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Traveling to District of Senopi
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I
have been promoting eco-tourism in Manokwari for the last three
years now. In this article, I am promoting another tourist
attraction in the interior of West Papua which is the Kebar
valley and District of Senopi. Last month my friend Paul
traveled to District of Senopi of Manokwari regency in the
Republic of Indonesia. It is only a small village in the bird's
head region of Papua island. He went there with Zeth Wonggor to
promote eco-tourism and explain to the local villagers how
important it is to protect the natural environment and preserve
the rainforest of West Papua. They were received by Pak Jurgen
who was from SDSP/ YAT, a foundation that is working on the
empowerment of the Papuan people. I lent him my pocket PC HP
iPAQ rx 3000 series that is equipped with photosmart mobile
camera feature which enables the owner to take pictures while
traveling to remote areas such as Senopi village. It took five
hours driving from Manokwari to Senopi. They passed by a
savannah that is full with deer grazing at night.
While hiking around the surrounding rainforest of the Senopi district, they spotted a very rare scene. Paul took the pocket PC and turned on its digital camera feature and began shooting various pictures of this fleeting moment. Knowing that there was a deer crossing the river, the villagers who accompanied Paul and Zeth ordered their dogs to catch the deer. The dogs jumped into the water and pounced on the deer. With five dogs biting and pouncing on the deer, it could not move any longer. A villager came and dragged it out of the water.
As you could see on the photographs, they killed the deer and distribute the meat to all the travelers who accompanied Paul, Zeth, and Pak Jurgen. There are many tourist attractions in the District of Senopi. Tourists can enjoy go hiking in the jungle, and see male birds of paradise dancing on trees to attract the female birds. Various beautiful butterflies can be found in the tropical rainforest of Senopi. A large savannah between Kebar valley and Senopi is a dwelling and breeding ground for deer. There is a comfortable losmen or hostel in Senopi for tourists who want to stay there for several days. The accommodation is run by Jurgen and Ellis from Alternative Tourism Foundation (YAT). Before visiting Senopi, you need to come to Manokwari, the capital city of West Papua province, read where is Manokwari and How to get there for more information about it. Bring your digital video or photo camera to record your trip in the form of film or photographs. As a tourist guide, I provide a special three day tour around Manokwari for tourists who want to see the beauty of Papua's nature and the wealth of its culture. The tour is divided into three tours as follows:
Day 1. Hiking, bird watching, caving, and bat watching in the Table Mountain of Manokwari city
Day 2. Visiting islands in the Dorey bay of Manokwari city (bring your snorkeling equipment and binoculars)
Day 3. Traveling along the Northern Coast of Manokwari a fishermen's village and canoeing to Kaki islands
Other tour packages to Arfak Mountain, and Kebar valley can also be arranged according to your needs and physical condition.
Also read:
Where is Manokwari? | Souvenir Shops | Travel Attractions | Accommodation in Manokwari | Professional Guide
Manokwari Travel Guide
The following articles are my recommendation, stories and experience when escorting foreign tourists who come to Manokwari of West Papua to enjoy the beauty of its natural scenery and the hospitality of the indigenous people. This website is aimed at promoting eco-tourism in the region to create jobs and awareness about the importance of tropical rainforest that is now facing extinction due to rapid deforestation.
Happy Traveling
Charles Roring (click to e-mail me)
Tourist Guide
If you want to read more stories about travel in Manokwari of West Papua, you can see my other blogs at the following addresses:
Papuan Art and Culture Stories
My personal diary on Manokwari Eco-tourism activities
