APD | West Papua regency up to grab benefits from Indonesia’s robust tourism sector

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

SORONG, March 11 (APD) — Having abundant of natural attractions, Tambrauw regency in Indonesia’s West Papua province is up to grab benefits from the nation’s robust tourism business with projects to improve infrastructure have been intensified to facilitate the sector in the region.

Located near the province’s world-class diving spot of Raja Ampat, Tambrauw has pristine nature and exotic animals living in its well-conserved jungles. Tambrauw is home to most of Paradise bird species which exclusively live in Indonesia’s Papua island. 

Observing the paradise bird and other exotic birds and animals living in their real habitat in Papua jungle is an ultimate attraction that Tambrauw now offers for tourists interested in wildlife watching.

The regency has received many wildlife enthusiast tourists from foreign countries since it opened birdwatch posts in the jungle lats year. 

Tourists have to come to the birdwatch posts very early in the morning to experience magical moment in Papua pristine jungle as myriads of birds chirp altogether on top of trees, breaking the jungle’s morning silence with their natural beautiful choir. 

Along with other birds, Paradise birds can be seen flying between tree branches, or perching in the branch as they chirp around to hail the sun that starts to rise. 

All hard efforts to reach the birdwatch post and sitting still for long a bit long time are paid off after they see with their own eyes those exotic birds in Papua wilderness. 

Bigger birds, like cockatoos and hornbills, can be casually seen around the jungle as they search for grains that fell on the ground. 

Apart of the wildlife attractions, Tambrauw also offers natural spectacles from its beautifully diverse geographical contours in its several districts. 

The remote regency located between the province’s capital of Manokwari and port city of Sorong has a distinctive 7-stage waterfall with an incredible height of 200 meters.

The tall Anenderat waterfall located in Tambrauw’s Miyah district has been frequented by foreign tourists who are long for pure nature harmony. They stay in cabins provided by local community, blending with Papua tribal people who are still practicing old traditions passed on for generations.

Giving another spectacular place for tourists is the Sontiri Hill located in Kebar district. The savannah hill is a perfect place to camp in higher ground, enabling them to witness row of Papua’s majestic blue mountain from afar. 

They can also view graceful sunset, sunrise from behind those mountain and watching the stars at night, giving a sensation like being at the top of the world. 

In its beaches, Tambrauw also has compelling attraction that should not be missed by tourists visiting the regency. 

Tambrauw’s Jeen Womom beach that faces Pacific Ocean is the site frequented by the endangered leatherback turtles to place their eggs during their annual migration crossing the ocean from California coast. 

Those turtles would set their eggs in Jeen Womom beach after they fed up with big jellyfish that they eat in Tambrauw’s nearby waters of Kei in Maluku. Those eggs would hatch within 6 months, delivering new generation of gigantic leatherback turtle to sustain its species in the world. 

The regency also has historical tour as it keeps wreckages of tanks, warplanes, ships, fortress completed with artilleries used during World War II. They were left over by Allied forces after the war ended in 1940s. 

An airstrip built by the Allied troops is still functioning at present in the regency’s township of Sausapor, serving flights linking the regency with Manokwari and Sorong. 

Indonesia's West Papua province Tambrauw Regent Gabriel Asem

Tambrauw Regent Gabriel Asem said that massive infrastructure projects now are being carried out to facilitate tourism sector in the regency which is highly expected to quickly boost the economy  of its residents.  

“Works to build roads, bridges are our priorities at present to secure the access to several tour spots,” Gabriel told APD in Sorong on Wednesday. 

Projects to expand Werur airstrip in Sausapor has also been planned this year to allow larger planes to land and deliver more tourists, he added. 

Plans to secure electricity supply, telecommunication, tap water and cottages for tourists have also been own place in the regency. 

To finance all of those projects, the regency administration invites investors to take part in the process, he said, adding that some domestic and foreign investors have conveyed their interests to do so.

As the projects are underway, transportation in the remote regency is extensively served by SUV cars capable to serve rough terrain that commonly faced to reach the tour spots. 

The rough journey with SUVs is also another attraction for adventurous tourists as it passes through areas that have incredible natural views alongside the paths in Papua's less-Traveled land. 

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)