Some border entry/existing PNG and more...

With so many people posting about PNG (the most amazing country I've been so far, and I have seen over 30 countries!!!) I thought I can add some very recent info about my experience with the border entry via Port Moresby and existing via Vanimo/Jayapura. This info was valid as of May 2007.

Flying INTO Port Moresby I got(I have a Canadian passport) at the airport a 60 days visa on arrival for 100 kina, with NO question asked, no onward ticket, no proof of sufficient funds..nothing:)

Getting out of PNG via Vanimo, was very easy as well, getting in 1 day the Indonesian visa in Vanimo (you get get either 30 or 60 days visas there). At the border itself you WON"T get the entry stamp , but you have to go to Jayapura Immigration office to get it. The official from that office asked me with a big smile if I brought anything "special" for HIM, from PNG: a 10k(1USD) rupiah resolved this "issue".
The taxi from the border to Jayapura cost me 350000 rupiah, but I've shared it with others..so it came cheap, otherwise...:(

PNG was/is a very expensive country, as just with taking one flight out of Port Moresby, it came to around 55USD/day/person for 2 people traveling together. Nothing fancy with this money..just transport/accommodation and food on the mainland, without any Sepik trip.
You might be able to halve this cost by trekking a lot and staying in villages , otherwise pay this price:)

In the middle of May the road from Mt Hagen to Tari area was VERY problematic with locals telling me to FLY there in order to avoid the problems on the road( some clan-fighting of some sort..not rascals)
The expensive lodge that is listed LP for the Mt Hagen area(I forgot the name) has been closed ...

In one month of traveling in PNG(mainland only) I've met just 5 other tourists:)

Overall PNG has proved to be the MOST friendliest country that I've been to (from over 30 countries) with amazing people and landscape. I cann't wait to go back and do some more trekking:)

Vdg

hi, thanks for info, especially good to hear that border is open to jayapura! i have just posted and sounds like i'll be following at least some of your footsteps - you say you only flew out of POM (presumably to lae or highlands) - what were your movements to get to vanimo (ie boat?). one possibility i have toyed with is going up the sepik from wewak to green river, then hitch a ride to vanimo... i know fuels pricey, but always wanted to explore in there!

To get to Vanimo , you can either FLY , take the bi-weekly boat from Wewak..or catch a ride to from Wewak to Aitape, then charter a boat to Vanimo.

I haven't been on Sepik:(

Vdg

vdg,

I concur with your experiences. I've spent the last year in the western part of png and i had to visit jayapura every 60 days to renew my visa. The border between Vanimo and Jayapura is very open, unlike it used to be. The minimum price for taxi from Batas ("the border") to Jayapura is 150,000 rupiah but if the drivers think you are rich they will ask for 400,000. From Vanimo to Batas the price is 10 kina. You can get a 60 day tourist visa on arrival from the PNG Consulate in Jayapura for 1,670,000 rupiah. There is no need to bribe the customs officials at Kantor Imigrasi (the immigrations office in jayapura). If you have any problems report it to the PNG Consulate because they helped get the last crew thrown out for excessive bribery.

PNG is an expensive country, especially compared to Indonesia where everything is 1/10 the price in the western world. On the other hand if you live like the local people, many of whom are dirt poor, you won't spend much.

The Tari people are known for their use of knives and axes to remove human limbs but this is usually restricted to infighting and they respect tourists.

You can fly from POM to Madang then take a boat Madang - Wewak - Aitape - Vanimo.

I went down the Sepik for transportation but it was the sort of trip people would pay a premium for. That said, I don't personally like the culture of the Sepilk peoples. And if you don't have a mosquito to get into by sundown you could die from loss of blood alone, not to mention acute malaria. I estimated mosquitoes not in the 100s but 1000s trying to get into my net. It is a long way from Wewak to Green River. I estimate the fuel costs alone will be over 1000 kina. It is easier to ride the other way because you can hitch a ride with a trader in Green River who has sold his goods and is going back towards Wewak way anyway.

I wouldn't count on getting a flight out of Green River. There are charters leaving there with an empty backload after delivering goods to a trade store. If you talk to the trade store owner who got the charter you may be able to fly out. The two bush plane operations (MAF and DovAir) are officially not servicing Green River so you can't book a flight ahead of time. You could WALK from Green River to Vanimo but it would take about 5 days of 8 hours each.

If you want an extreme trek, you could go to Vanimo by boat from Madang (2 nights at sea). From Vanimo try and get a ride to the "end of the road" on a logging vehicle. From there it is about 4 days walking to Amanab and another day or so to Green River. Make sure you have a local guide who knows the road. I considered myself experienced at hiking and in good shape so I didn't think the trek would be that much of a problem. I was wrong. I came right up to my physical limits. From Green River you could go down the Sepik in canoe or fly back to Vanimo.

My name is Ata, you might see me in Vanimo.