Traveling to North East Coast of Waigeo Island

A Beach in North-east Coast of Waigeo island

There was a village in north eastern region of Waigeo island. I visited it 3 weeks ago. I accompanied Wally and Coby in our efforts to help local people build sanitation facilities at a black sand beach. There was a turtle conservation project at the beach. The villagers had built a small wooden house as their shelter while doing monitoring works on turtles that were landing and laying eggs. Unfortunately, the house did not have toilet and clean water facilities to support tourists who want to see turtles landing and laying eggs at the beach.

This turtle conservation project would only be sustainable if it takes up ecotourism scheme as a way to generate alternative income for villagers. The coordinator of the project wanted to make the house also as a simple guesthouse for tourists. To support this initiative, Wally and Coby from SDSP Foundation raised fund for the construction of the toilet and clean water facilities as well as mattrasses for the house so that it could function as a simple guesthouse for tourists. The materials had been bought and the construction of well and clean water facilities would start soon.
Watching Turtles
One night at around 23.00 local time, villagers reported that an Olive Ridley  Sea Turtle had just landed at the beach. I immediately picked up my camera and ran to the village. It was a nice experience. I was able to take some pictures of the sea animal while she was laying eggs behind a house of the villagers.

Amboyna Cuckoo Dove

Birding
The rainforest behind the beach and along the black sand beach was a nice place for bird and wildlife watching. I visited the forest once and did some birding. There, I saw Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-faced Myna, Black-capped Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Papuan Black Myzomela, Shining Flycatcher, Palm Cockatoo, Beach Stone-curlew, Radjah Shelduck, Bridled Tern, Striated Heron, Wimbrel, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Torresian Crow.

Beach Stone-curlew

I brought my birding device, i.e.: a pair of binoculars Visionking 10×42 mm, Canon 200D with telephoto lens Tamron 150-600 mm G2.
Sightseeing
Before leaving the village for Waisai town again, we were taken by the villagers into the forest. We used boats to travel deeper into the forest of Waigeo through a big river. I was able to see more birds there. With the villagers, we enjoyed swimming and lunch at that time.
The next morning we returned to Waisai town again by a small boat.
Want to take the same tour?
If you are interested in visiting Raja Ampat islands to enjoy sightseeing, watching turtles and go hiking in the forest to watch birds, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.