PAPUA NEW GUINEA

[p-addy]

gidday guys,
just got word that i'm off to papau new guinea for a months work in august, ill be based in port moresby.
im a keen kiwi surfer but dont know alot about th place, aprt from good surf and to watch my back in the capital.
i'll have th odd couple days off and hope to take a week off at the end to get to some breaks,

if anyone can give me some advise on the place (getting around, who to trust ect.) would be much appreciated, as i'v heard it can be quite dangerous travelling alone

thnx
paddy

[jaffa1949]

Kia Ora P-addy there are surf resorts in New Guinea and New Ireland. Surfing at them is very good in their season which is roughly November to March but more sketchy at either end of that period.

Madang and Vanimo are on the north coast of Papua New Guinea and the resorts of Rubio's Plantation and Nusa Island Kavieng are on New Ireland both areas are accessible by flights from Moresby. Surfing is very well controlled in New Guinea and numbers are limited as the New Guineans try and avoid becoming another Bali. There are also charters but you'd have to look at the sites selling them. All surfers at surfing resorts also pay a fee to help advance New Guinea surfing and aid the villages where they surf.
So there are no feral trips possible and you are right traveling alone is not a good idea, it is easy to make mistakes that offend local custom and tribal law

Now about Port Moresby, not entirely safe, I'm serious here,there are groups who want pay back on any white man worse than the Mongrel Mob (Hey I' m assuming Pakeha but I think they'd treat Maori the same) Anyway most companies who employ non locals have a set of safety protocols and social behaviours they coach you in. Safe pubs etc, if you have a girlfriend or partner going risk is higher.

At the resort areas you are safe, the local villagers are very friendly and there is not the problem. Just common sense and human respect. Learning Bislama (pigeon English) helps.
BTW TAKE ANTIMALARIALS see your doctor before you go I almost died of Falciparum Malaria years ago.
Final word could be an astoundingly different and great surf trip, serious preparation needed

[p-addy]

xxxxx, thanks for that jaffa, couln't ask 4 a better response, yes i discovered i was goin 2 b outside of the season, however thought being september when i go 4 a propper browse my chances wouln't b 2 bad, won't b expecting magic, but keeping hopes alive.

i will look into the resorts u mentioned, and maybe look at booking flight's when i get there so i can get my head around it easier. looked at some charters, however they seem 2 only operate in season, so will proberly base myself at a resort and do my best to get around from there. sound's like a great idea about the surfing fee, am more that happy to help support the local village's.

as 4 port moresby, i hav been told we will b completly safe, based in a compound, as long as we don't go wondering, will make day/wknd trips a bit difficult, but i think once we are there we will learn quickly about the do's and don'ts.

will b taking all your tip's onboard jaffa, definately on the malaria, will look into bislama aswell, am getting more exited by the day.
will b sure to post up how i goes, hopefuuly get some footage too.

much appreciated

[frreako104]

Hey I have never been so safe journey and if possible, get some shots

[frreako104]

My apologies for the double post on that, it took twice.