Raja Ampat Flight Questions

[BDSC]

Hello Everyone.

Next January (2020) we are going on our first trip to Raja Ampat. I think I have the flight schedule worked out I am going to use but I do have a few questions that someone might be able to answer for me.

It looks like we will fly Cathay Airlines out of JFK thru Hong Kong to Jakarta. We would arrive in Jakarta around 1:30pm local time. We would then fly Garuda Airlines from Jakarta to Sorong. That flight leaves around 12:30am so we will have a pretty long layover in Jarkarta. I'm assuming we will need to get our bags and clear customs in Jakarta and then check-in with Garuda.

Here is what I need help with. There are a couple of hotels in the airport itself so you don't need to leave the airport at all. Will we have access to the area where those hotels are? I was thinking that they might be past security. If so, unless Garuda allows you to check-in way before your flight, you wouldn't be able to get to them and do one of those 6 hour room rentals.

Also, while I am looking at flight options from JFK because we live on the east coast, I am open to leaving from pretty much anywhere in the US if there are better options.

My plan is to arrive in Sorong on a Saturday morning. We board the boat on Monday morning. That would give me all day Saturday and Sunday to rest up and allow for any flight issues.

Thanks for any help with this.

Ash

 

[Dogbowl]

We took Cathay from YYZ to HKG, then on Garuda from HKG to Jakarta, then to Sorong. This is a little different from your intended itinerary. We did this so we could use our points. Flying Cathay is infinitely better than Garuda so the more legs on Cathay the better IMO.

Since we took Garuda from HKG, our bags were checked through to Sorong. I think you will need to pick up your bags though, since you’ll be arriving on Cathay. Once we got to Jakarta, we had to go through customs. After that, we made our way up several flights of escalators and ended up at the Garuda check-in counter, where we had to check in again (which I thought was weird since we already had our boarding passes). We also passed the capsule hotel during this long walk and a fellow liveaboard passenger told me she used it and it was excellent. After check-in we went through security again. The capsule hotel is outside security.

There are food/restaurants inside security, as well as a lounge. It sucked. I’m sorry I’m being brutally honest. We literally walked out and ate at a fast food restaurant instead.

The signs in the airport are not helpful, we had to ask many people where we were supposed to go.

Most ppl on our liveaboard lived dangerously - they arrived the day of departure. I wish I had too because Sorong is so boring and the food choices are poor and limited. It’s a place where you really wanna get out of as fast as you can. But since you’re leaving in the middle of winter with possible snow issues to contend with, you might be making a smart move by arriving 2 days early.

 

[Dogbowl]

One more thing...since you're leaving from JFK, you'll also have the option to fly Singapore Airlines instead of Cathay Pacific.

 

[BDSC]

Singapore is definitely in play from JFK. I’ll be looking at that more closely.

Since I can easily use miles to get me from RDU (Raleigh/Durham) to any of the major international hubs like LAX, ATL, JFK, IAH, etc., I’m pretty flexible on which of those I start from. Seems like the prices out of LAX are better as I’m assuming there is more competition for your business from there.

 

[Dan]

Hey Ash,

I’m going to RA too in January 2020. I’ll be with Amira from the 14th to the 25th. When is your trip dates? May be we can meet somewhere there.

In the past trips to RA (been there about 7 times), when I went there via Jakarta, I stayed in FM7. They are cheap, about $50/night, including airport pickup & dropoff. A nice clean hotel, great place to crash and recover after a 24-hour flight. However, my last trip there was in November 2017. So many changes since then with the new airport & capsule hotel that @Dogbowl mentioned, my comment would be old news now.

I flew most of the time with Singapore Airlines. They have a great flight from Houston to Singapore with 90-minute stop over in Manchester (UK) for refueling & pickup/drop off passengers. So, it was a good break to stretch my still legs after an 11-hour sitting. The price was incredibly cheap ($680). BTW, they also offer one for 2019 from LAX to CGK for $697. The fare is good until September 2019.

I’m one of those recreational divers that have been living dangerously in the last 10 years. I’ve been flying & arriving in So-wrong on the day the liveaboard left the harbor. I haven’t missed the boat, yet (knock on wood). One of the reasons, I think, that I have been going there at wee hours (~ midnight) and arriving in So-wrong around 6-7am.

 

[BDSC]

We will board the boat on Monday, January 6th and depart on Friday the 17th. Maybe if the boats run into each other we can chat it up.!

 

[Dan]

Which boat will you be on?

 

[BDSC]

Samambaia

 

[Dogbowl]

We saw her on our trip in December .

We saw a lot of other liveaboards. We were all travelling in a caravan. Unintended I suppose.

I liked to play the game, "Name that liveaboard," with the host. He was much better than me of course.

 

[Dave Kay]

Hello Everyone.

Next January (2020) we are going on our first trip to Raja Ampat. I think I have the flight schedule worked out I am going to use but I do have a few questions that someone might be able to answer for me.

It looks like we will fly Cathay Airlines out of JFK thru Hong Kong to Jakarta. We would arrive in Jakarta around 1:30pm local time. We would then fly Garuda Airlines from Jakarta to Sorong. That flight leaves around 12:30am so we will have a pretty long layover in Jarkarta. I'm assuming we will need to get our bags and clear customs in Jakarta and then check-in with Garuda.

Here is what I need help with. There are a couple of hotels in the airport itself so you don't need to leave the airport at all. Will we have access to the area where those hotels are? I was thinking that they might be past security. If so, unless Garuda allows you to check-in way before your flight, you wouldn't be able to get to them and do one of those 6 hour room rentals.

Also, while I am looking at flight options from JFK because we live on the east coast, I am open to leaving from pretty much anywhere in the US if there are better options.

My plan is to arrive in Sorong on a Saturday morning. We board the boat on Monday morning. That would give me all day Saturday and Sunday to rest up and allow for any flight issues.

Thanks for any help with this.

Ash

I did this trip October 2017, congrads on making it out, you will be astounded. I ran into the same problem. I got in at night and had a 9 hour layover. Garuda was closed and I could not get into security to use the in house rooms which are a great deal. I had to sit out in the lobby and many locals were sleeping on the floor. Garuda would not open until 2 hours before the flight at 5 AM. You are getting in early afternoon, so this may be a different situation. You may be able to check bags, go through security and get an in house local cubical to rest in. Better than a lobby wait. However, I would call or e mail Garuda to confirm this. You cant make assumptions when you travel. Finally there is a hotel off of departures that you can walk to. It's swanky and like $300 a night. I did this when flying home as I had another long layover and could not face the lobby wait again. The place has an amazing pool to swim at night and gorgeous rooms. But $$$ Good Luck, It's worth the hassle.