species of tropical fish and other marine creatures. The rainforest of Waigeo is the habitat of Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra), Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, and Eclectus Parrot.

The Front Waters of Fish Lagoon

I did not go to the main stream tourist destination such as Kri, Mansuar, Gam, Arborek, Pianemo and Wayag islands. I went to such places as Isanak beach, DPL reef, Wararaf forest and explored Fish Lagoon karst islets. That's why I did not see any tourists around. Most of the places that I visited have not been mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide book. I was satisfied with this adventure trip.

Charles Roring (in the middle) with local people at a beach in Raja Ampat

White sandy beach, coconut and mangrove trees, coral reef and tropical fish,  islanders, and boats were the typical words that we would hear when visiting Raja Ampat.
Unconventional Destination
As a tourist guide, I could organize tours for single traveling tourist or a group of visitors who want to visit Raja Ampat particularly to destinations that are not in the mainstream target of tourists. Because the places that we are going to visit are totally new to tourism, we will not find hotels, homestay or guesthouses. If we decide to stay in remote empty islands, we will have to bring tents and food supplies. We could enjoy swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, catching fish and grilling it fresh at white sandy beach. We can have fun in empty islands during the tour. After that we could go to the villagers and stay with them.

White sandy beach in Raja Ampat archipelago

Hiking, Birding and Wildlife Watching
In addition to swimming, snorkeling or sunbathing, I can also organize jungle tour where we can walk un the forest to see its tropical plants, large trees, and Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra), Cockatoo, Pigeons, and colorful butterflies.

Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) in Raja Ampat Forest

Cost of the Tour
Traveling to this unconventional destination of Raja Ampat is quite expensive because there is no regular public ferry service. Visitors/ tourists who are interested in taking the tour is highly advised to travel in a group of at least 4 to 10 people to share the cost. However, there is tourist who prefers to have private tour, I would be happy to organize the trip too.
Or if you are a solo traveling tourist who wants me to accompany you during your tour to Raja Ampat, I could guide you to more affordable destinations such as Kri, Mansuar, Waigeo, or Gam island.
Tour Duration
On the average the tour duration can be as short as 3 to 6 days. Your trip in West Papua could be extended to land tour where you could enjoy hiking in the Klasow valley to watch paradise birds, cassowary, butterflies and wallaby.

Booking
I could prepare a customized itinerary and cost for you. Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to my cell phone +6281332245180
Also read:
Adventure in Raja Ampat
Snorkeling Pictures of Raja Ampat
Freediving Pictures from Waigeo island

Wildlife Tour in Lowland Rainforest Sorong Regency

From 14 to 16 November, I had a special guest from the USA. Her name was Shreeya. She was a 12 year old girl who took a long flight with her father from San Francisco of the USA to Singapore, to Manado and finally landed in Sorong city. I met them at the airport and arranged their transfer to the rainforest of Klasow valley. We spent 3 days exploring the tropical jungle of Sorong lowland region in search of birds of paradise, and other wild animals of West Papua. Her father, Rad, told me that Shreeya would make an article about birds of paradise for her school assignment. That's why she was very interested in watching the birds in their natural habitat.

Grey-headed Goshawk

We really enjoyed the birding and wildlife tour in the forest. Birds were not the only animals that we could watch in the village. We were lucky to see a Monitor Lizard that was crawling on a fallen tree just outside the village and a large varieties of butterflies. Some of them belong to the genera of Ornithoptera or birdwing butterflies. 

Children from Malagufuk village

We left Klasow valley in the morning of 16 November 2015 for Swissbel hotel of Sorong town. They would continue their trip by speedboat to Papua Paradise Eco Resort in Raja Ampat. It was a nice nature trip for all of us including the villagers. I hope that more visitors would be interested in visiting the jungle village of Malagufuk in Sorong regency.

During the wildlife and rainforest tour in Klasow valley, we were able to spot Lesser Birds of Paradise, and Twelve Wired Paradise Bird at some display trees near Klasow river. It was my first experience spotting the twelve wired bird. Besides watching the birds, we did a night walk to find wallaby. We saw two of them. The trees that grow in the vicinity of Malagufuk village were our favorite birding targets for the whole duration of our wildlife tour in Sorong regency. We saw Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Blyth's hornbills, Friarbird, Drongo, Golden Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Dollarbird, and a lot more.
On our final day of staying in the forest, I was able to spot a young Grey-headed Goshawk (Accipiter poliochepalus) that landed on a branch of a tree near our guesthouse. It was there for several minutes and I was able to take some pictures of the bird.

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com to book your rainforest tour in lowland forest of Sorong regency. 

Hiking and Birdwatching in Sorong of West Papua

Visitors who travel to Raja Ampat will first have to fly to Sorong city. The city is located in mainland West Papua province of the Republic of Indonesia. I often receive questions from tourists whether there are other natural attractions around Sorong regency which they can see before or after visiting Raja Ampat islands.

Female Eclectus Parrot

The lowland forest in the suburb of Sorong regency is a new destination for tourists who want to explore the biodiversity of tropical rainforest. The forest is the natural habitat of birds, reptiles, insects, mammals and marsupials. I introduced it for the first time on the internet in November 2014.

a male Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)

Birdwatching
Tropical birds of New Guinea that thrive in lowland rainforest can be seen in the valley. Shining flycatcher (Myagra alecto), Sulphur crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Pinon Imperial Pigion (Ducula pinon), Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), Western crowned pigeon (Goura cristata), Blyth's hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Moustached Tree Swift, and Lesser birds of paradise (Paradisaea minor) are some of the many birds of New Guinea that visitors can watch while walking through the forest.

Western-crowned Pigeon

Hiking through the rainforest of Klasow valley is easy because the land is flat. However, the footpath to the display tree of Lesser Birds of Paradise is steep and slippery. It is approximately one hour on foot from the village. Visitors have to walk for at least 1 hour to reach the lek of the birds that is located near Klasow river.
Visitors can watch the birds in the mornings and in the evenings. Male lesser birds of paradise compete against one another to win the heart of female birds.

Lesser Birds of Paradise

When the weather is good, the courtship dance performance usually lasts for 3 hours from 6 to 9 a.m.
After watching the paradise birds, visitors could walk back to the village and do birdwatching along the way. Binoculars, spotting scopes and laser pointer will be very useful during the morning walk.
Leg-cramps and muscle pain are not very common among tourists, but there were some cases where  tourists experienced them. Dehydration, salt depletion and fatigue of long day walking on the trails caused these severe leg cramps. When these signs happened, I immediately stopped the hiking tour and returned to our guesthouse. In the jungle guesthouse, I served instant noodle and gave it to my client who suffered it.  The soup of the noodle contains salt that would reduce the cramps. The noodle soup resupplies her body with new electrolytes. To ease the soreness or pain in the muscles and joints, I gave gentle massage using coconut oil. I applied the oil on my palms, warmed them up and then gave relaxing massage to the tensed musles.
Massage also increased the flow of blood that brings nutrients and oxygen to underlying tissues. It relieved muscle tension, and stiffness. Birding could be continued around the clearing area of the forest.

Birding in the Forest Edge

The clearing area around the jungle village is a good place for birding in the afternoon particularly between 16.00 to 18.00 local time. Birds such as friarbird, moustached tree swift, large fig parrot, red cheek parrot, and black lorry often fly and perch in the nearby trees. Children in the village with their sharper eyes can spot birds in distant trees faster than most of the visitors.

Rufous-bellied Kookaburra

What you need to bring:

• Water shoes or trekking shoes and long sleeve clothing that will protect you from insect bites when you sleep. You also need t-shirt that is suitable for tropical climate that is usually hot during the day
• Torch
• Rain poncho
• Insect repellent lotion. Apply it on your skin, and the clothes that cover your body, including areas over your neck, armpits, chest, crotch and ankle. This is very important to protect you from tiny insects that can go through your clothes and bite your skin. 
• Bring binoculars or digital camera with super telephoto lens if you want to take pictures of the animals that live in the jungle.
• Extra batteries for your camera.

Itinerary of Rainforest Tour:
Day 1
Transfer from Sorong city to lowland forest of Sorong by 4WD pick-up car. You will stay in a guesthouse (basic accommodation) in the jungle. Birding can be done directly along the forest edge. After dinner, I or local villager will accompany you to have a night walk in the jungle to find wallaby. Sometimes Papuan frogmouth or fruit bat can be seen too. We will use flash or torch. If you are too tired to do the night walk, we could do it in the second night.
Day 2
Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will leave your camp to walk deeper into the jungle to explore its biodiversity. Deer, wild pigs and wallaby live in the jungle of the valley. Our targets for this morning are Lesser Birds of Paradise and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. If we are lucky, we could see them. At night, after dinner, local guide can accompany you to find cuscus possum that usually comes out at night to find food or to mate.
Day 3
We will go trekking and birding in the hill forest. Usually, Hooded Butcherbird, Western-crowned Pigeon, Black-capped Lory, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Frilled Monarch and King Bird of Paradise.
Day 4
This is your last birding day, the easiest way to explore the forest is to walk around the forest through old logging tracks that are located near the village. Birds such as Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Large Fig Parrot, Magnificent Riflebird, usually come to villagers' garden to find grains such as corn, peanuts and green beans. In the afternoon, 4WD pick up truck will transfer you back to Sorong city.

Unpaved road leading to Klasow valley

Costs:
This depends on the number of participants and duration of the tour. Traveling in a group of 3 or 4 people will make the price cheaper.

The Lowland forest is located in the west of Sorong city. Visitors need to rent a 4WD Pick-up truck to reach the valley. You could contact me if you want a more customized trips and different itinerary.

Booking

Please, send me (Charles Roring) an email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or text message to my cell phone 006281332245180. I will be happy to arrange your trip to Sorong forest or other parts of West Papua.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Also read:
Birdwatching Tour in Sorong Lowland Forest
Birding in Sorong regency
Birding tour in Sorong regency of West Papua