The Island of Rao, while only being at the size of 60,06 km², has a lot to offer in it’s nature, you can visit areas with dense forests, waterfalls and old mangroves using local guides that can be found within the villages at Rao. You can also arrange a guide by discussing with the local village head Junsman (+62 821-1460-5224)
The Batu Kopi Beach (Coffee Rock)
The Batu Kopi Beach (On Google Maps) stretches at a length of three kilometers along the coast, named after a very old natural stone formation found near it’s center. Batu Kopi garnered it’s title as people standing near the rock formation would often smell a very strong scent of coffee. However there aren’t any coffee plants in the area, and it remains unknown as to why there is a scent of coffee near it. You as the reader most likely find this hard to believe, but this is sincerely the case
There are also three fresh water rivers that ends on the beach, which makes it very convenient for a picnic or a day at the beach. From December to February there are a lot of impressive high waves, which makes it ideal for surfing. From May to September the sea is calm and ideal for snorkeling and diving. Despite it’s size and cleanliness, the beach has very little visitors with the exception of people passing by to tend to their gardens. Quite often you can also spot dolphins from the beach.
It is also only 5km away from the village of Posi-Posi. You can get there on foot within an hour or by motorcycle which will take roughly 10-20 minutes.
Bird Watching and Other Exploration
Some of the birds that have been spotted are: The sub-species of the Common Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea), Blyth’s Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Paradise Crow (Lycocorax obiensis), and many more.
Other than the various species of birds you can also spot the dragonlike Sailfin Lizard, Halmahera Python, Coconut Crabs, and The Wallace’s Giant Bee that was formerly classified as extinct.
However please note these things can be quite difficult to find, and you will have to rely on the local guides to assist you. Unfortunately we only have confirmed sightings of the animals mentioned and we have yet to have a proper photograph, if you do manage to capture a photo, we would greatly appreciate it if you could share it with us.
Old Mangrove Forests
Near the village of Posi-Posi you can also visit the mangrove forests by the coast. The mangrove trees at the coast are at the average height of roughly 19-23 meters, and with a width of 1-2 meters. The size of the mangrove trees highlight that the forest is possibly at least a few hundred years old.
Waterfalls
There are several waterfalls in Rao, such as the Air Terjun Batukopi, Tui Leo Leo, Kuala Dolom, to name a few. Most of these waterfalls are located quite close to the local villages, however it is best to get there with a guide. The photos below are the waterfalls near the village of Leo-Leo.
Page last updated 19 May, 2026