Flight options to Sorong

[NootFish]

I would recommend flying Garurda whenever possible, they're safer and they offer a free checked bag of "dive gear". (Also, they code share with Delta where I have status.)

I made a potentially poor decision to do the Garuda flight 6 hours before boat departure because there was no departure the previous day and I trust Garuda more to not cancel or lose my baggage. Am I making a mistake? I shall find out in October! (The timing of this trip and days off work were suboptimal, I take the day before to recover at the FaveHotel Sorong, and visit the bakery at the mall down the street and get my now traditional pre-trip pastries.)

 

[jjmochi]

Thx everyone. Decided to stick with Singapore Airlines and just change to earlier 5.20pm flight which gets into Jakarta at 6.05pm. In the grand scheme of things I guess 1 hour of extra layover is not that big a deal. That will give us >7h of layover in Jakarta - is there a dayroom hotel?

 

[Cali_diver]

There is an airport hotel called the Jakarta Airport Hotel. It is in T2. Not bad... not great but not bad.

 

[pclark2]

I just booked that Jakarta Airport Hotel a couple of days ago for a December visit. I'm getting into Jakarta almost a full 24 hours before my flight to Sorong (Batik Air) and then plan to overnight there before my boat to Kri island. I've read about the issues with connections and such and thus built in lots of extra time for problems.

One thing I'm still working on figuring out is a hotel for one night in Sorong. Swiss-Belhotel oddly doesn't have availability for the night in question, so having to look for another option. Anyone have recommendations?

 

[Cali_diver]

I just booked that Jakarta Airport Hotel a couple of days ago for a December visit. I'm getting into Jakarta almost a full 24 hours before my flight to Sorong (Batik Air) and then plan to overnight there before my boat to Kri island. I've read about the issues with connections and such and thus built in lots of extra time for problems.

One thing I'm still working on figuring out is a hotel for one night in Sorong. Swiss-Belhotel oddly doesn't have availability for the night in question, so having to look for another option. Anyone have recommendations?

...just curious if you checked on Agoda or hotel.com etc for rooms. Sometimes I have found rooms on those sites when the hotel shows no vacancies. Just a thought

 

[pclark2]

...just curious if you checked on Agoda or hotel.com etc for rooms. Sometimes I have found rooms on those sites when the hotel shows no vacancies. Just a thought

Thanks for the idea. Sadly no availability there either. Their own website booking makes it seem like possibly a 5 night minimum for that period for some reason.

 

[Cert1967]

One thing I'm still working on figuring out is a hotel for one night in Sorong. Swiss-Belhotel oddly doesn't have availability for the night in question, so having to look for another option. Anyone have recommendations?

You might try the Marina or Belagri.

The Marina is heavily used by the port and oil service industry. While basic, it is sort of clean and has rooms with views of the port.

Siren used the Belagri when we sailed with them. Better food than the Swiss-Bel, which isn't saying much, and an interesting rooftop bar with good views.

Me? I liked the Belagri better than the Swiss-Bel - we stayed several years ago.

It seems that many RA ops push their guests to the SB - for an easy one-stop pickup.

Let us know where you stayed.

Last April the CGK train wasn't running. Have a plan for getting from the airport hotel to the Garuda terminal.

• Marina Mamberamo
  Jl. Yos. Sudarso No.1, Kp. Baru, Distrik Sorong, Kota Sorong, Papua Bar. 98413, Indonesia•+62 852-4458-8484
• Belagri Hotel
  Jl. Merapi No.8, Klabala, Distrik Sorong Barat, Kota Sorong, Papua Bar. 98411, Indonesia•+62 951 323888
  
  

 

[Shiqi]

swissbel just opened up the booking for 12/21 and beyond, and you can book it now. I think their system probably wasn't set up to open for booking before. I saw your post and wondered because I plan to book there for my pre liveaboard in December too. I was a bit upset when I did the search and saw it says unavailable, but then I saw nothing is available after 12/21 and all the way thru the entire 2023 and thought that can't be right. Either their system is not set up correctly, or this hotel is planning to shut down. So I emailed them last night and asked about it, then found that it is bookable today. Could be a total coincidence who knows, but hey, it works

 

[ConeyIslander]

swissbel just opened up the booking for 12/21 and beyond, and you can book it now. I think their system probably wasn't set up to open for booking before. I saw your post and wondered because I plan to book there for my pre liveaboard in December too. I was a bit upset when I did the search and saw it says unavailable, but then I saw nothing is available after 12/21 and all the way thru the entire 2023 and thought that can't be right. Either their system is not set up correctly, or this hotel is planning to shut down. So I emailed them last night and asked about it, then found that it is bookable today. Could be a total coincidence who knows, but hey, it works

Thank You Shiqi- I just booked my room!! I was able to do it on Booking.com

I decided to fly into Sorong a full 24 hours early arriving at 6AM the day before my boat embarks. I am flying round trip on Batik Air. I plan on booking two nights at my Sorong hotel so that I can check into my room as soon as I arrive in the morning with out any hassles. I will have one night where I am paying for two hotel rooms, One room in Jakarta, one in Sorong as my flight doesn't take off till 12:25AM.

When I leave Sorong I was told by my operator that I could be on the 10:45AM flight back to Jakarta. I plan on continuing on that same day to KL. I booked a Malaysian Airline flight departing at 6:25PM giving me a layover of more than 5 hours which I was told should be the minimum. The ticket I purchased can be changed without any fees, so there is also a 3:45PM flight I can try to get on if my flight into Jakarta is on time and a 7:55PM flight if I am late. Lets see how it all plays out

 

[pclark2]

swissbel just opened up the booking for 12/21 and beyond, and you can book it now. I think their system probably wasn't set up to open for booking before. I saw your post and wondered because I plan to book there for my pre liveaboard in December too. I was a bit upset when I did the search and saw it says unavailable, but then I saw nothing is available after 12/21 and all the way thru the entire 2023 and thought that can't be right. Either their system is not set up correctly, or this hotel is planning to shut down. So I emailed them last night and asked about it, then found that it is bookable today. Could be a total coincidence who knows, but hey, it works

Shiqi you are right! They just opened them up! I'm looking at the night of the 3rd. Sounds like your email fixed it for all of us! Thank you!

Thank You Shiqi- I just booked my room!! I was able to do it on Booking.com

I decided to fly into Sorong a full 24 hours early arriving at 6AM the day before my boat embarks. I am flying round trip on Batik Air. I plan on booking two nights at my Sorong hotel so that I can check into my room as soon as I arrive in the morning with out any hassles. I will have one night where I am paying for two hotel rooms, One room in Jakarta, one in Sorong as my flight doesn't take off till 12:25AM.

When I leave Sorong I was told by my operator that I could be on the 10:45AM flight back to Jakarta. I plan on continuing on that same day to KL. I booked a Malaysian Airline flight departing at 6:25PM giving me a layover of more than 5 hours which I was told should be the minimum. The ticket I purchased can be changed without any fees, so there is also a 3:45PM flight I can try to get on if my flight into Jakarta is on time and a 7:55PM flight if I am late. Lets see how it all plays out

I'm tempted to do the same as you ConeyIslander and book 2 nights due to arriving on the same Batik flight early morning.