Goroka show schedule

Hello

My fiance and I are heading to the Solomon Islands and PNG for Honeymoon in September and are planning on heading up to Goroka for the show. It looks to be on the 17th, 18th and 19th this year (http://www.gorokashow.com/) but we are having problems tracking down an programme for the festival. We're wondering if it is worth staying for the whole thing or whether a day or two will be enough. If anyone has been before and can advise on how different each day is, it would be much appreciated. I'm not sure if a programme as such is drawn up?

We're also wanting to head into the Sepik River area and ideally stay at a village. We're not after the plush air-con option (should one exist...), more something memorable, exciting and not intruding on people who don't wish to accommodate travellers.

New Britain also looks great. Ah for more time. We've got approx seven weeks total for Solomon Islands and PNG, starting in the Solomon Islands.

Thanks in advance

George

Edited by: georgeames

How are you planning on getting to PNG from Solomon Islands?

I went to the Goroka Show in 02.

I went Saturday & Sunday. It may have changed but it wasn't really structured back then.

Some big wigs gave speeches & then there was a lot of ad hoc dancing.

Sepik I can't help you with as I haven't been.

I was in Rabaul last year - love it there

Solomons I did on a different trip in 06 & I had 3 weeks diving there at 3 locations - Tulagi, Gizo / Munda & Uepi

Appreciate you are on honeymoon but what are you looking to do other than that? Treks, birds, beach, dive?

Thanks for that. Ozziegiraffe, we're going to fly from Honiara, I understand there isn't really any alternative - would prefer to go by sea if we could but doesn't sound possible.

Globaltourist - I think I read some of your earlier posts about Rabaul - what was it that you liked about it? Sounds intriguing.

We're planning on a bit of beach and down time in Solomons to catch our breath - we're alos both keen divers so keen to get some underwater time in too. The mantas sound great - I've also not done any wreck diving before so keen to do some of that, sounds like there is stacks about. Any pointers for good sites/operators?

Very keen to see some of the village life too (I did social anthropology back at University), ideally off the track a bit, where possible. Trekking, perhaps, but prob not a priority. I've trekked in Kyrgyzstan and the Himalaya but my fiance is not so keen.

Thanks again for advice, much appreciated. Please keep it coming if you have tips and time!

Ok - Rabaul I love because it's got a unique landscape - lots of WWII history - great diving of wreck & reef & I haven't met a local I didn't like.

The best dive op is Kabaira Dive

If I were on honeymoon in the Solomons I would go to Uepi - simply the best place to go - food - accommodation & diving but not enough wrecks to be perfect. The island resort has a dive shop there.

Gizo is probably the best wreck & reef dive spot. I used Adventure Sports run by Danny Kenedy

Tulagi is super wreck, but it's deep stuff. They do have reef stuff there & a couple of shore wreck dives out of Honiara. Neil Yates, Tulagi Dive is the op there.

Basically, flying out of Honiara is the wisest way. The sea crossing is only by small boat, and dependant on villagers and island-hopping, and they are upping the security on both sides of the border, because of a few illegal activities - there is basically no provision for tourists to cross that way, and you risk problems with the law.

Great stuff, thanks both. Ozziegiraffe, intrigued by the boat crossing - sounds much more exciting than the plane, all be it a bit hairy.

Thanks for the dive tips globaltourist, much appreciated. Will check out Tulagi - I'm advanced and my fiance is a Divemaster. I wonder if I could do my deep cert there as a way to get down to it...

Goergeames, if Laszlo is looking at the posts (he may be travelling somewhere exotic) he can probably advise, though he did the sea crossing a couple of years ago and in the other direction. However, the security has been beefed up on the Solomon side in the last few months.
It would be advisable to check with the PNG High Commission in Honiara before trying.

I have indeed been traveling somewhere exotic: came back from the Asmat coast of West Papua yesterday.

In my experience the actual crossing from Bougainville to the Shortlands was easy enough, the difficulties came later, in form of transport between the Shortlands and Gizo, and worrying about immigration giving me an entry stamp. The latter would be a worry about PNG immigration in your case. Boats going to the PNG market would also be harder to locate on the Solomons side, as they could leave from various villages, not all going every time.

Sepik village stays are easy to arrange on the spot.
No need to organize these in advance, just show up and ask around - people are VERY helpful!

I much preferred New Ireland to New Britain, but in terms of "sights" Rabaul has most to offer.
Its WWII sights are similar to what you could find in places like the Shortlands in the Solomons though.

Trekking in PNG is hard work, if one of you is not keen on it even now, better not to push.

Thanks again for the pointers, much appreciated

Hi, we are also trying to plan a trip to PNG and Solomon Islands for our honeymoon, coming from the States. Can you let me know about the flight from Honiara to PNG? To what city does that take you? How much does it cost? What is the schedule? How are you getting to the festival and back from there?

Hello, I believe all flights go to Port Moresby. We're not sure iof how we're going to make our journey as yet as we're there for a couple of months so not in a rush. Plenty of info on options on the flight websites of air nuigini etc. The link to the festival is in my first post, in case helpful

Sounds like Laszlo has a lot more PNG experience than me, but I'm not sure that organising a Sepik trip on arrival is the best way to go. I don't doubt there are people who would take you, but there are stories of people being taken out by disreputable folk who end up asking them for a lot of money when they are a long way from civilisation and pretty dependant on that guide who had seemed so friendly in Wewak.

We went in Jan and organised through Chris Karus (see http://www.pngfrontieradventures.com/). It wasn't cheap but I think it was worth it. We stayed in the guesthouse that you can see on the website. It is definitely not an a/c type option but it is beautiful - a lovely traditional house. The village is Chris' village and I think most of the guides he uses are from the village too (certainly ours was). All your food and transport is organised. We felt a bit 'waited upon' at times but it is good to see the benefits of tourism being shared around (guide, cook, skipper and a whole lot of other helpers).

It is nice staying in the one village but if you want to do other things or go to even more remote places that can all be organised if you book ahead.

Anyway that's just my advice in case you are a bit nervous about playing it by ear! Good luck!

Thanks, will take a look but does look extrordinarily expensive?!

FA01 – Upper Sepik - 4 Days & 3 nights based on 4 persons approximate price US$ 1150 or Euro 750/person all inclusive ex Wewak.

FA02 – Middle Sepik – 5 days & 4 nights based on 4 persons approximate price US$ 1050 or Euro 675/person all inclusive ex Wewak.

FA03 – Lower Sepik – 3days & 2 nights based on 4 persons approximate price US$ 775 or Euro 500/person all inclusive ex Wewak.

Can others guide as to how realistic these prices are? Looks rather more that what we've been looking at elsewhere.

Cheers, G

Air Niugini timetable here.
There is one flight in each direction each week. Port Moresby to Honiara Sundays, and Honiara Port Moresby Mondays.