Midday Sun on the Island of Doom, Southwest Papua, Indonesia

Man and boy in a pedicab of soft drink, Doom, Southwest Papua, Indonesia.

A Pedicab in Mainstreet
It is not yet noon, but the tropical sun beats down on the tidy packed-dirt street running through the little settlement of Doom. Becaks – or pedicabs – are one of the primary modes of transportation – for goods and people – on this car-free island in Southwest Papua, Indonesia.

Don’t panic!

Doom Island, also spelled Dum, and pronounced /dɒm/, actually means “island with many fruit trees” in the language of the Malamooi, the local indigenous people. This small island sits a half a degree south of the equator, just about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from mainland Sorong, the largest city and capital of Southwest Papua, Indonesia.

We were not doomed, merely plagued – plagued by mechanical, bureaucratic, and communication problems that I have alluded to before (see: Pulau Manim and Pulau Wayag). We were meant to be in the pristine waters around Raja Ampat, but instead were anchored in the industrial port of Sorong, the logistics hub for Indonesia’s thriving eastern oil and gas frontier.

Still, lemonade from lemons …

The just-over 100 passengers on our small ship, the Australian-registered Coral Geographer, were serviced by a wonderful tour crew. The crew organised island visits for us, making use of the vessel’s tenders while the mother-ship was hobbled.

So, not long before high-noon one equatorial day, we set off like mad dogs and Englishmen to a nearby island.

I’m not the only one who has noted the unwelcoming appearance of the docks on Doom (see: The Contented Traveller: Doom Island), while also admiring the tidy town and the friendly locals. This tiny island – just 5 square kilometers, or 500 hectares – has a rich and varied history. It was once a part of the Sultanate of Tidore – a major regional power known for its spice trade – and first appeared in Dutch records in 1863. It was colonised shortly thereafter and became a Dutch administrative post in the early 1900s. Many of the cultural, religious, and architectural influences of that era linger.

During the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied and fortified the island, and parts of the network of tunnels and bunkers they built survive to this day – in spite of sustained bombardment by American and Australian aircraft during the war.

Today, the densely populated town differs from nearby Sorong in that it is mostly inhabited by people who originate in other regions: they are predominantly of Javanese, Butonese, Buginese, or Torajan descent.

Three local guides met us and set off on tours of the island’s historical high-points. I was more interested in getting away from the gaggle of fellow passengers who were being led around in the unremitting heat, and wandered away from them to explore by myself. The island is tiny – just 5 square kilometres, or 500 hectares – so there was little chance of getting lost.

Still, I turned on my walking tracker – just in case!

Houses on the shoreline of Pulau Doom, Southwest Papua, Indonesia.

Houses on the Shore
The shore is lined with ramshackle wooden and corrugated iron houses, and the jungle rises close behind.

Environmental portrait: two young boys on the front step of a house, Doom, Southwest Papua, Indonesia.

Two Local Lads
Once we had been greeted to the island, I broke away from the group and set off into the streets. These young lads are a perfect illustration of the different ethnic groups that have made Doom home.

YPK Bethel Doom Junior High School
Depending on the source, there are between 9,500 and 16,000 inhabitants on the island. Either way, the local high school is tidy, and a reasonable size.

Rangoon Creeper or Chinese Honeysuckle – Combretum Indicum
The vegetation in the tropics is often sprawling and random – and always colourful.

A Colourful Pedicab
Strangely enough, becaks are exclusive to Doom – you don’t find them in nearby Sorong.

“Motor Becak”
The becak drivers are kept busy – mostly with local business, although some of the ship’s passengers make use of them.

Local Police Station

Young Girl
The locals are as curious about me as I am about them – and very willing to be photographed.

Saleslady
Some of the houses along the main street have tables of produce for sale outside.

Father and Daughter

Another Veggie Stand
Another stand with onions, garlic, and other assorted vegetables, fruit, and spice, is laid out in the shade of a porch.

Woman in Red
The saleslady is happy to stop and smile as I pass.

Local Children
Everyone wants their picture made – with the hand gestures and funny faces so common across the region.

Young Child
I loved this solemn little face!

Young Men
Even the local lads are happy to give me a smile – just a tilt of my head and a lift of the camera, and they strike a pose.

Local Residents
Everywhere I go, locals gather for my cameras.

Young Women

A Quiet Street
The streets are clean and empty under the almost-noon sky.

Jesus on a Wall
This is a predominantly Christian community.

Mosque Dome
Even so, there are a couple of mosques on the island.

Corrugated Walls
Pathways run between some of the buildings, and I get occasional views of the ocean.

Denny in the Becak Rank
Back at the wharf, I find a seat and some shade – and have a lovely conversation with the clever and enterprising young man who is managing the drivers.