Guide to Understanding Papua New Guinea

[WetPup]

I have carvings and tribal masks from Milne Bay (one was hanging on the wall of my bungalow, I liked it, asked if I could buy it...I bought it). They've got bubble wrap at reception at Tawali resort

Similar situation at other resorts - they all sell them and are all prepared to help you with packaging them up for sending home.

 

[drrich2]

Kudos for discussing the safety issue without some pollyanna effort to immediately gloss over it. And for admitting up front PNG is not for everyone. When I see an article, though obviously enthusiastic about a destination, willing to take a reasonably fair and balanced look at it from the visitor's perspective, that's reassuring.

It does sound like a destination where one had best do some substantial reading beforehand rather than 'just show up.' Like in, 'I don't think we're in Cozumel anymore, Toto.'

I wonder how many U.S. dive tourists arrive as part of dedicated dive groups? Do they mainly stay at dive resorts? If so, do these dive resorts tend to be somewhat sequestered from the rest of PNG?

In other words, if someone went to PNG just for the diving & didn't want to get 'off the reservation' outside of excursions (like cruise ship excursions; a guide mother-henning a group around), is that easy to do?

Richard.

 

[WetPup]

I wonder how many U.S. dive tourists arrive as part of dedicated dive groups? Do they mainly stay at dive resorts? If so, do these dive resorts tend to be somewhat sequestered from the rest of PNG?

In my experience, all dive tourists stay at dive resorts - there is usually no other option anyway

With regards to dive groups, it's split about 50-50 I think. PNG isn't actually all that complicated travel-wise as long as you're just going diving and is easy to do on your own. I know why it has the reputation it has, and why people think travelling in numbers is safer, but for dive tourism in particular, it's not really necessary. Most people figure that out after their first trip there

And yes, most of the dive resorts are a bit isolated (Tufi has its own airstrip for example).

In other words, if someone went to PNG just for the diving & didn't want to get 'off the reservation' outside of excursions (like cruise ship excursions; a guide mother-henning a group around), is that easy to do?

That is what most people do - and it is also the easiest option. You fly to the relevant airport, the dive resort picks you up (transfers are generally pre-arranged at the time of booking), you transfer to the resort by car/boat, go diving, and then same on the way home. It's very easy to avoid "the rest of PNG" if you want to. Just don't do any day trips on your off-gas day(s), and you can fly straight in and out of Moresby without a layover if you manage your flight schedule properly.

 

[mikeycanuk]

we have a 6hr layover in POM on the way home. is there a hotel we can leave our bags so we can go to the nature park etc?

 

[WetPup]

The Airways Hotel has a public pool-cafe-restaurant area that people access during longer layovers when they don't want to hang around the airport, but I'm not sure if they'd hold your bags for you. That would be your best bet though - if anywhere were to do it, they would. Otherwise I'd be trying to check my bags in early and then heading back out.

 

[mikeycanuk]

Problem is we take a backpack and regulator bag each. The reg bag has all the $$$ stuff and runs 18-19lbs. I was hoping to be able to leave it somewhere. Do hotels do day stays?Or is there a guide we can hire for 4 hours? I looked online for tours but nothing for a short layover.

We can't be the first to have 6hrs to kill. I did have 4hrs in Honiara but that became 90minutes after it quickly became apparent @ Sege that 18 people plus luggage wasn't going to fit into a twin otter. So a few of us went to Munda and took a MUCH nicer DASH 8 to Honiara. 2 minutes ahead of everyone else! I must say the Aussies were the most friendly people, every one of the them said take the Canadian's first as we had a long way to go.

 

[Wingy]

If you hired a guide in moresby or worse you could very likely find your bag gone or charge gone up to get him back mister! I don't know that it would be worth hiring an ex pat PSA to guard your bag for 4 hours.

For four hours you could also go to the yacht club for a meal and hang there I guess. I've also visited the museum which someone had to find a key to open but it was organised by the people I was with and fascinating. You would have to contact someone local based to find out if you can get to the museum although it's sadly neglected and the small zoo houses some pretty sad cuscus (PNG Trekking Adventures - Tour Guides).

I also once went to parliament while waiting for a flight to Alotao - it's the Beehive building and the most hilarious experience if you can time an hour when parliament is sitting. When I went question time was suspended indefinitely lol. Spears were checked at the door, a really interesting dichotomy of cultures and time.

There's also Ella Bay which is a pretty nice beach (expat compound area) a doable drive away for a look but I probably wouldn't risk going to Boirama markets on your own with only 4 hours.

Yacht club doesn't do a bad beer and sandwiches - not sure if non yachties need to pay a small fee but it's worked for me.

 

[donsilcock]

Kudos for discussing the safety issue without some pollyanna effort to immediately gloss over it. And for admitting up front PNG is not for everyone. When I see an article, though obviously enthusiastic about a destination, willing to take a reasonably fair and balanced look at it from the visitor's perspective, that's reassuring.

It does sound like a destination where one had best do some substantial reading beforehand rather than 'just show up.' Like in, 'I don't think we're in Cozumel anymore, Toto.'

I wonder how many U.S. dive tourists arrive as part of dedicated dive groups? Do they mainly stay at dive resorts? If so, do these dive resorts tend to be somewhat sequestered from the rest of PNG?

In other words, if someone went to PNG just for the diving & didn't want to get 'off the reservation' outside of excursions (like cruise ship excursions; a guide mother-henning a group around), is that easy to do?

Richard.

Hi Richard, thanks for the comments and sorry about the slow response - work is such a time-consuming thing....

Yeah.... probably best not to just show up like you said and it has to be stated that PNG really is not for everybody. I think of it as "Australia's Africa" in that it is adventurous and very different and so if you are calibrated to Cozumel (never been there, so don't really know) then PNG probably would not suit you.

Virtually all US dive tourists go to one of the establish resorts or liveaboards as there is no other real option unless you know somebody who has a boat. The same applies to all other nationalities actually.

I have never been fortunate enough to actually do that in my 19 years of going there, but came close to getting on a private expedition once!

Good point about the "substantial reading" and that is why I spent the time doing all the stuff on my site as there is a great deal of misunderstanding about PNG.

Don

 

[Wingy]

About the only cruise ship per se that you will ever find anywhere near PNG is True North. PNG Is not a "mother henning" place. If you can afford the prices on True North, you shouldnt need mother henning anywhere good stuff Don

 

[donsilcock]

About the only cruise ship per se that you will ever find anywhere near PNG is True North. PNG Is not a "mother henning" place. If you can afford the prices on True North, you shouldnt need mother henning anywhere good stuff Don

Yep... True North is quite an operation!

One of these days....