Tourism Minister lauds Tour de Cenderawasih Bay

"This event is very good to promote the scenic charms of Cenderawasih Bay National Park. It is like Wonderful Indonesia greeting the world," Minister Yahya said here on Friday.

The sports tourism event is being organized by the West Papua Police and the provinces tourism office.

The cycling tour covers a 272-km-long exotic route stretching from Manokwari to Bintuni.

Some 167 participants in the tour will be enjoying the natural scenery of Nusrowi, Yoop, and Mioswaar islets, whose waters are among excellent diving spots, Yosef Matutina, head of the West Papua tourism office, said.

Sightings of whales and dolphins are common in the waters.

A pre-historic cave containing the skeletons of Wandau ethnic people is found on Mioswaar Island.

"Tour de Cenderawasih Bay is not a race, but just a tour. The participants could cycle while enjoying the natural panorama," he said.

Chairman of the organizing committee Senior Commissioner I Nyoman Suastra said the 167 participants are from Jakarta, Bandung, Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Manado, Makassar, Surabaya, Bukittinggi, Jayapura, Sorong, and Manokwari.

They will be trudging through the routes of Manokwari-Ransiki, Ransiki-Memei and Memi-Bintuni.