Unexpected trip to Papua (Port Moresby and island provinces) in July..

Hello. Our friends sailing around the globe invited me&my wife for 3,5 weeks trip between islands of Triobriand and around. As it's once for a lifetime occasion we quickly made decision and bought (expensive..) tickets.
I've traveled a lot in Asia (also indonesian islands), South America, Europe and north Africa, but I've never considering going to PNG, as I'm not so enthusiastic about dense jungle far from civilisation with lot of malaria mosquitos, and read about poor safety records in this country.. But to sail between those superb interesting and isolated islands looks like good idea.
As it's hard to find much info about PNG I would like to as you few questions :

• is it possible to find cheap (30$/d room?) accomodation in PM? We'll have to sleep there one night before our flight back.

• what should I know before visiting islands of New Britain or Triobriand? Any tips&tricks? Something to avoid?

• should we take lariam/malarone during cruise? We're going to sleep on boat, apart of one night in PM and maybe one in Alotau

Any help&info very welcome!!!

Thank you

have a great trip - i have been to pNG three times but sailing the islands is something i have not done

1 no - not in POM if you want to be safe

2 see my trip reports re. new britain and trobriands - plenty of other posts here and on the tripadvisor forum

3 no real need for anti-malarials if in a hotel in POM and alotau and no need on the boat unless you moor in a mangrove swamp or do homestays on the islands - use anti-moz sprays and cover up -

also i am not a doctor but i think that nobody should be taking lariam unless under constant medical supervision - the cardiac, psychological and neurological risks are significant - if something like this occurs on a boat well away from help you are in deep trouble

Thank you for reply. I'll search for older posts here,cause I havn't seen those infos in first few pages in this branch. I'll search tripadvisor also.

About sleeping in POM I don't have much choice.. We will finish cruise in Madang,and our flight to Singapur is from POM at 2pm..Dont know if Air Niugini is such a reliable company that we can catch their plane in Madang heading POM same day at 8am(or 9 maybe) and reach capital airport on time..

Thank you for info about malaria.I'm well aware about side efect of Lariam,but I've been using it few times for few weeks and all was ok.Off course better to avoid it if possible.

Greetings from Poland!

check the flight schedule - some days there is a very early flight which would give you plenty of time - first flight of the day is usually the most reliable since the plane should be there waiting - airnuigini is more reliable than airlines png - you will need to arrange a car to get to the airport as even in madang you cant just grab a taxi

Indeed there is a plane from Madang at 7:20am,so 6 hours before POM-SIN plane. Still not sure how risky it is..

i think you will be fine with that flight

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