While the province has had hidden paradises for so long, not so many people knew about them before. The province itself is located in the easternmost part of Indonesia as it is directly adjacent to Papua New Guinea.
To get there, you may need more effort. But of course, there will be nothing to disappoint after seeing the beauty of the West Papua land. Well, some tourist attractions can be enjoyed after the pandemic is over. What are they?
Raja Ampat
For the lovers of watersports and natural tourism, the name Raja Ampat should be familiar enough. Yes, you must have heard it once or twice as a recommended tourist destination in Indonesia or even Asia. Raja Ampat is located in the western corner of Papua Island, often called the birds head. The popular tourist attraction is in the form of some small islands surrounded by crystal-clear ocean. The biggest islands in Raja Ampat tourism are Waigeo, Misool, Batanta, and Salawati islands.
You can do many activities in Raja Ampat such as diving, snorkeling, cruise, and many more. Well, even if you cannot do all of them, sitting on a ship and enjoy the landscape around is still a good thing. To visit Raja Ampat is indeed quite difficult by seeing the location. Fortunately, there is currently a direct flight from Jakarta and other big cities in Indonesia to Sorong, West Papua. If you are coming from Jakarta, the flight duration is approximately 6 hours and you must transit first in Makassar.
Rumberpon Island
The next beautiful location to visit in Raja Ampat is Rumberpon Island. The island has many beaches and the most popular one is namely Pasir Panjang Beach. A little bit different from other beaches in the area of West Papua tourism, the beach doesn’t have any corals at all. Pasir Panjang means long sand anyway. And just like the name, the beach is indeed very long, it is around 6,000 meters.
The beach and its environment are still very clean and the breeze is refreshing. Yes, there is strict regulation in which the visitors must keep the area clean or some punishments are awaited. Similar to Raja Ampat, you can do many activities here such as snorkeling, water-skiing, swimming, and even fishing. Meanwhile, in the middle of the island, some endemic animals live freely including kuskus and deers.
Lorentz National Park
Indonesia is one of the countries with many national parks. In West Papua, the most popular one is the Lorentz National Park. The area is very large, it is about 2.4 million hectares. That’s why it is claimed as the biggest national park in the Southeast Asia region. Sure, many types of plants and animals are protected here including wallaby, kangaroo, wild cat, and many more.
It is recommended to visit the national park in months from August to December as many plants have grown well and animals are all around. However, be careful also since it is the rainy season in those months. So, make sure to wear and bring outfits that have been determined by staff. Not to forget, obey all the regulations to prevent you from unexpected accidents like being attacked by an animal.
The Love Lake
The next tourist attraction in West Papua is known as Love Lake. Well, originally, the lake is namely Lake Imfote. But visitors prefer calling it Danau Cinta or the Love Lake as the shape of the lake resembles the heart sign. Particularly, it is when you see the lake from the hill around it.
The Love Lake is indeed located in a remote area. But it doesn’t stop tourists to visit this attraction and enjoy the beauty of this West Papua tourism.
