Situated in the western part of Papua, Palau Yapen is located in Cenderawasih Bay and is separated from the popular Biak Islands by the Yapen Strait to the north.
Although less well known than the neighboring islands of Biak and Numfon, Yapen is no less beautiful and is the first choice for those who love bird watching and spending time in the great outdoors. There are plenty of places to camp here, and waking in the middle of the forest is a refreshing experience.
Unknown to the majority of visitors to this area, the snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities in the waters around Palau Yapen are among the best in the country, made even better by the fact that not many other visitors take to the water here. However, there are still plenty of companies willing to hire out equipment and take visitors on boat trips.
The main town on Palau Yapen is Serui. Here visitors will find a good range of accommodation options as well as decent restaurants serving tasty treats. Serui’s market is a good place for those who plan to spend time trekking and bird watching to stock up with vegetables and other provisions for the journey.
Getting There & Away
In order to get to Pulau Yapen, simply fly into the large airport at Biak and take a boat from the nearby port (50 minutes). The main international airport in the area is at Port Moresby, and from here there are regular connections to Palau Yapen (60 minutes). Port Moresby has links to Jakarta’s international airport, the main gateway to the country.