PNG in August

Hello all,

I am currently a university student who will be traveling in PNG from August 13 to September 1, and I would love to hear advice and or if anyone will be overlapping with my dates, as I would love to combine my trip with others.

So far my plan is as follows:

August 13-15: Alotau (Scuba diving)
August 15-17: Mt. Hagen for the Cultural Festival
August 18-19: Climbing Mt. Wilhelm
August 21 - 26: Upper Sepik river journey with Joseph Kone
August 28 - Sept. 1: Rabaul / Kimbe Bay (scuba diving)

Any adivce / pearls of wisdon will be much appreciated.

Best,

Julian

Hi Julian,

I am going also to PNG but arriving just about when you do leave, on September 1st.

I write you to ask you for advice about Sepik River, just a couple of questions, who is Joseph Kone, some local guide you know in PNG or a travel agency? Also, could you give me his contact?

Thanks a lot and kind regards,
Iker

Hey mate I'll be around from 29th July till the 19th August. It looks as though our trips will barely overlap, except for the Hagen Show. I wouldn't mind a Wilhelm trek, but it has to be in days leading up to the show as I fly back down to Moresby on the 18th.

Anyhow, a message or two exchanging info of where you plan to stay etc would be cool.

Cheers, Cale.

Apologies for the delayed response. Iker, I am sorry we will be missing eachother. Joseph Kone is a local guide who I found posted about on various other travel forums. He comes highly reviewed and based on my email correspondence seems very responsible. His information is: joseph.kone6@gmail.com.

Cale, also too bad for the little overlap. We should definitely try and connect at Hagen though. Regarding lodging, I really haven't gotten that far in planning yet. I'm currently making my way down to Rio for the World Cup and haven't yet had a lot of time to plan the details. Where else in PNG were you planning on going / do you have any plans on lodging yet?

Best,
Julian

Hey Julian,

thanks a lot for your reply, I think I have seen Joseph Kone's contact somewhere else also, I will contact him.

Do you have a budget from him for the Upper Sepik River journey you are doing together?

Thanks again and best regards,

Iker

Hey again, linking up at Hagen would be cool. I haven't booked anything as of yet. Can imagine that weekend being pretty busy though! I've actually chased up the few crew that are on Couchsurfing in the places I plan to visit, a couple responses were pretty prompt :)

Going Moresby > Rabaul, then flying back over to Lae > Madang. Hopefully check the volcano islands off and up the coast from there. Backtrack and up to the highlands. Through Goroka with maybe the Mt Wilhelm trek, prob a touch pricey though? Then the Hagen Show, and fly back to Moresby the 18th. Talking Kimbe Bay, I think the Rabaul Lae flight actually stops through Hoskins. Looks like a pretty cool spot. Volcanoes and a geothermal field. Decent jungle aircraft wrecks, and of course the diving. Have you looked into costs of that area at all? I think could be $$$$$

Chat again mate

Hi calemc,

about your itinerary, I had also thought about going from Port Moresby to Rabaul when arriving in PNG, are you flying with Air Niugini and buying the air ticket in advance through their website?

Also, are there flights from Rabaul to Lae without going through Port Moresby? That's what I've understood from your email...if so, which is the air company that offers these flights? That would be also perfect for me, ;-)

Thanks a lot and greets,

Iker

Hey yep, flying out to Kokopo/Rabaul the day after arriving into Moresby. I booked the ticket already as I can't see it getting cheaper. Was with Air Niugini.

The flight from Rabaul to Lae is with Airlines PNG. Not back through Moresby, but there is supposedly a quick stopover through Hoskins/Kimbe Bay. I managed to get the cheapest fare on those flights so thought might as well book them. I couldn't find anything direct from Rabaul to Madang. I also went ahead and booked the flight down from Hagen to Moresby, as it's the day after the festival I figured would be busy.

And Julian, I just got a response on Couchsurfing from a lady named Joanne in Hagen. She reckons she will definitely be in town around the festival weekend and would be able to host and show around. So looks like I'll prob be crashing there :)

Hey Cale,

That is great news on the Couchsurfing. I have also sent out a few requests but have heard from no one - the options seem very limited. I was able to tentatively reserve a room at The Highlander hotel, but the price per night is very expensive - approximately $450.

If anyone on the thread would like to share the room I would certainly be more than willing to split.

Cale, do you know how you will get transportation to and from the festival grounds from where you are staying? I have been told it is not easy and it would be great to possibly coordinate a ride.

Take care,

Julian

Yeah, also just got a reply from a bloke called Cliff in Hagen too. There's not many on there, but the few that are are pretty active. Still couldn't find any Couchsurfers in Rabaul area at all : (

Whooaaaaa $450?!!! Are you talking Kina, or dollars? Either way that's crazy $$$ for me. Even sharing with someone...

Not sure about the transportation, but surely there will be heaps available. I can imagine I might have something hooked up with who I Couchsurf with but maybe not. PMV or hitch otherwise :)

Hi calemc, about your stay in Rabaul, how many days do you plan to stay there before flying to Lae?

Also, you mention a couple of Couchsurfing contacts, could you tell me who are these persons? I will be travelling in September to PNG, so no worries, you will be there first in case they get tired of hosting foreigners, XD...

Thanks a lot in advance and best regards,

Iker

Hey sorry for the delay. I stayed 5 days with Bernard in Kokopo/Rabaul. He was the absolute man! Best CS experience I've had. Too much good to list haha. Although he said he might be moving on back to moresby very soon.

Stan and Mikal in Lae were willing to host me, although I ended up heading straight from my flight up to Madang. They were really understanding :)

Staying with Anita off Airbnb here in Madang. She's been really good and the next best thing to CS.

And now I'm lined up to stay with Joanne in Hagen next weekend at the festival. Meant to be another couchsurfer there too. Should be awesome!

My one night in moresby I couldn't hook anything up so stayed at the kangaroo motel in six mile. It's ghetto but only (only!) 100k a night. The place doubles as a security company and I had the fellas take me on a bit of a free tour in one of the utes. Got a lift up to the botanical gardens etc

Lastly I stayed at the Anua negus lodge up in bogia, pretty quiet place, the business seemed to be highland trucks coming down and through on their way to betel but suppliers from the Sepik. Nice islands off from town you can swim or canoe to. An old jetty to jump off, and wicked views of Manam. Shame I didn't get out there, but the boats from town were very irregular and I ended up being a bit slack to pursue it properly.

Hi again calemc, if going to Rabaul, I will try your CS contact for sure...right now, I have decided to fly to Alotau just as I arrive in Port Moresby, no first night there, maybe before going back home, XD...

After Alotau to Lae, Goroka Festival, Highlands, and, who knows, the rest is in the air, ;-))