Sorong is a sprawling city on the far northwest tip of West Papua in eastern Indonesia. It’s not a touristy town and is not worth a trip in itself, but is a gateway to the region and surrounded by delectable scenery.
Sorong is an oil town and is pretty much nondescript. Lying on Papua’s so-called Bird’s Head, Sorong itself is home to hundreds of thousands of people and is split into numerous villages. It has a good spread of hotels and a decent enough nightlife but is not worth more than a night or two.
The Japanese monument commemorating those who died in WWII is worth a look although the real appeal is outside town. There are loads of decent beaches in the area and the Raja Ampat Islands are not far offshore. They are extremely rich in coral reefs and marine life and thus popular with scuba divers.
Getting There & Away
Sorong-Jefman Airport is the gateway to Sorong, receiving daily flights from Makassar in South Sulawesi and Jayapura (east Papua). Flight time from Makassar is about 2 hours. From Makassar you can connect with Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ferries also come in from Manado and Ambon.
Things to Do
Sorong Attractions
- Raja Ampat Islands
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Many foreigners visiting sorong are here for the scuba diving and these islands have some of the most colorful reefs of anywhere.
Side trips from Sorong
- Cenderawasih Bay
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This large bay is east of sorong on the top of ‘bird’s head’ and contains the beautiful cenderawasih bay marine national park.
Events
- Sorong Friendship Festival
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Popular with religious types - both christians and muslims - the yearly sorong festival sees massive crowds for miracles and blessings.