The Rivers and Lakes of Papua

Virtually all tourists who come to West Papua travel to the Baliem Valley in the highlands. Wamena, the main town, draws tourists who are interested in trekking and in the culture of the local Dani tribes. But there are many other interesting places such as exploring the rivers and lakes of Papua.

There are a number of large rivers with great tourism potential. Among them the Digul River which winds through the interior regions of Merauke, Jayawijaya, Jayapura and Paniai. There are some other smaller rivers which link the coastal areas with the interior regions.

There are also a fair number of large lakes, among them Lake Sentani in Jayapura Regency, Lakes Paniai, Tigi and Waghete in Painiai Regency, Lake Ayamaru in Sorong Regency and Lake Anggi in Manokwari Regency together with various other smaller lakes, the largest of which sit in the interior of Irian Jaya. These lakes offer great potential in terms of the building up of fisheries for improving community nutrition role in the development of tourism.

Papua is one of those places in the archipelago where, if you like adventure, it has a lot to offer including rafting, hiking and jungle exploration. Be advised though, utilise the services of local guides to ensure not only your safety, but your health.