Biak is a small island located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua, and it is just northwest of New Guinea. Biak is the largest island in its small archipelago, and has many atolls, reefs, and corals. Administratively, the island of Biak divided into two districts: the western part is Supiori region, while the eastern part is the territory of Biak Numfor.
Biak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 26 °C (79 °F), which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak.
The people of Biak are predominantly Melanesians and the main religion is Christianity. The official language is Indonesian and the main local language is Biak. Other languages such as Dutch and English are also used, but limited.
Biak was first sighted by Europeans by the Portuguese navigator Jorge de Menezes in 1526. In his voyage from Malacca to Maluku via northern Borneo, Jorge de Menezes landed at Biak Islands, at the entrance of the Gulf, where he was forced to winter; the island is thenceforth called in Portuguese maps Ilha de Dom Jorge or Ilha onde invernou Dom Jorge, to become, finally, Ilha de S. Jorge.
Biak is rich, the cultures and the heritages are the things that make this island become so special and worth to be visited.
