Papua New Guinea is one of the best soft-adventure destinations in the world. I have the proof.
I have just returned from a 10-day trip into PNG’s heart, visiting the East Sepik, Hela and Western Highlands provinces.
Along the way, I saw PNG’s famous Huli Wigmen and the fearsome (but friendly) Mud Men, travelled down remote jungle rivers, visited villages and markets, and stayed at a luxury lodge where Rolling Stone Mick Jagger was once a guest.
The tour was with long-established PNG business, Trans Niugini Tours, and I felt in safe hands all the way.
This operator has PNG well wired. Guests stay at comfortable lodges, travelling between the remote properties by light plane, boats and road.
Friendly locals, cultural dances, sing-sings, trying local food such as sago pancakes, and early morning excursions to see the bird of paradise are all part of this wonderful exploration.
You can read about the trip in the May-June issue of Paradise, which also previews the upcoming 75th Kokoda anniversary.
We also report on the first-ever World Surf League (WSL) championship in PNG. The globe’s best surfers took part in the World Longboard Championship at Tupira, near Madang, and they heaped praise on the event and the destination.
“The people here are amazing,” the winner of the competition, American Taylor Jensen, said.
In this issue we also have a photo essay on PNG’s second-largest city, Lae. Photographer Milen Stiliyanov shows the city like you’ve never seen it before.
Our Q&A column features internationally acclaimed scientist Tim Flannery who will soon be on his way to PNG with a cruise group from Australia.
In the business world, we look at the many developments that are taking place in Port Moresby for the APEC conference in 2018.
New hotels, apartments, restaurants and even an international cruise-line terminal are being built in preparation for the conference, which will bring together the world’s leaders and will shine the global spotlight on PNG.
Happy reading and flying.
Robert Upe, Editor
Paradise Magazine, May/June 2017