As one of the most important cities in West Papua, as well as being a gateway to the stunning beaches and islands of Raja Ampat, Sorong is place that many pass through, but relatively few stop to visit.
And this is for many reasons, not least of which being the racial tensions and its reputation for being a bit rough and ready! So, is it worth visiting Sorong? Well yes and no.
This is the Sorong travel guide.
What the Sorong?
Sorong is the main urban centre on the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua, with a population of roughly 200,000. It has grown from a small trading post into a port and commercial hub. The city has a tense mix of indigenous Melanesians and Indonesian settlers, and racial tensions occasionally flare.
Sorong has seen action during Indonesian protests, reflecting the ongoing friction between the local Papuans and central authorities. It is functional, gritty and busy, offering a glimpse into real life in West Papua rather than a polished tourist experience. Sorong is not huge but it is significant, both strategically and culturally.
What to do in Sorong?
Sorong is a relatively bustling town for work, study, business and commerce, as well as being an important port. This is for all intents not a tourist city, save for those transiting to Raja Ampat. In fact if you read any review on Sorong and it will just list things not in Sorong and on the islands.
That pretty much leaves the Berlin Wall and brothels as things to do in Sorong….
Dining in Sorong
If you come to Sorong looking for fine dining you will be disappointed, but if you are realistic you will do OK. Being next to the sea you can generally get decent seafood, with me personally enjoying some great curry crab and other seafood delights at Arbonex Seafood.
The hotel also did OK (with what they had), with the street food at Tambok Berlin, as well as some street Mi Goreng filling the rest of my time.
5 Best Restaurants in Sorong
1. Arbonex Seafood – Jl. Sam Ratulangi No.45, Sorong – Curry crab and fresh seafood
2. Tambok Berlin – Jl. Tambok, Sorong – Street-style seafood and chicken
3. Rumah Makan Raja – Jl. Yos Sudarso No.12, Sorong – Traditional Indonesian and Papuan dishes
4. Warung Mina – Jl. Diponegoro, Sorong – Fried fish and Indonesian classics
5. Dapur Papua – Jl. Ahmad Yani, Sorong – Casual eatery with local favourites
Street Food Sorong
The street food Sorong scene was actually fairly decent, particularly compared to Ambon, with stalls and “traditional” Indonesian street eat venues littered across the city. And while I am not a huge fan of Indonesian street food, there are certainly enough options to keep you going.
The real start attraction street food wise though is Tambok Berlin – AkA “The Berlin Wall”. Why is it called this? Well it is not because it protects the proletariat from the capitalist pigs, but rather because it looks a bit like the Berlin Wall.
I will give this place its own article, but one street is packed with street food stalls selling great seafood, and of course chicken, while other side has street food style restaurants. One of these was selling both bat and dog, but alas I got there too late to try either.
Nightlife of Sorong
OK, so when it comes to the Sorong nightlife this place is most famous for its semi-legal and controversial red light district known as Malanu. Here hundreds of women sell their wares to locals and those transiting for a pittance. We merely got to see it as we passed through in a taxi and well, it looked pretty damned grim to be honest.
And then theres Tambok Berlin, which despite its reputation for vice seemed pretty normal to me, although I was there on a Sunday to be fair!
5 Best Bars in Sorong
Note only rooftop and Zig Zag were confirmed by me, while the rest come recommended.
- Rooftop Bar, M Hotel – Jl. Yos Sudarso No.77 – Soju and cocktails with a view. The main bar in town. Great views, decent drinks.
- Zig Zag Bar & Sport Lounge – Jl. Arfak, Kp. Baru – Sports on TV, cheap drinks, locals hang out.
- The Partner – Jl. Sam Ratulangi – Cocktails and music, busy at night.
- Princess Karaoke & Lounge – Jl. Trikora, Rufei – Karaoke with drinks, lively crowd. Probably has freelancers.
- Pandora Bar – Jl. Misool – Simple drinks, relaxed atmosphere.
Sleeping in Sorong Guide
Hotel wise there is everything from deep dark and dingy to kinda high end. I personally went for M Hotel as it seemed to have the best location. It also had a rooftop bar which served Soju! These are a few of my favorite things…
- Swiss-Belhotel Sorong – Jl. Baru No.12 – 900,000 IDR ($63) per night
- Horison Ultima Sorong – Jl. Jendral Sudirman No.9 – 850,000 IDR ($59) per night
- M Hotel – Jl. Yos Sudarso No.77 – 500,000 IDR ($35) per night
- Papua Indah Hotel – Jl. Sam Ratulangi No.22 – 450,000 IDR ($32) per night
- Hotel Surya – Jl. Diponegoro No.10 – 400,000 IDR ($28) per night
Getting Away from Sorong
Sorong is a transit and gateway point rather then destination in itself, the good news though is that it leads to some super cool places.
From Sorong you can take ferries to the islands of Raja Ampat or domestic flights to Manokwari, Jayapura, and other cities in Indonesia. Sorong Airport makes onward travel relatively straightforward.
Conclusion
While Sorong is not going to win any culinary or beauty awards one of the cool things about the place is that it just is what it is. And while there is little to keep you here more than a couple of days, it is worth a stop as you head to slightly more fun locales.
And if you are more than a slight interested in the troubles faced by the indigenous Melanesians of West Papua then visiting Sorong is a must.
Click to check out my West Papua Tours with Young Pioneers Tours.