early planning - PNG in 2005 - Star Dancer...

Hi, all -

Thought I'd try to get a little info out of you folks who have been lucky enough to travel to PNG...my boyfriend and I are discussing a spring trip to PNG in 2005, including 7 days aboard the Peter Hughes liveaboard. So far, I see that it would be wise to allow for a day or so for Air Nuigini transfers...and to try to avoid staying in Port moresby, if possible - very helpful.

So - my questions are: to those who traveled from the US, is it cheaper to book separate air to/from Australia and from Australia to PNG? If it is cheaper, is it cheaper enough to make it worthwhile?

If we'd like to hang out in PNG for a few days before we board the boat, what are your recommendations? We both (obviously) love to dive but would be willing to consider non-diving activities such as hiking...I guess...

Thanks!

vetdiver:

Hi, all -

Thought I'd try to get a little info out of you folks who have been lucky enough to travel to PNG...my boyfriend and I are discussing a spring trip to PNG in 2005, including 7 days aboard the Peter Hughes liveaboard. So far, I see that it would be wise to allow for a day or so for Air Nuigini transfers...and to try to avoid staying in Port moresby, if possible - very helpful.

So - my questions are: to those who traveled from the US, is it cheaper to book separate air to/from Australia and from Australia to PNG? If it is cheaper, is it cheaper enough to make it worthwhile?

If we'd like to hang out in PNG for a few days before we board the boat, what are your recommendations? We both (obviously) love to dive but would be willing to consider non-diving activities such as hiking...I guess...

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hope this helps http://www.walindi.com/walindidivesites.html
This is a dive resort on a island of the northern side of PNG a great resorte and the best diving I have ever done
http://www.australia-dive.com/card.htm
A Austrailian travel agency, very good.

I just booked PNG for Oct. Regarding the air... you have no choice but to book seperate air. Only one airline flies to PNG and they don't fly to the US. I paid $1,700 on Qantas round trip to Cairns from NY and $650 for Air Nuigini from Australia to PNG.

I would definitely recommend booking with a travel agent that is familiar with PNG. I used Cheryl at

Dive Discovery Travel
PH: 800 886 7321 or (415) 444-5100 fax: (415) 444-5560
Web Site: <http://www.divediscovery

Hope this helps!

thanks, Divebuddy!!! I am having a difficult time getting answers out of the agent we had been thinking of using. I will contact your agent. I had heard that Quantas flies to PNG...but then again, I think they have baggage allowance nonsense to follow, so it may not be a hot option.

Have a great Oct trip - can't wait to hear all about it!!

Vetdiver "having a difficult time getting answers out of the agent", do"s this not tell you something. The Austrailia agent (ask for Ken ) was the best even though he is in Oz it never took more than 12 hours to get a reply from him, he even came into the office on a holaday weekend. He has also dived all the places that the company books.

I think Quantas has a codeshare agreement with Air Niuguini so that you can book through them but it's not their plane. Only Air Niuguini flies into PNG.

We're going to PNG this August. After talking with a couple agencies, we used diversionoz.com. I've been very impressed. They are incredibly knowledgeable about all aspects of PNG diving. I was able to have an e-mail conversation with them about the kinds of diving I was interested in and those I wasn't and to get recommendations tailored to my needs based on their personal experience. They responded to all questions very promptly and were very patient and professional. I couldn't recommend them too highly.

fwiw: I've also heard great things about the Peter Hughes in house agency. If you're set on the Star Dancer, you may want to use them.

I'd been a little hesitant to use an agent in Australia, but looks like that isn't an issue...clearly, I am not going to use the woman we started with!! I will take a look at that site and also diversionoz.com - Thanks!

Hi Vetdiver,

I'll be on the Star Dancer for 10 days from May 10-20. I used my Delta SkyMiles to code share with Continental so am getting my flights free from Miami through to Cairns. After much investigation, settled on the Coral Tree Inn for a 36 hour layover there.

Booked the trip and Air Niugini flights through Peter Hughes' agency. Jeff, on staff there, is Mr. Air Niugini--he seems to know ALL the ins and outs of that apparently very unreliable airline. My trip requires a night's layover in Port Moresby. Jeff suggested the Airways Hotel there. http://www.reefrainfrst.com/pngairways.htm
They have their own shuttle bus that runs to and from the airport and are, it seems, completely insulated from the rough and tumble streets of P.M. I will need to overnight, finally, in Kavieng before boarding the Dancer. That was my most difficult arrangement: took a number of weeks, through the efforts of various agents and direct phone calls from the Walidini Plantation (where I'll be spending some nights after my Dancer voyage) to lock in my one night at the Malagan Beach Resort there.

Michelle at Peter Hughes, has also been very helpful in getting me set up with the StarDancer trip and following up on the various arrangements.

As for hiking in PNG, according the State Department
http://travel.state.gov/papua_newguinea.html
it's not very highly recommended--it's wild country out there. But there are a number of tourist friendly destinations that would seem to satisfy any hunger for adventure or eco travel, though they don't come cheaply. I found a lot of good stuff on the Reef and Rainforest website
http://www.reefrainfrst.com/png.htm

What's your projected Star Dancer itinerary? I'll be going from Kavieng to Walindi (Kimbe Bay). I've already given up sleeping through the night in anticipation! I'll post a terminally lengthy report after I return.

Hope this info's helpful.

Best Regards,



I

Hi, Peter -

OK, we have been in touch with a great lady named Jenny from Reef and Rainforest travel, who seems totally with it...we are looking at July trips in 2005 now, as the earlier 7-day trips are full (we briefly considered Mike Ball, but YOWSA, that is a pricey operation at the current exchange rate!!!). I am awaiting her reply, but it looks like all the 7 days in 2004 are Walindi-Walindi trips. So - we may actually make the deposit this week...So EXCITED!!! Now - will I be able to sleep again before July 2005?????

Air schedules are not out yet for our dates, so I will have to wait before that part gets arranged. We are thinking one night in Australia, 2 nights in PNG (Walindi area?? with one day of pre-boat diving, we're thinking now, instead of hiking) before we board the Star Dancer.

I cannot wait to hear about your trip, and I do not envy you your current sleepless nights and endless internet searches for recent reviews of the boat, the diving, etc...

When I was there last October, we booked the Air Nuigini flights through Peter Hughes.
If you get stranded, AN has an arrangement with a hotel called Airport Hotel or some such thing that is quite nice. On the way out we stayed there over night after the first 4 of about 7 Air Nuigini flight failures (one unexplained 'problem' resulted in dumping fuel and an emergency landing amid fire trucks). On the way back we spent the afternoon at the Airport Hotel's nice pool--they'll drive you there if you say you're having lunch. Also, it's gated and safe.

Peter Hughes booked us at Wallindi over a day before the boat left, which gives some cushion to absorb Air N's unreliability. We ended up getting there hours before the boat left.

Also, I did a night at Cairns each way, which took the edge off the travel ordeal somewhat (from east coast of US). (I also use miles to upgrade when crossing oceans). I recommend this if you have this option.

If I had to do it over, I'd do a 10 day boat ride rather than 7 to offset the travel. In all respects, the Star Dancer was a geat live aboard with outstanding diving, and Wallindi was a comfortable place to unwind.