Jakarta/Sorong Advice Please

[Cert1967]

We are traveling to Sorong from Jakarta the first week of May. We arrive in Jakarta late in the evening.

Recommendations for

1. Hotel near/at CGK?
2. Hotel in Sorong?
3. Garuda to/from Sorong?
4. CGK to SOQ, connection via MDC or UPG?
5. Hotel for the layover in MDC - distance from airport?
6. Arrival time at CGK for domestic flights?
7. Arrival time at SOQ for domestic flights?
8. Liquor store in Sorong?

Thanks

 

[crookshanky]

I just did a Xmas/NY Raja liveaboard out of Sorong. Flew Sriwijaya Air from CGK to SQO via UPG. Flight into UPG was late and had to take a later flight to SOQ. Just glad my bag and gear (and me) showed up in SOQ. Definitely not the best airline. Garuda is probably a better bet. There is a direct flight from CGK to SOQ with Sriwijaya Air (NAM Air) but I believe it is a red eye. We stocked up on beer at the local grocery shop near the pier. IIRC, there was no liquor and only a couple options for beer. I believe we nearly bought all their Bintang stock...

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

1- In order, our guests have luck with - Located off property FM7, Ibis Styles or terminal 2E has the Jakarta airport hotel and terminal 1A has a more budget homestay called d'primahotel (this has no windows is basically a box w/a bed & bath).
2-Most liveaboards and dive resorts put their guests at Swiss Belhotel or Royal Mamberamo
3-Garuda has flights to Sorong via UPG or MDC your shortest layover is via UPG. Nam Air, Sriwijaya Air, Batik and Xpress all have non-stop flights to SOQ and allows 20kg. Depending on when you land uou may even be able to connect out early the next morning
4-If you are overnighting than connect via UPG, newer airport and closer hotels airport hotels.
5-Ibis budget hotel Makassar (walk to it) or there is a homestay down near terminal 1 (bring ear plugs for the homestay, as the announcement speakers are right overhead).
6- 2 hours
8-Don't count on it. Choice is severely limited and expensive. I've been told some of the imported liquors may actually be fake, but don't quote me. Bring in your duty-free. Not sure about Jakarta, but Bali charged me 100,000IDR on a second bottle I just brought in. Once in country, if you have the tax sticker, you can carry on the bottles domestically w/out any problems. If they say something. Tell them it's duty free, sealed and for personal use.

Have a wonderful time in Indonesia!

 

[Land Fish]

Garuda might decide for you that you wouldn't need your diving gears in Raja Ampat and thus not load your luggage to the plane that you're on, until you make a major fuss after arriving at the destination.

This happened to at least three divers on my recent trip

On the plus side, they sometimes offer 30kg check-in allowance.

 

[Mike Veitch]

I agree with Adellaar, also.. maximize your duty free alcohol, 1L per person

 

[helarno]

1. Hotel near/at CGK?
2. Hotel in Sorong?
3. Liquor store in Sorong?

Thanks

Not recommendation per se, just my own experience in Jan 2017:

1. Stayed at Jakarta Airport Hotel. Basic, but comfortable. Terminal 2E on 2nd floor. Not easy to find. Look for metal detector on a staircase going up on the 2nd floor. Just really convenient since it's in the airport and a short walk.
2. Swiss Belhotel. Hardware (furnishings, equipment) is decent, service staff not so well trained. Got a glass that smelled of pee and looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Another tasted of salt. Dinner was a long wait as they couldn't handle the restaurant being more than 1/4 full. That said, still probably one of the better hotels in the area.
3. Didn't go shopping, but only could get beer in the Swiss Belhotel, no wine or hard liquor. The waiter said that starting from 2017, all hard alcohol was banned in Sorong and only beer was available in the tourist areas. Whether that is true or not, I can't verify as I was only in Sorong for one night and did not leave the hotel. As everyone else has said, definitely buy alcohol in Jakarta or before arriving in Indonesia.

Have fun! Really enjoyed diving in that part of the world!

 

[BarnBrat]

1. FM7 or Ibis Styles, we stayed at FM7... very nice but if I had known about the hotel airport we would have stayed there instead, especially for a short layover. If you go w/ FM7 make sure you use the hotel shuttle. I've heard if you go w/ a taxi they will take you 'the long way' and it can take forever.
2. We stayed at Swill Bell, room and amenities were very nice, no complaints. Free breakfast was good. We went out for dinner to an absolutely fantastic restaurant... Kitong Papua Resto, address Jl. A. Yani Klademak 1 no 12. Excellent seafood! Their seafood is excellent but the standout dish was the passion flower vegetables. I am not a huge vegetable fan but this dish was in the top ten of most delicious dishes I have eaten. Ever. We ordered seconds, and then thirds but they were out of passion flower so we had banana leaf vegetables instead which were also amazing. So yeah, go there, it's amazing! We were a little leery catching the local taxis, especially finding one after dinner in the dark so we used the hotel's car service. At $30 US it was pricey but the driver waited for up to 2 hours and the prices at the restaurant were very affordable so total cost of dinner was still very reasonable... maybe $50 US for 3 people including the car.
8. No liquor anywhere in Indonesia, bring it from the states.

 

[Wingy]

Just on the subject of food (thanks Barnbrat I was hungry!) for anyone overnighting or having a long layover in Makassar - Apong do deliveries - including out to Ibis Budget (Wish we had known this in October) and the homestay at UPG

 

[thesyntax]

Are there any safety concerns in Sorong apart from the usual awareness of pickpocketing, like everywhere?

 

[billt4sf]

On the walks I did with a friend a few times for maybe 45 mins people were VERY friendly, especially the kids, were VERY curious about us and quite friendly and entertaining.

- Bill