Located about 65 km off the coast of the West Papua mainland, Waigeo Island is the largest of the four main islands in Raja Ampat. This stunning island is home to a wide range of amazing attractions. The rich local culture, clear blue skies, amazing natural sights, stunning dive sites, are some of its attractions that can ensnare you completely. With a huge number of things to do on the stunning area, let’s take a look at the best things to do in Waigeo.
Admire the Kabui Cape
Kabui Cape is located in the south of Waigeo. It is a unique combination of relaxing yet fantastic experiences you can have on the stunning island. The highlight feature of this cape is Pencil Island. The Pencil island is actually hard stones and coral reefs that look like a pencil and surrounded by a soothing blue sea. Due to its unique shape, many travelers come to the island and capture a lot of beautiful pictures of it.
Explore local village in Waigeo Island
Take your time to visit Urbinasopen village. This local village is located in the eastern part of the Waigeo east. The village has a population of over 300 people, with most working as fishermen or in the fields. Urbinasopen village presents you with interesting natural phenomena which can be seen only every year-end. The local people call this rare phenomenon as Sea Ghost, where light comes out from the blue ocean and wanders around on the water surface for about 10-20 minutes then disappears. But, the local people believe that the light was the spirit of their ancestors. To reach the village, you can use a wooden boat by the sea-route.
Watch the Suling Tambur performance
One of the best things to do on Waigeo island is watching traditional music performances presented by the Biak tribe. Suling Tambur aims to celebrate local’s birthdays and nuptials. The amazing performance is usually held in an open-air grass field near the sea. The local people also wear traditional costumes, which makes the performances more spectacular.
Diving in Waigeo Island
One of the most popular attractions in Waigeo is deep-sea diving as this is a spot with an amazing amount of marine life. Its pristine clear water with healthy and colorful coral reefs becomes the perfect home for thousands of species of biological diversity. In Waigeo, there are tons of fantastic dive sites. Such as Bird’s wall, The Jetty, Manta Sandy, The Passage, and Mios Kon.
Read more :
Papua Diving Tips for Beginners
Visit Sauwandarek Village
Sauwandarek village located in the west of Waisasi, Raja Ampat. Most travelers come to the village to buy numerous options of local souvenirs, made by women villagers. The local village particularly women produce bags and hats made of sea pandan leaf. Many travelers even call it the best spot to buy souvenirs when spending a holiday in Raja Ampat.