Manusela National Park The rugged Manusela National Park on Seram vies with Halmahera as Maluku’s premier birding destination on accaount of its many endemic species and unspoilt wilderness. Expedition-style trekking is required to enter the park, and going is tough.
Key species
Moluccan Red Lories
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Southern Cassowary, Blue-eared, Purple-naped and Moluccan Red Lories, Salmon-crested Cockatoo, Lazuli Kingfisher, Pale Cicadabird, Moluccan Thrush, Streak-breasted Fantail, Bicoloured Honeyeater, Seram Friarbird, Long-crested Myna, Black-naped Oriole.
Getting there
Enter the National Park either from Mosso on the south coast or Wahai on the north coast. The trail from Mosso is unbelieveably steep so it is best to start at Wahai.
For Wahai, there are a number of bus companies that leave from Ambon to Saka, on Seram’s north coast. One is Anugrah, which leaves at 6.00 am from Jl Mesjid Jaya Al Fatah by the Al Fatah Mosque. Buy your tickets the day before from the offices in this street. Other buses leave from the Batuh Merah end of Mardeka bus terminal. The journey takes 8 hrs, and costs IDR 100,000 including ferry. Public speedboats for the 2-hour journey along the coast from saka to Wahai meet the buses; they arrive in Wahai between 5 and 6 pm (IDR 40,000).
If you wish to go to Mosso, the best way is to cross to Amahai on Seram from the small port of Telehu in northeast Ambon, then either charter a speedboat ($50, 8-10 people, 2 hrs) or catch the public ferry, lae-lae: departures at 8.00 am and 1.00 pm ($7.2 hrs) Amahai to Mosso involves first a 4-hr bus ride to district town of Tehoru (IDR 30,000), then either a 20-min chartered speedboat ride to Mosso ($25) or a 1-hr pok-pok (unsafe and wet motorized prau) journey.
Accommodation
In Mosso stay with the kepala desa (village head) in Wahai,, at Losmen Sinar Indah, $7, or $9 with meals. It is also possible to stay at the National Park Centre, but take your own food.
General information
The National Park Centre at Sasa Ratu is about 10 km from Wahai on the road to Pasahari. There are regular buses from Wahai to Pasahari (IDR 20,000-25,000). There is good roadside birding along the roa to Pasahari, which passes through forest for 10 km. walk, or charter a bemo for IDR 40,000/hr.
Ask the park staff to guide you along the trail to the nipa and mangrove swamps, a walk to the nipa and mangrove swamps, a walk of 2 km north of the HQ; the guide will cost $5. at the harbour in Wahai, speed boats can be hired to take you along the coast to the same mangroves; $30-40 for half a day.
To go trekking in Manusela, report to Pak Edi at the National Park or (better) at his home in Wahai with your permits, which you must get in Ambon City before departing, to arrange your trek. Also report in at the police station in Wahai. You need to take cooking equipment, food and, depending on your route, caming gear; this can be bought in Wahai, Strong, worn-in walking boots are essential. Make sure also that you take a compass and rain gear. Expect to pay $7-10 per day for your guide, $5 per day per porter plus their food and cigarettes.
For routes see map. Approximate walking times between villages or over-night camps, not counting birding stops are:
Wahai to Wasa; 6-7 hrs, gentle up-hill walk, stay in village.
Wasa to Roho; 5-6 hrs, uphill walk, stay in village.
Roho to Wasa Mata; 3 hrs, steady uphill, stay in shelter.
Wasa Mata to Kanieh; 4-5 hrs, over ridge, stay in village. (Roho to Kanikeh can be done in a day-it depends on how much time you want to spend birding).
Kanikeh to Selumena; 7 hrs. initial 1.5-hr climb out of Kanikeh valley then a flat walk to Selumena, largely following river. Stay in village.
Selumena to Manusela; 3-4 hrs, undulating and muddy with river crossings, stay in village.
Manusela to Hatumete (south coast); a hell walk which can be done in 8 hrs, but more likely 12. leave Manusela at first light and make the 1,200 m ascent to the summit as quickly as possible (3-3.5 hrs). the almost 2,000 m descent is 5-6 hrs solid walking. Be warned: the trail is dangerous-steep and slippery-in places. Stay in Sinar Hari, a small cluster of houses with spectacular views 2 hrs before Hatumete or Mosso.
Kobipoto to Solalama; 7 hrs, downhill, forest camp.
Solalama to Sola; 7 hrs, flattish but swampy, stay in village.
Sola to Wahai; a full day’s walk on a track.
If you plan to climb towards Mt Binaya from Kanikeh, you should make a small offering before you go. The adapt (customary) law of the area embraced the sudden arrival of hundreds of western Operation Raleigh ventures with the interpretation that they were returning to the homes of the ancestors and your guides will be fearful if you ascend the mountain without first making an offering to your own ancestors.
taken from Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore
