Snorkeling at Warduwer Beach in Southern Waigeo of Raja Ampat Islands

House Reef at Raja Ampat Paradise Resort

A beach resort is being prepared in Raja Ampat. It will be ready in 2019. It has got house reef that is very good for visitors who are interested in snorkeling, and scuba diving.
I went there yesterday to enjoy freediving at the drop-off area of the house reef. I was accompanied by a villager who provided his canoe as a floating platform for me. It was approximately 10.00 A.M. when we pushed the outrigger canoe into the sea. We moved slowly to the reef whose distance was only 60 meters from the beach. After we were on a safe depth, I got into the boat and sat on the forward bench.  I began to wear the swimfins and snorkeling mask. The brand of snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, and swimfin) was Whale. It was not the best in town but it was a very good quality brand whose prices were more affordable.

Marine Life at Raja Ampat Paradise Resort

We paddled too fast. I did not realize that we had been in deep water. I told the canoe driver to move back. When I saw the drop-off reef, I slowly got off the canoe and immersed my body into the water. The visibility was very good. I could see the marine life up to around twenty meters. Fish were everywhere thriving among hard corals.
I used Nikon W300 to take pictures of the coral reef. Its shooting mode had been set into fish one. I did my first dive to a depth of around 7 meters. There were surgeonfish, wrasse, parrotfish, butterflyfish, moorish idol, soldierfish, sweepers, anemonefish, staghorn damsel, and a lot more.
After freediving for about fifteen minutes, I returned to the canoe to take a brake and tried another camera the Fujifilm XQ2. I also applied some shampoo on the surface of my snorkeling mask to eliminate the fog that covers the glass. After that I rinsed it with fresh water. I wore the mask again and returned to the coral reef. This time the mask became clearer again. I helped me a lot in finding my target fish.
I wanted to compare the results of my underwater photos taken by two different cameras. The ones taken by Nikon W300 had higher contrast whereas the ones taken by Fujifilm XQ2 were less contrast but had more details.
If you are interested in snorkeling in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.
Where is Raja Ampat?
Freediving Pictures from Waigeo island
Snorkeling and Birding in Raja Ampat Karst

Snorkeling in Manokwari

Mansinam island

Do you like snorkeling? Have you ever snorkeled in Manokwari? If not, then you should try it. This city is located in the bird's head region of New Guinea - the largest tropical island in the world. It is not difficult to go to Manokwari.

• First, you need to fly from your country to the capital of Indonesia which is Jakarta. 
• If you don't like the huzzle and buzzle of the metropolitan city, you can check the airlines in your country whether they have flights to Bali or Manado (two tourist destinations in Indonesia).
• From one of these city, you can take a domestic flight served by Express Air, Lion Air or Sriwijaya Air to Manokwari - the capital of West Papua province. This city stretches along the Dorey bay with the magnificent view of Arfak mountains in the south and three small tropical coral islands in the bay.

When I mention coral islands, you know that there must be coral reef thriving around these islands. To enjoy snorkeling, you need to bring your own snorkel, mask, and fins. Don't forget to bring your underwater camera. As a snorkeling guide, I have accompanied  tourists who are interested in seeing the underwater world of Manokwari where coral reefs thrive. When you descend yourself to the reef, you will see hundreds of species of marine animals and plants. When you are in the water, I and the boat driver will continue monitoring your movements to make sure that everything is OK. Sometimes, we will ask you to avoid swimming too close to the beach because big waves may push you to the hard corals.

The Underwater World of Manokwari

In addition to the Doreh bay of Manokwari, another snorkeling location that is highly recommended to tourists is its northern coast area or also called Pantura. The best snorkeling time is between May and October. After that the waves here will be bigger and more suitable for wave surfing. In addition to snorkeling and other water sports activities, visitors can enjoy hiking in the jungle to watch paradise birds. 

Snorkeling Video from Raja Ampat

I had a wonderful tour in Raja Ampat early this month. I focused my activity in Warduwer beach. Here, I spent my time snorkeling over its very nice coral reef. White sand strecthed along the southern region of Waigeo island making it an ideal site for snorkeling and freediving. I brought two cameras, i.e. the waterproof Nikon AW 130 and Fujifilm XQ2 (which I put inside a waterproof case). I went snorkeling and freediving during high tide e ofspecially in drop off area of the beach. The drop off is around 50 meters (164 feet) from the beach.
As a matter of fact, the beach is very flat and shallow. So, it is safe for visitors who bring their children to Warduwer beach. They can learn how to swim shallow beaches in Raja Ampat.

Marine Life in Raja Ampat

When I was in the water, I saw hundreds of species of fish and other marine creatures. There were parrotfish, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, blenny, anemonefish, moorish idol, hawkfish, lemon damsel, wobbegong, scorpionfish, and a lot more.

To make videos, I dived to a depth of 2 to 7 meters and recorded anything that I saw. I did not scuba dive. I only used mask, snorkel and fins. It was a freediving. So, I could not stay longer in the water. I spent between one and one and a half minutes during each dive. Underwater swimming is a fun thing to do.

Location of Raja Ampat

What to bring

Raja Ampat was a nice place for anyone who wants to see beautiful fish and coral reef in its natural habitat - and not in aquarium. Visitors who want to go snorkeling at this beach need to bring:

• Clothing that is suitable for tropical climate, and for swimming
• Sun-block lotion, 
• Snorkeling device such as mask, snorkel and fins
• Underwater camera

How to get there?

It is easy to visit Raja Ampat.

• First, you need to take international flight from your country to Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia.
• Second, you need to continue your trip by taking a domestic flight provided by Garuda, Sriwijaya, or Batik Air to Sorong city.
• When you arrive in Sorong, I could meet you at the airport and then organize your tour to Raja Ampat islands.

There are a lot of beach resorts and homestays in Raja Ampat which visitors could choose to stay.

As a tourist guide, I often organize tours to Raja Ampat for visitors who like snorkeling, sightseeing and birdwatching. If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat to enjoy snorkeling and want me to be your guide, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour Review

Raja Ampat is considered as the best destination for visitors who like snorkeling, freediving and scubadiving. The marine biodiversity of this archipelago is the richest in the world with thousands of tropical reef fish and marine animals that live in pristine coral reef. As a tourist guide, I often organize tours to Raja Ampat for visitors who want to spend 3 days to 1 week snorkeling and sightseeing around the islands.

Marine Life in the coral reef of Warduwer beach, Waigeo island

Snorkeling Sites

There are a lot of snorkeling sites in the regency that I like. Some of them include the coral reef areas in southern coast of Waigeo, Waim island, Mamiaef island, Friwen wall, Five Rocks, Kabui bay, Yenbuba strait, Cape Kri, western region of Mansuar, Gam island, and an island at the front of Piaynemo. There are a lot of fish in Yenbuba strait but the current is quite strong especially during the transitions between low and high tides. 

From my personal snorkeling experience with tourists, I consider the island in front of Piaynemo is my favorite choice for experienced snorkelers. Big fish including sharks can be seen in coral reef area. 

Arborek island has got snorkeling spots that are quite good but the jetty of the island is often crowded with speedboats that make the island as a rest area before and after visiting Piaynemo.

Coral reef in Sawondarek used to be one of the best snorkeling sites in Mansuar island. Unfortunately, the area around the jetty suffer from serious damaged due to waves and boat activities during low tide.

Karst islets in Raja Ampat

In southern coast of Waigeo, Warduwer beach and Yengkawe beach are my recommended site. However, experienced snorkelers and freedivers will choose Warduwer because of its drop off reef that is scary but rich of marine life. A beach resort will soon be constructed at this site. 

Five rocks are also rich in fish but the visibility is often poor due to constant waves and current that hit the rocks. For visitors who prefer secluded beach and exclusive snorkeling trip, Isanak beach in Waim and southern coast of Mamiaef island are excellent choice. There, snorkelers can enjoy camping for several nights to see the beauty of marine life in the uninhabited islands. Very few local guides know the existence of this beach. 

Snorkeling Device

Although Raja Ampat has been famous as one of the best snorkeling destinations in the world, it does not have local manufacturers that can make various kinds of snorkeling devices. So, visitors who want to go there must bring their own snorkeling mask, snorkel, fins, swimsuit, and underwater camera. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling vacation in Raja Ampat and want me to be your snorkeling buddy or guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Reef Fish Art of Raja Ampat islands

Raja Ampat is a great destination for visitors who like marine life. Its coral reef is home to hundreds of beautiful fish such as anemonefish, moorish idol, striped surgeonfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, lionfish, and tasselled wobbegong. Sometimes bigger fish such as humphead wrasse and manta can be seen passing by the coral reef.
Global warming and marine polution has triggered massive coral bleaching in various coral reef sites in Great Barrier Reef and Okinawa. Fortunately, Raja Ampat reefs are still in very good condition. It is still the richest marine environment in the world.

Striped and Convict Surgeonfish

When I guide tourists on a snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat, I always try to take pictures of the fish and other marine creatures that I see. Back at home when I am not busy, I create sketches of these sea animals. I mostly draw them using pencil on paper and added colors using my Derwent watercolour pencils. After that I redraw them digitally using a stylus on my Samsung Galaxy Tab A. I choose Autodesk sketchbook as drawing app. The artworks are later uploaded into my nature art shop in Redbubble. Anyone can see and order the artworks at this link: Reef Fish Art

Moorish Idol

Snorkeling Vacation in Raja Ampat
I offer snorkeling tours for anyone who is interested in taking a vacation in Raja Ampat. The duration of the tour can be as short as 3 days to as long as 1 or 2 weeks. During the tour, we could enjoy snorkeling at Warduwer beach, Mioskon, Friwen, Kabui bay, and even Piaynemo islands.
Tour participants need to bring snorkeling mask, snorkel pipe, and swim fins (flippers). Underwater world of Raja Ampat is very beautiful so, I highly suggest that participants bring camera such as the Nikon W300, or GoPro. After snorkeling, we can try to identify the fish that we photograph. Snorkeling participants who are interested in art can also make drawings of the fish and color them using watercolours.

Anemonefish

Additional Activities
In addition to snorkeling, I can organize hiking tour to the forest for tour participants to watch paradise birds and other tropical birds of Raja Ampat such as Red Bird of Paradise, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Blyth's Hornbill, Yellow-faced Myna, Hooded Butcherbird, Eclectus Parrot and Palm Cockatoo, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, and etc. Tourists who want to enjoy snorkeling need to bring binoculars for the purpose.
Cost
I cannot give the price of the tour because it will depend on the number of participants and the duration of the tour. In general the cost is 5,000,000 rupiahs per person for 3 days/ 2 nights for accommodation, food, and transportation between Sorong airport and the guesthouse in Raja Ampat.
The cost does not include airfare,  charterred boat tour for snorkeling trips to remote islands in Raja Ampat.
Booking
If you are interested, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by sending text message to my cell phone: +6281332245180. Sending text by whatsapp to that number is also possible.
Also read: Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Coral Reef in Raja Ampat Archipelago

From late September to early October, I had an opportunity to visit important islands in Raja Ampat regency from Misool, and Kepulauan Sembian to Kofiau islands and north-east coast of Waigeo.
In general coral reef of this archipelago is still in very good condition. Raja Ampat has not suffered from massive bleaching on its corals like what happened in Okinawa and Great Barrier Reef. The regency is very far from big industrial cities of Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya or Makassar. So, coral reef is still healthy and the density of marine life is very high.

Coral Reef and Fish in Warduwer beach of Waigeo island

That's why a lot of scuba divers and snorkelers as well as freedivers continue to come to visit Raja Ampat. Coral reef with big fish can be seen in north-east region of Waigeo. It is the one that directly faces the open sea or the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately because of its remoteness, very few people go there.
The best months to explore the north-east reef of Waigeo island is from June to November. The sea is relatively calm.

Entering the month of December, strong north-east Wind from the Pacific brings in big waves on to the beach. From December to May the weather in North-east coast of Waigeo is in high waves. In the contrary, the central and southern region of Raja Ampat islands are relatively in more favorable weather. The sea is quite calm and is good for snorkeling, sightseeing, and even bird and wildlife watching.

White sandy beach in southern region of Waigeo island

In areas where human activities are high, I could see significant damages. For instances, the coral reefs under the jetties of Sawondarek in Mansuar island (also called Mansuar eiland by Dutch tourists), Yellu in Misool island, and Arborek.
Because Raja Ampat islands are close to Sorong city and Waisai town, the floating plastic and metal wastes can reach the beaches and the reefs on daily basis. This has to be stopped through education. Massive campaigns to city dwellers and coastal islanders about the importance of not throwing plastics and other domestic and industrial wastes into the sea have become important priorities.

Underwater picture of Coral Reef in 

As a tourist guide, I often organize snorkeling, sightseeing and birdwatching tours for visitors who plan to visit Raja Ampat. The cost of the tour will depend on the number of participants, the number of islands that are visited, the duration of the tour and types of activities.
If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat and want me (Charles Roring) to be your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
Also read:

• Raja Ampat Snorkeling Adventure
• Raja Ampat Snorkeling and Birding Tour

Mansinam Island and its Marine Life

White Sandy Beach in Mansinam island

Mansinam is the name of a small island in Dore bay of Manokwari city. I often guide tourists to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and freediving in the island to see its coral reef and tropical fish. The marine life along the coastal area may not be the best but is quite good to see.
To enjoy snorkeling, visitors must bring their own mask and flippers so that they could enjoy the view of the coral reef. Tropical fish such as damselfish, grouper, surgeonfish, and butterflyfish can be seen from shallow to deeper waters. I highly recommend that visitors bring an underwater camera such as the Gopro one to take pictures of the marine life. I like to take pictures of the fish too. First, I used a small action camera, a Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Editon but later I used a Fujifilm XQ2 with its waterproof case to get better quality photographs.

Coral reef and fish in Mansinam island

During my freediving trips in Mansinam, I was able to see pink anemonefish, and Spinecheek Anemonefish as well as Banded Sea Krait (snake). Yes, I often see the sea snakes but they are not aggressive.
There are also several coastal areas in Manokwari. I also like to visit those places when I organize snorkeling tours with tourists.
In addition to guiding tourists on sightseeing and snorkeling trip to Mansinam, I often organize tour to the jungle in lower montane forest of Arfak mountains, especially in Susnguakti forest. There is a base-camp in the jungle for visitors to stay for an average of 3 days. While in the tropical rainforest, visitors will be able to go hiking in the mornings, in the afternoons and in the evening to watch birds of paradise, and other tropical birds. For night walk, the main target is to watch cuscus possum.

A beach in Mansinam Island

Visitors who are interested in going to Susnguakti forest have to be physically fit because the slopes are very steep. This forest is not suitable for senior travelers.
For sightseeing, Mansinam still has got good forest especially on its southeastern region.
If you are interested in visiting Manokwari and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
Also read:
Snorkeling tours in Raja Ampat islands
Snorkeling and Birding in Raja Ampat
Tourist Attractions in Mansinam Island
Snorkeling in Mansinam Island
Traveling to Mansinam

Snorkeling Season in Manokwari

Manokwari city is a nice destination visitors who like snorkeling, sightseeing, hiking, and wildlife watching. I have guided a lot of tourists from various European, North American and Asian countries to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and sightseeing in West Papua. There are several coral reef sites in around Manokwari which are the natural habitat of hundreds of species of reef fish.
My favorite sites are Mansinam, North Coast of Manokwari, and South Coast of Manokwari. While swimming over the reef, I and the visitors could see parrotfish, butterflyfish, lionfish, moorish idol, anemonefish, boxfish, wrasse, surgeonfish, grouper and a lot more.
Because Manokwari city is located inside Dore bay, the snorkeling activity can be done almost all year round.

Snorkeling Pictures from Manokwari

In my recent trip, I guided some British, German and Italian tourists to Mansinam and the north coast of Manokwari. We enjoyed swimming over the reef flat and drop off area. The visibility was very good especially in the mornings. I brought my point and shoot camera Fujifilm XQ2 that I had put inside its waterproof case. With that photographic device, I was able to take pictures of marine creatures that I saw during the snorkeling trips.
Manokwari is the capital of West Papua province in the Republic of Indonesia. It can easily be reached by plane from major cities in Indonesia. If you want to come here, you need to take an international flight from your country to Jakarta (the capital of the Republic of Indonesia). After that you one choose one of the airlines in this country that provide regular flights to Manokwari such as Sriwijaya, Batik Air and Lion/ Wings Air.
For avid snorkelers, I highly suggest that they bring their own device such as mask, snorkel, and fins. Bringing a good underwater camera is highly recommended. A small one like Olympus Tough TG-5, or Nikon W300 will give significantly enhance your snorkeling experience.
In addition to snorkeling, I also offer a trip to the forest where visitors can enjoy hiking, bird and wildlife watching.
If you are interested in visiting Manokwari and want me (Charles Roring) to be your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or you could also send text message to my number: +6281332245180.

Raja Ampat Reef Fish

Raja Ampat archipelago region has got the highest marine biodiversity in the world. It is a must see destination for visitors who like to see various species of reef fish. When I go to the islands for guiding tourists, I always provide enough time to do snorkeling and freediving. I have got a Fujifilm XQ2 with its waterproof case that allows me to take pictures and videos of reef fish, and other marine creatures that live in coral reef. Sunlight in general can effectively reach 15 to 20 meters below the surface. These are depths where marine life is abundant.

False Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in coral reef of Waigeo island
Raja Ampat archipelago

Based on my personal observations of traveling and doing scuba diving or snorkeling in eastern and southern areas of Waigeo island especialy in Mamiaef, Waim, Saporkren, Kabui bay, Kri, Yenbuba Strait, Mansuar, Arborek, Piaynemo, abundant fish can be seen in coral reefs that are less exposed to human activities or in areas where there is current. Kofiau is another important group of islands where the wealth of marine biodiversity is well preserved. In Misool, marine protected areas are the place where reef fish thrive.

Latticed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesi) and Lemon Damsel (Pomacentrus moluccensis)

Small-toothed Whiptail in Raja Ampat

Dolphins, whales, Manta, Giant Trevally can be seen in area along the waters of Waigeo, Dampier Strait, near Arborek and between Mansuar and Gam islands. Tasseled Wobbegong and Black Tip Shark thrive in Yenbuba strait and most of the fore reef sites of most of Raja Ampat islands. For much smaller fish such as Striped Surgeonfish, Damselfish, Pink Anemonefish, Orange skunk Anemonefish, Butterflyfish, Blenny, Angelfish, Box Fish, Knifefish and Moorish Idol, they can be seen in most of the coral reef of the archipelago.

Moorish Idol and Butterflyfish in coral reef of Waigeo island

Birdwatching and Snorkeling

I spent 5 days/ 4 nights doing birdwatching and snorkeling in Raja Ampat recently. I guided Michael - a tourist from the United States. It was a nice trip because we were able to see Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Dusky Scrubfowl, Mimic Meliphaga, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Hooded Butcherbird, Moustached Tree Swift, Pacific Swallow, White-breasted Woodswallow, Olive-backed Sunbird (now also called Sahul Sunbird), Tern, Lesser Frigatebird, Torresian Crow, Brahminy Kite, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Eastern Osprey, and etc.

Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus respublica)

I brought a 20-60×60 spotting scope, a good pair of binoculars, and a Canon 200D with Tamron 150-600mm telephoto lens. For snorkeling and freediving, I only brought a mask and a snorkel with my underwater camera. I didn't bring my swim fins to minimize the weight of my travel bag. This equipment greatly enhanced our birding experience. I also was able to take good photos both above and under water.

If you are interested in taking snorkeling and birding tour in Raja Ampat with me as your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Amazon online store has got some good books about Raja Ampat. Some of them include:

• Diving Indonesia's Raja Ampat by Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock
• Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Raja Ampat and Northeast Indonesia by Tim Rock and Simon Pridmore.

Kingdom of Nemo

I frequently guide tourists on snorkeling trips to coral reef areas in Raja Ampat, Tambrauw, and Manokwari. The objective of the trips is to find and see various species of beautiful and colorful tropical fish. The fish that I and tourists like to see is anemonefish. There are several species of nemo.

Red and Black Anemonefish

In the waters of Raja Ampat, I see Pink Anemonefish. In northern coast of Manokwari, the ones that I often see are Red and Black Anemonefish. Yesterday I went to the same beach to enjoy snorkeling again. When I walked into the waters, it was in low tide. As usual, I carried my digital camera Fujifilm XQ2. I had inserted it into its waterproof case.

Slowly I swam away from the beach. There were Striped-surgeonfish, Yellow-tailed Blue Devil Fish, Butterflyfish, Rabbitfish on the reef flat area. As I moved closer to deeper water, I saw more varieties.

Kingdom of Nemo

There was a huge boomie that was located in deeper water. I went there. Because it was in low tide, the distance of the top of the boomie from sea surface was around 2.5 meters. So, it was easy for me to freedive. With the camera in my right hand, I decended to the boomie. I had visited it a few times. So, it was not a new thing for me. Its top was covered by anemone. I found a hard coral where I could grab to stabilize my body in the water. It was a cauliflower coral that was strong and would not easily brake. I pulled myself deeper to be in eye level position with the anemone. There were a lot of fish around me. I did not want to waste my time down here. So, I quickly aimed my camera at the fish and made a lot of shots. Most of the nemo fish were Red and Black Amemonefish. I called this boomie as Kingdom of Nemo.

Spinecheek Anemonefish

When I was busy exploring the boomie, I found another different species of nemo playing on some anemone inside a crevice of lettuce coral colony. It looked like a Spine-cheek Anemonefish. Interestingly the fish was much smaller. The edges of its fins were yellow. Its body was dark yellow with three vertical white bars covering its front, middle and rear sides. The one that I saw in Mansinam island was significantly bigger with strong maroon color.
For one hour in the water, I saw a lot of species of marine creatures including the sexy Burrowing Clam, Crab, and Leopard Blenny. My snorkeling experience that day was very nice. The sea was calm and the visibility was good. I could upload new photos and stories to this blog.
If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat, Tambrauw and Manokwari regencies of Indonesia, and want me to be your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Leopard Blenny

Burrowing Clam

Clownfish are attractive for visitors who are avid snorkelers. They are colorful, easy to be watched, and are not affected by the venom from the "hair" of the sea anemone. The symbiotic mutualism relationship is nice to be watched. Anemone provides protection to the nemo fish from predators. Its poisonous tentacles are safe nest for nemo. On the other side, movements of clownfish swimming through and wedging inside the anemone has improved the circulation of water as well as supply of air to the anemone. Clownfish cleans anemone by eating leftover meals from its tentacles, so, he is a carpet expert. Charles Roring/ 20 May 2019.

Natural Attractions in West Papua

West Papua is a very important destination for anyone who is interested in everything about coral reef and rainforest. Every year, before the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of international visitors went to this region to see the beauty of its marine life and watch the exotic courtship dance of birds of paradise.

There were visitors who were traveling solo or in very small groups of 3 to 4 people and relied on local guide like me to accompany each of them to see tropical reef fish and wildlife in the rainforest. But there were also visitors who came in big groups to enjoy scuba diving using the service of big companies that provide liveaboard scuba diving cruise boats to remote islands in Raja Ampat, Cendrawasih Bay and Triton bay.

As the largest tropical island in the world, New Guinea can be considered as one of the epicenters of biodiversity. The indigenous people depend on the wealth of plants and animals both at sea and in the forest for their survival. They get timber for house construction, herbs for their traditional medicine and animals as their source of protein. Sago trees are cut and processed to produce starch and coconut fruits are grated, squeezed to produce coconut milk. This milk could be boiled to make cooking oil.

A German tourist was  enjoying snorkeling in Raja Ampat

 

European visitors were watching birds of paradise in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

A European Tourist was watching King Bird of Paradise in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

A British visitor was making chilli sauce when taking a multiple day camping tour in the jungle of Manokwari

Coral reef and tropical rainforest absorb CO2 gas that we emit every day from our farming, household, industrial, and transportation activities. They are also the largest deposit of plants and animals on earth. They have to be protected because science and technology that we develop to improve living standards often need natural resources from these coral reef and rainforest.

Ecotourism is a strategic scheme that I and my friends try to develop in West Papua to generate alternative income for local people and at the same time preserve our nature. We offer multiple day tours to rainforest and coral reef for visitors to enjoy hiking, sightseeing, wildlife watching, snorkeling and other related activities that are environmentally friendly.

Visitors who are interested in taking this tour need to take international flight from their country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia). After that, they can continue their trip to Manokwari city by plane. Airlines such as Batik Air, Sriwijaya Air and Lion Air provide regular flight service between Manokwari and other major cities in Indonesia. 

There are hotels, lodges, inns, restaurants, shops and supermarkets in Manokwari city to cater the needs of visitors before and after their trip to remote coral reed and mountainous areas. When visitors spend a few days in the jungle, tents, sleeping bags and other camping equipment will be needed. In Susnguakti forest of Manokwari, we have prepared them for visitors. In Mount Soyti of Arfak range, comfortable guesthouses are available. For traveling to other remote forests, beaches or islands, we can arrange an accommodation inba homestay in a village or we use camping equipment.

I can meet visitors at the airport or hotel in Manokwari and organize their tours to remote places in West Papua.

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

A Visit to Raimuti island in Manokwari Papua

Last January three Russian tourists visited Raimuti island. It was the smallest island in the Dorey bay of Manokwari Papua. These Russian tourists were Mikhail, Dima and Inga. They spent two weeks hiking around Table Mountain, the Mansinam island, and then they went snorkeling and fishing in the Raimuti island.

According to their opinion, Raimuti was a small but beautiful place. It was located near Arfai beach, only around two hundred meters from the main Papua land. There were some mangrove trees growing in the island. These vegetations helped prevent the island from erosion that could eliminate the whole island from Papua map.

Fortunately, not many people visits the island, that's why it still exists until now.
Raimuti has been used by fishermen as a resting place or as a place to find fish bait.

A friend of mine, an indigenous Papuan said that there is a sunken warplane wreck around the waters of the Raimuti island. Unfortunately, he did not mention the exact location of the planewreck. The island is also surrounded by coral reef which is an important habitat for fish and other marine creatures.

If you are interested in visiting the island, you can hire a boat that belongs to the fishermen at Arfai beach. Usually its cost is Rp. 100,000 per day. I suggest that you bargain to get the suitable price. Don't forget to bring your own gear if you want to scuba dive around Raimuti, Lemon, and Mansinam islands.

Russian tourist

Underwater Pictures from Bakaro Beach

Bakaro is the name of a beach near Manokwari city. I often visit it on Sundays or when I guide tourists who like snorkeling.

White Sandy Beach in West Papua

It has got a beautiful white sandy beach. From the beach, I can enter the water to see its marine life. Beautiful coral reef teeming with various species of fish, and other marine animals can be seen from reef flat  to its buttress and fore reef zones. Coral reef is like tropical rainforest. It is the Amazon of the sea. We will not see trees and birds in the sea but we can find sea cucumber, sea star, christmas tree Worm, lobster, sea turtle, sea snake, sea crabs and ornamental fish and a lot more
I used to guide snorkeling tourists to this place and they liked the experience of swimming over the reef in crystal clear seawater of West Papua.

Table Coral at Bakaro Beach

From those trips to the beach, I took hundreds of underwater photographs. I used Nikon W300 or Fujifilm X2.
Visitors who are interested in traveling to Manokwari or other regencies in West Papua such as Sorong, Raja Ampat, Tambrauw or Wondama and Kaimana can combine their trips with tours to rainforest to see birds, butterflies, bats, fireflies and a lot of tropical vegetations that are unique and beautiful.

Marine Life in Manokwari regency 

Soon the access to West Papua province for foreign tourists will be opened by government. Everyone who is traveling across Indonesia has to follow a safe health protocol under New Normal that is stipulated by government.

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and it is the main gate to this tropical state. After flying to this city, visitors can continue their trip by flying to Manokwari city.
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180  if you are interested in taking your holiday here.

Threats to Indonesian Coral Reefs

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It consists of more than 13,000 islands. These islands are located between Asia and Australia continents. Coral reefs can be found in most of these islands. Indonesian reefs have more species diversity than any other country in the world.

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

Nowadays, these world class reefs are being destroyed at a faster rate. Tsunami which occurred in Indian Ocean destroyed most of the reefs along the western coast of Sumatra island. In South East Maluku and North Maluku islands, hundreds of trawlers catch fish. Most of them are equipped with shrimp nets that catch fish and shrimp on the bottom of the sea. While many countries are restricting the bottom trawling practices, Indonesian seem to ignore them.

Coral reefs in Banda islands and South East Molucan islands have been dying for years from poisonous tailing produced by Freeport, the largest copper mine company in the region. Sea water which has been contaminated by this tailing has even threatened Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Most of the coral reefs in Kepulauan Seribu have died since tens of years ago due to coastal development, sedimentation and debris from Jakarta, the capital city of the state.

Coral reef in West Papua

People believe that reefs in Bali and Bunaken of North Sulawesi are still in good condition. In fact, the reefs in those islands are being damaged by debris from Manado city and some tourism activities. Many of the physical damages of reefs in Bunaken National Marine Park are caused by anchors and divers and snorkelers, as well as swimmers. Some recreational divers touch and turn corals or turtles. Many hotels or resorts built along the beach do not have sewage water treatment systems that are required to process and filter the wastes before being discharge to the environment.
Papuan coral reefs are not excluded in this case. The Geelvink coral reefs which have been in pristine for hundreds of years are facing threats from soil sediments. These sediments flow during the raining season from riverbanks. Rapid deforestation of Papuan forest cause more mud flood that flows to the sea. The mud covers sea grasses and reefs which are the source of food of fish.
From 1942 to 1944 West Papua was the battle ground US and Japanese troops. Both sides dropped thousands of bombs, laid sea mines and torpedoed ships. Today sunken ships, and unexploded ammunition still pose potential threats coral reefs in the Papuan and other Pacific islands. This was written by Charles Roring

North East Raja Ampat Tour

Yenandau beach of Raja Ampat

I often receive emails from visitors who want to go to Raja Ampat but do not want to visit places that are considered as more touristic. They want to see the islands that are outside of the main-stream marine tourism routes.
To cater for these requests, I offer a new route located in the north east of the archipelago. Its name is the jungle or Warebar river and a group of karst islets called Dolphins Lagoon.

Raja Ampat is a famous destination for marine lovers. Most visitors go to Mansuar, Kri, Gam, Arborek, Kabui bay and Pianemo.
North East of Raja Ampat
As a tourist guide, I want to promote the northeast region of Raja Ampat that is also beautiful. Visitors can go trekking through Warebar river to watch birds and other wild animals, or swim at the white sandy beach of Yenandau, and enjoy snorkeling over the coral reef of Mamiaef island and the sand banks of the sea.

The Dolphins Lagoon
I don't know why local people called it Dolphins' Lagoon. Perhaps, it was a feeding ground for Dolphins. But it really has got beautiful landscape (or seascape). In addition to swimming, and snorkeling, visitors can see beautiful scenery of Dolphins' blue lagoon and swim over its coral reef to see various colorful reef and a lot tropical fish that live in the tropical waters of Raja Ampat. Make sure that you bring a good camera for take pictures of underwater and above-water marine environment. Colorful parrotfish, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, and groupers thrive in the area. However, since we go there to watch marine animals in natural place, I cannot give 100 % guarantee that you will see dolphins.

Warebar river of Yenbekaki village

Typical Itinerary
Day 1
Arriving in Sorong city
Taking a rest in one of the hotels in the city
Buying food and other supplies in traditional market and supermarket.

Day 2
Leaving Sorong for North East region of Raja Ampat, we will pass by Urbinasopen village and its Imbikwan island and sea sandbanks. We will continue our trip to the north east where we will enter a big bay and land on the beach. We will take a rest in a villager's house after the long boat trip. After that we will explore the village (known as Yenbekaki) and swim at its beach. In the afternoon, we can go hiking in the hills behind the village.  At night, we can do night walk in search of turtles that land on the beach to lay eggs.

Day 3
This time we will explore the tropical rainforest of Waigeo island by going through Warebar river to see its wildlife. Cuscus possum, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Papuan hornbills and soa-soa lizard are some of the animals that live in the jungle. We could spend one night in tents in the jungle.

Day 4
We will leave the river to Yenandau beach. We will enjoy swimming and snorkeling over its coral reef. After that, we will continue our trip to Mamiaef island where we will swim over its coral reef. We will explore the coral reef in the sand bank areas, and walk along the beach of the mainland. Overnight stay in Mamiaef island.

Day 5
We will continue our trip to Yensner to see its blue lagoon. Crystal clear water of the lagoon is home to a lot of species of reef fish. We could walk up the slope of one of the islands in the lagoon to take beautiful pictures of the scenery.  We will spend one night in Yensner.

Day 6 
We will say good bye to Raja Ampat and leave the archipelago for Sorong city

Day 7
Transfer to airport

Participants: This tour is suitable for those who like nature (hiking in the jungle and watching wild animals as well as swimming and snorkeling over coral reef to see marine animals). I suggest that the number of participants should be at least 4 people to share the cost.

Booking:
If you are interested, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com for more customized itinerary and cost calculation.

Snorkeling and Coral Reef Preservation

A German tourist was snorkeling in West Papua's Raja Ampat archipelago

Snorkeling is a water sport activity where you swim on the surface of the water while wearing mask and snorkel. With this device, you can see things under the surface of the water and protect your eyes from irritation.

The best snorkeling experience can be achieved when you swim over coral reef. This marine ecosystem is the habitat of various species of ornamental fish and corals. Use underwater camera to take pictures of them. People who cannot swim may enjoy snorkeling by wearing life-jacket.

Marine Life in Sansapor

During the Pacific War, Sansapor was a small village. It became the base for American forces who landed there in 1944 to fight the Japanese forces in the region. Warships, fighter planes and bombers were stationed in the islands of Amsterdam and Middleburg as well as the nearby Werur village. The war has been over for very long time. Sansapor is now called Sausapor and has become a small coastal town. In this peaceful environment, coral reef in Sansapor waters has grown again teeming with a lot of marine life. This can also be seen in the above islands.

Adventure in Tambrauw regency of Indonesia

Two hours by speed boat from Sausapor to the east, there is a beach called Jen Womom. It is the nesting ground of leatherback - the largest species of sea turtle. The nesting season has come. Hundreds of leatherback and other species of sea turtles land on the beach to lay their eggs.

The rainforest around Sausapor town is also a highly recommended destination for visitors who like trekking. It is the habitat of a lot of unique tropical plants including arboreal and terrestrial orchids, glowing mushrooms, bamboo, and hardwood trees. I used to see a terrestrial orchid  flower that was emitting fragrant smell. Its petals were white.
I organized a number of rainforest and coral reef tours to Sausapor region several years ago especially in Syuan river, and Syugrar river. We spent 4 to 5 days camping there. It was a nice experience, we did riverwalk trips and watched Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Black-capped Lory, Little Egret, Grey Crow, and a lot of other birds that live in West Papua's forest.

Tambrauw regency has got a lot of beautiful sceneries both in the mountains and coastal areas.
Indonesia has closed access to foreign tourists who want to travel around this country due to rapid spread of coronavirus. In the future, when this "Covid-19" storm has been over, visitors can visit this regency again. - written by Charles Roring
Also read:
Adventure Trip in Tambrauw
Marine Life at Sra-Oseri beach of Mansinam island

Abundant Fish in Coral Reef of Raja Ampat

This is the photograph of marine life in coral reef of Raja Ampat. It is a very rich environment. With the highest marine biodiversity in the world, Raja Ampat islands are considered as the best destination for marine tourism activities. I often guide tourists to these tropical islands. We enjoy swimming, snorkeling, freediving and other activities that are related to Raja Ampat.

Abundant fish in Raja Ampat islands

When snorkeling with tourists, I often do freediving to take pictures of fish and other marine life in deeper water. Usually the drop off or fore reef area is the place where fish is abundant. By freediving, I could get closer to fish and other interesting creatures of Raja Ampat. 

Abundant Fish at Warduwer beach of Waigeo island

To take pictures, I set my camera to dive or snorkeling mode. In Fujifilm XQ2 or Nikon AW 130, the dive mode is symbolized by fish icon on the camera screen. I often go snorkeling with tourists on 3 to 6 days tour. It is combined with other activities such as hiking, birdwatching and sightseeing. The average number of tour participants is from 1 to 4 people. 

Participants of the tour have to bring their own snorkeling gear such as mask, snorkel, and fins. Sometimes I see one or two participants bring dive computer or waterproof watch. 

Camera is needed to take pictures of this very beautiful marine environment. Sealife DC2000 is a nice camera but readers can choose other cameras as well such as Canon G1X Mark III with waterproof housing. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling and wildlife watching tour in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Also read:

• Christmas Tree Worm
• Snorkeling Tours in Raja Ampat
• Marine Life in Raja Ampat

How to Take Pictures in Coral Reef?

I live in Indonesia, a country that consists of thousands of tropical islands. Most of the islands in the province where I live have got coral reef around them. This allows me to observe the marine life in this very rich underwater environment. During the observation works, I take pictures or make videos of fish, sea stars, coral reef and other echinoderm creatures that I see. 

I usually wear snorkeling mask, snorkel, and swim fins. To avoid fogging on the glass surface of my mask, I apply some shampoo on it. After that I rinse it but I still leave some thin layer of the shampoo on the glass. When I wear it, I will touch my forehead and temples to remove strands of hair that are  trapped between the rubber seal of my mask and face. It is important to remove them to prevent any water leaks when I do the snorkeling, scuba diving, and freediving. 

Underwater Picture from coral reef in Manokwari

Light Factor

Abundant marine life can be seen in the coral reef where sunlight can reach. In deeper water where sunlight has been much reduced, there are not many marine animals that we can see. So the best depths for taking underwater pictures are from 1 to 15 meters. At this depth, shooting a fish or a nudibranch does not need flash. In deeper water, the use of flash, and artificial lights is needed for underwater photography.

Lizardfish in Coral Reef of Raja Ampat

This is the photograph of a lizardfish that I made when I was diving in Raja Ampat. Perhaps its species name is Reef Lizardfish (Synodus variegatus).

Lizardfish in Raja Ampat

I and 3 divers were at a depth of around 18 meters (59 feet) below the surface of the sea when I saw the fish. The sunlight had been much reduced at this depth. I did not activate the flash of my camera to avoid disturbing the marine life when shooting the fish. As a result the picture that I made was not colorful at all. At least I could use it for identification purposes. I used Nikon AW 130 - a compact and waterproof camera that was suitable for snorkeling, scuba diving and freediving.