Thai tourists Hiking in Manokwari

WALKING TOUR IN MINAHASA HIGHLAND

The highland of Minahasa is a beautiful destination for tourists who love nature. Tourists can enjoy walking through the villages, hills and valleys of farmlands as well as mountains that are covered by rainforest. 

District town of Sonder, its forest and farmland

Flying Routes

Visitors need to fly from their countries to Manado city. After that they can continue their trip by car to Tomohon town and District Sonder. 

Flight to Manado city

Land route from Manado city to District town of Sonder - the destination of walking tour

Sonder is a small district town that is formed by some small villages. Most of the villagers work as farmers. Visitors can explore these villages, and their agricultural lands. Farmers grow rice, corn, sweet potatoes, banana, taro, cassava that are the staple food of people in eastern region of Indonesia. They also plant cabbage, mustard green, carrot, tomatoes, chilli, spring onion, papaya, rambutan and a lot of other crops which they sell to cities and towns around North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. 

Some birds in Minahasa

Birds (Barred Rail, Purple Heron, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Cattle Egret) and terraces of paddy fields in Minahasa highland

In addition to seeing villages and farmland, visitors who do the walking tour can also enjoy birdwatching and butterflywatching. Ecologically, District town of Sonder is surrounded by mountains, and hills that are covered by green vegetation. It also has got paddy fields and agricultural land. This is a great place to enjoy birdwatching. 

Visitors can bring binoculars and camera during their birding walk. They can watch a lot of birds such as Sooty-headed Bulbul, Collared Kingfisher, Pale Blue Monarch, Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Crimson Sunbird, Sahul Sunbird, Black-fronted White-eye, Warbling White-eye, White-breasted Woodswallow, and a lot more. 

The Clipper, Lime Swallowtail, Gigon Swallowtail, Sacred Tabby, Great Eggfly Butterflies

For butterflies, they can see Lime Swallowtail, Common Birdwing, Gigon Swallowtail, The Clipper, Blanchard's Ghost, Blandchard's Wood, Manado Yellow Tiger butterflies. In Minahasa highland, flowers grow well. They attract butterflies. 

Hiking, sightseeing, and birdwatching in Minahasa highland of Indonesia

The paths for walking tours are paved with asphalt or concrete. So, the walking tour will be an easy one and suitable for anyone of all ages. 

If you are interested in taking a hiking tour in Minahasa highland and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town in Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Minahasa
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and butterflywatching in Sonder

Thai Tourist Hiking in Manokwari

Most of the tourists who visit Manokwari come from Europe, the United States and Australia. They usually go hiking in Arfak mountains and the northern coast of Manokwari. This month, I received some guests from Asia. From 4 to 6 August, I accompanied 4 Thai tourists. I guided them on a 3-day land tour hiking along Asai river, Arfak mountains and Mansinam island. We watch Blyth's hornbill, bowerbird and birdwing butterflies. Birdwatching is an interesting activity. Visitors need to bring telephoto camera or a pair of binoculars to watch birds that usually perch on the branches of tall trees. The best times to watch birds are in the morning and in the afternoon. Don't forget to apply insect repellent lotion all over your body to protect you from insect bites.

After the land tour, they would continue their trip with a Komodo liveboard for diving in Cendrawasih bay. Komodo liveboard also operates in Raja Ampat. Tourists from ASEAN countries do not need VISA to enter Indonesia. ASEAN stands for the Association of South East Asian Nations. It was established in Bangkok Thailand in 1967.
I also guided 5 American tourists between 7-10 June 2012 on a 4-day/3-night trekking and camping tour in Arfak mountains. Then they continued their tour by Komodo liveboard on a diving trip in Cendrawasih bay.
While hiking in Arfak mountains we saw several species of birdwing butterflies such as the Ornithoptera rothschildi, Ornithoptera goliath, and Ornithoptera priamus. They made plenty of photographs about the butterflies. 

If you are interested in taking a wildlife tour in Sausapor, Klabili, Sorong city as well as Raja Ampat islands, Minahasa highland in North Sulawesi, you could contact by whatsapp at the above number.