"Wewak - Papua New Guinea's Remote Northern Shores!" Wewak by Bwana_Brown

Wewak Travel Guide: 14 reviews and 15 photos

Taiwanese Fishing Junks amongst Beach Clutter

Wewak is quite a pretty town, located along the palm tree-fringed coastline of East Sepik Province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. I managed to visit here about 5 or 6 times during my three-year contract job working for the Papua New Guinea Electricity Commission (Elcom). The available accommodations were nothing too fancy, but quite adequate for a short work visit or as a jumping off spot for exploration in this part of PNG.

The main activities at Wewak involved support for and travel onward into the vast waterlogged rainforest area of the Sepik River, which drains most of the whole of PNG north of the central mountain ranges. Closer at hand were beautiful islands off the coast in the Bismarck Sea, within sight of the town itself. Boat trips could be made to Kairuru Island, the largest one, with its waterfalls, hot-springs and great diving areas. Even today, because of its remoteness, this is a pristine vacation spot - something I did not have the time to do on any of my visits! However, on my wanderings along the beaches in and near the town, I did see some big waves coming ashore on occassion. In fact, these unprotected beaches make for great surfing from September to January, and are quite popular with both locals and tourists.

I found Wewak to be a friendly spot. Of course when you rode into town during situations of rotating blackouts, wearing your Elcom clothes, people were more than happy to assist you in your task of fixing up whatever the problem was! One time, I had a brief stop-over at their Boram Airport with a new employee. We had an hour to spare before our flight departed for its final destination, so I asked the clerk at the car rental agency if I could borrow a vehicle for a few minutes to show him the power station. No problem, away we went for half an hour with no paperwork involved! Please see my 'General Tips' for both high-level and close-up views of Wewak and surrounding areas.

Pros and Cons

Pros:A scenic palm-fringed coastal town
Cons:Security deteriorating
In a nutshell:A great jumping off point to explore the Sepik River

Last visit to Wewak: May 1982
Intro Updated Jul 6, 2005
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Reviews (14)

Wewak, on the Northwest Coast of PNG - Wewak

Wewak is Located HERE Favorites (2)

Located on the northwest coast of Papua New Guinea, Wewak required a fairly long flight from Port Moresby (just off the... more travel advice

Close-up of Wewak Area Favorites (2)

This map gives a good overview of Wewak and its location along the north coast of Papua New Guinea. The main part of the... more travel advice

Traditional Housing Local Customs (3)

Once you get away from the main towns of PNG, you will soon start to see examples of simple accommodations used by the... more travel advice

Mother and Child in their Dugout near Cape Wom - Wewak

Dugout Canoe Local Customs (3)

PNG was a rugged place then and it still is today. In the Sepik River area, the mass of large and twisting rivers and... more travel advice

Off The Beaten Path (3)
See All Now We Are In the Rain Forest!
Things to Do (2)
See All Enjoy the Beach!

Comments (22)

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scottishvisitor Apr 13, 2010 at 12:52 PM

A fine place Glenn to relax after some hard graft!
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lynnehamman Jun 16, 2009 at 6:39 AM

What an idyllic place to combine a bit of pleasure with work. i wonder if it remains unspoiled.Had a chuckle- wondering what that elderly couple in the forest were thinking when they stumbled upon you.
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angiebabe Dec 28, 2008 at 8:53 AM

Always thought about visiting PNG from Aussie but so many times a bit of unrest pops again and makes it seem a bit too unsure!but lovely to see your pages and hopefully one day I will be there in person!Do you the record for most no of Top 5's?!
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Basaic Feb 5, 2008 at 8:40 AM

Interesting tips about a little known (for me) location.
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traveldave Nov 2, 2007 at 6:24 AM

Looks like a beautiful area, but it sure is well off the beaten tourist path.
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calcaf38 Jan 27, 2007 at 12:44 PM

What interesting tips, about a place I can only barely imagine.
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evaanna Jan 27, 2007 at 6:22 AM

Great exotic location too distant to ever become spoilt by tourists. You were really lucky to have been sent there on business. Loved the traditional architecture, the dugout canoes and the leisurely pace of living. Thanks for the wonderful virtual tour.
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pepples46 May 31, 2006 at 1:50 PM

I would love to down 1 or 2 cold ones at Elcom Beach right now..enjoying the rolling sea and the warm sand :-) tks for a facinatic insider page.
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LoriPori May 23, 2006 at 6:01 AM

Another interesting page Glenn. Wow your job sure brought you to some very remote, exotic places.
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tiabunna Apr 19, 2006 at 3:40 AM

Your pages on PNG really bring out the exotic feeling of the destination. I tried paddling one of those outrigger dugouts in Vanuatu, but although the locals make it look easy I could only go in circles. George