water filtering and the sepik river

noammaeir08:14 UTC21 Apr 2010

hi! im planning a trip to png in june.
two things i wanted to ask:
1. i wanted to know if you need to filter the water there or if its fine to drink it straight from whatever your getting it.
2. i was thinking of travelling down the sepik river, i heard from someone that it is a great experience. does someone have any information about the area? anything will be helpful.
help will be appreciated. tnx

donbrisbane11:22 UTC21 Apr 2010

like all places with poor systems of sanitation/hygiene you bring or buy bottled water...in this case you bring from wewak or larger town before going.for sepik stuff try www.donstravelstories.blogspot.com
it is an amazing journey but long and hard on the mind and body.

luxingzhe6316:14 UTC25 Apr 2010

If you are traveling down the Sepik on a a reputable tourist boat, they would provide you with bottled water. Otherwise, bring your own. Towns that are quite large (such as Wewak - the usual coastal starting point for the Sepik) have potable supplies that are OK to drink, but often heavily chlorinated.

circuswatcher08:48 UTC09 May 2010

The Sepik river is muddy but the villages know where to find clean water. It will likely be rainwater collected from the tin roof on a missionary or school roof in the village. Just give them your water bottle and ask for clean water. You do not need to carry loads of bottled water with you.

As to how to do it, hiring a boat is 250 Kina per day (I know - a huge ripoff) and that does not include the cost of petrol which you must also pay. This is what makes the Sepik River so expensive.

I used Lazlo's advice (website here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/81514/#TL) and had a great experience. Take a PMV boat on market day (you then only pay for petrol and not for boat hire b/c its already headed down the river anyway) to Korogo Village. Stay there for a week (that's plenty!) and hire a boat a couple of days to go see other villages and their House Tambarans. I highly recommend visits to Kanganaman and Yamok.

Edited by: circuswatcher

climb_r07:35 UTC24 May 2010

The Sepik is seriously flooded right now -- the worst levels and length of inundation in the past 40 years. The waters are expected (hoped) to recede in June, but that means malaria, etc. will be rampant, and cholera's already starting back up again.

Definitely take antimalarials, bring your own mossie net (treated) and spray, and if you can, a water filtration system -- definitely tablets.

water filtering and the sepik river Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea
noammaeir08:14 UTC21 Apr 2010	hi! im planning a trip to png in june. two things i wanted to ask: 1. i wanted to know if you need to filter the water there or if its fine to drink it straight from whatever your getting it. 2. i was thinking of travelling down the sepik river, i heard from someone that it is a great experience. does someone have any information about the area? anything will be helpful. help will be appreciated. tnx
donbrisbane11:22 UTC21 Apr 2010	like all places with poor systems of sanitation/hygiene you bring or buy bottled water...in this case you bring from wewak or larger town before going.for sepik stuff try www.donstravelstories.blogspot.com it is an amazing journey but long and hard on the mind and body.	1
luxingzhe6316:14 UTC25 Apr 2010	If you are traveling down the Sepik on a a reputable tourist boat, they would provide you with bottled water. Otherwise, bring your own. Towns that are quite large (such as Wewak - the usual coastal starting point for the Sepik) have potable supplies that are OK to drink, but often heavily chlorinated.	2
circuswatcher08:48 UTC09 May 2010	The Sepik river is muddy but the villages know where to find clean water. It will likely be rainwater collected from the tin roof on a missionary or school roof in the village. Just give them your water bottle and ask for clean water. You do not need to carry loads of bottled water with you. As to how to do it, hiring a boat is 250 Kina per day (I know - a huge ripoff) and that does not include the cost of petrol which you must also pay. This is what makes the Sepik River so expensive. I used Lazlo's advice (website here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/81514/#TL) and had a great experience. Take a PMV boat on market day (you then only pay for petrol and not for boat hire b/c its already headed down the river anyway) to Korogo Village. Stay there for a week (that's plenty!) and hire a boat a couple of days to go see other villages and their House Tambarans. I highly recommend visits to Kanganaman and Yamok. Edited by: circuswatcher	3
climb_r07:35 UTC24 May 2010	The Sepik is seriously flooded right now -- the worst levels and length of inundation in the past 40 years. The waters are expected (hoped) to recede in June, but that means malaria, etc. will be rampant, and cholera's already starting back up again. Definitely take antimalarials, bring your own mossie net (treated) and spray, and if you can, a water filtration system -- definitely tablets.	4