October is better in that respect, however I've been told optimal would be May.
Can you enlighten me about PNG and Milne bay.? Since I read many good things on this board (and wanted to go to PNG since a long time), I bit the bullet and booked a week stay at Tawali.
Is it really a muck place like Lembeh or Ambon bay, I thought I would have my share of lively reefs (Deacon, etc.)?
Regarding Port Moresby any hint on where to stay overnight not overly expensive (I mean less than Airways hotel), what to do to spend the day in POM? Do you know interesting places for buying woodcarving, masks or ethnic items?
I can speak bislama pidgin from Vanuatu but I am not sure it's understood and an advantage too...
Port Moresby: I know it is expensive, but I stay at the Airways Hotel for a reason. It is safe. Every expat I know who works in PNG stays there. I cannot recommend anywhere else for security reasons, sorry. I also cannot provide advice on spending the day in POM. It isn't safe. Violent crime there is common. When I attend meetings in town, I have a bulletproof vehicle and an armed escort. Make of that what you will. There is a reason people avoid layovers in POM, which is why I recommend scheduling flights to avoid layovers. I know it's hard for people to wrap their heads around...But POM and Lae have serious problems
Milne Bay: The dive sites near Tawali are coastal fringing reefs, but they are basically macro dives. Might see a ray or a reef shark if you're lucky. A bit further up the bay there are more traditional muck dives, much like you would find in Lembeh or Ambon. About 2 hours up the bay there are a couple of pinnacles, and there are some bigger fish around. Out of the bay, in the other direction, about an hour away, are some smaller islands and more traditional reef drift dives (similar to Bunaken in my opinion).
That being said, in my experience at Tawali, the dive boats tend to mainly stick to the macro/muck sites in the bay. You can convince them to do the pinnacle and reef dives if enough guests are interested, but it's kind of like Ambon in that people go there for macro, not reefs. You may have a hard time convincing the other guests to skip the macro.
The resort at Tawali sells carvings. I have a few at home (marine life carvings, tribal masks, etc.). Also, they get local carvers pulling up to the resort wharf to sell things. The international departures lounge at POM on the way out also sells traditional souvenirs.
Not sure about your pidgin dialect, but most people you are likely to encounter speak reasonable English. Half the tv in PNG comes from Australia
