Southwest Papua adds a row of new provinces in Indonesia. On December 9, 2022, President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southwest Papua as the 38th province of Indonesia through the Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian.
In his inauguration address, the Minister of Home Affairs said that the province’s partition was done to shorten the burdensome bureaucracy in the midst of Papua’s challenging geography and exceptionally high dispersion. This new province’s administrative center is Sorong city.
What does this city feel like? Let’s find out.
Sorong City in Brief
The second-largest city on the Papuan island is Sorong, also known as the “City of Oil.” The Biak Numfor language is where the word Sorong, which means “deep and wavy water,” originated. “Soren” has frequently been mispronounced as Sorong throughout its expansion and has become its official name until today.
The topography of Sorong City is extremely varied and consists of mountains, hills, and flats. A large forest that is both protected and popular with tourists is located to the east.
In line with its moniker as the “city of oil,” Sorong is home to several remnants of the previous Dutch oil industry. Currently known as the Port of Sorong, the oil export port is what is still standing and currently in use.
Sorong Port has a length of around 340 meters. All ship shipping services are provided by this port, including those for passenger, container, and cargo ships.
The Trikora Monument, also known as Tugu Merah Putih, is a historical monument in this city that was constructed in 1964–1965, specifically for the citizens of Sorong. The monument represents the effort to free West Irian from Dutch control.
In addition, Sorong serves as the entrance to Raja Ampat.
Tourism in Sorong
The city of Sorong is also famous for its stunning natural beauty. There are many natural attractions, such as lakes, waterfalls, and beaches.
Interestingly, there is a pagoda here which is one of the tallest pagodas in Asia. Of course, this is a matter of pride for the people of Sorong and Indonesia. Sapta Ratna Pagoda is one of the best spots to enjoy views of Sorong City.
Sapta Ratna Pagoda
This Pagoda is located in the center of Sorong city, on a hill with an artistic building shape. This building looks magnificent from a distance, inviting the curiosity of anyone who sees it.
Seven floors make up the structure of this pagoda. The best time to go here is in the late afternoon when it’s sunny because you can watch the sunset from the top of the pagoda while taking in the lovely view of Sorong City.
You can see Doom Island, also known as Bintang Island, which is located across the water from the summit of the Sapta Ratna Pagoda.
Doom Island is an old city once the center of the Dutch administration in Sorong. On this island, there are buildings from the colonial era, such as prisons, football fields, electricity substations, churches, and several other buildings that were built during the Dutch military aggression in Papua.
The 1992-founded pagoda’s original purpose was to serve as a burial site for Buddhists who had lived in Sorong City and the neighborhood. However, the Sapta Ratna Pagoda has evolved into a tourist destination over time and has successfully drawn both domestic and foreign visitors.
Qi Bao Ta, the real name of this pagoda, is also a point of pride for the Sorong people and a representation of religious concord in Sorong, where Catholics make up most of the population.
That is the enchantment of Sorong City, the enchanting oil city and the capital of Southwest Papua.
