Menipo Island

Menipo Island is not shown in any geographical map. It is only 571 hectares large or 7,328 meters long and 700 meters wide. It is separated from Timor Island by a narrow strait. Menipo Island is part of Enoraen Village, Kuarasi District, in Kupang Regency. It is a popular place for recreation on weekends and holidays. One can go fishing, snorkeling, swimming or surfing.

Menipo Island is one of Nature Tourism Park (TWA; Taman Wisata Alam) in the city of Kupang. This tourism park in Menipo is a potential tourist attraction because it saves incredible attraction. Besides sourced from the animals is maintained, also the existence of its land mound that turned into islands when the high tide and is part of the mainland of Timor Island when the low tide.

This Park is managed by the Center for Conservation and Natural Resources (BBKSD; Balai Besar Konservasi dan Sumber Daya Alam) of East Nusa Tenggara Province. Assisted by local residents, BBKSD officiate to preserve the region's Nature Park Menipo. TWA Menipo has an area of approximately 2449.5 hectares and was set on December 28, 1992 by the Minister of Forestry. The distance from Kupang around 119 km when through the route Oesao – Oekabiti – Ponain – Tesbatan – Bikoen. Alternatively through Batuputih (region neighboring district of Timor Tengah Selatan), but the distance from Kupang city further or about 124 km.

When the weather is sunny, the flickering night light on the beach north of Australia, can be seen directly from Menipo Island. Another attraction, Menipo are is a savannas with thousands of palm stands (Borrassus flabelifer). There are also several species of animals that live in TWA Menipo area, one of them is Timor deer. Timor deer is an endangered animals and protected for there are only a few remaining. The deer is popular for hunters and poachers to catch. The association and the local volunteers help to protect the animal from poachers in order to make sure this animal does not, like so many, becomes instinct.

TWA Menipo located on the edge of the sea so it has a beautiful beach that you can enjoy. The beach is not only beautiful but it is one of the favorite beaches of the female sea-turtle to lay their eggs. They always look for quiet white sand beach to lay their eggs. You can visit this beach and see for yourself how sea-turtles lay the eggs. Best to come at night as they don’t like the light.

One adult sea-turtles can lay 50-250 eggs at a time. They will bury them under the stand. After a few weeks the small baby turtle will come out and dig its way out and go to the sea. Most of the baby turtles will have died before reaching the sea though. Also, because sea-turtles are often hunted for the shells, they have become a protected animal as well. So visiting Menipo Park will not only be lots of fun, but you will also learn amazing stuff about nature.

Some animals in TWA are; Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), and bat (Pteropus vampyrus).

Some plants in TWA are; Pine (Casuarina equisetifolia), palm stands (Borrassus flabelifer) and mangroves, especially Rhizophora mucronata and Bruguira spp.