Hi,
I will be in Indonesia soon and I'd like to go to Papua and Papua New Guinea.
Does anyone know if it is possible to cycle there on the mainland? I see some roads but most of them are not conected. Does it mean that there is absolutely no roads or there could be some dirt roads?
Has anyone tried it already?
Anyone with little info is more than welcome
Cheers
Cycling in Papua in Indonesia and Papua new guinea
Qui, 2016-04-14 04:00
#1
Membro WS
Cycling in Papua in Indonesia and Papua new guinea
now that was 30 years ago and things have changed, I hope.
Back then, the roads were NOT connected- and looking at the terrain, I was not surprised and don't expect that to have changed much.
The roads around Port Moresby were good, but in the center of the island, they were dirt roads in very bad shape. To connect, you still have to use small planes, getting your bike transported will cost (a lot) extra- if at all possible.
However: from all the countries I have lived/been to, PNG is probably the only one I would avoid to ever go to (again). Tropical nature is equally as nice elsewhere and the people will most likely be a lot nicer anywhere else. It was a violent country with aggressive people (among each other and towards others).
If you go, be aware of snakes. We caught a Taipan in the bathroom- and that was in Port Moresby, the capital.
Last but not least: PNG was incredibly expensive. Even local produce will cost you an arm and a leg.
Aloha,
Mike
I read about a guy who did it once. It was tough going for sure. I think he hired a guide to go with him over the Kakoda trail. And i'm not positive he came through West Papua but there's a good chance he did. If you google about you are bound to find his blog. And it would be a good idea to contact him if you can. Also check crazyguyonabike to see if there are any blogs there.
I hiked it in 5 days (1981) (from Kokoda back to the trail head near Port Moresby).
You could not have biked it- at times it required to cut your way thru the forest with a machete. Since then I believe the trail is now more developed, but I still doubt you can cycle some of the parts even with the best mountain bikes and without luggage.
I hope nobody reads this now and considers it a challenge ;)
He didn't ride the Kakoda trail. But he did take his bike over it if i remember correctly.
Since years ago that I am dreaming to cycle and travel from the Philippines (the place where I live )to Papua and New Guinea Papua . Since then too I try to know about those places and I read whatever I can find and even I did search the internet looking for somebody that did travel there by bicycle. So far I found only an account that must be the guy you mentioned above. Rob Lilwall a British bike traveller cycled there years ago. I even read his original blog detailing his trip but that blog since he started to earn a living from books,films and as a motivational speaker was erased out of the web. I can remember he only could travel for days at a time till where the road or track finished or was very hard to keep going and then he connected to other road by taking boats.
http://www.roblilwall.com/about
He wrote Cycling Home from Siberia a book about his trip.
You might contact him.
From my research and plotting routes over maps I think combining roads,tracks and short boat trips is possible to cover a big part of N.G.P., specially is possible to go from the Indonesian border at Jayapura to the N.G.P. Highlands. Of course is going to be hard and only to be done in the dry season.
More chances of enjoying the ride if already adapted to ride jungle tracks, staying in primitive, small villages,surviving with little and repetitive food.
I would be very interested if ever finally you ride in Papua or in N.G.P. to know about your experience.
By chance,do you keep a blog or Facebook page about your trip?.
Sorry,as I have not yet traveled there I can not be much of help.
Best luck.
Thank you guys for the answers!
I think I'll try it anyway, the Indonesian side seems to be the hardest part with the roads, but yeah I'm pretty sure I could find some boats.
I'm now in Surabaya, slowly heading there. I'll let you know what happened.
I do have a blog, but I wrote it in English because I have made it mostly for my family and it doesn't contain a lot of useful information. You can see my itinerary there. And if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.
Jeanjeanenroueslibres.blogspot.com
Hi Jean.
Just by chance that I visit again your post here. Wondering if you did go to Papua and to P.N.G.?. I try to see on your blog but last entry is before going there. Hope you are well and happy by this time.
Hi,
I'm sorry I didn't go further than Sorong or the Raja Ampat.
Was expecting that the roads would turn in tracks and eventually disapear.
My bike and all the gears was pretty heavy so I was hardly imagining myself carrying it over long hiking trails or no trails at all.
And taking boat and ferries all the time with the bike made me really tired of travelling by boat.
So I might go back there but I think that time would be on my feet !
I think it's still doable though and I'd like to hear more if you have bigger balls than I �
I agree ,better wait for the right time. Papua and PNG everytime calling me stronger. Hope this year to go there and have a try. I will let you know. Cheers.