Aitape Airport – ATP Aitape
Aitape Airport is an airfield strip located in Aitape, Papua New Guinea. This airport has an airport code of ATP and is nestled in the Sandaun Province. The two airstrips in New Guinea are Aitape Airport and Tadji Airport (TAJ). TAJ is located 6.2 miles from Aitape and receives most of the flights. This airport is also located in the Sandaun Province.
Best Time to Visit
ATP Airport mainly serves the town and residents of Aitape. This small town has a population of 18,000. This coastal community has all the basic necessities and services including a bank, post-office, police station, hospital, supermarket, courthouse, gasoline station, and an airstrip.
Aitape Airport played a significant role during World War II. In 1942, the Japanese took over the entire town of Aitape including the Aitape Airport and the rest of the territory of New Guinea. The Japanese invasion also led to the construction of Tadji Airport, which is still operational as of today.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Visitors who are traveling into Aitape and its surrounding towns will not find any airport hotels or any accommodations for that matter near ATP Airport. Instead, you’ll have to travel a bit further to find cozy hotels and basic lodging. While hotels may be a bit difficult to find in the Aitape area, most visitors choose to stay at the Airways Hotel or Crown Hotel.
Meanwhile, passengers traveling by road between Aitape and Wewak can expect a bumpy ride. Even though it may be difficult to access Aitape, there are some cases where tourists are able to fly in.