Papua New Guinea - female travel alone from 3rd Nov 2011

Dear all
I intend to go to Papua New Guinea arriving probably around 3rd November as the start of a longer term journey. On this part I will be travelling alone (female). I intend to combine a live aboard trip (which is hard to get as all are booked but I may have a place to Eastern fields from 14th Nov 23rd) and do Sepik - Rabaul at least and probably start with these 2 areas. I have time until 27th Nov around when I fly out to Vietnam. So my questions are:

I read a lot about tour companies and come across the ever same "Sepik Spirit River Cruise". Are there any alternatives to do the Sepik? I have collected some occasionally popping up E-Mail addresses of Tourguides, all quite old, so I wonder: Anyone with a latest tip? Ideally I combine trekking with it but since I intend to go on a liveaboard it'll be better not to collect too many bruises before.

Anyone knows any liveaboard I might want ot consult apart from the ones that are popping up in the web when googling (Febrina, Golden Dawn, Dancer fleet all asked - did I forget anything? I would love to start on the live aboard and not ending with it)

As I am a female traveling alone I don't mind having somebody picking me up on arrival in Port Moresby and the lot, also: I love to stay in those forest huts, but it would be good to have connection to the family running it / not having to walk 10 minutes with a torch in the dark alone to get there and so forth (if I like it or not but that's the ife of a female traveller to some extent). Is there any recommendation in the area of WEWAK and RABAUL to go to that I could contact before to give me some guidance in trekking/boating on the Sepik etc.?

And last but not least: Reading all this and assuming I have time for a month from 4 - 27 Nov: What would you do?

Anyone there at the same time, interested in the itinerary with intention to share?

Best
C

For a start, read this thread: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1323353

Hi,

Just want to suggest you to inform yourself about security issues in Papua New Guinea... See the website here below as well as any other one on the topic (security measures of any embassy website).
(http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/papua-new-guinea-gun-culture-threatens-security-ahead-of-2012-elections/)

At health level, the situation in PNG also seems scary (cholera and dysentria)...

Should you go, I suggest you plan very well your trip and be very very reasonable and cautious... and follow the advices given by the different embassies (never be isolated, go out at night, go to golf course, beach or forest...) as there are an increasing number of rapes, thefts,...

I planned to go myself for working though but reading all this, prefer stay with my sweet kids...

Good luck,
Mycha

Don't forget malaria ...

Hi all
thanks for your feedback so far, I now plan to go to Sorong and then the dive trip to Raja Ampat. From there I do not know yet, but would love to go either Wewak or to Merauke / Masur National Park.

Does anyone have a good guest house / Hotel for 2 nights in Sorong?

What is your reco to do afterwards - I have from the 13th to the 26th where I need to fly out from Jakarta.

C

There is a tendency to generalise about the security situation in PNG. The Island provinces (New Britain, new Ireland, Manus) & Madang & Milne Bay provinces are generally much safer than Port Moresby, Lae & the Highlands. A trip on the Sepik & around East New Britain/Rabaul in November would have been a great & safe experience. Health problems exist. but who would let that stop them?

I would avoid travel in the Highlands during the election month coming up in June 2012. But other areas are fine to travel around. Since you don't vote you aren't a target. In fact it would be a great experience to see the PNG political system at work: i.e. vote for me and I'll give you money, don't vote for me and I'll chop your arm off.