| dvpfig13:14 UTC06 Jul 2014 | Following my two week independent backpack trip to PNG in June, I have some general recommendations for all you considering to travel alone to such a wonderful country.
Port Moresby airport.
The airport is small and reasonably well organized. There is visa on arrival to most nationals (though at the time June 2014, they had temporarily removed from the list Australian nationals). The visa on arrival is now free, so no need to have Kina cash with you, but in case you need there is an ATM. The queues went very fast (10min), flight from Cairns.
You arrive at the international terminal, at the exit there is a DIGICEL shop where you should buy a local SIM card to survive the rest of your stay in PNG (you’ll use it a lot for hostels, guides, and new friends). If you have an exchange flight, the domestic terminal is less than 100m outside to the right. There are food stalls just in front and in the airport with very basic food. A couple of hours between flights is more than enough if your incoming flight is not very delayed.
GOROKA
Goroka airport is right in the city centre. You can take PMVs there to anywhere in town. Samuel Lulu (recommended in lonely planet is usually there to present himself to arriving backpackers, I didn’t go with him in the end but he seemed nice, phone 7375 4414)
Recommended hostel: RCF (Research and conservation foundation) is a pretty nice hostel 5min by PMV from centre, price 80 K per night per person. Phone: 7175 2925 (Daniel works at RCF and will help you, the other phone 532 3211 or 732 3211 didn’t work for me). There is also email: rcf.rcf@global.net.pg.
The town is not very beautiful, as with most other towns in PNG. But since it’s rather small, it’s more laid back than Mt Hagen and a good base for Asaro. There are banks, supermarket, a market and many PMVs. Beware of not staying outside after 6pm due to safety (you will be approached right away after the PMVs stop going), as any other city in PNG.
For long distance, there are PMVs to Mount Hagen, Lae, and Madang. Arrive early (7-9am). To Madang, trip takes about 6-7 hours.
ASARO
Highly recommended local guide to Asaro mudmen: Tiger man (phone: 7254 3336. Tiger (his name) leaves in Asaro area (Asaro is more than one village) and he will show you the village life around Asaro. There is always part of the family joining to walk around with you, his cousin and some kids.
Prices are around 250 K for a single person half-day, mudmen (four guys performing) and show villages around. If you are more persons, there will be more performers. He will pick you up at Goroka in the morning and travel to Asaro with PMV (1 K, 20 min) and bring you back after the day tour.
The Asaro mudmen show is performed by teenagers of the village on their free time from school. It is a very rewarding experience even if it is a very touristy thing. You get to chat with they guys and feel how proud they are of their ancestors and how they want to share with you their culture and way of living. If you go with Tiger man to watch the mudmen in his village, ask also to be shown neighbor villages around Asaro as well (for additional fee of course). Then you will have a true glimpse of village life, everything from picking up coffee, teenagers planting cannabis for later party, lots of small kids interested in you, women washing clothes in rivers, food plantations. You can even decide to stay there for a night or more on one of their families. Everyone is very welcoming.
MADANG
You should stay in sea front at Fabies (7181 1616) or continue to some of the islands. City centre has ATMs and supermarket. Short 10-15min PMV ride to the airport.
Accommodation rooms at Fabies cost 130 K per night for singles. Nice and cheap restaurant Eden (chinese food) 10min walk along the beautiful palm tree coast line road.
WEWAK
Stay in Wewak only the enough time to arrange your trip to Sepik or Muscho or You islands, no more. Not much to do. Airport is 10min by PMV from the centre, but clearly recommended to stay just opposite from airport by the beach in one of the three existing hotels. Cheapest is the one in the middle “Sepik Surfsite Loge” (can be known by another name also which I now don’t remember), it is run by Alois Mateos, very friendly folk that can recommend you what to do from Wewak. Phone: 456 1516. Or call Alois Mateos: 7265 6367. Rooms are 130 K without AC and 150 with AC. I strongly recommend AC, reason is quite simple: due to the location, there are occasional cockroaches on all three hotels at this location, and you have two options to keep them away from your room: leave the lights on at all time or turn on the AC.
Using Wewak as a base, the two most popular and best activities:
Sepik river - full info on the next post.
Yuo island - to relax after sepik adventure.
| |
