Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# PNG Honeymoon Advice - Festivals and nearby HM resorts? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea
iamkhady 18:01 UTC 22 Feb 2010 | Hi, My fiance and I would like to go to PNG on our honeymoon but want to tack on a 2-3 night visit at a luxury hotel in a nearby country. We are both former Peace Corps volunteers (Africa) and have actually lived in huts before, so PNG is exactly what we are looking for. However, since it is our HM, and we rarely if ever allow ourselves travel on the high-end side, I would like to stay at a quintessential HM cabin on the water, preferably with a glass floor. My questions are as follows: What festivals do you recommend in PNG in Aug/Sept 2010? What country and/or resort do you recommend tacking on before or after our trip to PNG? Or rather, what flights are available between PNG and nearby countries with high-end HM villas? Any guidance/advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Kasia p.s. We are traveling from the USA. |
ozziegiraffe 10:43 UTC 24 Feb 2010 | You might enjoy Tavanipupu in Solomon Islands, the nearest Pacific country to PNG. There is a flight from Port Moresby to Honiara every Sunday, and from Honiara to Port Moresby every Monday. Timetable here Honiara is only 3 hours flight (5 or 6 days a week, Solomon Airlines or Pacific Blue) from Brisbane, Australia. Edited by: Ozziegiraffe | 1
yuwi 10:54 UTC 24 Feb 2010 | You cannot beat Tufi Dive and Fishing resort in PNG. No overwater bungalows but EVERYTHING else for a honeymoon. | 2
harry2 19:54 UTC 25 Feb 2010 | You are living in cloud cuckoo land my friend. PNG though one of the most interesting places in the world is also one of the most lawless and violent. See here for what happened to us. http://freespace.virgin.net/susan.armitage/PNG.htm You will need nerves of steel and eyes up your ass if you visit PNG! | 3
ozziegiraffe 09:58 UTC 27 Feb 2010 | Kasia, don't be put off by the last post by harry2. Bad experiences can happen anywhere - read this thread. It is important to be careful in the urban areas of PNG, but many of my friends have been there again and again. | 4
madangpng 06:24 UTC 03 Mar 2010 | Kasia, PNG does have some issues about law and order but you sound pretty experienced and savvy and contacts count for a lot. I have lived here for several years. Don't be put off. You could easily have a lovely honeymoon with luxury in PNG. Yuwi suggested Tufi which is great. I can add to that both Tawali, in Alotau and Nusa, in Kavieng. Both have kinda over water places (Nusa definitely, Tawali on the hill above the water like Tufi). Both excellent and well run. The diving is superb in all three places. If you like traditional guesthouses near the water Dalum Guesthouse in New Ireland is probably the best there is - run by local people. About 200km south of Kavieng. Simple but beautiful. Nearby is a surf lodge called Rubio - that looked gorgeous and chilled but was not quite open when we visited last Sept. Safe travels Rich | 5
iamkhady 15:47 UTC 03 Mar 2010 | Thanks All. Both my fiance and I are well seasoned travelers and have lived in rural African villages for years, and traveled to many traditionally "feared" places so the account of the PNG trip the first fellow posted was nothing new to us. We've been intrigued by PNG for a while and look forward to experiencing it for ourselves. I will check out Rich's suggestions and will let you all know what we decide! As for festivals, which ones do you recommend? | 6
madangpng 07:15 UTC 04 Mar 2010 | Hi Kasia, There is a sing-sing in Goroka over PNG Independence weekend http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/packages/cultural-events/ For more. Goroka gets very busy around the time of the show so it is wise to book ahead. Getting tickets for the show is easy but somewhere good to stay is a little harder! Pacific Lodge is the best top-end place. Happy decision making to ya R | 7
misskiri 05:31 UTC 20 Mar 2010 | You'll have a great time, I have travelled in PNG as alone and not had any problems. Of course, take due care as you normally would. Come to the Solomon Islands after! Tevanipupu (Ozzie's reccomdation) is great and easy to reach from Honiara, otherwise if you have a bit more cash, fly from Honiara to Gizo and stay at Fatboys Resort (www.fatboys.com). | 8