Lighthouses of Indonesia: Sorong, Western Papua

The Republic of Indonesia has been independent since 1945, after having been the Dutch East Indies for more than 350 years. It is a huge country, stretching along both sides of the Equator for more than 46 degrees of longitude (roughly 5100 km or 3200 miles). Comprised of some 17,000 islands (more than 6000 inhabited islands), it has hundreds of major aids to navigation.

Indonesia is divided into 38 provinces (provinsi) and the provinces are subdivided into county units called regencies (kabupaten). The lighthouses on this page are in Indonesian Papua (western New Guinea). In 1828 the Dutch extended their claim to the western half of New Guinea, the world's second-largest island, but they established no major settlements until nearly 1900. When Indonesia became independent in 1949 Papua was excluded and remained under Dutch control. Following strong Indonesian effrots to claim control an agreement in 1962 provided for a transitional period under United Nations administration. In 1969 an asembly of elder leaders decided to join Indonesia. However an independence movement called the Free Papua Movement (OPM) continues and a varying degree of unrest has persisted to the preent day.

This page describes the lighthouses of Sorong Regency and Sorong City in Southwest Papua Province. Sorong Regency is the westernmost regency of mainland Papua, at the tip of the oddly-shaped Doberai or Bird's Head (Vogelkop) Peninsula. Sorong City is the capital of Southwest Papua Province and a major seaport with a population nearing 300,000.

More than 700 languages are spoken in Indonesia. The official national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), was standardized from a form of Malay that served as a lingua franca across the archipelago. In Indonesian a lighthouse is a mercusuar or a menara suar. Tanjung is a cape, ujung is a headland or point of land, bukit is a hill, sungai is a river, kuala or muara is an estuary or river mouth, pulau is an island, karang is a reef, batu is a rock, laut is a sea, selat is a strait, teluk is a bay, pelabuhan is a harbor, and labuhan is a port. It's also worth knowing that the word for an island is nusa in Balinese and gili in the Sasak language spoken on Lombok and in western Sumbawa.

Aids to navigation in Indonesia are operated and maintained by the Directorate of Marine Navigation within the Directorate General of Sea Transportation

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volumes F and Q of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publications 111 and 112.

General Sources
World of Lighthouses - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Indonesia - Papua
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Volume Q includes light south of the Equatir and Volume F has lights north of the Equator.
Google Maps
Satellite view of Sorong Regency

Jetty Head Light, Sorong, March 2023
Google Maps photo by TAfdzul Saifullah
South Coast (Seram Sea) Lighthouses
Pulau Yefyus (Yef Yus, Jef Joes)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Three 1-story station buildings. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view of the station (a portion is seen at right). Located on a tiny, isolated island in the Seram Sea about 40 km (25 ft) south of the "beak" of the Bird's Head. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-136; Admiralty Q3358; NGA 25944.
Pulau Umpe
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available and the light is not seen in Google's satellite view of the listed location.. Located at or just off the west end of a small island about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of the entrance to the Sele Strait leading to regency capital, Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q3360; NGA 25948.
Tanjung Sele
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 5 s. 13 m (43 ft) green beacon, probably a square green skeletal tower, on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and the light is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located on a reef on the east side of the southern entrance to the Sele Strait. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3387.5; NGA 26017.
Pulau Membok
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a reef on the west side of the southern entrance to the Sele Strait. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3386; NGA 26016.

Pulau Yefyus Light, Seram Sea
Bing satellite view

Southern Sele Strait Lighthouses
The narrow Sele Strait separates the mainland of Papua from Pulau Sulawati to the west. Sorong is a city of about 300,000 people located at the tip of the Doberai (Bird's Head) Peninsula and on the east side of the strait near its northern end; its broad harbor, sheltered by Pulau Sulawati, makes it one of the best ports of West Papua.

 
Kamoomyel Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. This is the rear light for a long southbound range in the Sele Strait. Located in the strait about 50 km (30 mi) south southwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3381.1; NGA 26004.
Pulau Segarau
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a shoal on the east side of the southern Sele Strait. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3380.3.
Pulau Balbili (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 12.5 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower painted white and mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. NGA lists a 5 m (16 ft) tower at this location. Located just off the northeast point of Pulau Balbili, on the west side of Sele Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3379; NGA 25992.
Pulau Majener
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has the satellite view at right. Located on a shoal on the east side of the Sele Strait south of Pulau Yawya. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.77.
Pulau Kabra East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a shoal in the center of the Sele Strait east of Pulau Kabra. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.75.
 

Pulau Majener Light, Sele Strait
Google Maps satellite view
 
Pulau Kabra North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the west side of the Sele Strait northeast of Pulau Kabra. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.73.
Pulau Garma Kecil
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located in the Sele Strait just south of Pulau Yawya and about 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of the Arar Terminal. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.7.
Pulau Selebus
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located about 1.6 km (1 mi) southwest of the Arar Terminal. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.6.
Arar Terminal
2009. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 3 s. 22 m (72 ft) triangular skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located just offshore at a liquid natural gas terminal about 25 km (15 mi) south of Sorong harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q3378.5.
Pelabuhan Arar
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 23 m (75 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square white skeletal tower. Andi Afwan has the 2018 photo at right, a panoramic photo is available, and Google has a satellite view.Located at the Semen Gresik terminal at Arar. Site and tower closed. Admiralty Q3378.52.
Arar Approach South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. Tidja Famy has a photo (lighthouse in foreground) and a second photo (lighthouse on the left) and Google has a satellite view. Located about 600 m (3/8 mi) off the Arar waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.495.

Pelabuhan Arar Light, Sorong, January 2018
Google Maps photo by Andi Afwan
Arar Approach North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. Tidja Famy has a photo (lighthouse in background) and a second photo (lighthouse in the center) and Google has a satellite view. Located about 600 m (3/8 mi) north northwest of the South light. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.49.
Pulau Yarusir (Pulau Pasir)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. Catherine Kudheta has the 2024 photo at right, Muhammad Fathurohim has a 2020 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Between this light and the next one listed ships are guided through a narrow passage by several smaller lights. Located at the south end of a shoal off a small island opposite the Arar Terminal. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.489.
Pulau Sisi West
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on a shoal in the center of the Sele Strait about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.1.
Pulau Yawya
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located off the northeast side of Pulau Yawya, a large island opposite the Arar Terminal, on the east side of the Sele Strait. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.485.
Pulau Arar
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located at the south end of a shoal area about 1.6 km (1 mi) northwest of the Arar Terminal. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3378.45.
Pulau Vandu
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal on the east side of the Sele Strait channel about 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3370.

Pulau Yarusir Light, Sorong, March 2024
Google Maps photo by Catherine Kudheta
Pulau Nanah (?)
Date unknown. Active(?); focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 5 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square red skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and the light is currently missing from Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal on the west side of the Sele Strait channel about 10 km (6 mi) southwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty Q3371.

Sorong Harbor and Northern Sele Strait Lighthouses
* Pulau Doom
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round green tower on a platform supported by piles. A 2023 street view is available and Google has a satellite view. Located beside the pier of Pulau Doom, a small but densely inhabited island across the harbor southwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3374; NGA 25964.
Pulau Dofior (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red flash every 2 s. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted red. is at right, Rochmadi Hendro Cahyono has the view from the sea, seen at right, Richard Monny contributed a 2014 photo, and Google has a satellite view. A tall monument stands behind the lighthouse. This light replaced a much smaller light seen in Ryan Sanjaya's 2008 photo. NGA misspells the name of the islet as Dopior. Located on an islet in the entrance to Sorong harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3366; NGA 25968.
Karang Dua
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 7 m (23 ft) beacon, probably a fiberglass tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal about 800 m (1/2 mi) off the Sorong waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3368.5; NGA 25984.

Pulau Dofior Light, Sorong, April 2015
Google Maps photo by Rochmadi Hendro Cahyono
* Sorong Jetty Head (Pelabuhan Perikanan)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped white concrete tower. Afdzul Saifullah's 2023 photo is at the top of this page, Tri Firmansyah has a 2018 photo, a 2019 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the marina jetty in Sorong. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3366.5.
* Sorong Port Common Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square white skeletal tower standing on a concrete base. Davit Nainggolan posted the 2018 photo at right and Google has a satellite view. Located offshore in a harbor basin east of the Sorong marina. Accessible only by boat but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3368; NGA 25972.
* Sorong Port South Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. NGA lists a 16 ft tower but this must be an error. Located in a residential area 841 m (1/2 mi) northeast of the common front light. Site probably open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3367.9; NGA 25980.
* Sorong Port North Entrance Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. NGA lists a 16 ft tower but this must be an error. Located in a residential area 1.9 km (1.2 mi) east southeast of the common front light. Site probably open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3368.1; NGA 25976.
Pulau Tsiof
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The tower appears taller than its listed height. Located at the western tip of Pulau Tsiof about 6 km (4 mi) west of Sorong harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3372; NGA 25988.

Common Front Light, Sorong Port, February 2018
ex-Google Maps photo by Davit Nainggolan
Pulau Ram West
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) tower, almost certainly a square red skeletal tower, on a platform supported by piles. No photo available and Bing has only a fuzzy satellite view of the reef. This is an important light marking the northern entrance to the Sele Strait and Sorong. Located about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Pulau Buaya (Pulau Ram). Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q3373.4.
Pulau Buaya (Pulau Ram)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 86 m (282 ft); four white flashes every 25 s. 20 m (66 ft) square white skeletal tower. In the 2025 photo at right the giant flag celebrates the 80th anniversary of Indonesian independence. Google has a satellite view. The light guides vessels entering the Sele Strait from the north. Located on the western tip of the island, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Sorong. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q3373.3; NGA 25956.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

 

Pulau Buaya Light, Sorong, August 2025
West Papua News photo by WahanaNews/Frances
 

Adjoining pages: East: Northwestern Papua | South: Southwest Papua | West: Raja Ampat Islands

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Posted December 31, 2008. Checked and revised April 5, 2026. Lighthouses: 32. Site copyright 2026 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.