Yos Sudarso Island

Yos Sudarso Island is a large, low-lying island off the southern coast of New Guinea in Indonesia’s South Papua province. It is noted for extensive wetlands and mangrove ecosystems rather than for dense urban settlement.

The island’s landscape is dominated by mangroves, swamps and tidal plains with limited infrastructure and few established tourist facilities. Wildlife and traditional coastal communities are the main points of interest, rather than developed attractions or accommodations.

Formerly known by other local names, the island was renamed for navy officer Yos Sudarso; administratively it has been part of Dutch New Guinea in the colonial period and later integrated into Indonesia. The island has seen limited development compared with the Papuan mainland.

Situated off the southern coast of the island of New Guinea, the island lies in the Arafura Sea and is part of Indonesia’s South Papua region, separated from the Papuan mainland by narrow straits.

• Environment: Sparsely populated and characterised by extensive mangrove swamps, coastal lowlands and dense tropical vegetation.
• Name and administration: Named after Indonesian naval officer Yos Sudarso; part of South Papua province administratively.