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Pictures of our Borneo-Sulawesi-Moluccas-Papua Trip -  in August 2017-May 2018
- Ninth part: Province of Papua Island of Biak and continuing by ferry to Manokwari in the province of West Papua
  • before:
    Papua Part 1 – Yapen and onwards by ferry to Biak in Papua
    Moluccas (Central) Part 2 – Ambon and onwards by ferry to Serui on Yapen in Papua
    Moluccas (Central) Part 1 – Seram and onwards by ferry to Ambon in Moluccas
    West Papua Part 1 – on the western Bird's Head Peninsula from Sorong, ‚Trans Papua Road’ and onwards by ferry to Seram in Moluccas (Central)
    North Moluccas Part 2 – Halmahera and onwards by ferry to Sorong in West Papua Part 1 (Irian Jaya) on western Bird's Head Peninsula
    North Moluccas Part 1 – Ternate and Tidore and onwards by ferry to  Sofifi on Halmahera on North Moluccas
    North Sulawesi Part 2 – Tomohon and surroundings to Tangkoko NP and onwards to Bitung with ferry to Ternate on North Moluccas
    Sarawak-Kalimantan-North Sulawesi Part 1 – Miri via Kuching in Sarawak/Malaysia to Balikpapan in Kalimantan and continuing by ferry to Sulawesi
    3rd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser FJ60/1982 in Miri/Sarawak/East Malaysia from 2/6/2017
    Myanmar (Burma) Part 3 – from Nyaungshwe at Inle Lake to Mandalay and Goteik viaduct
    Myanmar (Burma) Part 2 – Bago (Pegu) - Shwenyaung at Inle Lake
    Myanmar (Burma) Part 1 – from Yangon (Rangoon) to the 'Golden Rock' of Kyaiktiyo
    Ukraine Part 3 – from Russia border at Kyaterinіvka to port city Odessa (29th container to Bintulu/Sarawak/East Malaysia)
    Russia – from Kazakhstan (at Mikhaylovka) to Mongolia border (at Tashanta) and Ukraine border at Krupets August 21st to November 11th, 2016
    Kazakhstan –  from Kyrgyzstan border at Korday to Russia border at Shemonaika – August 9th to 21st, 2016
    Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan border in Pamir to Kazakhstan border at Karkara June 27th to August 9th, 2016
    Tajikistan Part 2 from Dushanbe to the Kyrgyzstan border June 19th to 27th, 2016
    Tajikistan Part 1 from Uzbekistan border to Dushanbe May 31st to June 18th, 2016
    Uzbekistan from Turkmenistan border in Dashoguz to Tajikistan border near Oybeck May 10th to 31st, 2016
    Turkmenistan from Iran border at Bajgiran to Uzbekistan border near Khiva May 6th to 10th, 2016
    Iran from the ferry port Bandar Abbas to Turkmenistan border near Ashgabat April 11th to May 6th, 2016
    United Arab Emirates from Saudi Arabia border to Sharjah and the ferry to Iran January 12th to April 10th, 2016
    Saudi Arabia from the ferry port Jeddah in transit to United Arab Emirates border January 9th to 12th, 2016
    Sudan – from Ethiopia border to Suakin and the ferry to Saudi Arabia December 9th, 2015 to January 8th, 2016
    afterwards:
    West Papua (Irian Jaya) Part 2 – on the eastern Bird's Head Peninsula from Manokwari, ‚Trans Papua Road’ and onwards by ferry to Makassar in South Sulawesi
    South Sulawesi-Kalimantan-Sarawak Part 2 – Makassar in South Sulawesi by ferry to Batulicin in South Kalimantan and continuing via Kuching to Miri in Sarawak
    Continuation of the 3rd Rejuvenation of our LandCruiser FJ60/1982 in Miri/Sarawak/East Malaysia from 2/6/2017 and again from 7/16/2018
     
    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 1Yapen 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:

    More websites from East Malaysia und Brunei: