Merauke

Merauke is a city in Papua and is the capital city of South Papua. Merauke has become a gateway to Wasur National Park.

Understand

Musamus or ant nest is Merauke's natural masterpiece of mound-building termites Macrotermes sp

Merauke is the capital of South Papua province. It is the most eastern city of Indonesia. There is also a 0 kilometres monument.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Mopah Airport (MKQ ^IATA). There are multiple daily flights from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Batik Air. Some flights make a stopover in Jayapura or Makassar.  

By land

The land border crossing between Papua and Papua New Guinea open to foreigners is in the Sota border post, connecting Merauke and Wereave, PNG. There is no public transport across, so car or motorbike hire for some of the distance is required. Advance visas are required.

Get around

By ride-hailing app

There is an online ride-hailing app, Gojek. You may choose to go by motorcycle or car.

By rented vehicles

Using a rented car or motorcycle is the best way to go to tourists or public places and it is more affordable.

See

• 1 0 km monument (Tugu 0 KM Merauke - Sabang), Sota. The most eastern point of Indonesia monument. (updated Sep 2022)

• 2 Wasur National Park (Taman Nasional Wasur). The largest wetland in South Papua province of Indonesia and has been one of the least disturbed by human activity. About 70% of the total area of the park consists of savanna (see Trans-Fly savanna and grasslands), while the remaining vegetation is swamp forest, monsoon forest, coastal forest, bamboo forest, grassy plains, and large stretches of sago swamp forest. Common fauna species include the agile wallaby, pesquet's parrot, southern cassowary, blue-crowned pigeon, greater bird-of-paradise, king bird-of-paradise, red bird-of-paradise, New Guinea crocodile, and saltwater crocodile. (updated Sep 2022)
• 3 Lake Rawa Biru, Sota. Entry: Rp5,000. (updated Sep 2022)
• 4 Lampu Satu Beach (Pantai Lampu Satu). (updated Sep 2022)
• 5 Libra Monument (Monumen Lingkaran Brawijaya, Tugu Libra). City icon. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 Onggaya Beach (Pantai Onggaya), Nasem. (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Payum Beach (Pantai Payum), Samkai. (updated Sep 2022)
• 8 Taman Satwa Yamai Ato, Jl. Marind, Maro. Watching Australasian fauna. (updated Sep 2022)
• 9 Time capsule monument (Monumen Kapsul Waktu), Alun-alun, Kelapa lima. 8AM-10PM. (updated Sep 2022)

Do

Rufous-bellied kookaburra, one of the endemic birds of New Guinea, in Wasur National Park

Birdwatching by camping on Wasur National Park. The park provides habitat for a large variety of up to 358 bird species of which some 80 species are endemic to the island of New Guinea including the endemic birds-of-paradise, kookaburra, cassowary, cockatoo, crowned pigeon, and so on.

Buy

Food souvenirs

Buy abon rusa, a deer floss and dendeng rusa, a deer dendeng (thinly sliced dried meat).

• 1 Tifa Rusa, Jl. Ahmad Yani No.10A, Mandala, ☏ +62 811 481 5378. 12:00-22:00. Buy food made from deer meat. (updated Sep 2022)

Also teh sarang semut is a herbal tea made from musamus or ant house. Musamus is a nest of an animal similar to the termite Macrotermes sp. The "tea" is made by Marori Manggey tribe in Wasur, Merauke.

• 2 Teh Celup Sarang Semut, Wasur, Merauke, ☏ +62 812 942 50475. 8AM-4PM. Teh sarang semut, a herbal tea. (updated Sep 2022)

Eat

Venison is a common food ingredient in Merauke.

• 1 Sate Rusa Sederhana, Jl. Raya Mandala No.67, Mandala. A delicacy of Merauke, sate rusa (deer satay). (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Warung Bakso Noari Mas Eko, Jl. Noari, Karang Indah. Serves bakso rusa (deer meatball) soup. (updated Sep 2022)

Drink

Coffee shops

• 1 Bampel Kopi, Jl. Raya Mandala, Bambu Pemali. 6AM-9PM. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 MrB Coffee Merauke, Jl. Ternate, Seringgu Jaya, ☏ +62 813 200 01113. (updated Sep 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Careinn Hotel Merauke (Coreinn), Jl. Kampung Timur No. 234 Seringgu Jaya, Karang Indah, ☏ +62 811 481 9234. Hotel with a swimming pool. Free Wi-Fi, free parking, and free breakfast. From Rp387,696. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Swiss-Belhotel Merauke, Jl. Raya Mandala No.53, Bambu Pemali, ☏ +62 971 326333. The warmly decorated rooms provide free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, safes, and minibars, as well as tea and coffeemakers. Suites add living areas. Room service is available 24/7, and in-room spa treatments are offered. Breakfast and parking are complimentary. There's also an airy restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and a casual lobby bar. Other amenities include a TV lounge, an outdoor pool, and a fitness room. An airport shuttle is available for a fee. From Rp689,180. (updated Sep 2022)

Connect

The telephone area code of Merauke is 0971.

Go next

North

• Boven Digoel
• Mappi

Northwest

• Asmat
• Timika