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Why is Papua Timika Indonesia Called a “White Town”?

Papua has many beautiful cities that are popular as a tourist destination. One of them is Papua Timika, which has been called as White Town. Timika is an interesting place to visit and the access to get there is fairly easy. You can fly with a plane to reach this city because there is an airport called Mozes Kilangin. Let’s talk further about the beauty of Timika. 

Why is Papua Timika Indonesia Called a “White Town”?
Source: Flickr/linderberg2011

About Timika

It’s not difficult to find Timika. It’s located in Mimika District, Papua, Indonesia. In the Kamoro language, Mimika means a river. For your information, this region has a lot of rivers. There are 94 areas that have a river stream. You can also find Mimika as a city above the river because of this fact. 

In Mimika regency, there are 7 local tribes who live there. The two biggest tribes are the Amungme that live in the mountain. Beside that, there is the Kamoro tribe who reside alongside the shores. People of Mimika have a great culture and they keep it carefully so we can see their daily habits based on the culture. 

Timika is the main symbol of Mimika regency. All of the economic activity, education, and health facilities are gathered in Timika. That’s why Timika is very popular and always full of tourists. 

Center of Mining Activity

Papua Timika is the center of mining activity in the Mimika regency. There is the biggest mining company from America that is located in this city. Surely, you will know this company because it’s very popular. The mining company that stays in Timika is Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Inc. 

Through PT Freeport Indonesia, they have been mining for many years. It happens because Timika has a mining center with a big result. This makes Timika known as a lucky city in Indonesia. Also, this fact brings Timika to be known as a white town. 

Timika is called a white town because there are many foreigners in this city. People from America come to Timika for mining activity. Not only a white town but also a dollar town. They called Timika a dollar town because there are many Americans that have dollars in their pocket. 

It’s a funny fact about Timik and its name. But you need to know that the mining activity of Freeport in this field is becoming a contradiction. Some people think that mining activity in this field is dangerous and could lead to natural distraction. But, you need to know that Freeport gives the country a lot of money and that’s the main reason they still have permission. 

Beautiful Destination in Timika

Timika has many beautiful places if you want to visit this city for a holiday trip. Here are some destinations that will mesmerize you:

1. Ipaya Beach

First, there is Ipaya Beach. This location is a combination of Ipiri, Paripi, and Yaraya. In this beach, you will find beautiful nature and refreshing air. Also, you can find the vibrant colors of local culture. It’s a little bit hard to reach this beach but you will never regret it. 

2. Keakwa Tourism

The second place is Keakwa tourism. This is a village that contain a lot of histories. In the past, Keakwa is a place that has been a place for Japanese to defend themselves from World War II. That’s why you can find a lot of history has left for us. 

3. Lorentz National Park

You can also visit Lorentz National Park. This is the biggest national park in south east Asia and has been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. There are many varieties of nature and culture in this place. 

Final Words

Papua Timika has a lot of things to explore. Visit this place to know more about the culture and its nature. You will never regret it because the experience will last forever.