Vanimo to Wewak (north PNG)

Hello friends,

next month i hope to be arriving in Vanimo overland from indonesia, provided i get a PNG visa in jayapura. i'd like to know about the road conditions (or existence...) to travel from Vanimo to Wewak, where i want to spend few days. if roads are not advisable, how about boats, is there any regular connection between the two cities.

once in Wewak, is there any advise on things to do and interesting places to stay (really budget minded).

regarding the visa for PNG, is tehre anything that i should bear in mind? i count with a realtively easy process.

thanks in advance for your help. have nice travels.

There is no road all the way between the two.
You must travel at least part of the way by boat - see the PNG link in my signo line (also for the other stuff).

Hi laszlo,

thanks for your quick reply. This is not the right branch, but i think you may know a big deal about this. Do you think it is possible to extend a two month indonesian tourist visa in Maureme, Flores? I'll be there on monday and try to do it? What do you think my chances are. Is there some way around the immigation office, i.e., any agent dealing with this? I saw some agencies in Bali doing the "theoretically" unofficial extension (for a lot of money indeed, but is always better than leaving the country).

Please tell me if you know the best way. And double time thanks

I tried that several years ago, and was told that as they are a smaller office, they need approval from Kupang, and that could take weeks.

So I did it in Bali instead - and would suggest you try first elsewhere, too.

But if you are already there, there's nothing to lose by trying.
Post how much luck you had!

You'll have to go to immigration yourself (they were very friendly), there are no agencies like in Bali.

PNG VISAS warning Jayapura

I arrived in Jayapura last year late on a friday. The visa office didn't open on monday, so on tuesday I applied and I didn't get it til the following friday

A full week sweating in Jayapura is no fun!

Hi Laszlo,

i was lucky enough to get the extension for my indonesian visa in Maumere. it was difficult and expensive (1 million altogether), for I needed the sponsorship of a local. Fortunately, the manager of Hotel Gardenia, named Teddy, sponsored me and I could get 30 more days. He told me that is okey to tell this here and he is actually interested in doing it again (this was his first time and it was not so straight forward, but ni the future it should be easier), so i'm going to post it also in the Indo branch.

thanks for all

So I guess 750.000 (on top of the official 250.000 fee) was split between the hotel owner (no wonder he likes it advertised) and immigration staff.
I guess better than not getting it at all, but surely better to do it elsewhere!

Hi Laszlo, yes you just guess. I posted this info in the Indonesia branch and the feedback has been really bad, more or less like what you are saying (even worst). It's a pitty, because for me has been a real cornerstone of my trip to throught Indonesia. The price in the immigration office is 500.000. That's what I paid directly to the smily woman clerk (probably the same who told you to go to Kupang). I paid the other 500.000 (actuially he later made me a small discount, but this is another story because I paid all the paper work, lunch, etc. and also spent two days chating with this nice guy) in the hand of the guy from the gardenia. If this finally went to other hands.... I don't nkow, I just know that I can where to many places with this extra month.

Anyway, you are always helpful, it's just that this type of assureness you guys show sometimes is unfair and leads to confussion for those with real need of this info. I conclude... it's not better to do it anywhere else... it simply takes longer and maybe peole -as it was my case- don't have enough time to go to Lombok or all teh way to imor (and ending up spending a lot more money).

Have good travels

Try StarShip's Madang Queen. It's awfully uncomfortable but it seems pretty reliable.