For foreigners traveling to Indonesia, there’s likely just one reason you’d be landing in Sorong;
Raja Ampat!
Raja Ampat has been a diving destination I’ve been wanting to visit since first learning of it and is known as one of the best diving spots on Earth. The closest city is Sorong, which is located in West Papua. Although there’s likely tons of things to do in West Papua for the avid adventurer, Sorong itself is usually just a landing point for people joining a live-aboard or a resort on one of the nearby islands.
However, if you’re like us and you want your short stay to be relaxing, check out the Belagri Hotel and Convention Sorong. Our dive guide recommended the hotel via email and although it’s not the cheapest hotel in the city (rates start around $50 USD), it’s certainly a new and beautiful hotel to spend a night or two at.
We mainly wanted cleanliness, comfort, hot showers, an on-site restaurant and a nice flat-screen TV. We just wanted to lie around and rest before spending a week on a boat and since there’s not a lot to do in Sorong, we were hoping to watch some movies.
The Belagri fit the bill perfectly.
Our rooms were tastefully designed and comfortable. We had a big flatscreen TV with a couple of English movie channels, which provided some entertainment during the evenings. We had fast free WiFi, which was great for planning the rest of our trip. We had a nice hot shower, which felt great after a full day of travel. And last but not least, there was a rooftop restaurant, which not only had a very delicious Mie Goreng but also the best view in all of Sorong. Plus, the staff were so friendly and helpful.
There aren’t a lot choices in Sorong but if you’re looking to kick back and relax before or after an amazing dive trip, check out the the Belagri Hotel and Convention Sorong.
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A big thank you to the Belagri for hosting us for one night. We paid for an additional two nights.