Indonesia Travel Online

Papua is the largest province of Indonesia, comprising a majority part of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea, but in 2003, the western portion of the province, on the Bird's Head Peninsula, was declared by the Indonesian Government as a separate province named West Papua. The legality of this separation has been disputed as it appears to conflict with the conditions of the Special Autonomy status awarded to Papua in the year 2000. The status of West Irian Jaya province is not yet resolved as of early 2006.

Papua Geography

A central east-west mountain range dominates the geography of New Guinea, over 1600 km in total length. The western section is around 600 km long and 100 km across. The province contains the highest mountains between the Himalayas and the Andes, rising up to 4884 m high, and ensuring a steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4000 m elevation and the tallest peaks contain permanent equatorial glaciers, increasingly melting due to a changing climate. Various other smaller mountain ranges occur both north and west of the central ranges. Except in high elevations, most areas possess a warm humid climate throughout the year, with some seasonal variation associated with the northeast monsoon season.

The third major habitat feature are the vast southern and northern lowlands. Stretching for hundreds of kilometers, these include lowland rainforests, extensive wetlands, savanna grasslands, and some of the largest expanses of mangrove forest in the world. The southern lowlands are the site of Lorentz National Park, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Mamberamo river, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of Papua" is the province's largest river which winds through the northern part of the province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The famous Baliem Valley, home of the Dani people is a tableland 1600 m above sea level in the midst of the central mountain range; Puncak Jaya, sometimes known by its former Dutch name Carstensz Pyramid, is a mist covered limestone mountain peak 4884 m above sea level.

Papua Hotel

• Swiss Belhotel Manokwari : Swiss Belhotel Manokwari, the first international hotel in Manokwari, West Papua, is located in the city centre and only eight minutes drive from Rendani airport. The hotel is conveniently located above a department store, supermarket and entertainment venues and with easy access to the central business district and tourist attractions.
• Swiss Belhotel Papua : Swiss-Belhotel Papua, with 96 rooms, is the first four-star international hotel in Jayapura, the capital city of Papua. The hotel facilities includes Business Centre, 4 (four) Ideally located in the centre of the city's thriving business and commercial districts, commanding dazzling views of cityscape and Jotefa Bay