Mientje Torey: Messages

As a capital city of Papua Barat, Manokwari is a pleasant base from which to explore world-class diving in Dore Bay (Teluk Doreri) and Cenderawasih Bay Marine Reserve. Dore Bay rests many Japanese war ships and planes from the World War II. One of the wreck dive site near Hotel Mangga rests a huge Japanese cargo ship (Shinwa Maru, 120m long) with good shape on the depth of 35 meters! Cenderawasih Bay, meaning the Bay of “Bird of Paradise” (a symbol of Papua), is the largest marine reserve in Indonesia. It features world-class diving sites with 130 species of coral, and is also home to endangered species of giant clams, turtles and dugongs. Diving condition in Manokwari and Cenderawasih is great with very good visibility of 15-45 meters. The coral and fish are abundant and diverse. You have good opportunities to encounter giant wrasse, humphead parrot fish, big schools of barracudas / jacks / trevallies, octopus, sharks, hawksbill turtles, dolphins, giant clams, etc.

Amazing experience with diving 30m deep and seeing huge Japanese cargo ship: Shinwa Maru (120m) in Manokwari waters, just near my hotel: Hotel Mangga!

Manokwari has many wreck sites of Japanese war ships and planes from the World War II, including Cross Wreck & Shinwa Maru, best dive-season March-November. There are flights available everyday from Jakarta to Manokwari (take over 4 hours, transfer at Makassar). The available airlines are Batavia (www.batavia-air.co.id), Lionair (www.lionair.co.id), Expressair (www.Expressair.biz), Merpati (www.merpati.co.id) & Sriwijaya Air (www.sriwijayaair.co.id). Another option is from Manado to Manokwari. Manado has international regular flight (Silk Air, www.silkair.com) from Singapore, and has domestic flights by Sriwijaya or Expressair to Manokwari (take less than 4 hours, transfer at Sorong), but the domestic flights are not available everyday.

The Cross Wreck (S00˚53.428', E134˚05.420') I know is near Pulau Mansinum (Missionaries Island) in Manokwari, West Papua. P. Mansinam is a picturesque little island with a small village, a pleasant beach, and ruins of an old church, a memorial of two German missionaries, Ottow and Geissler who settled on Mansinam on 5 February 1855. There is a large concrete cross standing on the island, marking the landing spot of the first two Christian missionaries. Just outside the cross rests a wreck Japanese warship (about 15m long) on the sand bottom.

Location of Shinwa Maru: S00˚52.667', E134˚04.029'