When setting out on exploring the heartlands of West Papua one can hardly be in more caring or capable hands than those of Like Wijaya, founder and managing director of EKONEXION. Copyright © Iwein Mauro

❯About us

Bridging people, nature and tourism in New Guinea's Wild West

When setting out on exploring the heartlands of West Papua one can hardly be in more caring or capable hands than those of Like Wijaya, Founder and Managing Director of EKONEXION. Copyright © Iwein Mauro

About us

EKONEXION is a 100% locally-owned micro-company, founded in June 2005 as a Limited Partnership with registered office in the coastal town of Sorong on the northwestern tip of New Guinea's Bird's Head Peninsula, and further organized after the laws and regulations of the Republic of Indonesia, the Papua Special Autonomous Region, the province of Southwest Papua, and the town of Sorong.

Throughout Indonesia, a Limited Partnership is known as Commanditaire Vennootschap or simply CV (still following the nomenclature of former Dutch colonial law) and remains the default legal framework for small and medium-sized, typically family-owned businesses. Essentially it is a body corporate for trade and tax purposes, but whereby the trading partners remain severally liable under all circumstances. Under Indonesian law, a Limited Partnership must be established by notary deed, must use double-entry bookkeeping and must report on a monthly basis.

Our mission is to promote the vast natural wonders of West Papua to the world and to bring these within reach of any reasonably fit traveler with a genuine sense for adventure. Throughout our business activities, emerges the foresight to embrace and expand on existing conservation priorities, as well as the endeavor to create through responsible travel, economically viable and sustainable income-generating mechanisms for secluded indigenous communities living at the heart of biodiversity. This is a focused and independent investment toward strengthening and fine-tuning both conservation and community development efforts and policies.

In order to maximize the outlook of tangible results in these fields, each ecotourism destination in West Papua that we promote, as a starting point, has been carefully selected on the basis of biodiversity richness and species endemism, existing conservation priorities, ecosystem and habitat intactness, accessibility, and not least community receptiveness.

Perhaps our universal message should simply be that, by carefully choosing who you entrust with organizing your West Papua experience, you can help to make a difference!

EKONEXION in 10 quotes

Traditional societies in West Papua are rapidly being overtaken by the 21st century. Ever increasing cash-dependency and the decay of customary land tenure systems incite indigenous communities to no longer principally oppose resource extraction, but to merely expect to reciprocally benefit from it. Any conservation project intervention thus requires effective cash-generating alternatives to rival destructive resource use, even if communities do understand the long-term deleterious impact of such practices. Genuine ecotourism, in no small part, can make a difference here. — Like Wijaya, Founder, EKONEXION, Indonesia

Our team would like to congratulate you on your outstanding commitment and responsible travel efforts. We commend you on your dedication to environmental sustainability, and all of the outstanding social and environmental programs and initiatives. We truly appreciate your hard work! — Wild Asia, Malaysia

I want to say again thank you very much for organizing such a wonderful expedition. Working on the 'Life' project I have been fortunate enough to have filmed many great bird spectacles over the last two years, but our trip to West Papua has been one of my favorites. This is not only because of the truly incredible birds, but also for the excellent logistics which you set up. I don't think I have ever eaten so well while filming in a tropical forest! — Barrie Britton, Cameraman 'Life', BBC Natural History Unit, UK

Your hard work in West Papua is well known and appreciated. The Chinese says the right road is tough. — Felix Ng, Hong Kong SAR

The way EKONEXION implements ecotourism is impressive and should be widely copied. It actually took me some time to fully understand the range of the work you are doing. State of the art 'ecotourism' currently seems to be speeding along logging roads, but EKONEXION proves that you can even tick off a species list (if that's what you want) in a very different way. — Carl Christian Tofte, Wildlife Artist, Denmark

A resounding thank you for introducing us to so many wonderful birds. Not cheap — everything is expensive here at the end of the world — but worth every cent. — Victor Mason, Founder, Bali Bird Walks, Indonesia

Congratulations to all our worthy winners and finalists. All of them are role models for the industry. Their investment in community engagement, workers' welfare, cultural conservation and environmental stewardship — make the travel industry a more exciting place to work. Most importantly, they're supporting long lasting development in their destinations across Asia, ensuring a more sustainable future for the places we love to visit. — Amy McLoughlin, Responsible Tourism Awards Coordinator, Wild Asia, Malaysia

Thank you all for such a wonderful trip. I can easily say that it surpassed all of my expectations. The relaxed, easy-going nature of the whole expedition was only possible because of a great deal of time and effort going on behind the scenes. It really was lovely to be in such a wonderful place with people who clearly love the area and take such care and attention to show its secrets to others. And I could not write without reiterating my amazement at Like and her sous-chef's abilities in creating such incredible food in such relatively bare surroundings. — Dr. Catriona Wootton, UK

Needless to say we are still talking about our trip and the wonderful time we had, not the least of which was the pleasure of your company. There is nothing we can think of that would enhance your tours. You have literally thought of everything and really go the extra mile to ensure your guests are comfortable and get maximum value. We were also most impressed with the way you deal with the local communities. — Doug and Ulai Kirwin, Thailand

Thank you for your hospitality and kindness on my recent trip. You provided all I could have hoped for and more. I would recommend EKONEXION as the first choice to anyone wanting to learn about the ecology of West Papua firsthand. — Carel P. Brest van Kempen, Wildlife Artist, USA

❮ ❯

Like Wijaya (°1984) founded EKONEXION at age 21 and has been spearheading the company as its managing director ever since. Like (pronounced Leeka in Indonesian) is a daughter of Raja Ampat and truly a jack-of-all-trades.

Foremost, a visionary and ardent supporter of life on Earth, at age 24 she concludes an ambitious and innovative conservation agreement with customary landholding groups on the largest Raja Ampat island of Waigeo in a bid to preserve a magnificently forested river catchment for future generations, thereby in effect pioneering hands-on and on-the-ground terrestrial biodiversity conservation on the island.

Like has traveled extensively throughout West Papua and beyond, and in the field is a skillful organizer, troubleshooter and negotiator, an accomplished and inventive cook, as well as a first-rate birder. In fact, she probably has seen more West Papua endemics than any other Indonesian ornithologist or bird guide alike, including Bruijn's Brushturkey, Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher, Kofiau Monarch, and Snow Mountain Robin, all of which still have only been seen by the most intrepid of birders.

With a multitude of administrative skills, Like also is the driving force in the office. She speaks and writes fluent English, Dutch and Indonesian, and is currently learning French.

Related links

❯Browse the Papua Expeditions web site.

❯Read on about the natural wonders of New Guinea (from PapuaExpeditions.com).

❯Read on about the geopolitical and biogeographical delimitation of West Papua (from PapuaExpeditions.com).

❯Read on about the indigenous peoples of West Papua (from PapuaExpeditions.com).

❯Read on about the flora and fauna of West Papua (from PapuaExpeditions.com).

❯Read on about the birdlife of West Papua (from PapuaExpeditions.com).

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