It don’t matter where ya are in the world, upgrades take time y’all. And money. And a truck load o’ red tape. Even longer when y’all from a third world country…
I’m so excited y’all! The Indonesian government is makin’ epic efforts to update the infrastructure of West Papua, so that us touristy folks can’t get to where we wanna go without havin’ to rent a four-wheel drive. Who doesns’t love easier access to sightseein’ spots, right? Even better when it’s just over 2,700 miles worth of updated roads. This feat of road improvement is called the Trans Papua Highway.
Yeah, there be many establishments that are against the development, with some even goin’ as far as callin’ it the Highway of Blood. Progress always comes at a cost, many of the history books prove this. I believe that concerns about deforestation and the like are not misguided, but I also know that West Papuans will not allow their culture, livelihoods ‘n’ indigenous wildlife to go unprotected. With the right attitude ‘n’ people to do the job, conservation can also become a key focus for the Indonesian authorities. After all, the Bird of Paradise is one of the biggest attractions in West Papua.
I be havin’ great respect for the government of a poor country puttin’ in a lotta fundin’ to not only improve the life of the locals, like improving the health care system. All these positive developments will bring more tourists into the country. More money in, means even better things to come in the future. So now y’all can be eatin’ in Sorong ‘n’ makin’ your way to a memorable liveaboard excursion in Raja Ampat in less time. Sounds like a win-win to me!
Author: JS
Travel Vlogger, Journalist,
