Stupid questions about PNG

I'm not sure what you lot are like on the PNG branch, on the India branch which is my usual haunt, people get absolutely hammered for writing messages like the one I am about to write "Go and read a guidebook!" and "Why dont you go away and do a search on the internet". I suppose I can see the reasoning behind that. But I normally tend to think, dont let it bother you, just move on and read a different post. I hope you arent too harsh on me.

Lately I've been learning a bit about PNG, its a place thats always interested me. But I've never thought too much, until recently, about travelling there. Its almost too remote. That is of course whats fascinating about it. I gather that compared to the surrounding areas its relatively expensive. Do many people travel independently there? Is it expensive to get to or is it possible to get there by boat from other parts of Indonesia? When you are there is it doable to backpack around the place? I know that travelling is difficult due to lack of infrastructure, but does that mean dont go there, or do go there cos it will be more of an adventure? What is an typical daily budget for travelling on a shoestring?

You see, in less that 11 weeks me and my mate are going on a monster trip. Weve saved up a wedge and bought a one way ticket to India. Were gonna travel around India, SE Asia, maybe Indonesia and maybe the Phillipines. We have planned planned planned other parts of the trip but we really wanna leave some of it to the roll of the dice. Were not actually gonna roll a dice, what I mean is sort of go with the flow. So I'm just putting the feelers out there. Hope you can help.

Cheers!

johnnyrotten x

No worries, no stupid questions mate. It's always good to promote the PNG for backpackers.

• I would say, now, there only a few people travelling independently and especially out of the summer and september months. And it's also why this destination is still considered as remote and wild.
• best way to get in is by road. It's actually the cheapest way. You can opt for the boat if you like or if the border is "on trouble"
• you can really make it as a backpacker, please check my previous post :
  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/message.jspa?messageID=15860934
• I would say the remoteness of the place and the lack of infrastructure is not so bad compare to many others places in the world... but even... it's an adventure !!
• when we did it with my gf, last may it was about 20-30 usd /day /people... but it was really tough sometimes.

By the way, I did exactly the same trip if you want some additional tips ;-). We started one year ago in mumbai, going down through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia (4months), Malaysia, Papua, PNG, and now Australia and we're still on the road !!

So don't hesitate for PNG ! It's a must-do trip !

Jul.

Mate that is such a cool reply! Thanks! I could talk to you for hours I'm sure. I'm so excited about going, I only have 11 weeks, actually slightly less, left to go! I have got a few questions to fire at you if you have a minute spare. We know we are definitely going to India, Thailand, Vietnam, Loas, Cambodia, Oz. But the reason we only bought a one way ticket is that we want to leave our options open. What are you thoughts/opinions on Indonesia, Borneo (nice by the way going to Borneo) Phillipines and Malaysia? We are open to any suggestions. When we get to Oz we are going to work so weve got that sorted. Do you mind me asking how much money the trip has cost you so far and how long you have spent in each place? If there is anything you would strongly reccommend in any of the countrys we are going to then I'd be happy to hear it?

Thanks for not laying into me by the way. I normally use the India brach and people get ripped to shreds for posting questions like the one I posted! I do find that there is a holier than thou attitude with India backpackers generally though.

Thanks in advance.

johnnyrotten x

Hi,

Okay, so glad it helps !
At the beginning of the trip, we ran a little bit too fast in my scope but then sometimes we just spent too much time in a place... There is no specific rule, or rythm but it's always better, I think, to fully enjoy one place than to come, take pictures, and got back in the bus to catch another place, you see what I mean.
Good that you didn't take a return ticket or a round the world thing, your plans will change and that is what makes it exciting ! " A traveller doesn't know where is going and a tourist doesn't know where he has been..."

Time we spent :

• India - 1 month - definetely too quick, but we had booked a ticket in advance for Bangkok. If you go to Northern India, don't miss the Golden Temple for a full bizarre and spiritual experience into the Sikhs religion; so beautiful... Dharamsala, if you are interested by buddhism and Dalai Lama, is also a town that I would recommend (not far from Amritsar); if you can make into the Ladakh, it's still even more beautiful... finally Varanasi cannot be missed as it is the hearth of Hindu culture.
  First special star for this country.

• Bangkok - 12 days - We just wanted to relax in one of the southern islands... We chose Koh Phan Gan for the parties... ;-) If you are interested in PsyTrance music and culture, absolutely don't go at the full moon parties and prefer Half moon parties...
  Bangkok is a wonderful city, you can spend a week around and make all your visas ready for SE Asia.

• Cambodia - 12 days - There are not much to see actually. The best thing is to rent a bicycle and ride the countryside. You cannot missed Angkor obviously.

• Laos - 3 weeks - An absolutely masterpiece ! One more star for this smiling country ! We only spent three weeks in the south... Don Det, the Bolaven Plateau are very nice and need time to be discovered... at the end Vientiane is also a wonderful city. and it seems the North is even more beautiful !

• Vietnam - 3 weeks - every traveller we met was telling us that this country was not so nice, people not so friendly and that we should think twice before spending time around... We spent three weeks in the north, it was really interesting, we met some incredible people... make your way... Hanoi can be kind of tough. Halong Bay is a nightmare but you have to see it. And the best countryside ever is at the chinese border around Ha Giang. There are no tourist over there. It's an amazing trip. You go to Ha Giang, get your permit to be around (?!) at the police station, rent a motorbike, and take 3-4 days to travel the region to Meo Vac, there is a loop in the mountains... It's the best sceneries EVER... and nobody knows this place !! (you can also make your indonesian visa in Hanoi in advance for 2 month)

• Philippines - 3 weeks - then we flew to Philippines. We had a friend working there I recommend to go to Donsol to see the whale sharks if you are in the season (the most incredible wildlife experience I had in my life), the Visayas and I would say the best parts of Philippines are in Mindanao... Also one star for this country : out of the backpackers trail, and fully based on nature, sports and adventure...

• Borneo - 3 weeks - we had hard times hesitating between Malaysian borneo or Indonesian (Kalimantan), finally we decided it was worth seeing Sabah for saving money and time. It's good, and easy to travel around. River Kinabatangan trip is really nice if you want to experience the jungle, and we had a special crush for Mabul Island close to Sandakan where we've seen a huge aquatic wildlife (too many turtles) perfect for snorkelling !!

• Indonesia - 2 month + 2 month (!!!) - We loved it. It was the highlight of our trip. Everything is there, people is nice and it's kind of cheap, the language is very easy to catch and really makes the difference. Java was OK, Bali was awesome, Sumatra was tough and remote (if you go there, try to go from the very interesting Banda Aceh to Beristagi by innerland : by Takengon and the urang utangs at kutacane, avoid the backpacker town of Medan, don't miss Pulau Weh at the top end of the island; it's a wonderful and peaceful area), Sulawesi was great (Pulau Bunaken is incredible for fishes, rays, sharks) but the best place was definetely Papua (former Iryan Jaya), just take a month to trek in the Baliem valley. (See my post about it). One more star for this one !!!

• PNG - 1 month : so remote, so bizarre, it's like if the time has freezed the people over there ... I'd recommend to see a festival anywhere, and then to catch a PMV to the remote highlands on the west... I don't know about the Solomons but it seems incredible as well ! Be careful this country can easily become damned expensive !

• Australia - 4 months now and still in Darwin at the moment. We were thinking of finding jobs and buying a van. Buying a van was done in 3 days in Cairns, finding jobs is not so easy as we thought. Anyway, now it's OK, but we travelled a lot. The eastern coast is great but then.... full of backpackers...again. I have a friend who can take you on plane over the great barrier for nothing, just tell me when you are around Cairns. The Outback was a great experience, we've done some Wwoofing in a cattle station (I was driving 4wd, checking water points, killing some roos and goats with a sniper rifle (!!!), mustering cattle at motorbike...), we've seen the best things in the Queensland's outback actually. Then in the Northern Territory, We've done all the NP, and I know the best places to see wild huge saltwater crocs if you are interested in ! Special mention for wildlife for this country... we are heading toward the west coast by the end of the year.

• China - 1 month - As my gf was working in Darwin, I took one month off to visit my best friend in Beijing. It's a great adventure but unfortunately you'll need a lot more than 1 month to see the best places in China, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Shangai, Beijing, Yunnan, Shanxi and Shaanxi, and the Xinjiang...

So by the end of the week I'll be back in Darwin, find a job, and then we don't know : South America ? Africa ? (I have some job opportunities in Africa as well), or Middle East and Central Asia... we'll see!

So far it costs me about 7000 EUR or 10 000 USD...(about the same for my gf) but we are experienced traveller used to make our way in remote areas (in Africa especially) and travelling on a shoestring. I guess it's no so bad for one whole year now making almost 550 EUR / month (830 USD) everything included from the preparation to the last beer and including all the plane tickets...
Be really careful of your budget in PNG, it'll easily cost you twice your daily budget :-D

Hope it helps !!!

Don't hesitate !

Jul

Go read a guidebook!!!!

Hahaha...had to do it.
Djluz has some good advice...I followed it on my own trip and he ddin't lead me astray.

PNG is the most awesome place in the world to travel. Backpacking is very doable, but it takes time to get to some places and it is kind of pricey. If you're traveling with somebody else, that will cut down on your costs quite a lot because the greatest cost is usually accomodation. I did it on $60 US a day, but I spent too much on diving so really probably closer to $45 a day.

May I suggest an epic route to follow for your trip? Fly to Manila and work your way down through the Philippines to Zamboanga in Mindanao. From there, take a boat to Sandakan in malaysian Borneo and then cross into the Indonesian city of Tarakan. Go east from there through Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. Enter PNG and from there you can either head further east through the Solomons or head to Moresby and then fly down to Australia.

Solomon Islands can be cheap if you use local "ships" for travel, stay at local rest houses and eat local food. Anything imported is expensive.
The less touristy middle and east of the country are cheaper than the tourist-oriented Western Province.

Hi guys!

Awesome tips, hopefully I'm going to put this to good use! We are planning our trip for next year (leaving Sept 2010), but we have some blanks in our itinerary: from NL to Russia and from there by TransMongolia Express to Bejing. Then to Nepal and Tibet. Next thing on our list is Indonesia (I have my heart set on Sumatra) and we want to spent 2 months in Australia (New Year's in Sydney should be great!). After that we want to spend 1 month in South America and then straight home. Since we have only 6 months to travel (max. unpaid leave at our jobs), we will have to work with plain tickets a lot. But we want to get everything out of it, so maybe you have some good ideas you care to share! Would be excellent and very much appreciated!

Babs

This stuff is gold people. Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to write such detailed and helpful responses. I'm gonna hang out here more often. I'm interested in this epic trip zachleigh, care to add any more detail?

And djulz, your posts are most encouraging. I've got a similar amount of money saved. Luckily the places that tend to interest me the most also tend to be affordable. Apart from PNG apparently. But we'll see how it goes, hopefully. I still have 9 weeks left to work and save as well so I may have more than I am currently expecting. Wahoo!!! I am so so so excited. In preparation for this trip I have not had a holiday since I went to Thailand for two weeks in Jan 08, how mental is that! I'm gonna sleep for a week when I finish. Then I'm gonna go to India! Brilliant...

Gday Johnny

I just got back from backpacking through PNG, I thought it was an amazing place. i only met one other backpacker while i was there but the Papua New Guineans make good companions. Not much budget infrastructure as a result. I probably spent US$60 per day, mainly on accommodation. I didnt do any major treks but i hear that trekking only costs US$20 per day (if you do it independently, ie. getting different guides along the way), not sure how true this is. If you take PMVs rather than flying it cuts your costs down a lot. See if you can time your visit with a cultural festival.

Zacliegh, you just described one of my dream trips!

Great to hear so many encouraging things about PNG.

Interesting stories going on around here..

Does any of the Papua fanatics happen to have an idea on how to connect Indonesia to Australia. I made my way from Holland to Malaysia without a flight and I will take the boat to Medan, Sumatra, soon. I found out that I can hop on boats all the way to West Papua. From there on out I heared about hopping on a cargo ship, which would be relatively expensive, to Darwin, Australia. Does anyone happen to have any suggestions to help me out to connect the last bit.. I have about 2 months for this part, so time isn't really the issue..

Regards,

Michiel

I tried. I made it all the way out to Honiara without flying, but couldn't find a boat to Australia. Now is tough because its typhoon/cyclone season and the yachties are hiding. Time is the issue. Once you get to Papua, time doesn't exist. Be prepared to sit around waiting for boats for weeks. The pelni ships in Indo aren't exactly timely either.... It took me 5 months to get to Honiara from Sandakan in Malaysian Borneo.

Hi Zachleigh,

Thank you very much for your answers, it is sort of what I feared. I don't know whether I want to sit around in one place for weeks, while I could be touring around. Actually I won't be trying until December/January, because I have friends visiting in Malaysia at the end of this month. The typhoon/cyclone season I forgot to consider, when about is this season in the region?

Considering the safety of the Pelni's are they safe or are they sort of a no-go, because recently I heared some stories about Pelni's sinking especially on long-distance journeys. Someone recommended me to avoid the pelni's as long as I can get there over land.

It seems like you had a good trip as well reaching the Solomon islands, must be something different again. After not finding any boats what did you do? You flew into Australia after all? I spotted some post of someone claiming there to be a connection between Timor Leste and Darwin, that seems like my final bet, otherwise I will just have a great time around Indonesia and after that get back to the real mainland.

The typhoon cyclone season is now, but I'm not sure when it ends.

I rode Pelnis a few times and had no trouble. Their ships seem well kept up. I wouldn't worry too much about them...

I ended up flying from Honiara to Brisbane. The flight only cost me around $250 US. I've also heard about connections between Timor and Darwin, but I've seen nothing concrete about it and have never met anybody who did it.