PNG vs. Solomons

[Luko]

Spent sometime in Madang (not there at the moment) and absolutely loved the diving. They do have some great diving further up the north coast road which is relatively safer to drive than most other parts of PNG and the Solomons for that matter.

Wewak is a place that should not be ignored and is a night boat away from Madang or one hour and $120 Aus in a plane. There are a number of small operators and a lot of wrecks.
The Windjammer Hotel is the place to seek out there, or just a skip across the road to a cafe called the beach hut.

PNG and the Solomons are well not that developed. The Northern coastal areas are by far the safest and I stress ensure you stay alert at all times. Hate to write it but trust no one with your stuff. The wontok system extends far and wide. Goroka is a great place to get a taste of Highlands PNG. I do not recommend anyone to travel to areas such as Mt William or Mt Hagen.
Jeez, even nationals there don't enjoy visiting those areas.

The Solomons has been very quiet of late so I really can't comment, but it is a place I would not take my family to.

Sounds like you have a great holiday happening

Hi Marinediva,
Thanks for your input. I tried to check out Wewak, very little litterature about the area.
I didn't know about Mt.Hagen I thought august could be an opportunity to go for the yearly festival ; I reckon Goroka seems indeed a better and safer place but Goroka events happen in september, hence outside of my holiday range.

I browsed on the web and stumbled upon Lissenung which seems like a Sipadan (before 2005) or Gangga sort of place. It seems only few members speak about the place, any reason why?
The drawback of PNG viewed from my side is that I cannot find a somewhat beachy resort place where I can leave my wife and daughter while I go diving. Do you feel Madang or Wewak have that?

Also I am a bit worried with the weather in PNG, I've read reports about wind and rain : is august a season to go in PNG?

At this very moment, the compass is pointing towards Solomons. Although you say it might be unstable, maybe I'm a little too confident but as I speak pidgin (7 years living in New Hebrides, now Vanuatu, when I was a teen and 2 years more in New Caledonia) I hardly worry with melanesian countries.

I can indifferently come in and out from Brisbane of Nadi. Hence I'd probably stay a few days around Brisbane area (What about 3 days in Lady Elliott?) then fly to Honiara spend 2 weeks in the Solomons (I then need some recommendations apart from Uepi : what about Vonavona or Gizo area?) and top it with 4/5 days in Fiji on Viti Levu why not Nananu I Ra to go back diving around G6, Vatu I Ra, etc.

Anyway, PNG or Solomons, I'd love to read your recos ...

Cheers
Luko

 

[baitballer]

I have been to PNG half a dozen times and I love the place however it does not really have any resorts that are non diver friendly. Don't get me wrong it has some fantastic resorts such as Tufi, Tawali, Loloata etc but they are not really beach resorts.

My favorite resort by far is Lissenung which you mention. It is just a tiny island by Kavieng and it has in my humble opinion the best diving in PNG right on its doorstep (or beach for that matter). It does have a nice beach with great snorkelling right off it and the accomadations and the whole island are great but not would I would describe as a beach resort. Non divers do go there with their diving partners all the time and if you like simply sitting on the beach relaxing it does not get much more relaxing but there is very little else to do except visit some other islands, snorkel, surf or visit the town of Kavieng to go to the market or just stroll about.

The diving there is fantastic with everything covered from pelagics to muck, walls to reefs, wrecks, etc etc and if you turn up with a wish list give it to Dietmar and within reason he will probably find the vast majority of it for you. Last time I went it took four days to get there and four days to get back (I live in the Caribbean) and it was still worth it!

 

[marinediva]

Hi Luko
Try Jais Aben or Madang Resort and Lodge in Madang.
Jais Aben is beside a number of Marine Park areas and 30k out from Madang. It is BEAUTIFUL.
eMAIL Sheila there they have budget accomodation which is very nice and you will feel very secure there. This is a very friendly Family resort and the diving is wonderful that side of Madang, very easily accessible. I will pvt message you with my name ,,,,,mention it and I know you will be looked after.
Madang Resort is more expensive, the diving is good and very accessible, they have a great 50m pool for the kids to play in but is very busy, comparied to Jais Aben. MRL is in the heart of Madang and the resort lines the lagoon. That is where I worked, but who knows maybe I will be at Jais Aben by August. LOL.

Again, hit them up for a discount.....It is best to buy 10 dives as it works very cheaply there.
I can absolultely recommend the dive shop there and it is well looked after by some very experienced nationals and a fantastic Japanese Instrutor.

Not sure on the weather, Madang is very different to most of PNG as it seems to miss the usual weather. Late afternoon storm or nightly thunder storm are very frequent no matter what time of year.

Wewak. Very little information there, yes that is tru. The people at Windjammer can help you.
There is a man who name is Skippy, he runs the Beach Hut. In may he is bringing a liveaboard to Wewak from Aust. The local boys are the ones who can show you where the sites are.
Although no exact dive shop, there is gear and tanks. Maybe to hard to arrange.

The other resort you mentioned is very nice, and the people now running it are very experienced.
I have not been there but I have heard some great reports.

Kavieng is also a great place, and there is a game fishing resort/shop there with some good operatiors who can take you diving.

ALso check out a website re Madang, it is not a shop as such but a club. It is run by a man who kinows Madang like the back of his hand. He is truly addicted to it and can offer so great diving and a lot of fun. There dive at the weekends and is only 30K but you must have DAN insureance or such like.

FIJI.....TRULY stay clear. Much political trouble there and if my intuition is correct will get worst after May. I kinow it is not nice to say it but personally I would rather spend my money where I know I will not have to cancel, or get flown out in the middle of a coup.

Bislama is very different to Tok Pidgem. Same as Solomons Pidgen, very different again, but most people speak english or somesort, it is easy enough to pick up and refresh your memory tone.

Whislt in Brisbane check out the HMAS BRisbane as well as Stradbroke. Always diving is good for Brisbane and there are plenty of operatiors on the Brisbane, where you can leave ma and the kids at the marina to play with the shops etc etc.

Sounds like you will have a ball.
I am hoping to get myself back into Madang in the nest six weeks or so.
May end up at Milne bay doing so volunteer work if I am around look us up.

 

[alijtaylor]

I would comment that Gizo in Solomons is, despite being the second town of the Solomons, a small town with one dirt main street. It doesn't have good beaches. However the diving is sound in the area and Fat Boys resort is not bad at all. I didnt stay there but we called a couple of times to pick up divers and had lunch there one day. It doesn't have a local beach but the over water bar area would be an easy place to spend a day or two and I am sure they would transfer guests to one of the myriad of islands nearby that do offer good beaches.

In my opinon the diving from Uepi is better than Gizo but you could easily spend 3/4/5 days diving around Gizo and Fat Boys would be a good place to stay while doing it.

Alison

 

[reubencahn]

Political unrest in Fiji is almost always limited to the area of Suva. I wouldn't avoid Fiji for fear of political problems. From a personal safety perspective, PNG is more dicey than Fiji.

 

[boxcar]

Following on from Alison's comments...

I'd add that there are some nice beach spots not far from Gizo...When we were there diving with the guys from Sanbis Resort, they took us to a couple of different very nice small islands with *fantastic* beaches...Not big beaches, but lovely soft sand well out from the water line, shade nearby...very picturesque spots, secluded, quiet...We had a couple of BBQs in spots like that and fritted away a whole afternoon on our last (non diving) day. Those places exist...you just have to know where to look/ask a local...you'll need boat transport to get to them, but that's easy enough to arrange.

cheers
Ben

 

[Kevster]

I have priced a weeks stay at Gizo with diving & budget accom at approx $850
Any idea how much Uepi would be for 1 week with diving for 1 person.

 

[alijtaylor]

I have priced a weeks stay at Gizo with diving & budget accom at approx $850
Any idea how much Uepi would be for 1 week with diving for 1 person.

Last year's prices - single accommodation varied from A$200 - A$235 a night including all meals. Diving was A$68 a dive.

Cheers

Alison