PNG Honeymoon Advice - Festivals and nearby HM resorts?

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.

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

You cannot beat Tufi Dive and Fishing resort in PNG. No overwater bungalows but EVERYTHING else for a honeymoon.

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!

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.

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

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?

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

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).