Lucky ISLANDS
If you wish to see the true primitive world, it is Papua. New Guinea, the second-large island in the world, divided in two parts one of which belongs to Indonesia (district has different names: Irian Dzhaja, Western Irian or the Western New Guinea), the second is the state of Papua-new Guinea. In a valley of the local river Vashivi lives the tribes which for the first time have seen white people in the fifties of the last century. On those territories still practises cannibalism, men carrying koteks, and women walking topless. In Indonesia works special anti-cannibalistic police squad, but no success.
Baliem valley
Baliem is a beautiful district and one of the most interesting places on the Earth where the rests of ancient Papuan culture were saved. A question «where to live?» is simple: near the airport there is a number of quite good hotels. A double room with all conveniences in hotel «May Bjudy» plus a breakfast will manage in 240 000 Indonesian rupees (about $24). Nearby there is a small accurate restaurant with the kitchen adapted to the European. The menu is quite simple, dishes is nourish, an average dinner costs $5-7.
The most difficult thing is to find the adequate guide who will guide you to the wild tribes. Guides watch directly near the airport: the white tourist is a big luck. Papuans can define cost of their services in $10-15, and next day “add” one more zero.
What to do?
The most interesting village in the city of Vameny neighborhood is small Kurula. The purpose of the tourist is to agree for journey to village and to see “show program” which includes dances, fights, making a fire without matches and ritual sacrifice of the pig brought by you. The price of the organisation of a ceremonial holiday will cost you from $50 to $200 and depends on how you will agree with the guide and how much Papuans will take part in this show. For $200 for us danced more than 70 natives and it was impressive. The pig whom sacrifice during dancings, bought by you in the market for $150-170: pork here the most expensive product.
In neighborhood of Vameny there are 3 mummies: one in Kurule, the second on road there from a city, the third one in a day of travel from a city. Papuan`s Mummify of fellow tribesmen in very simple and original way: a body covered with spices and smoked about two weeks above charcoal. However not looking on damp climate, these «smoked grandfathers», each of which has more or less than 350 years, they are well-kept. To look at all mummies isn’t necessary, having seen one you will make the whole picture about the others. Cost of “visit” is 100 000 rupees ($10).
If you are the fan of traveling across Crimea, so tracking on Vamene wont disappoint you. The route is calculated for 3-4 days with visiting of neighboring villages where it is possible to see the true life of Papuans. You can chose to stay in small houses in villages , low round tents covered with straw, no difference with houses of natives. On recommended to have with you rugs and sleeping bags because Papuan service are really wild. The cost of travel with transport, food, housing and services of the guide will be not more than $300-400 from group of 3-4 persons.
It is desirable to visit the central market. This is authentic place where all the cream of Papuans establishment gather. There are also naked men in koteks, and Papuans in crowns made from feathers of paradise birds. You can buy fruit, a pig for ceremony and souvenirs. Here the spirit of Papua is as anywhere. Souvenirs in this area are really original and cheap. For example, already mentioned kotek ($1-2) is a unique subject of clothe of many men-Papuans. It is put on a causal place and in the length characterises position in a society. If koteks is bent, the Papuan or yet has not opened for itself a charm of a sexual life, or has already closed. Other interesting bagatelles is the dried heads kazuars, ritual hammers for fingers cut, a cap and a crown from feathers of paradise birds, a necklace from canines of a wild boar, a figurine, fighting boards, wooden ware.
Biak
Not far from New Guinea there is a great variety of coral islands in Pacific ocean, Biak is a Papua zone too, and there lives the real Papuans, «with awful faces,but kind inside». The island received its popularity during the Second World War when the Japanese military base was there, actually from this base has been attacked the Pearl Harbour. Here and there the remains of the American tanks still rust on sandy beaches of island. Then in days of Dutch colonisation were fights for independence. Now this place is a real paradise, especially for the people from cities of the West who has been stirred up by stresses, smog, aggressive marketing and other nonsenses. There are no such things on Biak. The island is occupied mainly by fishermen: whole people’s life depends on ocean. The tourists who came to Indonesia, usually stops on Bali, but on Biak they reach seldom. And it is good, because in paradise there should not be many people.
To find the place to stay is simple: you can take a cab in the airport for 60 000 rupees ($6) and ask the taxi driver to find a hotel. In half an hour you will see 5-6 variants from which you will choose something for sure. We recommend you to choose small and cosy hotel Padaido that is near to the small restaurant with the same name. There only 5 double rooms, everyone with an excellent view on a gulf with a fishing small village. Full service, the air conditioner, breakfast, fresh cocoes at will. A room rate is 240 000 rupees ($24). Near Padaido there is a station of catching of lobsters. Here you can buy alive lobster for $12-15. In 5 minutes way by foot from hotel there is excellent fish-market where you can buy a barracuda, marlin and even tortoise meat.
Places of interest
Biak is an original point of advertising of chocolate “Baunti”. Here you will prepare the expedition to landing on the uninhabited coral islands lying to the east. However beaches of Biak are good too. The island can be researched completely for 3-4 days. There are places where you will get alone, and there are places where it is better ask the guidefor a help. For independent studying is better to take a taxi for all day. It will cost you about $30, and including the fuel cost. The first point you can reach by taxi is a park of birds. The place, to tell the truth, is really boring, but you can go there to see a huge kazuar. An entrance price is $1. Then you can go to the beach of Bosnik and to bathe in the ocean. The rent cost of an arbour on a four is $2. Also the taxi driver can bring you to small fishing villages are very picturesque place where lovely and kind people lives who are ready to treat you absolutely free with tea or coconut milk. For the further studying of island it is better to take advantage of services of guides. They can take you for all day deep into islands to Vardo waterfalls. This voyage for certain will be pleasant to those who in the childhood read adventure novels about jungle. The guide should find transport to the river Vardo, after that agree with local fishermen about hiring of boats for 3-4 hours. There are no roads, there are no settlements - the true virgin jungle. It will cost: the guide - 150 000 rupees ($15), transport - 500 000 rupees ($50), a boat with the oarsman for one person - 60 000 rupees ($6). Consider that expensive photo- and video equipment is necessary to hold in water protective covers as the fragile fishing boat can turn over.
Desert islands
For successful travel to desert islands you will need a boat, water and provisions. If you wish to save and to do everything alone, you will get in trouble: Papuans who doesn’t know any language expect their own, simply will not understand what you want from them, and will not come for you on island. But is you’ll pay to the guide ($120 for a boat for 2 days plus $30 to him), you will have equipped boat and anything else, including an igloo(box) with ice where you’ll put fresh fish. For travel we have bought in the market an one-and-a-half-metre barracuda for $15 and a bundle of seafood for $10. Fresh fruit: mango, pineapples, water-melons - on group of 5 persons will manage in $7-10. Water, bread you can buy in one of two supermarkets of small town. They will sell you alcohol only if you will sign a paper that you won’t sell it to Papuans.
In hotel you should borrow a pair of blankets and pillows, rent masks and foot fins, the underwater world at coral islands won’t live you disappointed. Two small islands-twins were the most nice on our opinion: small Rubas and big Rubas. We have decided to land on “younger one”. This is the place of which we were dreaming a lot: turquoise water, white sand, huge trees in which shade we made ours robinson camps. While we delightfully ran on the sand, our guide has already made a fire and roasted fish in palm tree leaves. His son cut fresh-cut cocoes. And at last we have understood that it wasn’t meaningless to fly over 12 000 km by plane, our dream to live on on the true uninhabited island in Pacific ocean finally came true.
The road
Travel begins in embassy of Indonesia in Kiev (Nagornaja, 276,206 5446). The monthly visa issued in 3 days and cost $45. The only one possible way to get To Indonesia from Kiev through Singapore or Bangkok. We have bought the tickets on Internet Kiev-Istanbul-Singapore and back for $300 cheaper, than it is offer in Kiev agencies ($750 on site of Turkish Airlines, www.thy.com). We recommend to pay attention on airline Jet Star (www.jetstarasia.com) which transports travellers for $120-150 three times a day by mentioned route.
In capital of the largest Muslim country of the world you should buy tickets in the city of Dzhajapura on flights in one of local airlines-Merpati or Garuda Indonesia. From Djakarta to Dzhajapury almost 5000 km. Airport Sentani in Dzhajapure is not a final point of travel, here it is necessary to obtain the permit to stay in a zone of compact residing of tribes and to buy the ticket to the city of Vamena. Permissions gives a police station, one of them is far from the airport. It is necessary to have with you two photos, a copy of the passport with the Indonesian visa and 10 000 rupees ($1 is equal to 9375IDR). Who does not wont to be engaged in all this personally, at airport Dzhajapury specially trained people offer their help. We have taken advantage of services of the local resident by name of Usman (daviusma@yahoo.com, tel: +6285244706008). For the sending organisation in Vamenu, purchase of tickets ($65 from the person) and reception of permissions we have paid him less than $15 from group. To get on island Biak which is located to the northwest from Papua, it is necessary to buy in Dzhajapure tickets in the same local airlines (cost- $70).
The food on Koh Samui is delicious and cheap, all the Thais we met were very friendly and eager to help. We stayed at Bann Thai Resort and Spa- a completely different place to the hectic tourist trap in Chaweng.
Thank you. This is one of knowledge.
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