Border crossing Indonesia -> PNG -> Solomons

Hi,

I crossed both borders without issues, for anyone attempting the same some notes:

Jayapura (Indonesia) to Vanimo (PNG)
- Straightforward. For the onward ticket requirement, a Jakarta-Singapore ticket plus a letter of intent worked fine. The visa was ready for pickup next day. It was free.
- The moneychanger is at the beginning of Jl Raya Kelapa between the Police station and the gas station; Got a rate of 4400 IDR for 1 Kina, way better than the interbank rate of 4700+ IDR. So I went to get more money from ATM to take advantage.
- I had a 211 Indonesian visa so no issue leaving Indonesia. Also no issue entering PNG
- PNG was a great adventure if expensive, but that would be for a different post..

Bougainville to Shortlands
- Got stamped at the Buka customs office. To find them, ask locals for "Jomik trading". Opposite Jomik is the Tsirin Motors building. where upstairs next to the "Post Courier office" is the customs office (not signposted itself). They dont have a proper exit stamp but will stamp with a customs stamp and write a date of departure of your choosing.
- It should also be possible to get stamped in Arawa or Buin (see wikitravel pages for the address) but it later turned out that Buka was fine. I had heard stories about the person with the stamp being absent at times, so it makes sense to try first in Buka.
- Buka-Buin PMVs seem to go only Wed thru Friday, I had to go to Arawa first.
- In Arawa there is no central place for the PMVs leaving. Ask for help at the market. Buin PMVs leave around 3pm.
- In Buin, I stayed at "Pauls hotel", very nice owners (Paul phone 71515737, his wife 73667018). They charge 200 Kina including dinner&breakfast (shared bathroom). Quite expensive, in general it feels as if the NGOs have pushed up accomodation prices in Bougainville
- After travelling one month in PNG without meeting any tourists, I met the first one in Buin at Pauls hotel.
- There are several Solomon Islanders in Buin who will be happy to exchange Solomon Dollars for Kina. The going rate was 30 Kina for 100 S$, a rate almost 25% better than interbank (!)
- Quotes for chartering a boat to the Shortlands started at 1000 Kina (!), I was then told from multiple sides 500 Kina is the going "tourist" rate. After bargaining I could get 350 Kina including fuel for a 40HP engine. Which then increased again to 430 Kina just before leaving.. (this - reneging on agreed prices - has happened to me multiple times since then in the Solomons, quite annoying). Unfortunately I couldnt wait for the local boats going to the market on Thursday+Saturday.
- Stayed at the Nila gueshouse on Poporang, which is basic but ok at 150 S$. The WW2 relics on Poporang are interesting, but my favorite were the planes in the jungle near the Balallae airfield. Arrive early there, turn right at the terminal building and go a bit more than halfway to the end, then go 15m into the jungle on both sides
- I had booked a flight from Balallae to Gizo online, after noticing that the flights are booked out at least a week in advance. Numerous passengers who had made a reservation (but not paid) were turned away at Balallae airport due to the flight being full.
- Arriving in Gizo I went to the immigration office, armed with a passport copy and an onward ticket copy. I was asked to write a handwritten letter outlining my "proof of funds", then got the visa stamp for Solomons.
- Unfortunately the visa stamp is unreadable except for the handwritten visa validity date. The lady said she had asked Honiara for a new stamp some time ago. I assume it wont cause issues at Honiara, we will see...

I would be interested in hearing more about this trip including where you went/stayed/budget etc as I quite fancy doing something similar.

Sure, but please ask specific questions

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