Wewak

Introduction

Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city (seat) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak.

From a travel perspective Wewak is mainly important as an access point for visits to the Sepik River. During World War II, it was the site of a large Japanese airbase and the location of formal Japanese surrender to Allied forces on New Guinea.

Sights and Activities

Nearby islands like Mushu island have great surfing, snorkelling and diving possibilities and some basic accommodations.

Trips to the Sepik river are great.

Wewak has a considerable number of relics from WW2 and, in particular, attracts many Japanese visitors.

Getting There

By Plane

Wewak Airport offers flights to/from Mount Hagen, Madang, Port Moresby and Vanimo.

By Car

Wewak is linked by road to three villages on the Sepik River: Angoram, Timbunke, and Pagwi, though the roads are not always in good condition. In addition, a coastal highway extends to the west, linking Wewak with the coastal towns of Aitape and Vanimo, which is the capital of Sandaun province.

By Bus

4 wheel drive pickups to Aitape from near the market, leaving when full, are very rough in bad weather. PVM (small buses) go to Madang, Angoram, and Pagwi.

By Boat

Banana boats (very small boats, no roof, 10 passengers) go to Aitape and Madang from the bay east of the main market and to nearby islands like Mushu island west of that market - all leaving when full.

Getting Around

By Public Transport

Minibuses run everywhere, starting from near the main market, also from Caltex station, for 1 Kina (also to the airport).

Sleep

In Wewak Boutique Hotel (on Wewak Hill), ☎ +675 856 2100. K215-500 per room.

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet usage among the people is relatively low. You can find internet cafes in major cities, towns and other tourist centers. Wifi coverage is still very low, but is growing.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Papua New Guinea's international country code is 675.

Digicel is by far the better telecom provider. A new prepaid sim card is easy to purchase and can be used in any unlocked phone. Calls cost from 0.60-1.00 kina and SMS from 0.25 kina. Topup is available anywhere where there is network and also online (credit card or PayPal). Mobile Internet costs 0.35 kina per MB but it's possible to buy hourly (30 MB for 1 kina), daily (60 MB for 2.5 kina), weekly (150 MB for 10 kina) or monthly (900 MB for 65 kina) packages. There are also promotions and packages for calls and sms.

Post

Post PNG offers postal service in the country. It is only recommended to use for sending postcards, as it is not very reliable nor fast. To send packages overseas, use international courier companies like FedEx, DHL or UPS.

External Links