Sarawak Map

 

 

 Map of Southeast Asia

Indonesia

latest picture: April 11, 2018

• click a picture to see details

1364  Easter Sunday, April 1st, 2018, 7am:

The palm fringed coast of the 995 sq.mi.

[2'576 km²] big Island of Biak in the Papua

Province is approaching. There are actually

two islands (= districts) that are separated

near Sorendidori by a creek-like strait and

an inlet: Biak proper (733 sq.mi.[1'898 km²])

and Supiori "Island" 262 sq.mi.[678 km²]

1365  A crew member of “KMP Masirei”

(ASDP) is unlashing our Landcruiser after

arrival at the Island of Biak at the port of

Mokmer (about 5½ miles [9km] east of

Biak City)

1366  Two men are carrying the heavy load

of green banana bunches on their shoulders to

the waiting truck. “KMP Masirei” connects

Nabire and the district of Waropen on the

"mainland" of Papua with the Papuan islands

of Yapen and Biak

1367  The captain invited us for breakfast

to the officer’s mess of the “KMP Masirei”.

Coffee, nasi goreng with an egg and fried

bananas with chocolate sauce is served.

Being high tide, the angle of the ramp to

drive out is still too steep for our

LandCruiser

1368  “Take me on your voyage captain!”.

Wouldn’t Emil look good as helmsman?

1369  Everybody is excited. Although

the species is classified as "endangered"

they caught illegally a big blue Napoleon

fish (Cheilinus undulatus), also

called humphead wrasse

1370  It is 10am and the water level to

disembark our LandCruiser has lowered.

A crew member watches the action

1371  The typical face of a Papuan

tribal chief on an outer wall in the

city center of Biak

1372  Monument with a motorbike and

an appeal not to trash his life with it; as

well as the names of the killed persons

during the years of 2016/17

1373  A touch of colonial ambience:

The manicured garden of the seaside

Asana Hotel at Biak’s capital …..

1374  ….. hotel staff admire our parked

LandCruiser from their kitchen window

und pose many questions …..

1375  ….. thundery atmosphere at the

swimming pool of the Asana Hotel

All three pictures resp. monuments have one thing in common: An intricately carved and painted canoe in Papuan style:

1376  A church portal in the shape of a

canoe of the evangelical GKI Immanuel

Church (Gereja Kristen Injili) in Mokmer

along Biak’s eastern coastal road to

the ASDP ferry landing

1377  The lovely carved canoe of an

evangelical monument at the beach of

Mokmer-Parai (= today's ASDP ferry

landing), where the Dutch Christianization

is said to have started at the end of the 19th

century and from where on 5/27/1944 the

162nd Infantry Regiment of the Americans

advanced towards the West during their retake

of the island of Biak from the Japanese

1378  Another memorial with a canoe

and a cross along the eastern coastal road,

where on 5/27/1944 the 162nd Infantry

Regiment of the Americans went ashore

during their retake of the island of Biak

from the Japanese

1379  The historic Second World War

Monument for the battle of Biak in the World

War II from Mai 27th to August 17th, 1944,

when the Japanese lost about 10’000 men. It's

6 miles [10km] east of Biak City in Anggraidi,

namely along the narrow coastal byroad

1380  Liliana in front of the

commemorative plaque of the

World War II monument –

474 Americans lost their life on Biak

1381  A somewhat rusty Quonset hut of

WW II is now functioning as home. The

small flower garden in front and the curtain

at the window show that it is inhabited. More

than 150'000 were fabricated during WW II

1382  View over the Yapen Strait to the

4 miles [6½km] offshore lying Padaido

Island group in the southeast of Biak

1383  The typical family life takes place

under palm trees at the sea shore. Strong

family ties are a capital issue in Indonesia

1384  A boy is playing with two bicycle tires

Simple mini houses along the southeastern coastal road in different designs

arouse our interest again and again. What purpose do they probably have?

1385

1386

1387

The sea along the southeastern coastal road has different faces:

1388  Drained, dry and dead coral

reef at low tide

1389  The sea sparkles in all blue shades

between the blue sky and the white sand

1390  It is low tide – time for locals

to look for remaining crustaceans

1391  Towards the end of the 25 miles

[41km] long southeastern coastal road

mangrove swamps come into view. Its

pungent rotting smell fills the air

1392  Our LandCruiser moves in the

rain through a forest road that becomes

constantly narrower. In the background

a single remaining giant tree –

forgotten to saw down?

1393  Dead woodland that will

be replaced slowly by mangroves

1394  A photo stop near Kakur before

the eastern tip of the island of Biak

1395  An islet with a tomb at the eastern

end of the 25 miles [41km] long coastal road

that ends at a military base at Barari Beach

1396  The big cross in front of the neat

traditional house shows that its inhabitants

are proud Christians in predominantly

Muslim Indonesia

1397  A small sandbar at Wari Beach

near Waromi on our tour in the East of

the Island of Biak to Cape Praisbari

1398  Always ready for a picture:

Two lovely girls at Biak’s East coast

1399  Encounter with locals: A father and

seven kids from an eastern village are

happily posing for a picture.

Wondering if there are more?

1400  The policeman on his motorbike stops

and shakes hands with Emil with the words:

“I have seen you on the internet!”

1401  The Pacific Ocean presents

itself in a rather stormy mood

1402  A Monument of an evangelical

Gospel mission at the Pacific coast

Idyllic settings for fishermen at sandbars of jungle rivers along the forested west coast road

1403  South of Mardori-Swaipak

1404  8 miles [13km] more southerly near Kanaan  1405

1406  An especially lush specimen of the

rainforest’s “New Guinea creeper”

(Mucuna bennettii). Its deep red color

sticks out from the jungle green from afar

1407  Trapped in lush “jungle sea”:

Our LandCruiser drives through thick

jungle in the ‘Biak Utara Nature Reserve’

in the North of the island

1408  Rain drops sparkle at the delicate

pink blossom and its buds – presumably

a kind of Impatiens (Impatiens)

1409  Big laundry day: A woman is rinsing

clothes in the murky brown river water

1410  Portrait of a typical Papuan

face in the North of the island of Biak

1411  A lonely canoe glides in the calm

waters of the west coast of Biak

1412  Fog clouds are drifting over the

forest of the 2'277 ft. [694m] high

central ridge after a heavy tropical rain

1413  Emil is circling our LandCruiser around

the pyramidal roundabout in Sorendidori,

50 miles [80km] north of Biak City. The two

middle "floors" with the cross indicate that the

islands is predominantly evangelical. On the top

is the coat of arm of the district of Supiori

1414  Youngsters on a bridge in

Supiori smile into our camera and then

jump down into the refreshing water

1415  At a small street market of Sorendidori

vegetables of every kind are on display …..

1416  ….. a vendor is replacing a plate

with tomatoes, onions and chili …..

1417  ….. the range of offered

vegetables leaves nothing to be desired

1418  Open air museum of rusty remnants of

the Biak battle fought during WWII between

the Japanese and United States Army at the

Binsari Cave, 3 miles [5km] northeast of

Kota Biak (Coord. -1.17779 136.10513) …..

1419  ….. Liliana and a

Papuan lady at the Museum …..

1420  ….. War relicts

1421  Entry to the Binsari Cave – the

“Japanese Cave”. It was used as a base and

hideout in WWII by thousands of Japanese

soldiers. By 6/22/1944, an estimated 3'000

Japanese have lost their lives during the

American bombardments, including

Colonel Kuzume Naoyuki, who committed

hara-kiri at the end

1422  Solders from the Philippines and

Malaysia, who served/had to serve under

the Japanese flag; in the picture the war flag

(Rising Sun Flag)

1423  General Douglas MacArthur as

Commander of the Southwest Pacific

Area orders the American invasion in

Biak from Jayapura – west of Papua

New Guinea – after the allies expelled

the Japanese from Dutch New Guinea.

Left the monument in Jayapura in honor

of him, the Americans and their allies

1424  A small little “garden” with different

plants shines in lush green and gives nowadays

the cave a special touch. How might it have

looked after the assault on June 22, 1944?

1425  Emil is admiring the

massive tree roots clinging to the

walls of the Binsari cave …..

1426  ….. the view from above into the

Binsari cave with its many aerial roots is

especially attractive
 

1427  Market day 3 miles [6km] outside

Biak City: Vendors are displaying their

goods on a cloth on the ground …..

1428  ….. more or less all offer

the same: Fresh vegetable …..

1429  ….. the bigger the choice

the harder it is to choose!

1430  April 11, 2018: Departure day from

Mokmer near Biak. Emil drives our Land

Cruiser into the “KMP Kasuari Pasifik IV”

that connects the Papuan island of Biak

with Manokwari on the eastern Bird's Head

Peninsula in West Papua

1431  Happy girls on the ferry selling

floor mats to the passengers for the

night’s journey. We buy two of them

1432  Locals are waving at us. They

already made themselves comfortable

on their own (hard) sleeping mats

1433  The hull of  “KMP Kasuari Pasifik IV”

fills up more and more with passengers.

Soon we will not be able to open the

doors of our LandCruiser anymore

1434  There is an incredible hustle and bustle

on the ferry – passengers, friends, companions,

porters, vendors of food, drinks, fruits etc. are

increasing steadily

1435  Our LandCruiser remains the

only car on the ferry. Hopefully the

crush of people does not make it

suffer from any claustrophobia!

1436  Makeshift stands are selling food and

drinks already at the ferry entrance. There is

also always a kiosk on board selling some

snacks, soups, drinks, coffee etc.

1437  The white billowing cloud and the front

carrying showers in the back spread a special

mood at the port of Mokmer outside of Biak

1438  The sunset glow is in full swing

when our “KMP Kasuari Pasifik IV” puts

out to sea towards Manokwari in West

Papua: 150 miles [240km] = 13½ hours

More websites from the "Borneo-Sulawesi-Moluccas-Papua" trip:

Part 1: Pictures from Sarawak-Kalimantan-North Sulawesi – Miri/Malaysia via Kuching and Balikpapan to North Sulawesi from August to October 2017

Part 2: Pictures from the second part of North Sulawesi – Tomohon and surroundings, Tangkoko NP in October 2017

Part 3: Pictures from the North Moluccas Part 1 – Ternate and Tidore in November/December 2017

Part 4: Pictures from the North Moluccas Part 2 – Halmahera in November/December 2017

Part 5: Pictures from West Papua Part 1 (Irian Jaya) – Sorong and westerly ‘Trans Papua Road’ in December 2017-February 2018

Part 6: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 1 (Central) – Seram in February 2018

Part 7: Pictures from the Moluccas Part 2 (Central) – Ambon in February/March 2018

Part 8: Pictures from Papua Part 1 – Yapen in March 2018

Part 10: Pictures from West Papua Part 2 (Irian Jaya) – Manokwari and easterly ‘Trans Papua Road’ in April 2018

Part 11: Pictures from South Sulawesi-Kalimantan-Sarawak Part 2 – South Sulawesi via Kalimantan to Kuching and Miri/Malaysia from May to July 2018

More websites from Indonesia and Timor-Leste:

• Pictures and report from the first part of our Indonesian trip in Java and Sumatra from November to December 2006
• Pictures from the second part of our Indonesian trip in Bali from January to March 2007
• Pictures from the third part of our Indonesian trip in Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores in April 2007
• Pictures from the fourth part of our Indonesian trip in Sumba and West-Timor in May and June 2007
• Report and pictures from Timor-Leste (Oecussi and Mainland) in May 2007
• Pictures from the fifth part of our Indonesian trip in Southern Sulawesi before and after Toraja Land in June and July 2007
• Pictures from Tana Toraja (Toraja-Land) in South-Sulawesi in June and July 2007
• Pictures of the sixth part of our Indonesia trip in Kalimantan (Borneo) in July 2007
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in North Sumatra from March to April 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in West Sumatra in May and June 2010
• Pictures and report from our 2010-Indonesian trip in Southern Sumatra in June 2010

More websites from East Malaysia und Brunei:

• Report from Brunei in September 2006
• Report from Sabah in October 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 1: Northeast (Miri) from June to August 2006
• Report from Sarawak, Part 2: South (Kuching) in November 2006
• Pictures from our Borneo trip through Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah and Kalimantan from August to November 2006
• 1st Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser in Miri/Sarawak/East Malaysia from 6/15/2006 - 8/26/2006 + 9/17/2007 - 9/24/2007
• 2nd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 7/30/2012 - 10/4/2012
• 3rd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser at the same place from 2/6/2017 - 5/3/2017 + 7/16/2018 -