East Sepik has an population of around 400,000. There are a few offshore islands and coastal ranges just inland. Much of the province's geography is dominated by the Sepik River, which flows briefly also through the Papua province of Indonesia and is one of the largest rivers in the world in terms of water flow. Its level can alter by as much as five metres in the course of the year. In the south of the province are mountain ranges that form part of the Sepik's large catchment area that includes swamplands, tropical rainforests and mountains.
European contact on the river began in 1885, when the Germans explored the area. Tourist trips up and down are possible. It is best visited in June to November when there are less mosquitoes. For the truly adventurous it should be possible to rent dugout canoes with outboards and boatman at the river villages closest to the province's capital, Wewak. The people living along the river are noted for their carvings and elaborate manhood initiation ceremonies. Many villages use garamut drums, which are long, hollowed-out tree trunks carved into the shape of totem animals. Many villages have a Haus Tambaran which is a traditional ancestral worship house. The most recognizable forms of this are found around the village of Maprik. The Sepik people are renowned for their superb artistic ability in painting and carving, which is often exhibited in these religious structures. Papua New Guinea's first prime minister, Michael Somare, came from the Sepik region and it is perhaps no coincidence that the design of the country's parliament building in Port Moresby was based on a Haus Tambaran.
A traditional carving from the Sepik Region
West Sepik is also known as Sandaun (sun down) province, as it is, with Western Province, the most westerly of PNG's provinces. The name Sandaun was adopted by the province in order to differentiate it from East Sepik. It is a large province with mountains in the interior, jungles in the lowlands, and attractive tropical coastlines. There are limited road connections along the coast and most inland districts can only be reached by light aircraft or boats. The interior townships of Telefomin and Oksapmin are said to be the most remote towns in the country.
The capital of West Sepik is Vanimo, which is a stopping off point for those heading for Indonesia and for expats in Indonesia wanting to renew their Indonesian visas. It is also becoming a popular destination for expert surfers. Also on the coast is Aitape, a town developed around a catholic mission. Close to there is the Sissano Lagoon which was devastated by a tsunami in 1998, killing 2000.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Sepik
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Sepik - updated May 2024
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Sepik Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
