Irian Jaya

• Biak Island

Biak, Irian Jaya's gateway and the capital of Biak Numfor regency, is a town built on rocky soil. It has a large Indonesian naval base, with an infrastructure that is better than in most other places in the province. Japanese caves are found near Ambroben.

There are some good beaches on Biak Island, the most popular of which are Bosnik on the east coast, good for swimming and skin-diving: Papare to the west of Biak and Korem on the north coast, where one can watch young men dive for pearls. Supiori Island, just north of Biak, has a recreation forest and villages where visitors are welcome.

Isnobabi Island has beautiful beaches. Its sea gardens and beaches scored a high 35 when evaluated by experts for internationally accepted standards in rating coral reefs. Padaido and Rani islands, near Biak, received a rating of 34.

Biak has sea links with Jayapura and an international airport.

• Baliem Valley

The Baliem Valley, lying in the central part of Irian Jaya, in the Jayawijaya regency, is very well known. The natural beauty is enhanced by the people's faithful adherence to their ancestral customs and traditions. The valley can be reached by plane from Wamena, or on foot, which takes about five hours.

Waisaput is a traditional village in this valley, where one can observe the marriage customs of the Dani tribe and the mummification of corpses.

Other interesting places to visit are the villages of Moai, Pikhe, Akima, Sinakma and Honelama, and the Salt Lake.

• Jayapura

Jayapura, in the northern coastal region, is the capital of Irian Jaya and is a convenient point of departure for trips around the province. It is a neat and pleasant city. From a hill called Skyline, behind the city, one gets a beautiful view of Jayapura, Yotefa and Humboldt bays and the Lake Sentani area.

General Douglas McArthur's World War II quarters still stand here. The Museum Jayapura is located inside the Cenderawasih University campus. Tanjung Ria Beach, known as Base-G by the Allies during World War II, is a popular holiday resort with facilities for accommodation and water sports.

Jayapura is easy to reach from anywhere in Indonesia, either by air or by sea.

• Lake Sentani

This is a very beautiful lake, 36 km from Jayapura. Asei Island and other small islands lie in the middle of the lake. Among them is a native settlement where one can observe local traditions as they are practiced by the people. Several villages along the lake can be visited by canoe.