PNG liveaboard/Kavieng in December 05

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avla

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Greetings all...

I have been planning some major underwater time for the next few months, part of which will be in PNG. I will be on the Paradise Sport around Milne Bay on the Dec 9 - 16 2005 trip and will be in Kavieng from the 16th to the 22nd. PNG has been on my list as a destination for along time and I have been even more psyched by the posts on this forum.

Anyone else on the PS during this time? I am sort of going in blind having never been on a liveaboard and am just traveling by myself.

CN's thread has answered most of my questions and even the ones I didn't know to ask but I had a few that I hope you can help with.

Is it common to have a large layover in Port Moresby? I am coming from Singapore and have something like a 5 am to 3 pm layover. I seem to remember reading something about suggestions on what to do if this occurs but haven't been able to refind it. Any advice on what to do with this time? ie hang out in the airport, or lug luggage and dive gear around the city?

I am intrigued by the talk of paddles. How big are we talking about and how does one actually travel back home with one of these things ?

And then finally, does anyone have a recomendation on where to stay in Kavieng? I don't really need anything fancy I guess.

Sorry if all of this was covered elsewhere. It is a little hard to keep track of all the information.

Thanks for the help.

Andrew
 
We get on the PS on the 16th for the 10 day Milne Bay trip. As far as layovers, Tania said our flight would change several times from when we booked and they have. Just check with her and she can tell you how to best deal with Port Moresby and where to stay in Kavieng.
 
Hi,

just returned from PNG. Once you get to Port Moresby on the early morning flight you have the option of checking your bags for the afternoon flight before leaving the transit area. We did this then jumped into a taxi and went to the Airways hotel (2-3min drive) where we had breakfast and hung out by the pool (drinks optional) until we needed to get back to the airport for the afternoon flight. There is no food at the airport and it's not the place you really want to spend a day after your overnight flight. If you can get your visa before arriving in PM you may save yourself an hour or so in line.

Have a great time. Diving in Milne Bay was excellent.

Regards

Rinjani
 
I spend about a month each year in PNG. Lately, I've been bringing a paddle back with me from the last four trips. I now have them hanging in my house. The first one, from New Ireland, has a very different shape than the ones from New Britain. I missed getting one from the western area of New Ireland that had a little more carving on it and had to settle for one, near the end of the trip, from a poorer area further east. It is beautiful wood but had little carving on it. The ones I have collected in New Britain are very different. Most are painted with bright colors and have a spear shaped blade. One, a gift from Dickie Doyle (from the Witu Islands) that belonged to his recently deceased wife, had a snake carved on it.
Getting it back can be a hassle. I take packing tape with me on the trip. I take cardboard and completely wrap the paddle and hand carry it. Afterward, I leave the leftover tape with the grateful crew on the boat. The paddle has to be checked, so try not to have two checked bags with you. I have camera stuff so I usually end up with three checked bags. That can get expensive for the third bag (the paddle). If you stay in Australia, they will unpack it to fumigate it. Otherwise, it can simply be checked through. It is oversize luggage, so you have to wait to retrieve it, but they have all come through undamaged. They are great fun to look at. A true piece of non-tourist art.
 
Avla you are in HK so you won't have to worry about customs confiscating the wood handicrafts.
I second going to the airways although I'd try checking in the luggage earlier to avoid lugging. Of course someone else did that and the luggage never arrived in Kavieng ;-). From the airways, you can get a taxi to the handicraft center for a bit of shopping.
I think Peter is the tour director on the PS right now... tell him to behave or we'll leave him with Kieran for 10 days next time.
There are only 2 real hotels in Kavieng and one resort if you want to continue diving after getting off the boat. The malagan hotel is right near the pier and on the beach. You can dive with Scubaventures with Dorian and Cara (get them to show you the Judy wreck in the middle of the Kavieng Harbor. The Kavieng Hotel is inland but has a decent buffet every friday night. Has a pool too.
Lissenung resort is about 20 mins by boat from Kavieng harbor. Basic accomodations but closer to albatross channel etc.
 
Hi Andrew,

Quote: CN's thread has answered most of my questions and even the ones I didn't know to ask but I had a few that I hope you can help with.

Glad it was of some help to you.

Quote: Is it common to have a large layover in Port Moresby? I am coming from Singapore and have something like a 5 am to 3 pm layover. I seem to remember reading something about suggestions on what to do if this occurs but haven't been able to refind it. Any advice on what to do with this time? ie hang out in the airport, or lug luggage and dive gear around the city?

Maybe in my other thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=115838 page 3. We decided to get a taxi and go to the Museum on our own. May end up back at Airways Hotel for poolside cocktail. We are hoping we can check our luggage at the airport.

Quote: And then finally, does anyone have a recomendation on where to stay in Kavieng? I don't really need anything fancy I guess.

We have an overnight in Kavieng and are staying at the Malagan Resort http://www.malaganresort.com/ This was recommended by our tour operator. There are other locations in Kavieng that are more rustic and one that is on its own island called Lissenung Island Resort http://www.lissenung.com/lissenung/

I hope this helps.

We are leaving for our trip tomorrow. Our journey starts in 23 hours. We are very excited. Have everything packed and ready to go.

CN
 
Hello Andrew, check out Scuba Ventures in Kavieng if you have not already found a dive operator. I met Dorian and Cara last year while I was diving from a liveaboard in the area. They seemed to run a really good operation, always exploring new sites and looking for WW2 wrecks, nitrox etc. Kavieng is pretty sleepy, so there are not a lot of accomodation options. But, I'm sure they would have some good suggestions for where to stay. Good luck-Andy
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look into the Kavieng places and see what best fits. Any idea on how the diving is there specifically in December? I know it is supposed to be pretty choppy compared to the south.

Regarding the paddles, I am still very much intrigued. Exactly how big are we talking about here? Is is postable (i.e. can I mail it to myself?) Probably not huh? PNG will most likely not be my final stop but will only be one of them on a few month Asian tour before I have to go back to the States. But I might just have to find a way to make this work.

CN, hope to see a good trip report when you are back.

andrew
 
avla:
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look into the Kavieng places and see what best fits. Any idea on how the diving is there specifically in December? I know it is supposed to be pretty choppy compared to the south.

andrew
Hello Andrew, the Scuba Ventures web site says they have diving year round. I'm guessing this means that the NE side of New Ireland and New Hanover, which face the open ocean, is the choppy side late in the year. I was there in June and both sides were diveable and pretty calm. So I guess that's the high season for diving and Dec. is the surf season and the SW/Bismarck Sea side is the protected side. You should get the Lonely Planet PNG guide if you don't have it already as it has a good rundown of the weather patterns and plenty of other useful stuff.-Andy
 
The paddles are about 5-6 feet tall. I just carried them as a piece of checked baggage (fully covered in cardboard with my address marked on the outside). The last trip, because of all my camera gear, I was required to carry it as a third piece of checked luggage. That was expensive! Oh, well.....worth it.
 
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