Traveling around the traditional market of Manokwari

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

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.

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.

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. Also read: Traveling under the canopy of Papuan tropical rainforest; Traveling to Mansinam island of West Papua; An Affordable Inn for Eco Travelers in Papua Island

Traveling and Enjoying the Nightlife of Surabaya

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

The last time I traveled to Surabaya, I was able to enjoy the night life of this second biggest city in Indonesia after Jakarta. Surabaya is a city of commerce. Goods and services are traded in this city in local, national and international scales. Besides being a commerce city, Surabaya has all its potentials to be the city of tourism. The nightlife always attracts tourists to enjoy the never tiring cosmopolitan. You can fly directly from major cities in Asia to Surabaya. Contact your travel agency if it knows any direct flights from your city to Surabaya.

Like other big cities in the world, there are many malls in Surabaya. Some that I like to visit are Pakuwon, Galaxi, Tunjungan Plaza and Delta. Whether you enjoy window shopping or eating in various Asian restaurants, Surabaya has it all. If you prefer to have a romantic scene then I will suggest that you visit the Singapore of Surabaya. It is a miniature of Singapore which you can enjoy especially at night.

When I was in a restaurant in the city center, I ate Chinese food. The taste of the food was actually not really delicious but the management of the restaurant really knew how to serve their customers. Dancers and singers were hired to perform on the stage to create a relax atmosphere. For a while, I was able to forget the traffic jam and the pollution exhausted by millions of vehicles in the city.

The sound of loud music cherished the body movements of the dancers. I wonder how much these girls and boys got for one night show? Well, it might be enough to pay their living expenses in this city. Are they erotic dancers? I don't think so. Which place will I prefer to choose for spending my nightlife in the city? I would say the Singapore of Surabaya. It is located in Citra Land around 30 minutes driving from Juanda international airport.I heard that there is another place that is more suitable for clubbers. The city dwellers call it MEX. I used to see the building but I've never been there. I really want to visit it, and see with my own eyes what the MEX is really all about. I want to write about it for my blog. Unfortunately, I am not able to do that now, maybe next time. Also read: FRANKY YENNO AND HIS PEACE DANCING ARTWORK; Traveling to Mansinam island of West Papua; and Traveling under the canopy of Papuan tropical rainforest

Traveling under the canopy of Papuan tropical rainforest

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

Have you ever planned a trip to tropical rainforest In Papua? If your answer is no, then you should consider about it for your next vacation. There are some travel deals to Papua offered by tour agencies in Europe on the internet. Tropical rainforest nowadays plays a very important role in reducing global warming.

After arriving in one of the Papuan towns, travelers can carry on their trip to the interior region by flying with Pilatus Porter. It is a small aircraft that has been the most important type of airplane in the region.

Every year, many European and North American travelers, as well as Australian ones visit Papua. They want to enjoy the fresh and cool air while walking under the canopy of Papuan rainforest. Last month I met an American tourist, Jay Hersker, who came to Papua for studying more about palm and other exotic plants. Jay is a professional whose expertise is on landscaping works. I think he is interested in growing Papuan palm trees in Hawaii. The temperature there is not too different from the temperature in Papua. The price of Papuan seedling here might be very low but when it has been in Hawaii its price can be expensive.

Papuan tropical rainforest has many species of plants and animals. Beautiful paradise birds and Soa-soa are some of the rare species which tourists like to see while camping in the middle of the Papuan jungle. Before deciding to fly to Papua island, you must first go to your doctor and ask for Malaria prevention vaccine. It is vital to increase your body resistant while staying for one or two weeks in Papua.

Sometimes, when you walk through the jungle, you'll see the indigenous people hunting. They use traditional sharp weapons such as bow and arrows, and spears for killing pigs. If you go further to the Star Mountain, you will be able to see the snow capped mountain there.

Papua with its beautiful scenery and rich natural resources is now experiencing rapid destruction and exploitation. Trees are being cut for their timber and land is being drilled for oil and gas. It is the concerned of every one of us that the effect of global warming should be reduced. Therefore, we need to oppose illegal logging practices which threaten the existence Papuan tropical rainforest.

By traveling to Papua, you will be better informed about the real condition and might be able to take any necessary action for attracting the awareness of people in your country about the need to protect the last remaining forest which we have ever had. Also read: Pilatus Porter, a suitable aircraft for travelling across mountainous region; Pacific Islanders know how to built an energy efficient house

Traveling to Mansinam island of West Papua

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia

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.

Also read: Traveling around Manokwari, Traveling to Islands in the Dorey Bay 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

Traveling to Enjoy the Natural Beauty of Minahasa Mountainous Region

My Travel Story in Minahasa Part 1

Have you ever traveled across the mountainous region of Minahasa? If you haven't then you can read this story as a preview for your next travel to this beautiful place.

Okay, now I will begin my travel story about it. Minahasa is a mountainous region located in the northern part of North Sulawesi. It is part of the province of North Sulawesi. Most of the people there work as farmers. They grow clove, vanilla, corn, rice and any agricultural commodity that is now the prime mover of the region's economy.

There are some active volcanoes which you can visit. They are Mahawu, Soputan, Lokon and Klabat. Another one which is not too high and now has been converted into an inter-faith tourism destination region is Mount Tanderukan. Now, people like to call it Bukit Kasih or Love Hill. Near the love hill, there is a traditional sacred place called Watu Pinabetengan. It was where the tribal leaders of Minahasan people met and vowed to be one as a nation. From here, we can continue our travel to Lake Toundano. Along the road around Lake Tondano, we can see hundreds of hectares of rice field. During the day, farmers ride cows plowing their field.

After visiting Toundano, I continued my trip to Tomohon. The temperature here is cold. There are many schools here from elementary schools to universities. That's why it is also called Kota Pendidikan or Educational Town. There are many Minahasan restaurants in Tomohon providing delicious Minahasan cuisines which is mostly hot and spicy. by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia