Manokwari

The town of Manokwari is located right on the top of the Bird’s Head Peninsula in Papua. Once a stronghold for the Japanese army against the Allied Forces during World War II, it was finally won over by the Allied Forces in 1944. Old Japanese strongholds can still be found in the forests around the city. Manokwari stretches around Doreri Bay, and is attractively set among low hills dominated by the Arfak mountains to the south. The place from where Christianity spread in Papua, by two German missionaries C.W.Ottow and G.G. Geissler. The remains of these pioneer missionaries now lie at the Koawi Church under a monument just outside of town on the way towards Pasir Putih. Further down at Pasir Putih beach, there is a shallow coral bank where one can go snorkeling and see a variety of underwater life.