Manokwari is located at the western end of New Guinea, is the capital of the West Papua Province and the administrative seat of Manokwari Regency. Despite its status and significance, it is a non-autonomous city. Therefore, its affairs are pretty much dictated by the regency. Being founded since 1793 as a settlement under British control, Manokwari was later abandoned before being taken by Japan and even Dutch forces. With a total of 136,302 residents in the capital and 286,079 residents in the metro area, the economy of Manokwari is mostly driven by tourism, with the many resorts being operated here. In addition to that, Manokwari is also a major port and financial centre that is critical to Western Papua and Eastern Indonesia.

Airports in Manokwari

Rendani Airport

Rendani Airport is the airport that is meant to serve the town of Manokwari and its nearby areas, being the largest and busiest airport in the region of West Papua. It is a public airport owned by the Government of Indonesia and operated by the Ministry of Transport. Residing at an elevation of 4.6 meters above sea level, the airport has an asphalt runway that is 2,000 meters long. The airport is also equipped with a terminal, cargo building and larger apron, most of them having finished construction since 2013. Among the serviced airlines include Batik Air, Express Air, Nam Air, Sriwijaya Air, Susi Air and Wings Air for destinations to and from Ambon, Anggi, Babo, Biak, Bintuni, Fakfak, Jakarta, Makassar and Sorong among others. Tourists that are interested in coming to Manokwari may have to go to major cities, be it either Jakarta or Makassar first before opting to take a local flight to Manokwari. The cost of the connecting flights is expected to be around 2,641 ringgit to 3,261 ringgit.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Manokwari?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travellers to find the cheapest flights to Manokwari and the nearby areas within the Bird’s Head Peninsula.All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Manokwari.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Manokwari?

The off-peak season to visit Manokwari, as well as the nearby regions, is usually around April which is the most humid month in Manokwari with the highest precipitation. As such, one can expect travel costs to be much lesser if you are travelling around this month. The peak time to visit Manokwari is usually around mid-August when the weather is terrific and is not too hot to go out. However, there are still chances of rain to happen. Expect prices to rise around this time. If you plan your trip well, you can undoubtedly save your money because the price for hotels and flights during these peak seasons will cost you a lot of money.

Manokwari, just like other regions around Indonesia and neighbouring countries, has a tropical rainforest climate which dry season is shorter, and rainfall usually is heavy throughout the year. In a way, the dry season does not exist here. The annual precipitation is about 2,515 millimetres with the wettest being April with the average rainfall of 304 millimetres. The average maximum temperature in Manokwari would typically reach around 29 and 31 degree Celsius while the average minimum would go to 21 and 23 degree Celsius. This minimal temperature variation is usually normal and is expected to go in that manner throughout the year. The hottest month is usually November with an average temperature of 30.5 degree Celsius, while the coolest month is in August with an average temperature of 21.6 degree Celsius.

When in Manokwari, one can look forward to participating in festivals, just like the locals would. To begin with, the demography here consists of people who practice Christianity. As such, it is natural to see Christmas being observed here, as well as other major events of Christianity such as the Easter Day and Good Friday in addition to the national holidays such as the Independence Day, Pancasila Day and Labor Day.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Manokwari?

Mansinam Island - Located 6 kilometres away from Manokwari Town, Mansinam Island is part of the West Papua and is considered one of the enchanting islands nearby with clear waters and equally decent beaches. It is most famous for religious tourism especially for devout Christians, as this is where early German missionaries landed back in 1855 to initiate the spread of Christianity over Papua.

Meja Mountain - Located really close to the town centre, the Meja Mountain is named after the table in the local language, which makes sense when you look at it from a distance – it does look like a table! The mountainous area itself is still lush and full of greenery, therefore is undoubtedly worth exploring when you are in town.

Bakaro Beach - Located just 30 minutes away from the town centre by driving, Bakaro Beach is one of the nice beaches near the town, with a multitude of resorts lining up that allows you to stay for the night and enjoying the sea breeze. Undeniably its landscape is beautiful, to begin with, given its white beaches and crystal clear blue seawater.