Hello. I'm planning a Raja Ampat liveaboard for Nov.2018. Trying to figure out the best routes / flights to get to Sorong and then back to Houston. Priorities are making the connections, price, and decent layover city. Will probably fly with Singapore Air to Jakarta, spend one night there, take Garuda to Sorong (and maybe 1 night there also). Other option would be get to Singapore, spend a night there, then take Garuda from Singapore to Sorong (probably via Jakarta). Manado as connecting city is possible, but fewer flights if a flight gets delayed or cancelled. Bali as connecting city is another possibility, a year from now it will hopefully be back to normal. Recommendations?
Flights from Houston to Sorong?
- Thread starter JRM-TX
- Start date
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I'll be watching this thread! I'm flying (from DC area) to Ambon in Dec 2018, liveaboard to Sorong, then fly home. Also looking at various options. At the moment, you can only get to/from Sorong on domestic airlines, but it seems that might change. I will definitely arrive Ambon at least one day early....domestic airline uncertainties being what they are. I'd like to avoid Jakarta with an overnight if possible, but am happy to change planes there. I'm looking at Bali or Singapore as portal cities.
ukdave0
Contributor
Singapore Air flies to Makassar. Then there are direct options to either Sorong or Ambon. Only catch is the Singapore flight is not everyday.
Same is true for Singapore Air to Manado. Then options to Sorong (but no direct flights to Ambon).
Same is true for Singapore Air to Manado. Then options to Sorong (but no direct flights to Ambon).
outofofficebrb
HARRO HUNNAYYY
I just did San Francisco to Sorong in October so this is very fresh in my head. I flew to Jakarta then to Sorong. I considered Bali as well. After Sorong, I flew to Manado for some muck diving before flying home. My round trip ticket was to Jakarta and I bought local flights separately - much cheaper.
Your options and scheduling for flights to Sorong once in Indonesia are more way favorable in time, price, and flexibility due to how numerous from Jakarta than Bali. I would also highly recommend Batik Air if you get their business class product. I bought ahead of time well in advance for only $30-40 more than economy and service was incredible from check-in to baggage pick up. I found Garuda’s plane to be outdated when I flew them between Manado, Sorong, and Jakarta vs Batik’s between Jakarta to Sorong via Makassar.
If you fly Singapore Air you can stop in Singapore before Jakarta or go through SFO and fly direct to Singapore from there then to Jakarta. You can fly United/ANA through Narita or Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong before getting to Jakarta.
Your options and scheduling for flights to Sorong once in Indonesia are more way favorable in time, price, and flexibility due to how numerous from Jakarta than Bali. I would also highly recommend Batik Air if you get their business class product. I bought ahead of time well in advance for only $30-40 more than economy and service was incredible from check-in to baggage pick up. I found Garuda’s plane to be outdated when I flew them between Manado, Sorong, and Jakarta vs Batik’s between Jakarta to Sorong via Makassar.
If you fly Singapore Air you can stop in Singapore before Jakarta or go through SFO and fly direct to Singapore from there then to Jakarta. You can fly United/ANA through Narita or Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong before getting to Jakarta.
Thanks for all the feedback. It would be great to transit via Makassar, but the number and days of flights from Singapore looks to be limited. As much as I'd like to avoid Jakarta, it looks like that's the most flexible changeover point to get to Sorong for the liveaboard.
So ... going over there have loads of time, can leave Houston on Saturday if I want, and the boat doesn't leave until Thursday. An extra day in Singapore is a given. Is it worth staying overnight in Sorong as a hedge against missed flights? Is Sorong worth a second night? (Previous threads suggest it's a transit port, not a holiday destination by any means). How about Jakarta, spend a day lounging around a hotel, or just get in & out on the same day? Again, I've got some time to kill, just trying to optimize based on ensuring arrival prior to boat departure and having an ok time at layover spots. Bali would be a better layover spot than anywhere mentioned, but no idea how long the Agung episodes might last ...
Really looking forward to going back to Indonesia, last time was over 10 years ago.
So ... going over there have loads of time, can leave Houston on Saturday if I want, and the boat doesn't leave until Thursday. An extra day in Singapore is a given. Is it worth staying overnight in Sorong as a hedge against missed flights? Is Sorong worth a second night? (Previous threads suggest it's a transit port, not a holiday destination by any means). How about Jakarta, spend a day lounging around a hotel, or just get in & out on the same day? Again, I've got some time to kill, just trying to optimize based on ensuring arrival prior to boat departure and having an ok time at layover spots. Bali would be a better layover spot than anywhere mentioned, but no idea how long the Agung episodes might last ...
Really looking forward to going back to Indonesia, last time was over 10 years ago.
outofofficebrb
HARRO HUNNAYYY
@JRM-TX Sorong is not worth an extra night. There is nothing there and you will be bored out of your mind. It is just a launch point for Raja Ampat. I also left Jakarta immediately....big cities don’t interest me much, especially with the awful traffic everywhere.
If you have time to use up, go somewhere after you get off the liveaboard instead. Muck diving in Manado area - Lembeh Strait.
If you have time to use up, go somewhere after you get off the liveaboard instead. Muck diving in Manado area - Lembeh Strait.
I just came back from this trip. We got roundtrip tickets from Houston to Jakarta with a connection in Tokyo on ANA (code shared with United on the Houston to Tokyo legs) for $700 per person. We arrived in Jakarta a little before midnight. We overnighted in Jakarta for a little sleep. We took a red-eye on Sriwijaya Air from Jakarta to Makassar to Sorong for $200 roundtrip. (Originally, the flight was going to be non-stop from Jakarta to Sorong. That flight was canceled about 2 weeks before we left.) We got to Sorong the day before our trip started. Why? I wanted to leave plenty of time for delays and rest before getting on the boat. For the return, we left the boat to the airport for Jakarta. We stayed 2 nights in Jakarta before heading back to Houston.
I'll post a more detailed trip report soon.
I'll post a more detailed trip report soon.
billt4sf
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Check out EVA Airlines as an alternative to SingAir. SingAir is the best, if you can do them - great.
We have been VERY happy with EVA from SFO to Taiwan then to Bali. Though be advised that the website is not as good as the service IMHO. We suffer far less jet lag when we have a short night (long layover) in Taiwan before continuing on to Bali.
In any case consider planning in an extra day of rest once arrived in Indo, also to allow for lost bags, immigration problems, etc.
- Bill
We have been VERY happy with EVA from SFO to Taiwan then to Bali. Though be advised that the website is not as good as the service IMHO. We suffer far less jet lag when we have a short night (long layover) in Taiwan before continuing on to Bali.
In any case consider planning in an extra day of rest once arrived in Indo, also to allow for lost bags, immigration problems, etc.
- Bill
dbnewton
Contributor
I recently booked Newark to Sorong for Feb 2018. I found the cheapest/easiest for us was through Singapore on United and separate booking Singapore to Sorong on Gaurda.
468$ for United EWR-SIN,
437$ for Guarda SIN-SOQ.
I choose not just based on price but also wanted to take some sleep in SIN in the transit hotel as well we needed to arrive in Sorong in the AM to catch the ride to the resort we are staying at.
None the less that price is darn good. Nothing even close to that with a single booking.
468$ for United EWR-SIN,
437$ for Guarda SIN-SOQ.
I choose not just based on price but also wanted to take some sleep in SIN in the transit hotel as well we needed to arrive in Sorong in the AM to catch the ride to the resort we are staying at.
None the less that price is darn good. Nothing even close to that with a single booking.
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