PNG Visa (London)

Hello,

I was looking at going to PNG last year but ended up going through the Middle East instead. Well funds have been scraped together and I'm thinking this year is the one for PNG/Indonesia (although I am considering Madagascar/Kenya/Uganda).

I can't seem to find anything on the process for getting a PNG visa from the London High Commission and was wondering exactly what is needed. Obviously I will ring them soon myself but was wondering if I could get a heads up. I would much rather get a visa here (or even in KL) than risk the fraught Jayapura process.

Do I absolutely need proof of onward travel? The cheapest possible way I can find is to get return tickets to Kualur Lumpur then fly with Air Asia to Makassar and onwards to Jayapura. I want to enter and exit via Jayapura, going to the Sepik and possibly onto Madang and up to Goroka and Mt Wilhelm before returning. I like the idea of not being tied down to flights.

If I do need proof of onward travel, what is the best way of doing this. Can I get an onward flight with Air Niugini/Airlines PNG then get a refund, losing out on only on charges? Has anyone done this and has any tips to lose the least money possible?

That was my main question. I do have just two small other ones.

1.) Just how safe is the boat from Vanimo to Aitape? Are there life jackets? My girlfriend is not a particularly good swimmer. Obviously I would never be foolish enough to go in rough seas.
2.) Coming out of PNG and starting in Jayapura. Any ideas for a good schedule back to Bali/Jakarta/Flores or surrounds, bearing in mind we will be on 30 day visas? I would like to take in Sorong/Raja Ampat, Manokwari or Ambon/Bandaneira (obviously not all one would be fine!)

Thanks in advance!

Unfortunately, you DO need onward tickets.

No idea about refunding, should work on full fare tickets in theory.

1. Forget lifejackets.
   But as it is a coastal route, you could always try and swim out! ;-)

2. The obvious stops would be Sorong, Ambon OR Ternate, and somewhere in Sulawesi.
   and with those, your 30 days will be pretty much used up!

This is one difficult and expensive country to visit. Especially from the UK! I will get in contact with Air Niugini and see what refund I might be able to get. Otherwise it will have to just be western New Guinea. The very fact that it is so difficult to organise and that no one has said anything about getting a visa from London does just spur me on though. Let's face it, this is what makes the country so interesting. Still though, I can't believe all the obstacles in the way of just hopping over from Jayapura to do a few days on the Sepik.

With the bannana boat from Vanimo to Aitape, well this is something I will think about. Flights cost $250, which is a fair whack for a small journey. Thanks for the reply. Of course I am always grateful for further input from anyone.

Why is it every post I make duplicates itself!?

Edited by: kyle1234c

Hi

Pretty new to this forum but want to help out with travellers interested in PNG. You can check our online publication on www.skerah.com. Better and more interactive is to become a fan of ours on http://facebook.com/myskerah

We have a number of of fans working in the PNG tourism industry and surely someone will help you out.

Cheers

skerah

yes it is complicated,you are talking about 2 different countrys with vastly different ideas about visas,your line about "hopping across the border"shows a lack of understanding on what really goes on,if you travel through the border at wutung,you will need another visa to get back into papua(indonesia)which can be obtained at the indonesia consulate in vanimo(1 day)you have left one country on a single visit visa,so it is void!without forward tickets the png consulate in london may refuse visa./to do what you are talking about-sepik/mt wilhelm will take upwards of 30 days,and involve a lot of airfares and a lot of luck to pull it off!see previous threads on the problems getting visa into png at entrop in jayapura......sorry about the reality....i hope you gain some clarity from this.