I had the pleasure to spend a week on Biak and Numfor Islands.
Biak is a really easy destination to get to with Garuda and other main airlines operate daily flights here! Right at the Airport you will have a choice of the rather basic Marasi Hotel or the excellent and more upscale Asana Hotel so no real need to stay in the city! The greatest asset was Saenal a local taxi driver with good english and experience in driving birders around! He will know the sites for the birds but not the birds! His number: +62 8 525 445 5251.
Birding in Biak is not very exciting as it’s mainly roadside and the habitat is exclusively secondary forest but the birds are great with the Paradise-kingfisher and the Monarch are must on any serious birdwatchers bucket list!
Numfor can be more difficult even if on paper it should be straightforward! Susi Airline operates a round trip starting in the early morning from Manokwari to Numfor to Biak and back to Numfor and arriving back to Manokwari by noon! They operate this on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays. The only thing is they often just cancell flights as it happened to me making things rather difficult and more expensive. If you’re lucky and the flights go they are really scenic with magnificent views of the islands and the reef. The ferry runs sporadically when I was there Monday and Tuesday was only possible to Manokwari.
The greatest asset on Numfor was Budi a young policeman with reasonable English and a strong motorcycle who was very happy to drive me around the island. On the day of my cancelled flight we just drove around the whole island (80+kms) and he didn’t even want to accept money! His number +6281248151015. Even if you’re more than one person give him an sms and he can help you with transport …. very few cars on the island.
Numfor was a lot more fun birding than Biak with fewer people and better habitat with a great Pacific island vibe and smiley people!!! The Paradise-kingfisher is an absolute must happily common. The difficult bird here is the Barred Cuckoo-shrike the best chance for this was the cross island track running from Namber village! The Pitta and Scrubfowl was easier here then on Biak.
The biggest let down on Numfor is the accomodation! The only losmen on the Main Street close to the Airport is below basic which is a shame as you could really spend a holiday on this great little island. Maybe the Cristian Seminary’s rooms opposite the losmen are better but I didn’t try this.
I had the pleasure to spend a week on Biak and Numfor Islands.
Biak is a really easy destination to get to with Garuda and other main airlines operate daily flights here! Right at the Airport you will have a choice of the rather basic Marasi Hotel or the excellent and more upscale Asana Hotel so no real need to stay in the city! The greatest asset was Saenal a local taxi driver with good english and experience in driving birders around! He will know the sites for the birds but not the birds! His number: +62 8 525 445 5251.
Birding in Biak is not very exciting as it’s mainly roadside and the habitat is exclusively secondary forest but the birds are great with the Paradise-kingfisher and the Monarch are must on any serious birdwatchers bucket list!
Numfor can be more difficult even if on paper it should be straightforward! Susi Airline operates a round trip starting in the early morning from Manokwari to Numfor to Biak and back to Numfor and arriving back to Manokwari by noon! They operate this on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays. The only thing is they often just cancell flights as it happened to me making things rather difficult and more expensive. If you’re lucky and the flights go they are really scenic with magnificent views of the islands and the reef. The ferry runs sporadically when I was there Monday and Tuesday was only possible to Manokwari.
The greatest asset on Numfor was Budi a young policeman with reasonable English and a strong motorcycle who was very happy to drive me around the island. On the day of my cancelled flight we just drove around the whole island (80+kms) and he didn’t even want to accept money! His number +6281248151015. Even if you’re more than one person give him an sms and he can help you with transport …. very few cars on the island.
Numfor was a lot more fun birding than Biak with fewer people and better habitat with a great Pacific island vibe and smiley people!!! The Paradise-kingfisher is an absolute must happily common. The difficult bird here is the Barred Cuckoo-shrike the best chance for this was the cross island track running from Namber village! The Pitta and Scrubfowl was easier here then on Biak.
The biggest let down on Numfor is the accomodation! The only losmen on the Main Street close to the Airport is below basic which is a shame as you could really spend a holiday on this great little island. Maybe the Cristian Seminary’s rooms opposite the losmen are better but I didn’t try this.
Pictures on: http://www.flickr.com/photos/145149033@N05/albums