Traveling around the traditional market of Manokwari

Planning a trip to Papua? What tourist destinations will you visit? What flight will bring you to this tropical island? It's easy to answer these questions. Just go to Google and type such keywords as travel deals in Papua, or tour package and hotels in Papua, the search engine will give many links that will be useful for you to arrange your trip to this second largest island in the world after Greenland.

At Wosi market of Manokwari, a Papuan lady was selling flowers from Anggi of Arfak mountains

In my today's travelogue journal, I am going to tell you my story about the traditional market of Manokwari. It is just an ordinary market, similar to other traditional market which you've ever visited before.

I visit this market at least once a month to have my hair cut. This is actually not a tourist attraction but it is an interesting place to visit due to its vital function for the economy of the whole town. Experienced travelers will definitely visit the market.

A fish seller was talking with a Dutch girl in traditional market of Sanggeng in Manokwari city

I just visited the market a few hours ago. At the entrance of the market, I saw some barbershops. Most of the barbers came from Madura island of East Java. They charged Rp. 25,000 per person no matter how long or how short my hair was. This kind of business was very profitable for migrant workers who had come to Papua to realize their Papuan dream, a similar term for American dream.

After having my hair cut, I continued my tour to the inner part of the market. The second row of the building was kiosks of clothing. Here, I could see migrant, mostly Buginese and Makassarese sell T-shirts, jeans and many kinds of men's and women's clothing. Although I liked the style of jeans and T-shirts that they were selling, I didn't buy any. I didn't bring enough money at the time.

Then, I walked down the stairs to the vegetable vendors. It was located right in the middle of the market. Here, most of the vendors were local Papuan, and the Javanese transmigrants. Many kinds of vegetables and tropical fruits are sold here in prices that were very cheap. This was the place where I took some pictures. Bananas, mangoes, avocado, sugarcane, jackfruit and various kinds of tropical fruits were sold. Foreign travelers should bargain before buying anything at the traditional market.

The terminal of the public transportation was located next to the vegetables and fruit stalls. Actually, there were many other stalls which I had not visited. There were kitchen equipment kiosks and food court and fish market. The weather was hot and the market was very crowded. I decided to return home. by Charles Roring

Also read: 

• Birding Tour in Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Tomohon, Mount Mahawu, Sonder's Forest and Tincep's Waterfall
• Birding in Farmland of Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa Regency
• Birding in Sonder's Forest and Farmland
• Minahasa Highland Tour: Hiking, Birding and Sightseeing
• Sightseeing Tour from Manado City
• Birding and Butterfly watching Tour from Manado city

Traveling to Mansinam island of West Papua Province

My today's travelogue story is about Mansinam island. In my previous post, I mentioned a little about it. If you are interested in visiting it, you can fly from Jakarta, Manado, or Bali or Makassar to Manokwari. Contact your nearest travel agency if they have travel deals or tour package to Papua and Indonesia.

Mansinam island

Mansinam is famous for its status as the island of Papuan Christian civilization. This was where European evangelists landed for the first time in Papua or formerly known as the Netherlands Nieuw Guinea to preach Gospel to the indigenous people. They were Otto (and his wife Wilhelmine Auguste Ottow (Letz)) and Geisler. They landed on the island on 5 February 1855. Two years later, a famous British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, visited them during his expedition to the Netherlands New Guinea in search of paradise birds or burung Cendrawasih. Every tens of thousands of Christians come to this island to celebrate the Gospel Preaching Day. Pilgrims from every corner of Papua and other islands in Indonesia, as well as from Europe and the Pacific gather in Mansinam island  and Manokwari city for a week long celebration.

Mansinam is only a small island located in the middle of Manokwari bay. It is a very calm island and suitable for tourists who like to relax and stay away for a while from the hectic life of big cities. There are no motorcycles or cars. Most of the inhabitants of Mansinam island come from Numfor island. The surrounding scenery from Mansinam is very beautiful. From the island you can see Arfak mountain, the town of Manokwari and another nearby island called Lemon which is only several hundred meters away from Mansinam.

The natural beauty of the island is balanced by the natural beauty of the underwater coral reef environment. Eastward or at the back of the island there is colorful coral reef inhabited by hundreds of marine species.

During World War II, Papua was the battlefield between the Japanese and the US forces.  Japanese troops built bomb shelters along the island trying to defend Manokwari against the allied forces led by the United States, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands. Many ships were attacked or sunk by both parties. Therefore, scuba divers who like to explore shipwrecks can dive around the island to explore them. 

by Charles Roring 

Also read: 

• Minahasa Highland Tour: Hiking, Birding and Sightseeing
• Birding and Butterflywatching from Manado city
• Birding and butterfly watching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland