Mios Kon Island or Kelelawar Island (that what local resident name it) is one of unique tourist destination in Raja Ampat. The island got the name kelelawar because there are thousands of bats nesting in this island. Besides the bats, the island also becomes the habitation of birds. Even though the local know it as Kelelawar Island, but for the diver, they more familiar to Mios Kon Raja Ampat.
Mios Kon Island is a beautiful island in Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat Regency itself has 610 islands, included the biggest island, i.e. Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool Island with 35 inhabitants island. And only 400 islands have been explored. The rest are the virgin islands which are still hiding their beauty to the public.
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| Picture Travel.kompas |
In Mios Kon Island, you can find diving and snorkeling spots with the diversity of marine life, healthy coral, and colorful fishes. Although the location of Mios Kon Island is remote and isolated but the island keep the natural beauty, especially the underwater life. Even, the marine life at Raja Ampat known as one of ten best diving spots in the world.
Mios Kon Island transportation
To reach Mios Kon Raja Ampat, Sorong City at the West Papua becomes the main gate because currently the direct flight Mios Kon Island transportation is not available, yet, as the new airport has been developing.
You can keep checking the flight air plane that serve route Jakarta – Sorong, i.e. Garuda Indonesia, Express Air, and Wing Air to Eduard Sorong Airport. During promotion season, the ticket can be IDR3,000k round-trip, but when the vacation season comes, the ticket from Jakarta – Sorong can be IDR5,000k – IDR6,000k round trip.
As you arrive at Eduard Sorong Airport, you need to walk out of the airport to find public transportation with yellow color to Sorong Port. If you doubt, you can ask the people around you to direct you to go to the port. The rate is from IDR3k – IDR5k. After you arrive at Sorong Port, you can take fast ferry to Waisai City Raja Ampat (IDR150k) per person, or speedboat by paying IDR120k per person. Each transportation takes around 2 hours. Usually, the fast ferry depart at 12.00 and 13.00. If you want to go to Mios Kon Island, you can take speedboat from Sorong or Waisai which is take around 2 hours.
What makes Mios Kon Island transportation expensive is because the cost to rent the speedboat and the fuel is expensive. That is why you are suggested to go there by group, not solo, because you can share the budget for speedboat, or even for spend the night at the hotel in Waisai.
Exploring Mios Kon Island
Mios Kon Raja Ampat is surrounded by diversity of coral reefs, clean, white and find sand. The marine life around the island is healthy. What makes Mios Kon Island special and attractive is because when you see if from the height, the shape of the island forms ‘heart symbol’. That is why Mios Kon Island has a new name, not only Kelelawar Island but also Love Island Raja Ampat. So there is no doubt when people love to visit and come back again to Raja Ampat Papua.
Exploring Mios Kon Island will give you chance to do many things. Not only such diving or snorkeling, but by exploring the island, you will have chance to experience how the bats and the birds could live there. A week is not enough to explore snorkeling and diving spots in Raja Ampat. You have to give extra time if you want to peep the island. Thus, you can search homestay, hotel or resort in Raja Ampat, Waisai, and Arborek Island. For practical adventure, you can join travel agent in Raja Ampat by choosing the suitable package tour for you.
