PAPUA NEW GUINEA COASTAL HIGHLIGHTS

Indeed, scuba diving is the favourite water activity, followed by sailing, yachting, kayaking, rafting, and surfing; and these indicate this will not be a cheap destination. In the last couple of decades, luxurious eco-resorts have popped out along the coast of Papua New Guinea, offering all-inclusive packages. Most of them are focused on diving and surfing but also holidaymakers are welcome.

Tufi Dive Resort

WHAT TO DO & SEE ALONG THE COAST OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

1.VANIMO – the northernmost regions of the country, just at the border with West Papua, promote the best surfing zone. Vanimo Reef is known for having the most consistent swells on the New Guinean Island and it is a popular destination for the Australian surfers. There are good surf lodges in the Vanimo Village and the peak season runs from November till April.

Vanimo offers simple accommodation but fantastic reefs

2.SEPIK district, a distant cousin of the Amazon, is one of the leading destinations in Papua when it comes to jungle trekking and eco-tourism. It is the territory of the serpentine Sepik River, starting at its great delta. Trekking upstream the river will take the visitors back into the medieval times; tribal customs, villages still reigned by animism, and shamans performing some of the most shocking rites like body scarring or fighting with crocodiles.

A local man with scarred back as the old tradition of Sepik requires

3.MADANG is considered to be the prettiest town in the entire Papua. Reef-decorated lowlands are sheltered by rugged mountain ranges from one side, and from the other one charming volcanic islands comfortably sitting in the horizon. It teems with wildlife, splendid beaches but the especially underwater world. Excellent snorkelling and top diving spots have been discovered here due to many sunken ship and aircraft wrecks from the II World War era.

A submerged airplane wreck near Madang, Bismarck Sea

4.TUFI is the best-kept secret of Papua New Guinea and it is home to one of the 4 tropical fjords on Earth. The volcanic Fjord of Tufi is also called ‘Scandinavia of the Tropics’. This is the ultimate scuba diving destination. The underwater scenery in the Solomon Sea will blow your mind away. Tufi is a pretty expensive destination though, featuring luxurious eco-resorts, only accessible by boat. Spend a few days in the famous Tufi Dive Resort and take a slow boat to the end of Tufi`s Fjord. This is an absolute dreamland!

Tufi Tropical Fjords

5.ALOTAU (MILNE BAY) is the gateway to some of the most idyllic islands with virgin nature, immaculate beaches, and tropical waterfalls. For instance, the SAMARAI ISLANDS are great for wildlife spotting, fishing, and bush-walking. This is the place of a total peace perfect to unwind.

Tawali Dive Resort, Milne Bay

NOTE

It is always advisable to inquire about the safety situation in PNG or in any location you intend to visit due to criminal gangs and tribal conflicts.

Malaria pills and vaccination against the Yellow Fever is strongly recommended and some countries such as Australia even request all visitors get immunized prior to the entry.

WHEN TO TRAVEL

Papua New Guinea has unpredictable weather and heavy rains can occur at any time. The wet season runs from December to March and it is definitely not the ideal time to travel for sunshine, hiking, and snorkelling. However, these months would be the best to find the perfect waves off the north coast for surfing.

Generally, the most pleasant time of the year to visit is during the dry months which are between May and October and most festivals take place within this period and there are the best conditions for scuba diving, bird watching, and trekking.

HOW TO GET THERE

There are two Australian airlines that fly into Port Moresby – Virgin Australia and Qantas.

Air Niugini is the national carrier of Papua New Guinea connecting several domestic airports.

You can get affordable flights but there will be two or three stopovers: London to Singapore to Brisbane to Papua New Guinea. Most flights from Asia such as London to Manila to Papua New Guinea have fewer stopovers and therefore faster.

For all international flights check out www.skyscanner.com or www.momondo.com