Guide to Understanding Papua New Guinea

[donsilcock]

I have been working on a personal project to document on my site what I have learned from my trips to Papua New Guinea over the last 19 years.... It's a complex and often misunderstood country that suffers from a terrible reputation, but one that (in my opinion) really rewards the regular visitor.

I started the project with a series of pages on understanding PNG so that a potential visitor can make a relatively informed decision about whether to go or not as it's not for everybody.

Altogether there are six pages to peruse covered PNG 101, is PNG Safe, First Contact, PNG and WWII, the Wantok System and an article I wrote for X-Ray magazine calle Expect the Unexpected.

No claims on being the world expert on Papua New Guinea but the pages are based on many trips there over the years.

No financial angle here - I just like writing about the places I have visited and using the images I took to illustrate it all.

Constructive feedback welcome... Here is the link to the anchor page - Understanding Papua New Guinea

 

[WetPup]

Nice

I love PNG and luckily I get to visit a few times a year for work. It certainly has its issues, and there are places to avoid. But by and large those who visit for dive tourism really have very little to worry about.

Plus...Milne Bay

 

[donsilcock]

Nice

I love PNG and luckily I get to visit a few times a year for work. It certainly has its issues, and there are places to avoid. But by and large those who visit for dive tourism really have very little to worry about.

Plus...Milne Bay

Thanks and could not agree more!

The "danger" associated with diving in PNG is minimal in my opinion and experience, which was part of the reason I started with a guide to better understanding the place.

Don

 

[mikeycanuk]

Thanks! We are going to Walindi/Febrina in 6 months. I was considering taking a few days from our Walindi stay to go to Milne bay. $1200AU in airfare for the 3 of us though.....

Edit

Read the Walinidi article in X-ray mag and thought staying at Loloata might not be such a bad idea. It's closed. And PNG Art looks to be no more either.

On an art topic are there carvings in PNG like the Solomon's? My wife still regrets the 3' $30 carved hammerhead she didn't buy. It was big, but what a deal! We will do the Bilikiki again once junior is out of the house.

 

[donsilcock]

Thanks! We are going to Walindi/Febrina in 6 months. I was considering taking a few days from our Walindi stay to go to Milne bay. $1200AU in airfare for the 3 of us though.....

Edit

Read the Walinidi article in X-ray mag and thought staying at Loloata might not be such a bad idea. It's closed. And PNG Art looks to be no more either.

On an art topic are there carvings in PNG like the Solomon's? My wife still regrets the 3' $30 carved hammerhead she didn't buy. It was big, but what a deal! We will do the Bilikiki again once junior is out of the house.

Hi, thanks for the comments and yes... airfares can be pretty expensive in PNG!

Milne Bay has some great diving and I am about half way through putting together a guide to it all and will post it when it's done - probably in a week or two. But if you have already committed to Walindi and Febrina I would probably concentrate on making the most of that trip as Kimbe Bay has much to offer too!

Loloata was a great option, particularly if you are traveling a long distance like you are, but it has been sold and is currently being renovated and the word is that it won't be a dive resort when it re-opens.

On PNG Arts, I was there about a year ago but I also just heard that it has closed - still trying to find out what happened and will update my site when I do.

Please let me know if you have any other questions - glad to help if I can!

Don

 

[donsilcock]

Thanks! We are going to Walindi/Febrina in 6 months. I was considering taking a few days from our Walindi stay to go to Milne bay. $1200AU in airfare for the 3 of us though.....

Edit

Read the Walinidi article in X-ray mag and thought staying at Loloata might not be such a bad idea. It's closed. And PNG Art looks to be no more either.

On an art topic are there carvings in PNG like the Solomon's? My wife still regrets the 3' $30 carved hammerhead she didn't buy. It was big, but what a deal! We will do the Bilikiki again once junior is out of the house.

Just realized I did not answer your question about the carvings... Generally good carvings are available in most locations in PNG and I am sure if you ask at Walindi they can arrange for you to see some.

Good luck getting them home though!!

Don

 

[mikeycanuk]

Thanks Don! What would you recommend in regards to flying home. I'm going kimbe-Pom-SYD in one day, flying out SYD the next morning. Wise/unwise?

 

[donsilcock]

Thanks Don! What would you recommend in regards to flying home. I'm going kimbe-Pom-SYD in one day, flying out SYD the next morning. Wise/unwise?

There is always a risk in PNG with the internal flights, but things have gotten much better in the last few years in my opinion.

I have done that route and others through POM many times and 85-90% of the time it is OK - I certainly would try for it!

I live part of the year in Sydney and usually have to go through Brisbane, so if you can time your trip around the direct POM to Sydney flight that will be really good - you just need the plane to show up in Kimbe and you are good!

I have only been stuck with the external flight once... every other time has been OK.

Enjoy your trip!!

Don

 

[Wingy]

You will probably find a few guys selling carvings at the jetty if you do get to Milne Bay - they know when there are divers in town. I bought a bowl carved by people from the Trobriands inlaid with Mother of Pearl there that I still have and use daily yet the crocodile carving I got at PNG Arts turned out to be very soft pine.

 

[Wingy]

Double post sorry! Also look at the billums as a souvenir