Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency

Klaimis is a rainforest area around 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Sorong city. It is the natural habitat of a lot of species of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. 

Visitors who are interested in biodiversity of tropical rainforest can take this wildlife watching tour to Klaimis forest before or after their trip in Raja Ampat. 

Some of the animals that live in tropical rainforest of Sorong regency

For visitors who are interested in birdwatching, they could watch such birds as Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Blue-black Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Papuan Pitta, Eastern Hooded Pitta, Blue Jewel Babbler, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Tawny-breasted Honeyester, Yellow-bellied Longbill, Blue Jewel Babber, Northern Cassowary, Pheasant Pigeon, Red-billed Brush Turkey, and etc.

In addition to birds, visitors could see butterflies such as Blue Mountain Swallowtail, Great Eggfly Butterfly, Silky Owl Butterfly, Common Green Birdwing, Swamp Tiger, Blue Tiger, Lacewing, New Guinea Clipper and etc. There are dragonflies, and damselflies too. Usually, we could see them along the sides of a small stream or river.

The rainforest of Klaimis is the habitat of cuscus, echidna, fruitbat, bandicoot, tree mouse, and dorcopsis. We could see them when we do night walk in the forest, usually after dinner. Certain mammals in New Guinea and its surrounding islands are marsupial. 

Where to stay?

In Klaimis forest, there is a small guesthouse that is built by villagers for tourists. It has got 3 bedrooms equipped with mattrasses. There is also a small electrical generator that we use for lighting and recharging our cell phones and cameras.

Where is Sorong city and how to get there?

Sorong city is the capital of Southwest Papua Province. It is the main gate for visitors who travel to Raja Ampat. 

What to bring?

These are things that visitors need to bring when taking the tour: camera with telephoto lens and its extra memories and batteries, insect repellent lotion or spray, torch, raincoat or rain poncho, 

Visitors can fly from their countries to Singapore. After that, they could continue their trip to Manado by Scoot Air. There are daily direct flights between Sorong city and Manado city. They are served by Lion Air and TransNusa.

Booking your tour

If you are interested in taking this wildlife tour from Sorong city before your trip in Raja Ampat, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

Also read:

• Sightseeing Tour from Manado city 
• Butterfly Watching Tour in Sonder Tangkoko Town
• Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, and Minahasa Highland
• Minahasa Highland Tour: Hiking, Birding and Sightseeing
• Things to do in Manado city
• Jungle Tour in Sorong Regency

Louvre glass windows of a Wooden House

Louvre glass windows are commonly used in timber framed houses in tropical region. The minimum thickness of the glass is 3 millimeter. The following photograph shows the passive ventilation of a house in Wasior town of West Papua province of Indonesia. The glass windows attached inside wooden frames were installed around the outer walls. Below the corrugated clay roofs are the jalousie windows made of timber. Because the humidity in this tropical island is high, the louvre and jalousie windows greatly reduce the moisture inside the wooden house and improve the indoor air quality of the rooms.

We all know that the temperature in tropical region is quite high between 30 to 32 degrees Celcius during the days. Louvre glass windows can enhance the air circulation inside a house without the help of fan. The maintenance cost is also low. However louvre windows are not suitable for passive ventilation in cold region. This was written by Charles Roring

Also read: 

• Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Wooden Furniture from Leilem
• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa regency
• Birdwatching tour in Minahasa highland

Wooden Furniture from Leilem

Wooden furniture is always attractive. The natural color of wood with beautiful grains is always the most sought after material in furniture industry. 

Tincep Village

There is a village in Indonesia that is famous for its furniture products. Its name is Leilem. Located in Minahasa regency, the province of North Sulawesi, Leilem can easily be reached by car for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hours from Manado city depending on traffic condition. When entering the village, visitors will be able to see boards that are arranged in inclined position in front of the villagers houses. These wooden planks, and blocks, facing the sun, are being dried before undergoing further treatment.

When the wooden planks have reach the desirable dryness, they will be planed and sewn in particular sizes. Then they will be assembled and nailed or pinned to form a cabinet or table. Majority of the buyers come from the surrounding towns and villages in Minahasa but in recent years, through the promotion on the internet, the number of national and international customers is increasing. Here, people can buy tables, beds, desk and bookshelves. The furniture can be sent overseas using containers. The same thing also happen to wooden houses in the nearby Woloan village that are sold to foreign buyers. The types of wood that the carpenters like to use are linggua, cempaka, and nangka (jackfruit). Customers from such countries as the United States and the Netherlands prefer knock-down tables or chairs that are made of teakwood.

The manufacturers in Leilem village realize that they cannot rely on wood that is directly cut from forests in Minahasa. The supply of wood is dwindling now. Most of them are going to the southern region of Minahasa to find wood. With the price of teak and linggua wood is extremely high, farmers in Minahasa are now considering of planting trees to meet the market demand. It will take at least 30 years before trees can reach a minimum diameter for cutting.

Woloan Village

Another interesting destination for tourists is Woloan village in Minahasa highland of Indonesia. It is only 10 to 15 minutes drive from the nearby Tomohon town. It is the site where visitors could see various sizes and forms of knock-down wooden houses that are built by local villagers. The houses are bought by buyers from all corners of the world. The types of wood which carpenters use to build the houses are cempaka (also locally called wasian), and lingua. 

If you are interested in taking a tour in Minahasa highland to see how local people make furniture and build knock-down wooden houses, as well as see nature and watch wildlife, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

Also read:

• Birding in the farmland of Minahasa highland
• Louvre Glass Windows for Wooden House
• Wooden House of Minahasa

Adventure in Raja Ampat

Adventure in Raja Ampat

As a tourist guide, I offer adventure tours for tourists who are interested in exploring the islands, beaches, coral reef, karst and rainforest of Raja Ampat. The tour will be started from Sorong city which is the gate to the islands. We will cross the sea by fast boat, first, to Waisai town (the capital of Raja Ampat regency). It takes around 2 hours to reach it. After that we will go to a guesthouse located at the beach.
After the long boat trip, we could take a rest for 1 hour to refresh our body. We can enjoy snorkeling and freediving at the house reef of the guesthouse. Participants of this tour need to bring their own mask, snorkel and fins.

Snorkeling, freediving and Taking Pictures and Videos Underwater

Diagonal Sweetlips

A good underwater camera or action camera is also useful for taking pictures of the coral reef, fish, blue sea star and other marine creatures in the water. I personally use Nikon Coolpix W300 or Fujifilm XQ2 with waterproof housing. In the past, I used an action camera, Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Edition. Taking pictures underwater is quite challenging especially for those who do freedive for the first time. There are waves, water current. The light in coral reef is less than on land. Freedivers usually use weights to help them go into deeper water. I don't use weights. The maintain a stable position while taking pictures in the water, I hold my breath for a little bit more than one minute and then hold a hard coral with my left hand. My right hand will be then one that holds the camera and press the shutter button.
There are a lot of species of fish which snorkelers and freedivers can see in the coral reef including damselfish, goatfish, black-tip reef shark, trevally, wrasse, parrotfish, blenny, gobby, dottyback, puffer, frogfish, and a lot more. To take pictures of them, I position myself as lower or flat as possible in the water so that I will be on the same eye level with the fish. This is quite difficult because of the buoyant force that pushes me to the surface. Holding rock, and making my body as calm as possible will help me to attract fish. When fish are closer and within a good shooting distance, I will aim my camera and shoot them. After spending around 1 hour snorkeling and freediving, we will go back to the beach and take a rest.

Birding

Red Bird of Paradise

In the evening, just before the sun disappears in the west, we can see more activity of birds in the forest edge. Birds such as Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Great-billed Parrot, Violet-necked Lory, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, and Willie Wagtail are quite active along the forest edge and coastal area.
Visitors need a good pair of binoculars to watch them. I personally use Visionking 10×42mm to watch birds. The famous brands that birdwatchers use are Swarovski, Leica, Nikon. Bringing a spotting scope with a tripod will also enhance the birdwatching experience.

Sightseeing Tour

Piaynemo Karst

The next few days will be spent in various parts of Raja Ampat. We will go by boat to karst islets that are quite far from the guesthouse where we stay. We will also visit sand bank located at sea, and swim at the beach of tropical islands. A trip to a coastal village can also be organized. Because most of this trip will be conducted by boat, participants of the tour must bring waterproof bags that can protect their cameras and other electronic devices during the trip.
Raja Ampat islands and Papua as a whole are beautiful. There is a pop song in Indonesia whose lyrics say: Surga Kecil yang Jatuh ke Bumi meaning Little Heaven that falls on earth.
It is important for us to preserve its rainforest and marine environment. Ecotourism is one of the solutions that can generate alternative income to the local people. When people get positive benefits from this environment, they will protect it.

Booking
If you are interested in traveling to Raja Ampat and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your tour in these islands, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp.
Also read:

• Butterfly watching tour in Sonder town
• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Regency
• Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency

Butterfly watching Tour in Sonder Town of Minahasa Highland

Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa regency of Indonesia. It is a beautiful place for visitors who are interested in watching insect (especially butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly),  seeing beautiful mountaineous landscape, green farmland, river, and waterfall. 

Various species of butterflies and moth could be seen in Sonder's forest and farmland. They include: Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus), Manado Yellow Tiger (Parantica menadensis), Blanchard's Wood Nymph (Ideopsis vitrea oenopia), Blanchard's Tree Nymph (Idea blanchardii), Meyer's Jay (Graphium meyeri), The Clipper (Parthenos sylvia), Sulawesi Leafwing (Doleschallia polibete celebensis), Celebes Sacred Tabby (Pseudergolis avesta), Helen's Birdwing (Troides helena), Celebes-banded Swallowtail (Papilio gigon), and etc.

Sulawesi Leafwing

This butterfly was seen at the road side of Tincep village

This butterfly was seen in higher elevation forest of Subdistrict Sonder

Blanchard's Wood Nymph

Blanchard's Tree Nymph Butterfly

Milon's Blue Bottle Butterfly

Meyer's Jay Butterfly

The Clipper Butterfly

Sacred Tabby

Helen's Birdwing

Celebes-banded Swallowtail

Sulawesi Sailor

In addition to butterflies, visitors could also see dragonfly, damselfly, and other insects near Manado city.

Some dragon fly and butterfly near Manado city

How to get there?

To enjoy butterfly watching or insect watching in Sonder town and its surrounding forest and farmland, visitors need to fly from their country to Manado city which is the capital of North Sulawesi province in Indonesia. The trip to Sonder town can be done by car with a duration of approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on traffic condition. 

Flights to Manado city

Car route from Manado city to Subdistrict town of Sonder

Where to stay?

Visitors can stay in homestays in Subdistrict town of Sonder or in hotels in Tomohon town. 

Visitors can stay in homestay in Sonder or in hotels in Tomohon town

Booking

If you are interested in taking a insect watching/ butterflywatching tour in Sonder of Minahasa and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

Also read:

• Birding Tour in Sonder town of North Sulawesi
• Birding Trip in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa regency