Although largely overlooked by tourists and travelers, the pretty island of Numfor is a pretty place to relax for a few days and enjoy the slow pace of life.
Tourists who want to spend time soaking up the sun on the beach and practicing water sports tend to bypass Palau Numfor in favor of nearby Palau Biak, where there are a number of white sand beaches to stretch out on. However, Palau Numfor is very pretty in its own way and a great place to explore.
The island is thick with dense sago palm forest, and this is a great place for trekking, while other visitors choose to take a boat trip along the island’s network of streams and rivers to explore the mangrove forest. Both types of forest are full of local wildlife and are popular places with wildlife photographers. Among the animals that can be spotted are crocodiles, snakes, turtles, cockatoos and monitor lizards.
Accommodation on Palau Numfor tends to be on the basic side. There are plenty of places to camp out in the wilderness, while those who prefer to have a few creature comforts can opt for home stay accommodation or a small guest house.
Getting There & Away
Access to Palau Numfor is from Biak, which has its own airport with regular connections to the international airport at Port Moresby (1 hour). There are regular passenger ships to Pulau Numfor from the nearby ports of Surabaya and Makassar (1 hour).