Eco Tourism and Souvenir Business in Manokwari

Here are the name of the artists and the kind of artworks which they make. I suggest that you buy souvenirs direclty from them instead of buying from shops. By buying directly from the artists, you can get cheaper products, give comments and encourage them to improve the quality of their artworks.
Xavier Bookstore - Selling Postcard and Watercolor Paintings
The artworks are made by Charles Roring and some Papuan artists
Address: Brawijaya Street next to SD Padma 1 Kompleks Missi Manokwari. Charles Roring and some of his Papuan friends can provide tour guide service for traveling to various tourist attractions in  and around Manokwari. He can be contacted through his cell phone: 081332245180 or email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Mrs. Marice Fatie-Fonataba
This widow is a master in cloth weaving. She lives in Komplex Missi behind Catholic Church St. Agustinus, Manokwari. Her woven cloth and pandanus bags are beautiful souvenirs which you can buy for your loved ones.

Mr. Lucky Kaikatui
He is an oil painting artist. He paints birds of paradise, the beautiful beaches of Papua, village life and forest. Mr. Kaikatui lives behind SMP Katolik (Catholic Junior High School) in Komplex Missi Manokwari

Mr. Awom - a wood carving artist

Address: Merdeka Street, next to Suri Bakery Shop

Mr. Awom makes small number but high quality wooden carvings. H

Mr. Asaribab - a school teacher who is also a wood carving and painter

Address: Anggrem

Carving and painting have been an integral part of Mr. Asaribab's family for generations.

Mr. Tony Mansiraken Krey

A Multi Talented Artist (a Papuan intellectual, a writer)

Address: Ketapang Boat Station, Kwawi, Manokwari

His friends like to call him Tonci Krey. This artist is considered as a brilliant artist. Most of the public statues in Manokwari were made by him. Art lovers who come to Manokwari must meet him if they want to know more about Papuan art and culture. You can buy paintings, carvings, and get various information about Papuan people, their stories and culture.

As a travel guide who frequently accompany tourists around this town and its surrounding forest, beaches and islands, I see that most of the visitors, after going around, will ask me whether there are souvenir shops in this small town Manokwari. Of course, there are. I know two souvenir shops in this town that sell various items ranging from string bags to Wamena's penis gourd. I also know several Papuan artists in this town that constantly make handicrafts both for domestic and foreign tourists. Although this is not their main source of income, their love of art continues to encourage them making artworks from time to time. For example, Mrs. Marice Fonataba who lives behind the Catholic church St. Agustinus in Kota area of Manokwari town. Her home is not located on a strategic street where tourists can easily find it. But she continues to manually weave traditional Papuan cloth as her past time activities. When I visited her home last week, I was surprised to see that she had made many artworks worth of millions of rupiahs.

There is also another artist whose home is on Jalan Merdeka next to Suri Bakery. He is a wood carving artist who has made high quality carvings. I brought three Russian eco-travelers to his home one night to buy some of his artworks. These Russians were amazed by the quality of the carvings and they were even surprised when he sold it for only Rp. 20,000 rupiahs each which is considered very-very cheap according to local standard. I immediately told them that they should give him better price as their appreciation for his hard works. They did. They paid 300,000 rupiahs for three carvings which they bought from him. He looked happy and smiled at us. It was drizzling that night but the Russians were satisfied with the wooden carvings which they had just bought.
Souvenirs that tourists must not buy
There are no rules but please, follow my suggestions as voluntary guidelines. When you go to a souvenir shop and you find handicrafts that are made of corals, please don't buy them. Coral reef is one of the most important species for marine environment. Due to global warming and the increased dumping of wastes at sea, these fragile species are dying. As tourists we must not buy souvenirs made of sea corals to discourage the destruction of coral reef around the world which is the home to thousands of species of fish and other marine creatures.
This also applies to Kuskus fur - an endemic animal from West Papua, to preserved skin and feather of bird of paradise and to other threatened animals in Papua island. By not buying such souvenirs we have practiced responsible eco-tourism principles in our life. 

Mushrooms in the forest of Table Mountain of Manokwari Papua

One of the tourist attractions in the tropical rainforest of West Papua is mushrooms. Mushrooms in Manokwari have a lot of color combination and unique forms. They are beautiful especially in the morning when the sun has just risen. When I accompanied Mike, Inga and Dima - three Russian eco travelers, we saw some mushrooms which have forms that are similar to men's genital part.

They have white trunk with dark brown helmet like hat. I was told by Paul that there are mushrooms in this forest the emit light at night. During the day, they might look just the same as the other ordinary mushrooms that live on the decaying plant leaves and woods but at night they look like little lamps that light up the forest. I am interested in traveling the forest at night to see them. If I have time, I will walk deeper into the woods to find such exotic plants.

Some species of mushrooms are edible but others are poisonous. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, certain mushrooms are believed to have medicinal functions that can be used to cure diseases.

If you are interested in seeing tropical mushrooms in the tropical rainforest of Papua, I suggest that you go in the morning and during the rainy season. You will definitely see these tiny flowery plants that look beautiful and elegant. by Charles Roring a local tourist guide for forest or eco travelers in Manokwari. If you need my guidance for exploring the beauty of the mushrooms, you can contact my email: peace4wp@gmail.com or my cell phone: +62 81332245180

Tourist Attractions in Manokwari

In recent months, the number of foreign tourists or travelers who come to Manokwari, the capital town of West Papua province in Indonesia is increasing. They fly with domestic airlines such as Batavia Air, and Merpati from Jakarta to this town. There are various tourist attractions which they can visit when staying in Manokwari.

Cheap Hotel in Manokwari

First, before I explain about the interesting places which you can see, I have to recommend a cheap hotel which is an affordable accommodation with good facilities. The name of the hotel is Penginapan Kagum. The cost per room is around 18 US dollars per night. It is located on Brawijaya Street behind Xavier bookstore. If you are one of the tourists who wants to come to Manokwari, when you have arrived at Rendani airport, ask the taxi driver to bring you to the hotel. The manager's name is Miss Ivanna Roring. Her mobile phone number is 081 28307331. You had better call or send an SMS to her to arrange for a room and the duration of your stay in this town. After you have put or bags in Penginapan Kagum, you will begin to explore the town and its surrounding places. If you want to visit the following places, as a guide I can accompany you. My cell phone number is Charles Roring: 081332245180. Here are the places which I recommend:

Table Mountain of Manokwari
This is the place near the town where there is a well protected tropical rainforest. Inside the forest a lot of species of trees grow. The trees are big and tall, many with diameters of more than 1 meter. Various species of orchids and tropical flowers can also be found thriving on the branches of the trees and on the ground. When we walk deeper into the forest, we will be able to see birds such as Kakatoe, Hornbill, KumKum and Lory playing and singing. If we are lucky, we will be able to see Kuskus, Soa Soa and Snakes. The beauty of the forest is not only seen at the tree but also on the ground. Various tropical mushrooms with beautiful colors and forms live in this jungle. The journey into this forest is not complete if you have not visited the caves.

The Caves of of Table Mountain

The caves in Manokwari are devided into two types, the man-made ones (which were built during the World War II) and the natural caves. There are four natural caves in this mountain. I can guide you to find them and explore the interior. Inside the caves you can see bats, lizards and various colour of crystal stones. The caves in the table mountain is wet and slippery so, when we go in there, we will need lamps. P

Bats Hanging on Trees

Some tourists like to explore the forest of Table Mountain at night because they will have a chance to see more animals, one of the types is bat. Bats in tropical region live in caves and in trees. The small bats live in caves whereas the bigger ones live hanging on brances of trees. To take photos of the bats you will need digital photo camera or video recorder that is equipped with flash lights or infra red light.

Islands in the Dorey Bay and off the northern coast

Mansinam and Lemon islands are visited by most of the tourists who come to Manokwari of West Papua Indonesia. But I will guide or accompany you to other islands such as Raimuti island and Kaki island. This Raimuti island provides interesting underwater coral reef environment with colorful fish which you can see when snorkling around it. Kaki island is the place where Turtles like to come up to the beach to lay their eggs there. You will need special watertight digital camera if you want to snorkle and take photos of its beautiful coral reef.

Manokwari artists

Inside the Manokwari town, there are a number of artists which you can visit. I can accompany you to see artists who make beautiful paintings of Papua's nature and animals such as the paradise birds and the Kasuari. Or if you are interested more in wood carvings, then the house of Mr. Awom or Mr. Yenno should be visited. An old woman Ms. Fonataba is my recommendation for you if you want to see beautiful hand made woven clothes.

There are still many other interesting places which I can guide you to visit. I will write more about them later. If you want to contact me, this is my email: peace4wp@gmail.com and my cell phone number: 081332245180. Manokwari is a beautiful place worthy of your visit.

The Environmental Impact of Marine Tourism

Sunbathing, snorkeling, scuba diving, wave surfing and water skiing are some of the activities that tourists typically enjoy when they go to the beach. These activities can bring positive and negative impacts to marine environment. To reduce negative impacts of tourism activities on the environments, people who work in this industry need adequate knowledge about conservation and coastal management.
Marine tourism is a business that generates big revenues during holidays and special occasions. Being a part of the tourism industry is a great way to make money because life seems like one endless holiday. Yes, it does have its downs like any other business, but for the most part, the going is good especially if you are well-established and your customers come back to give you repeat business. Marine tourism has come into its own with the advances that have been made in the field of technology. Locations that were earlier inaccessible or unsafe are now well-known tourist spots in marine environments. The seas and the coastlines of the world are much sought after destinations for tourists all over the world, and this makes marine tourism a booming industry.

But all this interest in water sports, cruises, underwater explorations and other activities that involve the marine environment are definitely having an adverse effect on marine ecosystems and animal species that live on or near the coast.

• Natural habitats are destroyed when hotels, restaurants and other entertainment and hospitality facilities are built along the coastline.
• Surrounding areas are also destroyed in order to provide access to these facilities. With the advent of roads, airports and sea ports, people begin to populate the area and drive out the natural wildlife whose habitat the area was originally.
• The level of pollution increases with the increase in population
• Essential resources like water become critical and are sometimes in shortage.
• The coastline is destroyed due to erosion and the sea also becomes polluted with effluents from hotels and other establishments in the area.
• Cruise ships produce and dump waste in mid ocean, leading to pollution in the high seas too.
• Sewage causes algae to form over coral reefs and damages and destroys them.

With all these detrimental effects, we must adopt techniques to manage the pollution and the destruction of ecosystems, not just because we need to save the environment, but because we need to save the tourism industry itself. The environment and its quality are very important if tourism is to survive and thrive; with polluted beaches and diminishing wildlife, the tourists are going to be few and far between. And when this happens, it is the end of marine tourism as we know it.
For man and nature to coexist in peace and thrive, it is up to us to ensure that we do not wreak havoc on the environment; for if we do, it will come back to haunt us in the form of global warming and climate change.
By-line:
This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of construction management degrees . Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson83@yahoo.com

Minahasa the regency of thousands of churches

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

Minahasa, a beautiful mountainous region in North Sulawesi, is famous for its world class diving site - The Bunaken National Marine Park. Now it is under the jurisdiction of Manado municipality. Minahasa besides being famous as one of the most favorite tourist destinations in Indonesia is also famous for its devout Christianity. The Dutch and Spanish brought Christianity some two to three hundred years ago to this land through spice trade. 

Along the roads of Minahasan villages, we can see churches from various denominations that are built according to local, western and contemporary architectural designs. I took some pictures of them here.

While I was working at a Diving resort, I had a chance to talk with a foreigner the UK. While we were talking about churches and the people, he gave his controversial comment saying that the locals did not pay attention to the empowerment of their economy. They were only focusing on building beautiful churches. I was not angry to his statement. I fully supported that. His opinion is a good criticism to Minahasan people.

Typical small town in Minahasa Highland

Yes, the beautiful churches which the Minahasan people have do not automatically reflect that the people live in prosperous life. I see that unemployment is still a serious matter. Every year thousands of job seekers go out of the region to find jobs in other islands such as West Papua, Kalimantan and Java. Some even go abroad to realize their dream.

Minahasa is a very beautiful regency, once again, I said this. I hope that the local government can see this potential to invest more in tourism industry. Tourism can boost the local economy and create jobs. During this economic down turn, tourism will still be a lucrative business for Minahasa. I wish the local government could realize it. 

Related post: 

• Nature Tour in North Sulawesi
• Earthquake resistant wooden house of Minahasa
• Datsun Trucks of Minahasa Indonesia
• 
  

Cheap hotel for travelers and scuba divers in Manokwari of West Papua

Budget travelers and scuba divers who come to Manokwari and want to stay in a hotel that is not expensive and is more affordable to them can stay in Kagum inn. It is a cheap hotel run by my family. It is located on Jalan Brawijaya Kompleks Missi at the back of Xavier bookstore. The rate of a room per night varies from 10 US to 18 USD depending on the size of each room. The operational manager is Ivanna Roring. She can be contacted through her mobile phone: +62 81 283 07 331 or via home based telephone: +62 986 211618. An Affordable Inn for Eco Travellers in Papua Island.

The view of Manokwari town from Kagum inn is spectacular. You can see Arfak mountain, the bay, and the town simultaneously. If you want to stay in the inn, you can e-mail me. I can arrange the accommodation for you.

Manokwari is a beautiful town located a long Dore bay.

There are two islands in the middle of the bay, Mansinam and Lemon islands. Shipwrecks at the back and the front side of the Mansinam island remain intact for tens of years. The best time to dive in Manokwari is during the dry season.

If you want to travel and scuba dive in Cendrawasih National Marine Park, you can take speed boat from Manokwari. The duration of your trip from this town to the largest marine park in Indonesia will be around 4 hours. Before traveling to Cendrawasih marine park, make sure that your diving equipment is in very good condition. There is not any diving center in the park but you can contact the park administrator for some help. They work together with people from WWF.

Besides the underwater beauty of the Marine park in Cendrawasih bay and shipwrecks of Dore bay, you can enjoy the exotic beauty of plants and flowers, as well as the birds of tropical rainforest of West Papua. You need a guide to travel along the forest. I can provide one who is an experienced forest guide for you. Your trip or travel to Manokwari will be an enjoyable experience. by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia Also read: Traveling around the traditional market of Manokwari

Diving site and Coral Reef in Timor Leste

Coral reef preservation is always related to sustainable diving. Traveling to Timor Leste has been my dream for years. Unfortunately, I haven't got enough time to arrange such trip. In addition, there are not any travel deals to East Timor offered by tour and travel agency here. This kind of tourism can better inform the public about how important it is to protect the sea environment. One of the best but least known diving sites in the world is Coral Reef of Timor Leste.

I just knew its existence after watching a TV program aired by Timor Leste's national TV, TVTL. The coral reef of Timor Leste is located less than one hour driving from Dilli, the capital town of Timor Leste. It is a small country located between Australia and Indonesia. The natural beauty of Timor Leste is extraordinary.

After arriving in at the beach, scuba divers wear their diving suites and slowly walk to the sea water. The coral reef is still in good condition and has become the national asset for the state's economy.

The national government of Timor Leste is serious in promoting the diving site. TVTL is a national TV station of the country that runs in Portuguese. English speaking divers who are interested to go there can find more information about the region from the internet. It seems that the East Timorese have a number of websites which they update regularly.

I think, you can fly to Timor Leste from Bali, the hub of Indonesia's tourism industry, by Merpati. It is an Indonesian state owned company. by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

P.S. All pictures, the coral reef and the sunset, in this article were taken from the TV show aired by TVTL. Read more: Diving Boat General Arrangement Consideration