Travel in New Guinea – Hotels, New Guinea Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide



Traveling To Paradise: New Guinea

Vacation and Travel to New Guinea
Settlement in Papua new guinean highlands.

The island of New Guinea is located north of Australia and is the second largest island in the world. The population of New Guinea contains about 7.1 million people and has approximately one-thousand different tribal groups and almost as many dialects. Large areas of New Guinea are unexplored and in Irian Jaya, there are around forty-four tribes that remain uncontacted.

Papua, New Guinea is relatively untraveled, but is rapidly gaining popularity as a hot spot for tourists. There are many attractions to be seen and things to do, such as touring the markets, enjoying the island culture, festivals, diving, surfing, hiking and fishing. It is estimated that some 700,000 tourists per year visit New Guinea.

There are some popular festivals held on the island that a big tourist draws. The Coffee Festivalin Goroka, held in May, hosts an exhibition and trade fair over a course of three days. Each day there is an exhibition and trade fair, arts and crafts market and song and dance programs. On the second day of the festival, highlights include the Miss Coffee Festival program, a night show and Vis-A-Vis stage show. On the final day, festivities are capped off the Official Closing Festival, the Crowning of Miss Coffee Festival and the Coffee Ball.

In July, there is the National Mask Festival, first held in 1995. This festival has now grown to become an annual event to celebrate and promote the Mask Cultures of New Guinea. On New Guinea, mask cultures are found in Momase region and Gulf Province. The masks may seem identical, but on close inspection there are subtle differences that can be detected.

Papua, New Guinea is also considered to be one of the best diving locations in the world and has one of the healthiest coral reefs. Divers can view numerous World War II wreckage and some of the best diving spots are West New Britain, Kimbe Bay, Kavieng, Madang and Tufi. Many of these sites are easily accessible and locations further out can be dived from one of the many liveboards.

When exploring Port Moresby, many tourists enjoy the Kokoda Trail and Sogeri Road, which offer spectacular views of rubber tree plantations. There is also a government owned artifacts shop, Village Arts, which has the best selection of artifacts in the country.

In Lae is Wau, guests can tour the Wau Ecology Institute, which has a small museum and a zoo. There visitors can view tree kangaroos, crocodiles, birds of paradise, butterflies and various tropical, exotic flowers. Near Wau are also McAdam National Park, Mount Kaindi and the Tami Islands. Tami is known for its residents who do intricate, beautiful wood bowls and carvings.

The Sepik River is the longest one in New Guinea and the major trade route to the inside. It winds through the mountains, through the swamps and grasslands until it reaches the sea. In Angoram, the Haus Tambaran, has artwork that expands almost the entire length of the river. The surrounding area of Chambri Lakes, is home to several hundred species of birds that are indigenous to New Guinea.

The Mendi Valley is also a popular spot. It is home to the Huli Wigmen, who are famous for painting their faces red and yellow and wear elaborate wigs made from human hair. In the Southern Highland area, tourists can explore limestone caves and view breathtaking scenery.

New Guinea, while a rugged country has some lovely weather and a tropical climate. Around 85% of the main islands are rainforest environments and covered with more species of orchids than any other location on earth. The best time of year to visit is July through September and there are some very plush hotels such as the Mandang Resort Hotel or Flag Hotel Coastal Watchers, that offer comfort and convenience to tourists from all over the world.

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