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Indonesia Travel Diary: Biak and Numfor

My husband and I visited Indonesia’s Biak Island, Numfor Island, and Sorong from October 27th to November 12th.

We were supposed to fly to Biak late at night on October 28th, but the Lion air changed the flight plan for 24 hours so we arrived in Biak early in the morning on October 30th. We met Benny San from Papua Birding, with whom I had been in contact by email many times. He and his staff greeted us with a gentle smile at the airport.

The local travel agency is called “Papua Birding”, and the main members are Benny, who is in charge of the overall operation, his son Eko, who is an excellent bird guide, and Dell, the cook and caretaker over all.

We didn’t know that Biak Island was once occupied by the former Japanese military and apparently there was a brutal battle there. So even now, families of the war dead visit every year to pray for the soul of the dead.

Benny and his team take care of them.

October 31st, bird watching on Biak Island. First we saw an Eastern Black Pitta very close, then we saw a Yellow Magpie Flycatcher and our intended Biak Racket Kingfisher several times, but they were quite far away, so we couldn’t take good photos.

As for lunch they usually go to a Chinese restaurant but my husband is strictly on diet, so Benny was kind enough to let us order whatever we wanted at the hotel. Thanks to this, we were able to enjoy our meal in the room.

In the afternoon, we went to another place. We saw the Biak Racket Kingfisher many times, fluttering past in front of us, but it was still difficult to capture it well.

So Benny kindly offered to take us around the next day though it wasn’t included in the tour. That day we went to a park in the city. We didn’t see much in the morning, but Eko worked hard and found them in the afternoon.

Eko has very good ears and eyes, and even though we couldn’t see anything no matter how hard we looked, he was able to find it. When he found the bird, he aimed our camera at it with dot sight, and when we looked, there it was. It’s like a magic.

Dell often treated us with grapes, watermelon, papaya, etc., while we were bird watching in the heat, and they were so delicious that we felt we really came back to life. It was my first time to receive such ”omotenashi”, so we were very grateful

 

On November 2nd, we went to Numfor Island.

To get to Numfor Island, you can take a charter boat (3450 USD) or a flight twice a week (35 USD per person). However, this scheduled flight is often changed or canceled, so it is difficult to plan, and Benny had never used it. However, we can’t charter this expensive speedboat for two people. In order to be able to accommodate some changes, we decided to stay on Biak Island for 9 days and to go by air. As expected, the flight, which was originally scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, was changed to Saturday and Monday. However, Benny managed to adjust the schedule and got us a ticket departing on November 2nd and returning on the 4th.

We arrived at the airport early in the morning on November 2nd. With these types of flights, you never know if they will actually take off until the last moment. And as expected, the plane didn’t come when it supposed to come. Why?

Actually, this airplane was coming from Jayapura to Biak, but it was a small single-engine propeller plane that refueled from above the wing. There was heavy rain in Jayapura and they couldn’t refuel. We had no choice but to wait for the rain to stop. Luckily, the rain stopped after a while, and the plane left Jayapura after refueling, so we were told it would arrive in about two hours. Finally We got to Numfor, seven hours late.

Our goal in Numfor was to see the Numfor Paradise Kingfisher, endemic here. As usual, Eko was quick to find it, and he showed us using dot sight, so we were able to take a decent shot.

Now, the food is worth mentioning here. When we arrived at the inn, we saw some lobsters in the refrigerator, but we never thought that they were for us. But Benny asked me, “What would you like to eat tonight? Crab or lobster?” What? What? What?

Actually, the accommodation on this island is just a building, and we were taking everything from food to pots and pans and even a cook. Benny usually goes by boat, so they can take everything with them, but that’s not possible on an airplane, so they asked the local guide to buy the crabs, shrimp, rice, etc. for us. Still, they brought pots and pans, probably tableware, and chairs for us from Biak by air.

They asked the local guide to buy as much as possible, but they still took pots and pans, probably some dishes, and chairs for us.

So for dinner that night, we had a whole big crab, which was really delicious, and fish and vegetables. Dell was a really good cook. The next day, we had two lobsters for lunch and three for dinner. I couldn’t eat them all. The soup and chicken looked delicious too. I’ve never been so extravagant before.

Of course, I was able to take many photos of the main bird, the Numfor Racket Kingfisher, so it was a very fulfilling trip to Numfor.

On November 4th, we returned to Biak Island without any trouble. The next day, November 5th, we had another bird watching tour on Biak. It was raining that day so we didn’t get much results, but in the afternoon, Eko worked hard to find the Biac Paradise Kingfisher in the city park. It’s really amazing how he can see birds in the dark with all the overlapping leaves.

At the end of the day, they took us to the beach to see the Beach Kingfisher.

Thinking about it, we’d only been chasing birds, so this was our first time seeing a mangrove forest on this island even though we were on a tropical Island. There was a boardwalk in the forest, and from there, we saw a Beach kingfisher on top of a tall tree. When we went to the end of the wooden deck, the sun went down, turning the sea a beautiful red. The opposite island and the shore of Biak Island were quietly standing in the twilight. The people who live there may have different feelings, but I felt that it was a peaceful and beautiful place.

Thanks to them, our trip to Biak, Numfor was very memorable. They knew what travelers wanted and took great care to make sure we were happy and comfortable. We felt like they were close friends or family, so we had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. I think it’s not only the charm of the island that makes us want to come back, but also their warm hospitality.

On November 5th, we departed for Sorong one day earlier, this time due to the time change of Lion Air, which was a full day earlier.

(7 Days/6 Nites Biak and Numfor Paradise Kingfisher Photography 30 Oct-05 Nov 2024)

 


 

インドネシア旅日記 Biak Numfor 編

私と主人は10月の27日から11月の12日までインドネシアのBiak島とNumfor島、そしてソロンを訪れました。

Biakには10月28日深夜に飛ぶはずが予定変更で翌日の深夜になり、10月30日の早朝Biakに着きました。メールで何度もやり取りをしていたPapua BirdingのBennyさんと初めて対面。彼とそのスタッフの方が空港でにこやかに出迎えてくれました。

現地の旅行社はPapua Birdingと言うところで運営全般を見ているBennyさん、鳥ガイドをしている息子さんのEkoさん、それにコックのDellさんの3人が主なメンバーだそうです。私たちは知りませんでしたが、Biak島は旧日本軍が駐留し、凄惨な戦いがあったそうで、今でも戦没者の慰霊に毎年遺族が訪れ、Bennyさんたちはそのお世話をしているそうです。

10月31日、Biak島での鳥見。まずヒガシズグロヤイロチョウ、途中キイロカササギビタキ、そして目的のビアックラケットカワセミも何度か見ましたが、なかなか遠いのと動きが早いのと、まあ腕がわるいのとで、あまりいい写真は撮れませんでした。

さてお昼ですが、主人は食事制限が厳しいのでいつも行く中華屋さんでは頼むのが難しだろうということで、Bennyさんの好意で、ホテルで好きなものを頼んでいいということでした。おかげでRoom service でゆっくり食事できました。

午後はまた別のところに行きました。ビアックラケットカワセミは何度も見て、目の前をひらひら飛んでいくのですがカメラにはなかなか収められません。

そこでBennyさんが、翌11月1日はFree Timeだったのですが、好意で案内してくれると言ってくれました。この日は市内の公園に。この日も午前中はオスの幼鳥を見たぐらいであまり成果はなかったのですが午後はEkoさんが頑張って色々探してくれました。

Ekoさんは耳と目がすごく良くて、私たちがいくら見てもどこに鳥がいるのかわからないのに、ちゃんと鳥を探すことができます。鳥を見つけるとカメラの照準器を合わせてくれて、覗くと確かにいるのです。また、Dellさんは暑いなか、鳥見をしているときに葡萄やスイカ、パパイヤなどを差し入れしてくれて、これがしみじみおいしくて、本当に生き返りました。フルーツの差し入れのサービスは初めてで本当にありがたかったです。

 

11月2日、いよいよNumfor島に渡ります。

Numfor島に行くのはチャーターボート(3450USD)か、週2便(木、土, 1人35 USD)のフライト。ただこの定期便はしょっちゅう変更や欠航へするため予定が立たず、Bennyさんは使ったことがないそうです。かと言って2人でこの法外な値段のスピードボートをチャーターするわけにはいきません。若干の変更には対応できるようにBiak島での滞在を9日にして空の便で行くことにしていました。そして案の定、木、土,だったフライトが、直前に土, 月に変更。でもなんとかBennyさんが予定を調節してくれて11月2日出発4日の帰りのチケットをとってくれました。

11月2日早朝空港に。こういったフライトは離陸するまで本当に飛ぶのかわかりません。そして案の定、いくら待っても飛行機が来ません。なぜ?

実はこの便はJayapuraからからBiakに来るのですが、15人乗りくらいの単発のプロペラ機で羽の上から給油するタイプだそうです。そのJayapuraで大雨が降って給油できない。雨が止むのを待つしかありません。幸運なことに程なく雨も止み、給油が終わってJayapura を出たので2時間ほどで着くとのこと。こうしてヒヤヒヤしたものの、7時間遅れでなんとかNumforに渡りました。

さてNumforでの目的は、ここにしかいないヌンフォアラケットカワセミ。相変わらずEkoさんは見つけるのが早く、照準器で教えてくれるので結構撮れました。

さてここで特筆することは食事です。宿に着いた時冷蔵庫に伊勢海老が入っていたのを見たのですが、まさかこれが自分たちのものとは思いませんでした。でもBennyさんが”今晩はどっちを食べる? カニ? エビ? ” と聞くのです。え? え? え?

実はこの島の宿は建物だけで、食料から、鍋釜、コックさんまで連れて行くのです。いつもはボートで行くのでなんでも積んでいくのですが飛行機ではそうは行きません。現地のガイドになるべく買っておいてもらったそうですが、それでも鍋やフライパン、多分食器も、そして私たちのための椅子なども持って行ってくれました。

というわけでこの日の夕食はまるまる1匹の大きなカニ、実に美味しかったです。そのほかに魚や野菜まで、Dellさんは本当に料理上手でした。次の日は昼にロブスター2つ、夜ロブスターが3つ。流石に全部は食べられませんでした。ほかにスープもチキンも美味しそうでした。未だかつてこんなに贅沢したことはなかったです。

もちろん肝心の鳥、ヌンフォアラケットカワセミも色々撮れて充実したNumfor行きでした。

さて、11月4日今度は特にトラブルもなくBiak島に戻りました。翌日11月5日、もう1日Biakでの鳥見ツアーがあります。この日は雨であまり成果はありませんでしたが、午後は市内の公園でEkoさんが頑張ってラケットカワセミを探してくれました。彼はどうしてこの暗くて葉が重なっているなかに鳥がいることが見えるのか本当不思議です。

この日は最後にシロガシラショウビンを見に海辺に連れて行ってくれました。思えば鳥ばかり追いかけていたのでマングローブの林を見るのはこの島では初めてです。林の中に木道があり、そこから見ると高い木の上にさっそくシロガシラショウビンがいました。ウッドデッキの先端まで行くと 夕焼けの海が美しく、向かいの島やBiak島の岸も夕暮れの中に静かに佇んでいました。住んでいる人には違う思いがあるのかもしれませんが、穏やかで美しいところだとしみじみ思いました。

Biak, Numforの旅は彼らのおかげでとても思い出深いものとなりました。彼らは旅人がこうして欲しいと思うことを察して、私たちが快適に過ごせるようきめ細かく気を遣ってくれました。彼らは、なんだか親しいお友達か家族みたいな雰囲気で、とてもくつろげて良い旅ができました。また来たいと思うのは、島の魅力だけではなく、彼らの心温まるもてなしのおかげだと思います。

11月5日、再び今度は丸一日早くなったLion Airの時間変更で、1日早くSorongに向けて旅立ちました。

(7 Days/6 Nites Biak and Numfor Paradise Kingfisher Photography 30 Oct-05 Nov 2024)

Hideto & Midori Sato

Japan

Hi Benny,
I safely returned back home yesterday.
Thank you very much for the memorable trip, lot of wonderful birds and scenery!

See you again next time!

7 Days/6 Nites Waigeo Raja Ampat & Sorong lowland Birds of paradise photography Trip
(16 – 22 NOV 2024)

Ikumi Yoshioka

Hi Benny
We decided to take a relaxing here today and I would like to thank you and Eko for two really good days .

Everything was good organized and I enjoyed your company.Highly recommended. We Saw the best of the endemics but missed few.

That was expected though,after all it’s wild birds.All the best

(Biak Birding and Snorkeling 7 & 8 November 2022)

Thomas and Asa

Swedish

Benny and the whole team at Papua Birding Indonesia were just fantastic. I spent 5 days with them on Biak and everything was organised perfectly : Timely departure in good vehicles to great destinations taking in all of Biak’s endemic birds and throwing in some great snorkeling on Owi island.

Highly recommended!!

(Biak Birding 19-22 June,2022)

Jonathan M

London

Recommendation

We toured Raja Ampat and Sorong and surroundings with Discover Papua Birding from 27 April to 4 May 2023. Mr Benny and Eko have assembled professional teams for each location, and the outcomes are impressive.

Each team includes a local expert birder (or two), plus the localpeople on whose lands the birds live and who know exactly where and when to find each spectacular species of Birds of Paradise.

They might have been disappointed with us, an elderly couple who wanted to see some BoP and who do not even qualify as amateur birdwatchers, but they treated us as professionals. On each trek they brought an entire breakfast or afternoon tea plus stools for us to sit on. (Actually, you should discuss your dietary requirements with them in detail before you head out, or they will carry all kinds of food just in case.)

On Waigeo island we had the most amazing accommodation in a cabin on a reef of coral. We found Wilson’s BoP and a flock of maybe 10 Red BoP which put on a spectacular show for more than half an hour. We were taken to a village (Kampung Klayili) in the hinterland behind Sorong, and there, a bit to our embarrassment, were greeted by the entire village with a traditional welcome dance. Unfortunately, later in the afternoon Maggie developed a fever which did not respond to paracetamol, so in the evening Benny and team drove us back to Sorong to a hospital where she got treatment. We left her in Belagri Hotel with medications and returned to the village in the middle of the night. The villagers provided cooked meals, including breakfasts, which were served on the veranda of “our” hut. The next morning our first attempt at finding the Lesser BoP was unsuccessful, so we returned in the afternoon and were rewarded with a long and diverse display by a spectacular Lesser BoP. The next morning we headed off in a different direction – if Benny says there is a small river to cross, be sure to wear knee-high rubber boots, as the river is actually rather wide. Despite that, we were rewarded with a long display by a Magnificent Rifle Bird.

All in all, looking for Birds of Paradise with Benny, Eko and team is a “once in a lifetime experience” which you will never forget.

Drs. Lee and Maggie Seldon

Melbourne