Exploring the Papua Tropical Rainforest: The PRO TREK PRW-60Y Accompanies Me Through the Jungle

2019/7

Every time I plan to truly return to nature from the city, the thought of living a tough life in an unfamiliar environment excites me inexplicably. I look forward to encountering something unusual or having unexpected adventures — and honestly, that anticipation has never let me down.

This time, my destination is Papua. While most people know Papua as Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, our destination this time is Indonesian Papua, known as West Papua.

Since there are no airports with international flights east of Bali in Indonesia, reaching West Papua — located at the easternmost part of Indonesia — requires three to four plane transfers. It's a rarely visited, forgotten corner of the world. In the highlands of West Papua, there are even primitive tribes that still rely on fishing and hunting for survival.

The goal of this trip was to fish for black bass in the pristine tropical rainforest of inland West Papua. Black bass is known among fishing enthusiasts as one of the strongest freshwater fish in the world. To catch this wild beast, we camped by the lakes and swamps for a week. Without a doubt, it sounded like something I’d never done before — and incredibly exciting.

After finalizing the itinerary, more detailed preparation was needed — such as checking local weather, reading up on the religion and customs of residents, researching geographic and hydrological features, and understanding the local flora and fauna...

The first priority before departure was packing — managing the weight of gear is especially crucial during long outdoor trips. There are clever ways to reduce backpack weight, such as:

1. Replace a flashlight with a lightweight, convenient headlamp. An adjustable-brightness headlamp can meet most outdoor needs and free up a hand for handling unexpected situations. Features like strobe and red light further enhance safety. (Tip: Strobe is great for nighttime group hikes; red light helps avoid large wildlife.)

2. A multi-tool is essential when trekking through the rainforest or camping, but large knives are usually heavy. A compact multi-tool is the best choice. One with seven or eight basic functions can handle most situations. Pair it with a small belt holster that clips near your hip — not in the way, but always within reach when needed.

3. Carrying a small roll of aluminum foil and spare batteries can make the trip more fun. For instance, you can use them to start a fire or cook small game caught outdoors.

Of course, my go-to wearable was the CASIO PRO TREK series PRW-60Y. Its built-in compass is extremely practical. I've taken it on many outdoor adventures before — like to the high-altitude Muztagh Ata and the Taklamakan Desert. In featureless environments, the compass came in handy. As a woman, I find the dial size just right. Of course, learning how to use it beforehand is important. I also appreciate its solar-powered function. The journey to West Papua was long and winding — we flew from Shanghai to Jakarta, transferred in Bali, stopped in Timika, and finally arrived in Nabire, Papua. Although the flight took a full day and night to reach Nabire’s Frans Kaisiepo Airport, we were only halfway to our final destination. The real challenge — a grueling mountain road trip — still lay ahead.

At the airport, we met our local contact, a wealthy gentleman who had arranged three Toyota pickup trucks and hired the best local drivers for our West Papua fishing adventure. It’s worth mentioning that locals have a unique style of decorating their vehicles. The interior of the truck I rode in, covered in red leather, felt like sitting in a bridal sedan.

The three pickups were loaded with our gear and supplies, ready to depart. Next up: a seven-hour off-road mountain drive followed by a one-hour boat ride. Since it was already 2 PM local time, arriving at the planned spot before dark was impossible. We decided to rest for the night and set off for the final destination the next day. Here, I must praise the PRW TREK PRW-60Y’s world time function — just set the country code and get accurate time via six time signals, eliminating the hassle of adjusting across time zones. It helped me rest well and recharge for the next day.

The next morning, the convoy set off. After an hour, we began climbing steep mountain roads. The road conditions were worse than expected — not only were there numerous 45-degree muddy slopes, but also sections washed away by rain, plus several stream crossings. We frequently had to stop to assess the path and vehicle condition.

Unfortunately, five hours into the drive, the frequent rain of the tropical rainforest began to trouble us. The roads became even muddier, and the originally planned seven-hour trip stretched into a grueling ten hours. We finally reached the expected dock at 8 PM. The so-called dock was just a grassy slope. We had to unload all our gear and supplies in the pouring rain, swatting away swarms of mosquitoes, then wade through the mud to board the boat.

Once the boat left the dock, our fishing adventure truly began. Due to the location’s remoteness, we camped in the swamps by the rainforest river for the week. After an hour of boating, we entered the river mouth, where a maze of crisscrossing tributaries extended deep into the mountains — even the locals couldn’t predict their paths. Fortunately...

The PRO TREK PRW-60Y provided me with the most accurate directional information, saving both me and the locals quite a few wrong turns.

Due to days of heavy rain, fallen tree trunks from upstream blocked some tributaries. Towering mangroves and giant trees covered in vines lined the rivers, home to many wild creatures — wild boars, kangaroos, crocodiles, venomous insects, snakes, and ants. In this realm, they were the true natives. So securing accommodation was quite challenging. Few locals choose to live inside the rainforest. Those who do build stilt houses on water as their only shelter — extremely rudimentary. Add to that the sudden, unpredictable downpours in the rainforest, and choosing a safe campsite became very difficult.

Fortunately, upon entering the river mouth, we found a swampy area where the boat could land. Stepping ashore, just a few steps away was a small lake. There were no massive plants, the ground was relatively flat, and it was situated on slightly higher ground — perfect for camping. Here’s a tip: When choosing a campsite, go for higher ground and avoid areas with large vegetation. In tropical regions, rainfall often comes suddenly. Heavy rain can quickly lead to flash floods. If near a river, mudslides may occur. So never camp in low-lying areas.

Some vegetation in the rainforest — take mangroves for example — in West Papua, many mangrove regions remain untouched by humans, preserving ancient landscapes. Some mangroves grow up to 40–50 meters tall. Their seeds are slender and conical, and as they mature, the outer shell hardens. When falling into the mud, they can pierce obstacles like swords. Locals have even told me about tragic accidents where people were impaled. So it’s wise to watch out. When camping in the wild, also check for large dead branches above your resting area. Inspect carefully before setting up — no one wants to be the next victim.

Rainproofing is especially crucial when camping in the rainforest. After all, we can’t keep all gear and supplies inside the tent. To avoid getting them wet, bring a thin tarp or disposable tablecloth to cover them. In heavy rain, it’s best to lay down dry grass and leaves under the tent to separate it from the mud and keep the interior dry.

Generally speaking, the chance of encountering dangerous wildlife in the rainforest is low. But the most annoying issue is mosquitoes. In fact, these tiny creatures cause the biggest headaches during camping. Beyond malaria-carrying mosquitoes, swamp and river areas are rife with sandflies (commonly called “little bites” in China). A bite from one causes unbearable itching the next day, sometimes leading to sleepless nights. People with sensitive skin may suffer prolonged itching and scarring.

As far as I know, there’s no complete prevention for sandflies. But a useful tip is to avoid exposing skin during the day. Wearing ice-silk arm sleeves and face masks is a great choice — they protect against sun and sandflies.

Of course, mosquitoes are also a major nuisance while camping. Most repellents work on rainforest mosquitoes, but I still recommend: carrying a small bottle to spray on exposed skin from time to time; clearing weeds around the tent after setup to create a buffer zone with surrounding woods; and spraying mosquito repellent around the tent flap, because accidentally letting one in while entering or exiting can ruin your night.

Also, avoid turning on lights when entering or leaving the tent at night. Mosquitoes are attracted to light and will swarm toward it.

Our campsite was on a slope by a small lake. Since there are many crocodiles in Papua, staying at least 50 meters from the lakeshore is safer. Also, clearing weeds around the tent is important — not only to reduce mosquitoes, but also to create a buffer against snakes.

While setting up the camp, not far away, perhaps after the recent rain, a beautiful rainbow appeared. Perhaps this is one of the reasons we choose to step into nature — amid the dangers of exploration, we often stumble upon the beauty of the natural world.

In the West Papua region, crocodiles are the only large wild animals that pose a threat to humans. However, if your campsite is far from swamps and rivers, there’s no need to worry about crocodiles. Therefore, the most potentially fatal danger comes from snakes.

Especially during rainfall, which is when snakes are most active in moving and foraging. During camping, pay special attention to areas where supplies are stacked and to your shoes. These are also favorite hiding spots for snakes.

It’s important to keep your shoes inside the tent as much as possible. If you must leave them outside, be sure to check inside them carefully the next morning before putting them on. The salt and warmth inside shoes are very attractive to snakes looking for a hiding place. If you spot one in time, you might even end up with an unexpected breakfast. That’s when the multi-tool in your backpack comes in handy.

Another useful feature is the temperature measurement function of the PRW TREK PRW-60Y, which is frequently used during camping. It allows you to adjust your clothing and physical condition promptly based on the surrounding ambient temperature.

Over the three months of using the PRW TREK PRW-60Y, I truly appreciated how the detail-oriented design of CASIO PRO TREK series products is tailored for outdoor enthusiasts, rather than simply cramming in useless features like many other outdoor watches on the market. This approach optimizes the overall user experience of outdoor watches.

In reality, due to certain geographical and environmental factors—whether it was high-altitude camping in snowy mountains previously or this time in the remote tropical rainforest away from civilization—most of our food consisted of lightweight, high-calorie items such as compressed biscuits, cheese, or energy bars. On one hand, this helps reduce backpack weight and conserve energy during long treks. On the other hand, these foods are generally non-perishable and can be stored for extended periods.

Of course, we also had special treats—fish we caught or small game we hunted. But how to prepare those is a whole other story, which we won’t go into detail about this time.

The key point is, if you don’t want to test your survival skills in the wild, it’s best to follow the earlier advice: prepare your energy supplies adequately before departure based on your own needs and conditions.

That pretty much covers my camping trip this time. The biggest takeaways were the stunning beauty of the rainforest and the excellent performance of the PRO TREK watch. I hope this article helps more people understand the essential knowledge for camping and introduces some high-quality outdoor gear that I personally recommend.