Sawinggrai Village , Raja Ampat

Sawinggrai village is located in the Meos Mansar district, Raja Ampat, West Papua province. It is among the most recognized village besides Arborek in the same district. This village has 36 families and it is prominent for the Cenderawasih, the Bird of Paradise, the icon of Papua raised in this village. The Red Bird of Paradise is the special icon of the village of Sawinggrai.

There are four species of Cenderawasih reared in this village, namely the Red Bird of Paradise, the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise, the Lesser Bird of Paradise, and the Greater Bird of Paradise. Some of the birds are able to perform movements that resemble a unique dance.

Getting There

Sawinggrai Village is located in the Meos Mansar district, Raja Ampat. To reach this location, it is easier to start your journey from Sorong.

There are several flights you can take from Jakarta or Makassar to Sorong; e.g., Merpati Air, Express Air, and Lion Air (See how to get to Sorong for info on flights).  For sea transportation, ships transiting in Port Sorong are the Dorolonda, Labobar, Gunung Dempo, Sinabung, and the Tatamailau.

From Sorong, take a motorboat from the Sorong Fishery Port to Waisai, capital city of the Raja Ampat district. From Waisai, you can continue your journey by longboat to Sawinggrai.

To reach the Cenderawasih observation site, you must climb up Manjai Hill behind the village for about 30 minutes. While to reach the cultured fish-feeding site, you need to walk only about 100 meters to the pier.

To Do

In this village, we can see dancing Cenderawasih in the mornings and afternoons.  These birds of paradise usually perform in the morning (06.30-07.30 local time), and in the afternoon (16.30-18.00). It is important to arrive on time to see these birds dancing. Tourists usually arrive at the location 30 minutes before the ‘dancing show’.

In addition, feeding the fish is also an interesting activity. Fish at this pier are very friendly. They will swim to get their food from our hand.

To Stay

The nearest temporary shelters here are The Kri Eco Resort and The Sorido Bay Resort managed by Papua Diving. In Yenbuba, there is also one owned by Dedy Mayor. If you are interested in living in an eco resort, try to visit Misool Eco Resort, where cottages are almost totally built from salvaged wood. Here you will find colorful fish and reef in shallow water, just right across your eco-friendly cottage.
Misool Eco Resort can be accessed online at www.misoolecoresort.com
Kri Eco Resort and Sorido Bay Resort can be accessed online at www.papua-diving.com

To Eat

No restaurants and food stalls are available here, but you can find shops selling food supplies in Waisai or Sorong. If you wish to find more variety of food other than seafood on the menu, it is best to go to Sorong.

If you wish to see the birds dancing (usually in the morning or afternoon), avoid coming between December and February because the birds lay eggs during this period.

To Buy

There's also no shop selling souvenirs here.