Sorong, West Papua
Airport: Domine Edward Osok Airport
Local Contact: Ina with Eko Dive Lodge, Raja Ampat
+6281344955099
Sorong is the gateway to Raja Ampat. There isn’t much to
offer as far as sightseeing goes, but after a long flight, it is a great place
to rest up for a night before continuing your journey to Raja Ampat. It is a
simple town that runs along the western coast of West Papua (known at the
Bird’s head peninsula), and will be your last “city” before you head to the beautiful
coral and beaches of Raja Ampat.
Because Raja Ampat is still very remote, stop by a local
“convenient store” or the small mall/grocery store in Sorong for any snacks and
candy you might want during your stay at Raja Ampat. There are a few small
shops in Raja Ampat but supply is limited and cost is higher. Also, if you need
contact solution, this will be the place to get it. Ask for a Toko Mata or Optik, and you might have to visit a few before finding one that
sells contact solution. For a large bottle, the cost is approximately Rp. 110,000
(US $10).
Anyone traveling to Raja Ampat is required to pay a tourism
entrance fee to help support conservation and community efforts. The pass costs
Rp. 500,000 (approximately US $55) for foreign visitors/ Rp. 250,000 for
Indonesian visitors and is valid per calendar year. Purchase the pass from the JE
Meridien Hotel, a quick walk across the street from the airport. The process is
simple; just bring cash and your passport or ID card. It is important to
purchase the pass, as funds are needed to help conserve the beautiful
environment of Raja Ampat. Throughout Raja Ampat, all home stays will ask for
your Pass number when checking in. For more information on the tourist entrance
program visit: Raja Ampat Conservation
Hotels In Sorong:
There is a decent selection of hotels in Sorong, varying in price. Here are a selection of hotels we know to be affordable and clean.
There is a decent selection of hotels in Sorong, varying in price. Here are a selection of hotels we know to be affordable and clean.
JE Meridien Hotel – Across the street from the aiport, 5
min walk. Comfortable and easy place to stay for about RP 400.000/night. This
is the hotel where you can purchase your Raja Ampat Conservation Pass.
Hotel Beligio?
Food in Sorong:
Pork and fish are plentiful. On the main road that runs along the coast, you can find a traditional market (pasar) selling lots of fresh fish. Most market stalls are selling raw fish but a few have smoked fish ready to eat. If you want cooked fish from the market, tell them you want “Ikan sudah dimasak” (which means already cooked fish).
Pork and fish are plentiful. On the main road that runs along the coast, you can find a traditional market (pasar) selling lots of fresh fish. Most market stalls are selling raw fish but a few have smoked fish ready to eat. If you want cooked fish from the market, tell them you want “Ikan sudah dimasak” (which means already cooked fish).
Some vendors will say a higher price for tourists, but you
can counter offer. If you ask multiple people the cost, and it’s consistent,
you can be sure you getting the right cost.
For complete, prepared meals, look around for small Warungs or Resto’s. Most warungs have food in bowls, so you can point to what
you want. In Sorong, the meals will cost approximately Rp. 30,000, not
including drink. A meal typically includes rice, a meat, and some type of
vegetable.
Transportation in Sorong:
There are yellow mini-buses that continually drive throughout town. Regardless of how near or far you go, you will pay around Rp 2,500-3,000. To ride one, be one the side of the street that you want to go, and flag one down as it drives by. They will not speak English, but if you tell them where you want to go, they will point it out when you arrive. Be ready for neon lights and obnoxiously loud music. These buses are like nightclubs!
There are yellow mini-buses that continually drive throughout town. Regardless of how near or far you go, you will pay around Rp 2,500-3,000. To ride one, be one the side of the street that you want to go, and flag one down as it drives by. They will not speak English, but if you tell them where you want to go, they will point it out when you arrive. Be ready for neon lights and obnoxiously loud music. These buses are like nightclubs!
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Raja Ampat, West
Papua
It’s hard to describe the beauty of Raja Ampat. It’s said to
be one of the most beautiful places on earth and claims to have the most
bio-diverse underwater life in the world. From what we saw, we would agree
whole-heartedly.
In addition to the beauty of the area, another draw is that
it still is quiet and not overgrown with tourists. If you are looking for a
completely natural, chill vacation, Raja Ampat is the place to go.
Our Raja Ampat vacation was about 10 days. We felt this was
ample time to dive, boat, snorkel, and just relax on the beach. If you are
someone that goes stir-crazy or gets island fever, you might want to shorten
your trip a few days, as this place is fairly remote. But for people who really
want to get away, honeymooners, avid divers, etc, 10 days plus would not
disappoint.
Transportation to Waisai (the hub to Raja Ampat):
Transportation to Waisai (the hub to Raja Ampat):
There is a large speed ferry that runs at 2 pm daily to from Sorong to Waisai. Unless it is a
major holiday, you should have no problems getting your ticket as you board.
Take an “minibus taxi” to the Sorong harbor. They will drop you off at
the main road, and then you will walk about 5 minutes to the harbor. Before
heading to the ferry, you will see a small semi-abandoned building on the left
side. There is a simple table and a few men selling tickets for the ferry. The
price is Rp. RP 120,000-140,000, for the basic seat. There is a VIP option for
more money, but the general sitting is nice with air conditioning and two large
TVs to watch Bollywood! Yeah! Regardless of what section you choose, you will
be given a ticket with a seat number. There is staff on the boat to help you
find your seat.
Don’t be late as the ferry will leave on time and only runs
one time per day. I recommend arriving no later than 1 pm to make sure you get
a ticket and a seat in the air conditioning. On the dock, there are many
vendors selling food, snacks and drinks. Feel free to bring food on board.
At some point during the two hour journey, check out the
view from the boat’s deck. Raja Ampat area begins and you can see the start of
the seemingly uncountable islands. You might be lucky enough to see dolphins
skimming the surface alongside the ferry. The deck area is general/overflow
seating so you might be able to sit, but most likely there will just be room to
stand. If you are a smoker, here is the place to do it.
Arriving in Waisai:
Waisai is a small coastal town, plain and simple. The port is surprisingly modern and big, making you think there is something to the city, but in actuality Waisai is just a small local village. It is the capital for the new Raja Ampat Kabupatan, or county seat. The roads are new, there are many home stays and a few restaurants but that is it. If you don’t have arrangements to go straight to a resort, you can pay for an Ojek (motorcycle taxi) to take you into town to find a home stay. Ojek should cost you no more than Rp. 20,000 and home stays are approximately Rp. 100,000 – 200,000/person including meals. There are a few bungalow style hotels, Rp. 300,000 - 700,000 within driving distance or arrange for small boat transfer when you make a booking.
Koranu Fayak
Resort on Kri Island
Contact Person: Robben Sauyai, a local Papuan who opened a small family run resort and dive shop
Contact Information: Robben. Sauyai@yahoo.com, +6281344174787
Koranu Fayak is very basic and simple. Being newly opened, the flash and polish of other resorts is lacking here, but if you want a cheap place to stay with plenty of food, this would be a good choice. As of June, 2013, the resort had about 8 small bamboo and thatch bungalows. Each bungalow would sleep 1-2 people, and included a partial wooden floor, elevated bed and mattress, and a mosquito net.
There is a common bamboo covered dining area where all guests eat meals together. It is basically a large picnic table. During the evenings when the generator is running, you can charge your electronics in the common area. Since the amount of guests are so few, we were able to trust that our electronics were safe and left them charging unattended while we sat on the beach.
Koranu Fayak includes a common bathroom and shower area. These are also bamboo and thatch. The toilet is not traditional western style, but instead a squatty potty. There is toilet paper, as well as buckets of water and small pails to use as well. The shower is simply a large drum filled with water and a pail to dump water on yourself. There are soup and shampoo, but still bring your own to make sure you don’t run out.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are served and included in the price. Breakfast was some fruit and fried pastries. The pastries are fairly bland and not nutritious. If you need more, you might request some hard-boiled eggs. Lunch and dinner were much better, with an assortment of fresh fish, chicken, veggies and rice. The veggies was a little salty for my taste, but I think if you mixed it with rice, it would be better. (I just don’t eat rice). Overall, the food was really good and really fresh. And there was always more than enough.
Diving & Snorkeling: Koranu Fayak just opened diving. The location of the resort is nice in that you can wade straight out from the resort about 100 meters and drop down next to a plentiful cliff wall. For snorkelers this is great. You can borrow a snorkel and fins and go out anytime of the day. Many dive locations within a 15-45 minute boat ride.
Sandy Manta – Divers sit on the sea floor and watch as large and small manta rays glide by.
Blue - Strong current dive with so much color and action, it’s hard to take it in. Look out for Wobegong Sharks.
Koranu Fayak is still adjusting to the business process of offering diving. Robin and Nellis, are the two dive guides. As of June, 2013 there was one speed boat to take divers out, so the day before you want to dive, you need to make sure to discuss dive expectations and plans. We experienced some problems with timeliness and professionalism, as in they weren’t always ready to head out on the agreed upon time. If you are an avid diver, this would be frustrating, but I expect they are improving their business every day. If you have a complaint or concern, feel free to speak with Robben. He speaks English well and will listen to your observation.
Prices: Detailed Pricing
Contact Person: Robben Sauyai, a local Papuan who opened a small family run resort and dive shop
Contact Information: Robben. Sauyai@yahoo.com, +6281344174787
Koranu Fayak is very basic and simple. Being newly opened, the flash and polish of other resorts is lacking here, but if you want a cheap place to stay with plenty of food, this would be a good choice. As of June, 2013, the resort had about 8 small bamboo and thatch bungalows. Each bungalow would sleep 1-2 people, and included a partial wooden floor, elevated bed and mattress, and a mosquito net.
There is a common bamboo covered dining area where all guests eat meals together. It is basically a large picnic table. During the evenings when the generator is running, you can charge your electronics in the common area. Since the amount of guests are so few, we were able to trust that our electronics were safe and left them charging unattended while we sat on the beach.
Koranu Fayak includes a common bathroom and shower area. These are also bamboo and thatch. The toilet is not traditional western style, but instead a squatty potty. There is toilet paper, as well as buckets of water and small pails to use as well. The shower is simply a large drum filled with water and a pail to dump water on yourself. There are soup and shampoo, but still bring your own to make sure you don’t run out.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are served and included in the price. Breakfast was some fruit and fried pastries. The pastries are fairly bland and not nutritious. If you need more, you might request some hard-boiled eggs. Lunch and dinner were much better, with an assortment of fresh fish, chicken, veggies and rice. The veggies was a little salty for my taste, but I think if you mixed it with rice, it would be better. (I just don’t eat rice). Overall, the food was really good and really fresh. And there was always more than enough.
Diving & Snorkeling: Koranu Fayak just opened diving. The location of the resort is nice in that you can wade straight out from the resort about 100 meters and drop down next to a plentiful cliff wall. For snorkelers this is great. You can borrow a snorkel and fins and go out anytime of the day. Many dive locations within a 15-45 minute boat ride.
Sandy Manta – Divers sit on the sea floor and watch as large and small manta rays glide by.
Blue - Strong current dive with so much color and action, it’s hard to take it in. Look out for Wobegong Sharks.
Koranu Fayak is still adjusting to the business process of offering diving. Robin and Nellis, are the two dive guides. As of June, 2013 there was one speed boat to take divers out, so the day before you want to dive, you need to make sure to discuss dive expectations and plans. We experienced some problems with timeliness and professionalism, as in they weren’t always ready to head out on the agreed upon time. If you are an avid diver, this would be frustrating, but I expect they are improving their business every day. If you have a complaint or concern, feel free to speak with Robben. He speaks English well and will listen to your observation.
Prices: Detailed Pricing
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