Morning Birding Tour in Manado

Manado city is the capital of North Sulawesi Province in the Republic of Indonesia. It is often visited by tourists who want to go diving or snorkeling in Bunaken and Lembeh Strait. Manado city itself has got natural attractions especially its colourful birds and butterflies.that can be watched in the forest and farmland in the outskirt areas of the city. The following tour program is suitable for tourists who do not have much time in Manado.

Birds that could be watched in the outskirt areas of Manado

Morning Birding Tour in Manado city

ITINERARY

Time and Activities

• 05:00 We will meet you at a hotel in Sorong city. After that we will organize your trip to a birding site outside Manado city. It takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the location of the hotel and the traffic condition. Most tourists stay in hotels near airport. 
• 05:45 We will do birding walk along the edge of forest.
• 09:00 We will do roadside birding along farmland 
• 10:00 We will return to Manado city. The morning birdwatching tour is finished.

Minahasa Hooded Pitta

During the morning birdwatching trip, tour participants can see various species of birds such as Bay Coucal, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Green Imperial Pigeon, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Zebra Dove, Sulawesi Crow, Brahminy Kite, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Lilac Kingfisher, Green Backed Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Barred Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, Sulawesi Pitta, Minahasa Hooded Pitta, White-nest Swiftlet, Glossy Swiftlet, Pacific Swallow, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Black Sunbird, Pale Blue Monarch, Hair-crested Drongo, and a lot more. 

Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo

To enhance the birding experience of tour participants, we will bring a spotting scope that is mounted on a tripod. Using this device, they will be abl to watch birds that sit on distant branches of trees. We will also play the recorded sound of birds using a small portable loudspeaker so that they could fly out from their hiding places to open areas along the edge of the forest that is more visible to us. 

Butterflies

In addition to birds, tour participants could also see butterflies especially along the farmland area. There are Helen's Birdwing (Troides helena), Sylvia's Clipper (Parthenos sylvia), Gigon Swallowtail, Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly, Lime Swallowtail, and a lot more. 

Some Butterflies in North Sulawesi

What to wear and what to bring?

Tour participants need to wear darker colour clothing and walking shoes. The morning birding tour outside Manado city is an easy sightseeing activity in outdoor environment. We will walk along a cleared ground and walking path as well as along the edge of the forest. We will not walk into the bush or densed forest. 

Tour participants who are birdwatchers can bring binoculars such as the 8×42, 10×42 or 10×50. Serious wildlife photographers usually bring cameras with telephoto lens. There are also cameras that are more affordable for wildlife watching enthusiasts who only want to share their pictures in social media. Some of these cameras include: Nikon Coolpix P1100, Nikon Coolpix P950, Sony RX10V, Canon SX70HS, Panasonic Lumix FZ80D.  

Booking

If you are interested in taking this morning birding tour in the outskirt area of Manado city and want me to arrange your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

Also read:

• Morning General Birding Tour from Tomohon town
• Birdwatching and butterfly watching in Sonder of Minahasa highland
• Birds in the Highland of Minahasa
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Lake Tondano
• Minahasa, an agricultural region

Morning Birding Tour from Tomohon Town

As a birding guide, I offer an early morning general birding tour from Tomohon town for visitors who are interested in watching various species of tropical birds that live in the forest and farmland of Minahasa highland. 

Birding in Sonder of Minahasa highland

Usually, I will start by pick up participants at the hotel or resort in Tomohon town at 05:00. After that we will go by a chartered car to a birding site located in a hill of Subdistrict Sonder. It took around 45 minutes to reach it depending on the traffic and weather condition.

Yellow-billed Malkoha

We will start our birding activity by walking along the roadside. Birds that cand be found in this area include Sulawesi Myzomela, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Mountain Tailorbird, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Superb Fruit Dove, Black-faced Munia, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, and etc. 

A female Sahul Sunbird on Papaya Flower

After spending around 1 hour birding in the area, we will continue our tour to lower elevation area of Subdistrict Sonder. We will have a short stop at Tounelet Slope to look for Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, Pygmy Woodpecker, Brown-throated Sunbird, Sahul Sunbird, Zebra Dove, Barred Rail, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Crow, Gray-streaked Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Black-naped Oriole and etc. 

After birding there for around fifteen minutes, we will continue our trip to paddy field area at the outskirts of Sonder town. Birds such as Bay Coucal, Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Woodswallow, Eastern Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, White-browed Crake, Pied Stilt, White-breasted Waterhen, and other water birds could be found there.

Black-naped Oriole in Tounelet Slope of Sonder town

We will continue our trip to Kengkang waterfall in the north of Tincep village. Usually, we will look for Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Small Sparrowhawk, Gray-rumped Treeswift and White-rumped Triller in this area. 

Most often we could also see various species of butterflies such as Gigon Swallowtail, The Clipper, and Lime Swallowtail around the flower gardern of the waterfall. 

Sulawesi Drongo

At around 09:00, we will go to Lake Linow to find Sunda Teal, Common Sandpiper, Javan Pond Heron, Barn Swallow, Black Kite, Isabelline Bushhen, Oriental Reed Warbler, and etc  

At around 10:00, we will bring tour participants back to their hotel. 

Subdistrict town of Sonder in Minahasa highland of Indonesia

Subdistrict town of Sonder is a highly recommended destination for birdwatchers who travel to Indonesia. It is around 1 hour drive from Manado city which is the capital of North Sulawesi province.

Sooty-headed Bulbul

Other Tourist Attractions in Minahasa

In addition to birdwatching, visitors could also see other natural and cultural attractions such as visiting agricultural land and interacting with farmers, enjoying local foods, and exploring local shops and traditional markets. 

If you are interested in taking this morning general birding trip from Tomohon town to forest, farmland and waterfall areas of Subdistrict Sonder and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link. 

Also read:

• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birds in the Highland of Minahasa
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Lake Tondano

Wildlife and Marine Tour in Raja Ampat

Batanta is one of the 4 big islands in Raja Ampat archipelago. Visitors could enjoy rainforest tour to see paradise birds, monitor lizard, cuscus, green tree python as well as do snorkeling over the coral reef to see various species of marine creatures such as butterflyfish, anemonefish, parrotfish, grouper and etc. 

Palm Cockatoo

The walk to the site of Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise is usually carried out very early in the morning at 04:30. After watching the paradise birds, tour participants could do general wildlife watching trip in the forest along the walking path or at the riverside to see various species of birds such as Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Papuan Eclectus, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Beach Kingfisher, and etc. 

Orange Skunk Anemonefish

Coral reef in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

How to get there?

The trip to Batanta can be carried out by motorized wooden boat that is operated by local villagers.

Accomodation

Where to stay in Batanta island? The typical accommodation is very basic. Just a simple wooden cottage that is built by the beach. There is toilet outside the homestay located close to the cottage. 

A simple beach hut as accommodation for tourists in Batanta island

This trip to Batanta island of Raja Ampat is suitable for visitors who are nature lovers and can accept this basic accommodation that is run by local villagers. 

Additional trip

The average duration of the tour to Batanta island is around 3 to 4 days. It can be combined with another tour to see wildlife in lowland forest of Sorong regency with a duration of 3 to 4 days. 

Booking

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

Birding Tour in Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia

Raja Ampat is a great destination for visitors who love swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. In addition to these marine sport activities, visitors can also enjoy hiking, and birdwatching in the forest. These activities could be done in Waigeo or Batanta islands. 

Red Bird of Paradise

Most visitors who take the hiking trip in the forest want to watch Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. Actually, they could see a lot of other birds such as Papuan Eclectus, Black-capped Lory, Blyth's Hornbill, Black Sunbird, Sahul Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Hooded Butcherbird, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Common Paradise Kingfisher, and etc.

Monitor Lizard in Batanta island

Accommodation

In Waigeo, there are a lot of choices for visitors to stay from homestays that are owned by local villagers to beach resorts that are run by big companies. General birding is conducted along the roadside on foot. For trip to watch Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise, a chartered 4wd car will be needed to reach the forest. After that visitors need to continue their trip on foot to the bird watching site. 

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

In Batanta island - especially in the birding site, the available choice for accommodation is homestay that is run by villagers. It is a basic accommodation that is built near the beach with rainforest at the back. Visitors can directly enjoy wildlife watching or snorkeling without having to charter a car. The beach and the rainforest are the front and the backyard of the homestay.

This tour can be combined with birding and sightseeing trip in Sorong regency. 

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching or wildlife watching tour in Raja Ampat and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through the following button:

Also read:

• Bird Photography Tour in Raja Ampat
• Marine Life Art
• Morning Birding Tour from Tomohon town
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula

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My artworks that are available as prints on hoodies, t-shirts, framed art prints, and etc. 

Snorkeling Tour in the Islands of Raja Ampat

The Raja Ampat archipelago has got a lot of coral reef sites that are the natural habitat of thousands of species of marine creatures. The easiest and most affordable way to access this coral reef area is by snorkeling. Snorkeling sites that can be explored near Waigeo island include Southern coast of Waigeo, the beach of Lesser and Greater Urai islands, the inner site of Gam island that faces Kabui bay, Friwen Wall and Mioskon, and Five Rocks.

Tropical beach of Raja Ampat

More snorkeling sites could be explored along Yenbuba Strait, Cape Kri, Sawandarek, Arborek and Piaynemo. 

Snorkeling tours to these sites are usually conducted by speedboat. Visitors need to bring their own snorkeling equipment and underwater photographic device. 

Coral reef and tropical fish in Raja Ampat

In the mornings when the sea is still calm and the sunlight could reach the coral reef, the visibility will be perfect for taking pictures and videos of the marine life.

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

Snorkeling tour participants need to avoid standing on the coral while taking photographs or videos of the tropical fish, sea star and the Christmas Tree Worm. More fish and other marine creatures could be seen as the fore reef zone of the coral reef that faces open sea. For snorkeling tour participants who are not experienced enough in sea current, it is better if they wear life jacket and are accompanied by local snorkeling guides.

Marine life in Raja Ampat

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour by speedboat in the islands of Raja Ampat and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your tour, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

• Minahasa Beach and Great-billed Kingfisher
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Bird Photography Tour in Raja Ampat
• Raja Ampat Snorkeling, Sightseeing and birding tour
• Birds in Waigeo Island of Raja Ampat