Trekking in Manusela National Park

Manusela National Park is a tourist attraction located on Seram island in Maluku Province of Indonesia. The national park was established in 1997, to protect an area of 1,890 km², representing 11% of the land area of Seram island. In this park there is Mount Binaiya, with altitude 3.027 meters. It is the highest of the park's six mountains.

Moluccan Cockatoo also known
as Salmon-crested Cockatoo

In the local language Manusela means "bird of freedom". The park is habitats for many species of birds. There are approximately 117 species of birds in this park, 14 of them endemic, such as Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Moluccan Cockatoo), Eclectus Parrot, Sacred Kingfisher, Lazuli Kingfisher, Grey-necked Friarbird, Black-chinned Monarch, Purple-naped Lory, Bicoloured White-eye and Moluccan King Parrot.

Manusela National Park is also habitats for cuscus (Phalanger orientalis orientalis), Timor deer (Cervus timorensis moluccensis), water-hagedis dragon (Hydrosaurus amboinensis), wild pig (Sus celebensis), marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), giant skink (Tiliqua gigas gigas), dugong (Dugong dugon), green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and various species of butterfly.

The park is made up of coastal forest, swamp forest, lowland and montane rainforest ecosystem types. Plants that grow in this park such as Alstonia scholaris, Avicennia, Dryobalanops and Pandanus species, Bruguiera sexangula, Terminalia catappa, Shorea selanica, Rhizophora acuminata, Pometia pinnata, Melaleuca leucadendra and various species of orchid.

The best time to visit the park is on May to October. The number one reason to go to Manusela National Park is for trekking. Another attraction of tourists to do in this park that is exploring the forest, mountain climbing, observing animals and plants. Cultural attractions outside the park, such as the Masohi Festival in November, kora-kora (rowing) races in April, and Darwin-Ambon International Yacht race in July, in Ambon.

How to get to the Manusela National Park?

Manusela National Park can be reached either from the north coast (Sawai and Wahai), or the south coast (Tehoru and Moso). First, visitors have to go to Ambon. Ambon holds the nearest big airport for accessing the region. Numerous regular flight available from Jakarta or other city in Indonesia. From Ambon to Masohi by ferry (daily) take about 8 hours, continued to Saka by car for about 2 hours, then to Wahai using speed boat about 2 hours. Alternatively, from Ambon to Wahai by ship takes about 24 hours (3 times a week). There are a flight from Ambon to Wahai once a week. Other route from Masohi to Tehoru by motor boat takes about 9 hours, then to Moso and Saunulu village.