Sauwandarek Village

Sauwandarek Village - Perfect Ecotourism for Traveling and Relaxing in West Papua

Many people know the beauty of the coral reefs Raja Ampat from West Papua. No one doubts the natural wealth of this region. As a result, many tourists visit this province for vacation and relaxation. Behind it all, there are still few who know that there is also an exciting village for a vacation destination, namely Sauwandarek Village. Here is the further info!

West Papua Story

Sauwandarek Village Attraction

Sauwandarek Village is Located in Meos Mansar, Raja Ampat, with a hidden location. This village offers underwater charm as one of the exotics of Raja Ampat. You can find various types of marine life, such as mantis shrimp, blue ring octopus, mini seahorses, mandarin fish, snapper, and yellowtail, in the waters around the village.

Not infrequently, some divers meet various other marine creatures. There are schools of excellent tuna and barracuda while diving. Therefore, when you arrive at Sauwandarek beach, you should try doing different water activities such as snorkeling and diving. You can choose the best activities to enjoy a memorable vacation time.

You can go diving because Sauwandarek Village is in the Dampier Strait. It is the best location with several dive points in Raja Ampat, West Papua. Meanwhile, the traditional atmosphere of this village feels very calm. One of the uniqueness of this village is the architecture of the houses, which are still made of wood and straw. 

On the other hand, women in this village also carry out several creative economic activities by making crafts. Some crafts that you can buy are hats and bags from sea pandan leaves. Their works are sold at affordable prices, depending on the size of the goods. One more thing, near Sauwandarek Village, a lake has a centerpiece for the visitor.

The local people call this lake as Yenauwyau. The characteristic of this lake is that it has salty water because there is a cave that connects Yenauwyau Lake with the sea. People also believe that there is a white turtle near the lake that inhabits the bay. If people happen to meet the turtle, they think they will get good luck.

In addition to the myths circulating, there is also an excellent natural panorama in this lake. There is one pier that you can choose to unwind after walking from the village to the place. You can also find a diversity of fauna in West Papua, such as the Maleo Waigeo Bird, an endemic bird in the Sauwandarek area.

Sauwandarek Tourism Village

As is well known, Sauwandarek Tourism Village is located in the western part of Waisai, the capital city of Raja Ampat district. This village is part of the Meos Mansar sub-district, situated in the Bird’s Head area of ​​Papua. This village has a small population. Houses in tourist villages have 46 families or about 179 residents who have their own traditional home.

This village produces hats and bags made of sea pandan leaves as an ecotourism economic activity. This village is famous for its natural beauty, which is so amazing. For this reason, residents are trying to protect the environment and natural habitats adequately. This also influences the sustainability of tourism development in Papua.

How to Get There

If you want to spend time on vacation in a quiet village, there are many ways you can do it. To get to the Sauwandarek Tourism Village in West Papua, you must use air and land transportation. It is easier for you to fly to Sorong first before heading to your destination. In other words, this is the gateway to the Raja Ampat area.

Sauwandarek Tourism Village can be reached by plane first. Then, you can use other vehicles from Sorong to the capital city of Raja Ampat Regency, Waisai. From there, you can then take a boat to Sauwandarek, which takes approximately 7-8 hours. The journey takes a long time to get to a tourist destination.

In addition, you can choose several flights that can take you to Sorong. If you are willing to take sea transportation, transit ships at the Port of Sorong (Dorolonda, Gunung Dempo, Sinabung, Labobar, and Tatamailau). From Sorong, you can take another motorboat to the Sorong Fishery Harbor to Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat district. From Waisai, take a chartered longboat to Sauwandarek.

Furthermore, there are two alternative boats from Sorong to Waisai. First, you can use a speed boat for about two hours of travel. However, the second trip uses a local government ship for four hours. After that, you can use a longboat from Waisai, West Papua, to Sauwandarek with a distance of about four hours.

All in all, ecotourism in Sauwandarek village has extraordinary charm. You can enjoy your vacation time in a relaxed manner. You can see the beauty of this village from the residents’ houses. Then, there are beaches in the vicinity that are still natural and awake. In addition, there is a lot of diversity of flora and fauna that you can see around the village.