If you plan to travel Raja Ampat in West Papua then there is a decent chance you might find yourself in Sorong. The bad news is that there is not all that much to do here. The good news is that there is a place called Tambok Berlin, or the Berlin Wall, to go eat and hang out.
But before you get excited and assume there is some cold war nostalgia in Indonesia, it is in fact just called this because of its look, rather than commieness.
Background to Sorong
Sorong is a port city on the western tip of New Guinea and is primarily used as a transit hub for travellers heading to Raja Ampat or Jayapura. It grew during the Dutch colonial period as a trading post and port, and later expanded under Indonesian administration.
The city has a mix of ethnic groups, including Papuans, Bugis, and migrants from other parts of Indonesia, which makes for a diverse culture and language scene. Sorong has seen occasional protests in recent years, usually related to political or ethnic tensions, but day-to-day life is mostly calm for visitors. It is not a tourist destination in itself, but it has essential services, markets, and transport links, making it a practical stopover before heading to the islands or other parts of West Papua.
Tambok Berlin
Apparently Tambok Berlin, AKA The Berlin Wall, sits next to an inner-sea wall, although when I was there at least it seemed more to be a wall protecting a container terminal. Regardless of the hows and why’s though it got its name because it does look a little like the Berlin Wall. This is in the sense that it is a wall with a lot of barbed wire.
At some point Indonesian street food vendors decided that it would be a good idea to pitch a tent here, and a nightlife location in Sorong was born. I have tried to find out how old it is, but without much luck.
What can you eat at Tambok Berlin?
Tambok Berlin is mostly about seafood and chicken. You can get grilled fish (ikan bakar), fried squid (cumi goreng), shrimp skewers (sate udang), and other fish dishes cooked over charcoal. Chicken is also very popular, usually served as barbecue chicken with spicy sambal (ayam bakar dengan sambal).
There are also simple dishes like fried rice (nasi goreng) and fried noodles (mie goreng) for something quick and filling. Some stalls have offal or small crab dishes. Everything is served hot and eaten on plastic chairs or standing by the wall. It is cheap, filling, and authentic street food in Sorong.
Anything else?
Supposedly this is not just the hip and happening place to be in Sorong, but also a bit of a dodgy part of town. This was to such an extent that I was led to believe it was almost like Malaku, the red light district of Sorong. In actuality I found the area low key, and safe enough to come for some street food in Sorong. With that being said though I was here on a Sunday.
Another cool part of the area is that on Tambok Berlin road, opposite the actual street food, there are a number of good restaurants. Arbonex Seafood Restaurant is one of these, where I had some great curried crab (kepiting kari). There was also a restaurant serving bat and frog, but alas it was closed when I was ready to eat.
Conclusion on Tambok Berlin
Neither Sorong, nor Tambok Berlin are gonna have songs and movies written about them, but both are not without their charms. Sorong itself makes a great transit point if you are doing the beaches of Raja Ampat, or going to Jayapura.
And if you do end up staying here then eating at the Berlin Wall is just about your best bet.
Click to check our tours to West Papua, which includes bespoke trips to Sorong.
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