Lonely Planet Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands (Travel Guide)

263 Pages·2016·15.615 MB·English

by  Lonely Planet, Lindsay Brown, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Anna Kaminski

P
D
F
Papua New
Guinea
& Solomon Islands
PDF ebook
Edition 10th Edition
Release Date Dec 2016
Pages 260
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4 easy-to-use How to Use This Book
sections
Look for these symbols to quickly identify listings:
1 4
Sights Sleeping
r 5
Beaches Eating
2 6
PLAN YOUR TRIP Activities Drinking
C 3
Courses Entertainment
Your planning tool kit
T 7
Photos & suggestions to help Tours Shopping
you create the perfect trip.
z Festivals 8 Information
& Events & Transport
All reviews are ordered in our authors’ preference,
starting with their most preferred option. Additionally:
Sights are arranged in the geographic order that we
suggest you visit them and, within this order, by author
preference.
ON THE ROAD Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price
range (budget, midrange, top end) and, within these
Your complete guide
ranges, by author preference.
Expert reviews, easy-to-use
maps & insider tips.
These symbols and abbreviations give vital
information for each listing:
Must-visit recommendation
Sustainable or green recommendation
No payment required
% Telephone number f Ferry
UNDERSTAND h Opening hours j Tram
p Parking d Train
Get more from your trip n Nonsmoking a pt apartments
Learn about the big picture, to a Air-conditioning d double rooms
make sense of what you see. i Internet access d m dorm beds
W Wi-fi access q quad rooms
s Swimming pool r rooms
v Vegetarian selection s single rooms
E English-language menu ste suites
c Family-friendly tr triple rooms
# Pet-friendly tw twin rooms
g Bus
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Your at-a-glance reference For symbols used on maps, see the Map Legend.
Vital practical information
for a smooth trip.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Papua New
Guinea
& Solomon Islands
The Sepik
p124 Morobe &
Madang Island
The Hpi1g0h2lands Propv8in2ces Propv14in7ces
Solomon
#_
Islands
Port p176
Moresby Central, Oro
p44
& Milne Bay
Provinces
p62
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
Lindsay Brown,
Jean-Bernard Carillet, Anna Kaminski
P LAN
ON THE ROAD
YOUR TRIP
Welcome to PNG PORT MORESBY . . . . 44 East Cape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
& Solomon Islands . . . . . . 4 Around Port Moresby . . .59 Wagawaga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
PNG & Solomon Sogeri Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 North Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Islands Map . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Samarai Islands . . . . . . . . . 74
PNG & Solomon Islands’ D’Entrecasteaux Islands . . 76
CENTRAL, ORO &
Top 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
MILNE BAY Trobriand Islands . . . . . . . . 78
Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 16
PROVINCES . . . . . . . . 62
If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Central Province . . . . . . . 63 MOROBE & MADANG
PROVINCES . . . . . . . . 82
Month by Month . . . . . . . 21 Kokoda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Oro Province . . . . . . . . . .66 Morobe Province . . . . . . . 84
Popondetta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Lae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
First Time in PNG . . . . . . 27
Oro Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Salamaua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Diving in PNG & Tufi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Wau & Bulolo . . . . . . . . . . 90
Solomon Islands . . . . . . . 31
Milne Bay Province . . . . . 68 Madang Province . . . . . .92
Kokoda Track . . . . . . . . . . 35
Alotau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Madang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Regions at a Glance . . . . 41
DAVID KIRKLAND/DESIGN PICS/GETTY IM
AGES ©
HANUABADA, PORT
MORESBY, P47
Contents
UNDERSTAND
Around Madang . . . . . . . . . 97 Vanimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Papua New Guinea
North Coast Highway . . . . 98 The Sepik & Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Simbai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Its Tributaries . . . . . . . .135 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Upper Sepik . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Environment . . . . . . . . .220
Middle Sepik . . . . . . . . . . . 141
THE HIGHLANDS . . 102
Lower Sepik . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Kokoda Story . . . . . 224
Eastern Highlands
Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Tributaries & Lakes . . . . . 145 The People of PNG . . . . 226
Goroka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Simbu Province . . . . . . . 110 ISLAND
Kundiawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 PROVINCES . . . . . . . 147
SURVIVAL
Around Kundiawa . . . . . . . 111 New Britain . . . . . . . . . .150
GUIDE
Mt Wilhelm . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 East New Britain
Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Kegsugl to Madang . . . . . 113
West New Britain
Western Highlands & Directory A–Z . . . . . . . .230
Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Jiwaka Provinces . . . . . 113
New Ireland Province . . 163 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Mt Hagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Enga Province . . . . . . . . 118 Kavieng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lavongai (New Hanover)
Wabag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
& East Islands . . . . . . . . . . 168
Southern Highlands
East Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 259
Province . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Autonomous Region
Mendi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
of Bougainville . . . . . . . 171
Lake Kutubu & Around . . 120
Buka Island . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Hela Province . . . . . . . . 121
Bougainville . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Tari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
SOLOMON
THE SEPIK . . . . . . . . 124
ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . 176
East Sepik Province . . . 125
Guadalcanal . . . . . . . . . . 177
Wewak & Around . . . . . . . 125
Honiara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Sandaun Province . . . .132
East of Honiara . . . . . . . . . 188
West of Honiara . . . . . . . . 189
Western Province . . . . . 190
M
. GEBICKI/GETTY IMAGES © MWGIMshleaaaisrlznaotod viNtso . ae . A . Lw . .ra . o .gG .u .o .en . .ood . .nr . . .g G . . .iah . . . . .i . .z . . . .o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221110099900046 SFSFDiEoPirvlsAEoitnTm CgTUo IiimAnnR eLEIP s iNSlnaG nP d&Ns G . . . . . . . . . 2371
Auki & Around . . . . . . . . . 200
Kokoda Track . . . . . . .35
Langa Langa Lagoon . . . 203
The Kokoda Story . . . 224
Understand the
Solomon Islands . . . . . . 203 The People of PNG . . 226
PERFORMERS AT A TRIBAL Survival Guide . . . . . . . .205
DANCE FESTIVAL, P9
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
4
Welcome to PNG
& Solomon Islands
True adventure awaits in this enigmatic
corner of Melanesia. Smouldering
volcanoes, forest-cloaked mountains and
coral-ringed islands set the stage for one
of the world’s most flamboyant cultures.
A Land Apart Cultural Wonderland
Are you up for an adventure? Here in PNG Home to more than 800 distinct languages,
you can trek through steaming jungles and PNG and the Solomons provide incomparable
ford rushing rivers with expert guides. Your opportunities to be immersed in a variety
goal may be a remote village, a magnificent- of fascinating traditional cultures. It’s well
ly plumed bird of paradise or a kangaroo worth planning your trip around one or two
that has elected the life arboreal. Why not of the major annual festivals: see colourfully
test your mettle on a multiday trek follow- painted and feathered Highland warriors,
ing the steps of Australian diggers along fearless snake-wielding fire dancers and bril-
the Kokoda Track, or summit a 4000m-plus liantly attired island oarsmen chanting to the
Highland peak for a panoramic, coast-to- backdrop of pounding drums. Festivals aside,
coast vista. there are myriad paradigm-altering experi-
ences to be had: an impromptu singsing
Aquatic Adventures (celebratory dance or festival) on the Trobri-
and Islands, learning about the legends of
The Solomon Islands and PNG are both
an eerie skull cave or sharing fruit with new-
world-famous diving destinations, with
found friends on a bumpy PMV ride.
excellent conditions most months of the
year. The biodiversity beneath is astound-
Island Idyll
ing, with a colourful array of hard and soft
corals and teeming fish life, along with a Travel is rarely easy in Melanesia, but
jaw-dropping collection of WWII plane rewards are bountiful. After a few weeks
and ship wrecks. Live-aboard boats and of hard travel, find your way to a palm-
first-rate dive resorts provide access to sites fringed, sun-drenched coast and unwind.
far from the hordes. The waves are equally Opt for a luxury ecofriendly resort with
uncrowded for surf lovers, with fantastic activities or a rustic village guesthouse
reef, point and beach breaks scattered footsteps from the sea. Spend your days
around the region’s northern shores. There’s snorkelling coral reefs, combing sandy
also fantastic fishing in these pristine wa- beaches, paddling placid rivers or lounging
ters, with yellowfin tuna, mackerel, sailfish beneath a palm tree. By night, watch the
and the legendary Papuan black bass in sunset, feast on fresh seafood and watch
abundance. the sky slowly fill with stars.
5
M
ATT M
UNRO/LONELY PLANET ©
Why I Love PNG & Solomon Islands
By Lindsay Brown, Writer
Papua New Guinea is blessed with an astounding mix of traditional cultures and natural splen-
dour, making it a personal favourite. From the Highlands to the islands there’s a myriad of cul-
tural riches, best witnessed during spectacular festivals where body decoration simply defies
the imagination. Bunking down in a sleepy beachside village is the perfect antidote to modern
city-living ailments, and something I highly recommend to independent travellers. Adventurers
will find coral gardens the equal of anywhere else, while jungle trails provide the opportunity to
see weird and wonderful wildlife: tree kangaroos, cuscuses and scene-stealing birds of paradise.
For more about our writers, see p260
Above: A Southern Highlands Huli wigman (p122)
PNG & Solomon Islands
142ºE 144ºE 146ºE 148ºE 150ºE
ELEVATION
3600m
2700m
2ºN 2100m
1500m
S O U T H 900m
P A C I F I C 600m
O C E A N 300m
0
Equator
Sepik River
Epic adventures on the
Kavieng
jungle-clad Sepik (p135) Surfing, diving, snorkelling
and fishing (p164)
ADMIRALTY IS
Lorengau
2ºS Lavongai Kavieng
Mt Wilhelm (New Hanover)
Vanimo Aitape MVPuNisecGwhu’ss ohfi gbhoetsht cpoeaaskt s( pfr1o1m1) B i smBa I rS cMk A RA Cr Kc h S iE pAelago
Wewak
Madang
Pagwi Manam Lovely laid-back town
SepikRivAermbunti TimbunkAengoram Bogia Karkar with great diving (p92)
E S I A CentralRange Madang Talasea KiBmNrbieteawin
N D O N TariWabag MtM Ht aW(g4ei5ln0h9emlm) Goroka VitiazStrait
I Mendi Kundiawa Huon
MLuarkreay Mt Bosavi Crater Mtn Lae Peninsula Bi sma r c k
(2507m) (3118m) Salamaua HGuuolfn Kimbe Bay
Wau Diving mecca with coral gardens
and WWII wrecks (p161)
Fly O Morobe
River Gulf of Papua Kerema wen Mt Albert S O L O M O N S E A
Home tGo othreo kbarilliantly StaEdward (3990m) TROBIRSIAND
colourful Goroka Show (p103)Bereina nley KokodaPopondetta Tufi
Goodenough
Kokoda Track PORT SoRgaenrige WardHunt
Torres Strait Fam96okums atnredk t (opr3tu5o)us MORESBLYoloata Strait
10ºS Kupiano
A U S T R A L I A Alotau
Alotau Samarai
C O R A L S E A Gateway to enchanting
Milne Bay (p69)
144ºE 146ºE 148ºE 150ºE
0 200 km
0 100 miles
160ºE 162ºE 164ºE 166ºE 168ºE
Malaita
Auki
Langa
Langa Guadalcanal
Lagoon Poignant WWII battlefields, S O U T H
memorials and abandoned P A C I F I C
HONIARA weaponry (p177) O C E A N
10ºSGuadalcanal
S O L O M O N
Makira I S L A N D S
Lake
Te'Nggano
S O L O M O N S E A
12ºS
Same scale as main map
2ºS
S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N
New
Ireland
Rabaul
Rabaul Volcanoes, wreck dives and
Kokopo apocalyptic landscapes (p157) 4ºS
o Buka
g
a Buka
e l Bougainville
p
i
h
A r c 6ºS
S O L O M O N
Trobriand Islands I S L A N D S
Fascinating traditional
cultures (p78)
New See Inset
P A P U A Gizo Georgia
Kiriwina N E W G U I N E A
Fergusson Guadalcanal
D'ENTRECASTEAUX
IS HONIARA
Normanby Marovo Lagoon
Louisiade speWctoarcldu-lcalra csso rdailv rineegf as m(pi1d90) 10ºS
Archipelago S O L O M O N S E A
152ºE 154ºE 156ºE 158ºE
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
8
PNG & Solomon Islands’
Top 15