To go from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia by land, there’s only one option: the border between Vanimo and Jayapura.

Getting to Vanimo

Vanimo is a tiny coastal village in the easygoing Sandaun province of PNG. There’s one supermarket, two banks, two hotels, and a handful of small shops. It has a pleasant coastline that affords board-worhty swells waves during surf season, around October-April.

It’s also one of the safest places in PNG. You can calmly walk around alone, even at night.

Vanimo’s roads only extend 50 km each way, so the best way to get there is by plane. Only Air Niugini files to Vanimo, and it can get pricey. The only other way in is by boat from another coastal town.

Visa matters

Although Indonesia gives visas on arrival to some nationalities, you’ll need a pre-arranged visa for the land crossing. There’s an Indonesian consulate in Vanimo, but it has been known to defer visa applications to the embassy in Port Moresby. It’s strongly recommended to get the visa done in Moresby. It costs 135 kina ($50).

Getting to the border

The border has two lanes of paved road, but no car is allowed to go through it. You must get a ride from Vanimo to the border, go through immigration, then catch another ride to Jayapura.

There are public buses (PMVs) that depart regularly for the border. Just ask anyone in town. They all know the details.

Alternately, you can try to hitchhike. Just be on the outgoing road from town at an early hour. The trip takes roughly 45 minutes.

The first checkpoint.

The border

Before you reach the border, you have to go through a checkpoint. An official without uniform sits on a table outside a simple shack and take down your name and passport number on a book. Five minutes later, you arrive at the frontier.

There’s a No Man’s Land between both countries about 10 metres wide. On either side are totems carved in the Papuan style welcoming you to their respective countries. There’s a gate for people and a sliding one for cars, about waist high, that is never opened. A lighthouse with an Indonesia flag towers to the right.

The difference between both countries is evident: the road on the PNG side is roughly paved without a kerb. Weeds grow through cracks. In Indonesia, you have two well-defined lanes with painted kerbs on both sides.

There’s a small customs building where people leaving PNG must get their departure stamps. There’s a chance that when you arrive, it will be closed, as it is common in PNG for people to simply not show up to work. If it’s closed, don’t jump the fence to the Indonesian side, even if someone says it’s ok. The Indonesian guards will simply tell you to go back and get stamped, or demand a “fee” for your trespass. Yes, this happened to us.

Instead, wait for the PNG customs official to arrive. If he takes a long time, ask someone to take you back to the first checkpoint. There are usually people on motorcycles loitering around the border. Inform the checkpoint official that the customs is closed. He will send someone there.

Crossing into Indonesia.

In Indonesia

It’s a five minute walk from the border to the Indonesia immigration building. You’ll have to fill out an arrival and departure card, which you must carry with you until you leave the country.

A guard might ask you for an extra fee, which is usually his cigarette money. Be polite and ask for a receipt. That usually gets them to back down.

To Jayapura

There are several charter taxis waiting at the border. They cost 400,000 rupiyah, no matter how many passengers.

Sometimes there are cheaper buses, but don’t count on it. If you want to save, wait for more people to cross the border and split the taxi.

If you’re hungry, there’s a little market just outside the border that shows how different both countries are. The variety of products is far greater than PNG and prices are much lower. It also accepts payment in kina.

The road to Jayapura is pleasant and scenic. You pass several villages nestled in the thick bush overlooking the sea. You’ll also see that the construction of building is more developed than in PNG.

In Jayapura

Jayapura is a big, bustling city that’s ugly by day but endearing by night. Food stalls take over the sidewalks offering tasty Indonesian usuals like fried noodles and fried rice. Everyone is out at night and you feel the streets are safe.

The cheapest hotel we found that’s walking distance from the city center is Hotel Mario Marannu. The simplest double room costs 170,000 rupiyah ($18) a night.

Banks, travel agencies, markets and internet cafes are everywhere in the centre. A few hotels offer free wifi in the lobby, but if you’re not a guest, you’ll be asked to buy food or drinks.

Hardly anyone speaks English, so get yourself an Indonesian phrasebook and dictionary at Gramedia, a large and well-stocked bookstore.

Leaving Jayapua

The airport is far from the city, so calculate more than one hour to get there. Taxis and motorcycles will charge 100,000 rupiyah per person, but you can negotiate it to 80,000.

Don’t jump the border! You’ll be sent back by the Indonesian guards.