https://www.indonesia.go.id/ragam/pariwisata/pariwisata/fakta-tentang-papua-sebagai-pulau-terdingin-di-indonesia
Mulia City is one of the regions in Papua Province which is located at an altitude of 2,448 meters above sea level. It is so high that the city of Mulia is even considered the coldest city in Indonesia.
Perhaps almost all Indonesian people want to visit Papua, an area at the easternmost tip of Indonesia which is loved for its culture, customs and natural riches contained in the land of Cendrawasih. Meanwhile, for travel enthusiasts, they have a great desire to visit Papua because they want to see firsthand its natural beauty ecosystem. For example, visiting Raja Ampat, a hidden paradise that is world famous. Raja Ampat is even included as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Not only is its natural wealth, culture, customs and tourist attractions a feast for the eyes. More than that, the hospitality of the Papuan people themselves is highly valued. The Papuan people highly value brotherhood and respect differences. So if we visit Papua, don’t be surprised if the friendly people welcome anyone who visits their area.
Because of the friendliness and high sense of brotherhood of the Papuan people, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, made several working visits while greeting the people. During President Jokowi’s working visit to Papua, greetings and friendly smiles were seen radiating from children to the elderly. The Papuan people showed their pride as citizens when their region was attended directly by the number one person in this country.
That is Papua, a country that is blessed with friendly human resources, as well as an abundance of rich natural resources. Therefore, talking about the Papuan islands is endless. Interesting. Beautiful and proud of your beloved country. Indonesia.
Papua is the coldest island in Indonesia
Behind all the uniqueness of Papua, it turns out there are other special advantages that we rarely encounter in other regions in Indonesia. Yes, Papua is known as the coldest area in Indonesia.
Maybe some of us think that the coldest region in Indonesia is Dieng, or the peak of Bogor, maybe even several areas in East Java such as the city of Malang and its surroundings. However, it turns out that the coldest area in Indonesia is the city of Mulia which is located in Papua Province.
As an archipelagic country, Indonesia is located on the equator, which is astronomically between 6 North Latitude – 11 South Latitude, and 95 East Longitude – 141 East Longitude. Therefore, some areas in Indonesia have quite high levels of rainfall, but other areas experience low rainfall. Apart from that, Indonesia is also located between 2 continents, namely the Australian continent and the Asian continent, which cross the wind direction every six months. That is why Indonesia has alternating rainy and dry seasons.
So if we talk about the islands in Indonesia, especially Kota Mulia, the Papua Islands are geographically located at an altitude of 2,448 meters above sea level. Mulia City is the only inhabited area whose height is surrounded by the Jaya Wijaya or Puncak Jaya mountains. Of course the Puncak Jaya mountains are no stranger, especially to climbers. Because the Jaya Wijaya mountains are the first highest peak in Indonesia with a height of 4,884 meters above sea level. So, if we lived in Mulia City which is surrounded by the Jaya Wijaya mountains, can you imagine how cold it would be? We can feel cold in the city of Mulia during the day with temperatures reaching 15 degrees Celsius, especially at night up to 9 degrees Celsius.
It’s not just the high temperature that makes Mulia the coldest city in Indonesia. Another fact proves that rainfall also occurs almost every year. Therefore, when visiting the city of Mulia, we rarely find houses made of cement. What’s unique is that most of the people there still use traditional Papuan houses, namely Hanoi. The reason for using Hanoi is apart from preserving local wisdom, Hanoi Houses are also made without windows so that cold air cannot easily enter, especially at night. Meanwhile, buildings that use cement are only seen in offices such as village offices, health centers, schools and other social service buildings.
Five Highest Mountains in Papua
Indonesia is one of the Asian countries that has many mountains, both active and not. The average height of mountains in Indonesia ranges from 2000 meters above sea level to above 4000 meters above sea level. This is what causes some mountains in Indonesia to frequently erupt. Indonesia is also crossed by two volcanic mountain ranges, including the Mediterranean circumference and the Pacific circumference. Then, Indonesia is located at the meeting point of three earth plates, namely the Eurasian, Pacific and Indo-Australian plates.
What about the highest mountain in Indonesia? For climbers, to conquer the highest mountains in Indonesia of course the main goal is Papua. Because of the 10 mountains in Indonesia, the 5 mountains in the Papua Islands are the highest, respectively, with a height of 4000 meters above sea level (masl).
First, Puncak Jaya or another name for Cartensz Pyramid which is located in Mimika Regency. Puncak Jaya is the highest mountain in Indonesia with a height of 4,884 meters above sea level. Puncak Jaya is also included as a World Heritage Site area by UNESCO because it is included in the list of the 7 highest mountain peaks from the seven continents in the world.
The second highest mountain is Puncak Mandala in Bintang Mountains Regency with a height of 4,760 meters above sea level, then Trikora Peak 4,750 meters above sea level in Tagineri, Jaya Wijaya Regency, Valentiyn Peak in Yahukimo Regency with an altitude of 4,453 meters above sea level, and Hens Mountain 4,061 in the Beoga area, Puncak Regency.
There are so many towering mountains that are the answer to why Papua is called the coldest area in Indonesia. Even without a rainy season, some of these mountains have quite a lot of snow. As citizens, we should be grateful for the wealth of natural ecosystems that have made Indonesia proud abroad. (K-IK)
