5 days in PNG

Hello.... I was glancing through the posts here and also through my Lonely Planet guidebook. I intend to visit PNG for 5 days from Cairns next July. I was looking for a couple of the most scenic places which I could visit in that timeframe. Just a "feeler" trip - I intend to be back for a longer stay later.

I was think a couple of days in Madang area and then a couple in Rabaul</strong>. How does that sound? Any logstical problems with flights etc.? Is July a decent time to go (hopefully it won't pour the whole time!)?

Thanks

Well, you will first have to pass through Port Moresby, as international flights only take you there. You will also need to take a flight to pretty much wherever else you want to go from there. So having a "couple of days" in both Madang and Rabaul, plus transiting between these three places, just won't fit into 5 days.
I think you should only pick one place apart from Moresby, and the Rabaul area is definitely more interesting than Madang, though as a town, Madang might be more pleasant and pretty.

I agree with Laszlo - I'd go to Rabaul ahead of Madang.

Another thing to factor in is the unreliability of airlines in PNG - you'll often find flights delayed or even cancelled. So don't be too ambitious in only 5 days. The good thing is there's not that much to see and do in Port Moresby, so don't plan to spend too much time here.

Agree with Lazlo. You'd be better off picking one spot since you only have 5 days. The kavieng area is nice too. What do you want to do in PNG?

wow 5 days is so restrictive/hardly worth packing the mosquito repellant!!heres one idea from left field...fly cairns monday morning 7am/connect to the 10.20 am flight up to tari(sth highlands)...trek around for 4 days..pretty wild area of png then catch the return flight from tari on friday at 12.00 to moresby/connect to the 6.30pm flight to cairns...home!!!lets hope the planes still go next july....and there is no delayed flights/welkom to png
see previous stuff on tari area...
d

Well right now I'd rip your arm off for 5 days in Rabaul - so I'd definitely go there

Sod Madang for a game of soldiers, although it is a very pretty town & as good a place as any to get slightly drunk.

Rabaul for definite - you'll easily fill your time

I did exactly this this July. 6 days in PNG from Cairns.

I chose Rabaul and have not regretted a second! Amazing surreal place. And I found 2-3 full days was enough as well to see and get a feel for the place. PM me if you want info about it or see pics.

...but the flight connections might be a problem. I found it a bit of a hassle to find out the domestic flights before arrival. But PNG is a great country and even though you anly have very limited time, you have more options if you cant get the flights to match (Lae - Mt Hagen; New Ireland, Bourgainville, Trobriands)

If you want I might be able as well to find my list with all domestic flight times and price for Air Niugini.

Air Niugini's website is usually accurate. At least that was my experience. The real problem is PNG time. If your flight is supposed to leave on Monday at 1, there probably will be a flight on Monday after 1, but you may have to sit around for a few hours.