Snorkeling in Raja Ampat Archipelago

Anemonefish in Northwest area of Mansuar island

Raja Ampat has been famous around the world as the best destination for marine tourism. It is located in West Papua province of the Republic of Indonesia. As a tourist guide, I organized a tour for 4 Czech tourists last week. We had a 5-day/ 4 -night sightseeing and snorkeling tour in the archipelago. During the tour, we went snorkeling in Kri, Mansuar, Kabui bay, Pianemo (Fam islands), and Gam island. It was a great experience because we could see a lot of fish including black tip reef shark, anemonefish, boxfish, baracuda, scads, giant trevally, grouper, butterflyfish, parrotfish and a lot more. We also saw several hawksbill turtles in the waters.
Here are some pictures of coral reef and tropical fish that I saw when I went snorkeling in Raja Ampat.

Diagonal-banded Sweetlips in
Yenbuba Strait of Raja Ampat

There are a lot of coral reef areas that are suitable for snorkelers. Visitors who want to go there need a good motorized boat.
What you need to bring:

• Snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins)
• Underwater camera

How to get there

• Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
• Fly from Jakarta to Sorong city
• I will meet you at the airport and arrange your trip to Raja Ampat.

Rainforest Tour

In addition to snorkeling tour, I also provide rainforest tour in the mainland of West Papua particularly in Tambrauw regency. During the tour, participants will be able to walk through the jungle and the river; and stay in tents that are built at the bank of Syuan river or Syugrar river. The tropical rainforest of Tambrauw is the natural habitat of sulphur crested cockatoo, blyth's hornbill, and various species of swallowtail butterfly. 

If you are interested in taking a tour package to Raja Ampat, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related article: 

• Snorkeling Holiday in Raja Ampat
• Traveling to Raja Ampat Islands
• Birding and Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Watching Tropical Birds in Klasow Valley of Sorong Regency

Sorong city is the main gateway for scuba divers who want to go to Raja Ampat. Actually, its lowland forest in Klasow valley is the natural habitat of hundreds of species of birds. I and some foreign visitors spent 1 full week hiking and birding in Klasow valley early this year from 31 December 2015 until 5 January 2015.

Bird Species

Golden Myna (Mino anais)

During several days birding, I saw tens of birds. Some of them are listed as follows:

• Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove, 
• Pinon Imperial Pigeon, 
• Rainbow Lorikeet, 
• Western Black-capped Lory, 
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, 
• Palm Cockatoo, 
• Large Fig-Parrot, 
• Azure Kingfisher, 
• Blyth's Hornbill, 
• Yellow-billed Kingfisher, 
• Moustached Tree-swift, 
• Pale-billed Scrub-wren (which was very small), 
• Golden Myna, 
• Noisy Friarbird, 
• Lesser Birds of Paradise, 
• Spangled Drongo, 
• Grey Crow.

I use Birds of New Guinea: Second edition (Princeton Field Guides) by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce M Beehler as my main reference in identifying birds. It has got rich information about the avifauna of New Guinea that spreads across Papua New Gunea (an independent state) and West Papua (currently the territory of Indonesia) and their satellite islands.

Birding Device

Azure Kingfisher

This was for the first time I brought a spotting scope Eyeskey 20-60x60. It greatly enhanced my birding experience. Unfortunately, I could not take pictures of all of the birds that I mentioned above. My camera was a Fujifilm HS 50EXR. Although it was a good camera, its optical zoom was only 42x. It could not shoot birds in distant trees. But with careful approach, I could take some pictures that seemed to be very difficult to shoot including the Azure Kingfisher.
Birding experience will be much enhanced if birdwatchers use good devices. I can recommend two devices:

• Binoculars: SWIFT 820ED Audubon HP Binocular, Black
• Spotting Scope: Vortex Optics Razor HD Angled Spotting Scope, 16-48x65

I and Jan (one of the tourists) were sitting on the bank of a small river when the kingfisher landed on a vine that was hanging over the water. Perhaps, it was looking for food.
In the evening of 4 January 2016, I and Jan were having an easy walk around the village in the clearing area near the entrance path. We saw a lot of birds including a mother Spangled Drongo that was feeding her baby. The nest was constructed on the lowest branch of the tree. The mother bird was not afraid of us who were trying to "shoot" her with camera.

Spangled Drongo

It was a really nice trip for me and our visitors. In addition to birds, we also saw wallaby, bandicoot, frogs, snakes, a lot of insects particularly colorful butterflies that were flying over flower plants around our jungle 'guesthouse' to find nectar. The tropical rainforest is really a recommended place for watching lowland birds of New Guinea.
Interested in coming here?
If you plan to have a birding trip in West Papua, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will be happy to be your guide.

Birdwatching and Land Tour in Tambrauw Mountains

I will have a birding tour program in March 2016. The destination is the tropical rainforest of Tambrauw mountains, located approximately 6 hours by 4wd car from Sorong city. One participant has already asked for the trip and there are still 3 seats available.

How to get there?

• Fly from your country to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
• Take a domestic flight to Sorong city
• I will meet you at the airport and arrange your transfer to Tambrauw mountain.

During the trip, we will stay in tents in the jungle to watch birds and other animals. If you are interested, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Trekking and Wildlife Watching in the Rainforest of Klasow Valley

by Charles Roring

Visiting Lowland Forest
Klasow valley is located in the east of Sorong town. It has been a favorite travel destinations for visitors who are interested in taking a jungle tour as an extension from their trip to Raja Ampat. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach the valley by a 4WD car and 2 hours okon foot to reach the guesthouse that is in the middle of the jungle. Early this month, I guided 2 visitors from the United States. They were father and daughter Indian American visitors who wanted to see birds of paradise. We went to the valley. We spent 3 days/ 2 nights exploring the lowland rainforest to see its birds, wallaby, and plants. We stayed in a village that was surrounded by rainforest.

Jungle Walk and Birding
Klasow valley has been a preferred rainforest tour destination in Sorong regency for visitors who return from Raja Ampat. During the trip to the valley, we were able to see Lesser Birds of Paradise, Twelve Wired Birds of Paradise, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Blyth's hornbill, Spotted Goshawk, Golden Myna and other tropical birds that make Klasow as their natural habitat.
Accompanied by some local guides, we were able to spot some Wallabies in the jungle near during a night walk.

Soa-soa Monitor Lizard in the jungle of
Klasow valley of Sorong regency

After completing this land tour, they continued their trip to Raja Ampat islands.
Rainforest tour in the valley can be done all year round for visitors who are interested in seeing the wildlife and tropical plants of West Papua.

Another imporant destination in West Papua for wildlife watching is Weyos beach in Tambrauw regency. It is a great site to watch sea turtles that land on the beach to lay eggs and various species of birds, mammals, as well as reptiles and insects. 

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com if you are interested in taking a rainforest tour in Sorong regency.

Trekking in Syugrar river of Tambrauw Forest

I have just returned from the jungle of Tambrauw mountains after organizing a tour for 6 Polish visitors who wanted to see tropical rainforest. They spent 2 weeks of their vacation period scuba diving in Raja Ampat and walking in the jungle of Tambrauw. While in Raja Ampat, they stayed in comfortable bungalows of Kri Eco Resort. In the contrary, when they went into the jungle, they had to stay in dome tents battered by heavy rain.
We went trekking and camping at the bank of Syugrar river (approx. 4 hours by 4WD car).

During the tour, we saw various species of birds including lesser birds of paradise, sulphur crested cockatoo, blyth's hornbill, deer, wild pigs, cuscus possum, beetles, butterflies, and a lot of species of plants. We built tents and stayed in the jungle for 4 days/ 3 nights. We did day and night walks in the jungle. As a tour guide, I provided several dome tents for them.

We also had a riverwalk where we explored the forest by walking through Syugrar river. Its current was not so strong so we could walk against it.

If you are visiting West Papua (Sorong town and Raja Ampat) and want to combine your trip with jungle tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.