Some ideas on PNG

Just returned from spending a week in PNG with two friends. Here's a few notes to help travelers who want to get a real experience, and to address some of the posts below:

Each region has quite a distinct culture, so its difficult to formulate a good answer to a question like "is it safe to travel alone". I have never had any difficulty in Moresby when travelling alone (3 times), but I am always careful to be clear about where I am going, and to go in a taxi or car. Walking round Town is generally OK in daylight hours, but on occasions can get "edgy".

Male or female, Mt Hagen needs to be treated with respect. Contact Pym Memendi at www.paiyatours.com. He speaks good English, knows heaps about the area and, in the words of one of my colleagues is "all class". He has access to guides, can organise tours and his lodgings are out of town and from my experience, are very safe. The village experience in Mt Hagen is unforgettable.

After Mt Hagen, Goroka is really friendly and welcoming. It is a university town, and walking round town in daylight is no biggie, but I would stick to the main streets and the market, if you are not with a local.

Madang is much more laid back than either Ht Hagen or Madang, and is almost Western in certain areas. The town and markets seem pretty straightforward, as does the foreshore near the Madang Resort. The food cooked under the trees near the resort is to die for.

We caught a PMV from Mt Hagen to Goroka, and then onto Madang the next day. Don't try it in one day - you'll soon see why... The roads are terrible, but the scenery is fantastic, and the experience of being with the locals is so much fun. I had the feeling the locals on the bus would look after you if trouble arose. The drivers are reckless, and that is being kind.

If I were a woman I would probably be OK walking the main part of Goroka by myself, and the market - where there are lots of women selling things - but only in the day. The busier parts of Madang are probably also fine. Man woman or elephant, I would not walk Mt Hagen without a local.

The other thing about this is that most of the locals are SO friendly. If you are outgoing, you can probably find someone to show you round Goroka or Madang (so find a woman if you are female), to show you round. If you show interest in the culture, you will likely find lots of friends. It doesn't cost a lot, and some of the locals do it for fun.

I didn't use him this time, but I suspect Maine Winney in Lae is a good operator too. Phillip Hayes at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby is excellent. Make sure you visit Port Moresby Nature Park.

Hope this helps.

David

Edited by: TheFrenchman

Edited by: TheFrenchman

Edited by: TheFrenchman