RANDOM PHOTOS: Tourists at Bird of Paradise Hotel and Highlands young girls in traditional costumes

Young Highlands girls in their traditional costumes!

Tourists at Bird of Paradise Hotel in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

Travel: Would you go backpacking alone in Papua New Guinea?

By Bart Napierala 

WOULD you go backpacking alone to a place that has a reputation of being notoriously dangerous like Papua New Guinea?

In spite of the bad press and information I was given, I took the risk, and I had an absolutely wonderful time up there. Quite frankly, I have rarely experienced such hospitality!

The key to success was making friends from this amazing country before I started travelling. Hanging around Cairns for a few weeks gave me a chance to meet the right people to start planning my adventure. In Papua New Guinea, I spent one month in total: one week in the capital, Port Moresby, then two weeks in The Highlands, and the last week in Madang Province. Once I met friendly Papuan, I could always rely on someone recommended while on the road. Port Moresby, being avoided by tourists likes a plague, I found to be a great place. Unless you have someone local to hang with, you will enjoy its laid back atmosphere. Roaming around colourful, busy markets, or using PMV buses full of music, locals singing in Pisin language, or explaining to curious people around what is a reason of your visit, are simply exciting! If you overcome your prejudice to betel nuts and try to chew a few with your newly made friends, you will become a 100% Papuan.

Bart with local highlanders wanted to do thing the villagers do everyday. He was taking a pig to the near bushes for feeding. In the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, pigs are integral part of their life - it is a source of meat/protein, it is used to make peace or compensation and it is used for bride price payment. In today's economy, pig in the Highlands is a good sales for cash. This pig would cost an average of PGK500.

The Highlands, discovered barely sixty years ago, offer other attractions as well. Once getting to the village, you automatically become a member of the tribe. As walking alone in the capital might be a bit risky, there is no fear in walking by yourself in a village. You will be always assisted by autochtohons, who will show you the best of the village and explain whatever you wish to know about their life. An amazing tropical forest with its birds of paradise and plenty of breath taking walking tracks are just the cherries on the top of an already wonderful experience!
Those who love a real adventure will find a fifteen hour long trip by crowded PMV bus from Wabag to Madang really fun. Constantly changing varieties of stunning landscapes watched from a window, and heaps of opportunities to chat with talkative passengers, make it definitely worth experiencing.

The writer playing with host kids and the puppy. 

After the fascinating, albeit cold, Highlands, Madang town and Province with their tropical influence, beautiful beaches full of sparkling sand, jaw dropping reefs and bays, was a welcome change. I found instantly the reason why the town is considered a pearl of the South Pacific.

The writer chewed betelnut (buai), an hobby activity most Papua New Guineans do.

The trip to Papua New Guinea was the best one I have done in my life. I guess, if I had taken an organized trip, I wouldn’t have met so many authentic people on my way, and possibly wouldn’t have experienced so much. The trip gave me a chance to learn not only about Papuan life and disincentive cultures, but about some of the problems they’ve been facing. Papua New Guinea is an amazing place with beautiful people, and I cannot simply wait to visit it again. It definitely does not deserve the bad reputation it has received from todays media.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this travel.

Bart Napierala, bart.napierala@gmail.com

The highlander host family for the writer.

OPEN INVITATION LETTER – POTENTIAL TOURISM INVESTMENT AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

TO WHO IS MAY CONCERN

Dear Sir/Madam,

HOWARIG TRADERS (specializes in tourism e-marketing for the PNG Highlands region, advertising agent and travel agency) have been heavily involved in the SME Tourism sector in the recent past. Under the highlands tourism e-marketing name "PNG Highlands Exotic Tour Services", we have some of the world's historically fascinating sites and scenes to offer. For instance the World Heritage listed pre-historic Kuk Agricultural Site dated back some 7,000 years continuous land cultivation and possibly 10,000 years ago to present. Yuku Rock Shelter in Baiyer River where first humans are believed to have set foot on the Island of New Guinea from the migration routes from South-East Asia. Plant Mircofossil analysis reveal cave occupied before 14,200 years ago. Nombe Rock Shelter is 25,000 years ago human activity first documented and continue through to present time. All these sites are located in the Highlands of PNG. Therefore, Papua New Guinea is arguably an Ancient country!

Papua New Guinea is regarded as the world's third pristine rain-forest area accommodating some thousand species of flora and fauna. Some of which have not been recorded and documented by biologists. For instance a recent discovery of a rare Wasp (Giant Bee) in the Pacific regions highest mountain, Mt. Wilhelm located in Chimbu Province in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Mt. Giluwe, the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea and the highest Volcanic Summit in the Oceania region including the Australian continent (Mt. Giluwe is listed as one of the 7 Volcanic Summits in the World), located in Western Highlands Province. The New Guinea Singsing Dog is believed to have lived at Mt. Giluwe some 100 years ago. Scientists and researchers have not yet attempted to proof this assumption. The stone caves at Mt. Giluwe are locally known to locals as dog caves. In the local dialect of Tambul, the peak of Giluwe is known as “Owa Pelg Kou” which means New Guinea Singsing Dog dwelling cave. The local nearby Tambul villages close to the mountain have legendary stories about the New Guinea Singsing Dog.  Donald D. & Judy K. Ehrlich have attempted to record the stories of the New Guinea Singsing Dog (NGSD) and their website address is at: http://oldsingerman20.webs.com/ and some investigations into the preservation of free-living New Guinea Singsing Dog were done by James K. McIntyre of South West Pacific Research Foundation and its URL is: http://vanuatu.tripod.com/dogs/   

Arial view of pre-historical Kuk Agricultural Site for Ancient Tourism 

The once world renowned Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary in the Western highlands Province is currently undergoing rehabilitation, to revive its former glory days in the 1960s. The rehabilitation process is currently being spearheaded by the local Member of Parliament (MP), Honourable Koi Trappe in consultation with the Department of Environment and Conservation. This was made possible by an Australian team of Biologists who toured the area late last year and carried out a feasibility study to assess the viability of reviving the Baiyer River Bird Sanctuary. The recommendations of this feasibility study were forwarded to the Government of Papua New Guinea for implementation. The basic perimeter fencing and the animals and birds cages are currently taking shape.

The Mt. Bosavi untapped Wildlife and pristine biodiversity is another interesting site located in the neighbouring Southern Highlands Province. The area is known for frequent visits by some of the World's best scientists and researchers. A recent discovery of a Giant Rat at Mt. Bosavi by a crew from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and some scientists is a case in point.

These potential tourism investment opportunities are not promoted and marketed widely due to mere negligence and ignorance by responsible PNG Government Authorities or lack of funding and infrastructure downfall.

These sites are located in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The country is known to have rich cultural diversity with over 840 different languages and uniquely distinct cultures and traditions. These languages are known to have comprised of almost one third of the World's total known languages. We also have five Annual Cultural Festivals in the region, namely Mt. Hagen Culture and Agriculture Show, Goroka Cultural Show, Jiwaka Cultural Show, Enga Cultural Show and Hela Cultural Show. They are evenly scheduled throughout the year to avoid clashes in dates.

Tourist accommodation service providers in the highlands region have also come on board in our tourism promotion drive. One such example is the Tubo Lodge in the Lake Kutubu area of Southern Highlands Province near Mt. Bosavi.  

With the above mentioned tourism products and others not mentioned here we strive to develop, promote and market the products globally. And our primary aim is to assist the tourism based SMEs in the highlands region. Empirical Business Consultants and Advisors, a local consulting SME based in Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province, is another stakeholder who have shown their interest in providing advisory services on financial management and statutory compliance matters.

Having said this, we kindly request any organizations/businesses/institutions/individuals to assist us in whatever capacity to achieve our objectives and foster partnership in areas of logistic and technical support to development these tourism attraction destinations.

Thank you,

Peter Kinjap & Philip Ukuni (Howarig Traders)
Mount Hagen, Western Highlands Province
PAPUA NEW GUINEA, SOUTH WEST PACIFIC

A track to the peak of Mt. Giluwe where New Guinea Singsing Dog (NGSD) dwells.

Where and how to travel to the Highlands of Papua New Guinea?

HOW and WHERE to get to the Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) are the biggest questions ever asked by many. Media in PNG and international alike thinks bad news sells and off course bad news sells good. The media industry's primary role is profit making and they opt to cover every story that is newsworthy be good or bad news. All media companies think bad news sells good buds and oh yeah it does. But the aftermath of bad news publication, broadcasting and/or production has a long term impact on the economy of any single country or region. The tourism industry is the most impacted industry of any country when the media goes wrong with its reporting of bad news in headlines giving out negative signals. In the highlands of PNG bad news is not always a everyday thingy. 

PNG has been reported with its bad news the world over and tainted a bad name about PNG through the media. The PNG Highlands is even getting the worse names when it comes to reporting the bad news in PNG. What is bad news then? Bad news is the actions and activities of certain (only minority) ill-minded human beings against the set rules of law and the standard moral practice is bad news yet media somehow finds it fit to report on the headlines. Violence, rape, murder and brutality are scary human behaviours by only few as minority that the society (the global community) condemns and the law tries to eradicate such. In any given society (be in the remotest part of the PNG Highlands or in the dark corners of Russel Street in London, UK); violence, rape, murder and brutality happens but there is always a stronger support from every corner to rebuke such bad and unwanted behaviours.

A boy from Tambul in his traditional attire for the school organized celebrations to mark the 37th Independence day Mt. Hagen International School, Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Many people whom have never been to the Highlands of PNG may believe what they have heard, read and seen in the media but that is not the reality. What you read does not happen everyday in PNG. It is simply not always true. The highlands Melanesian people of PNG are friendly and are so kind. They welcome any strangers to their homes and love other people. They share food from their gardens and love to make new friends.

So HOW and WHERE can you get to the highlands of PNG is what we opt to bring as an alternative to you. We are locals from the Highlands of PNG and we provide tourists a purely "local touch." This means we are promoting PNG Highlands Eco-tourism and we welcome all our visitors coming to the Highlands of PNG with us as very special friends and make them be part of the highlands life. We are here to make them feel like a local, live and eat with locals in the local highlands village homes and make friends with highlanders who are so friendly and easy to get along with.

The Usano Creek in Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

How to travel to the PNG Highlands? Simply contact us (PNG Highlands Eco-Tourism Services) and we will assist you of your planned trip throughout the highlands provinces (Goroka, Chimbu, Jiwaka, Mt. Hagen, Mendi, Wabag, Tari, Kutubu and Mt. Bosavi) with much ease. We are here to make you feel like a local and be a local with us in the PNG Highlands.

Where to get to the Highlands of PNG? For those who wanted to do a hiking, mountain climbing and trekking we have Mt. Giluwe (the highest volcanic summit in the Oceania region and the second highest peak in PNG) and Mt. Wilhelm (the highest peak in PNG). For those who love to watch a cultural show, its Mt. Hagen Cultural Show, Goroka Cultural Show, Jiwaka Cultural Show, Enga Cultural Show, Hela Cultural Show all year round and if you will be here on the 16th September, where PNG's Independence Day falls, cultural displays are every in the PNG Highlands.

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd chatting with locals about the local cuscus at Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Kevin Michael Rudd is a former Australian politician who was twice Prime Minister of Australia, from 2007 to 2010, and again in 2013. He was the first former prime minister to return to the office since Robert Menzies in 1949

For those who wanted to do a bird watching including the Bird of Paradise, we take you to the places where bird watching is interesting with camping outs. You will meet locals to make friends and overnight with them. We also take you to Lake Kutubu where there is very rare species of fish found on the planet earth. You can stay in one of the best Island resorts on Island in Lake Kutubu. The lake has a island. An Island in the Highlands.

We also offer you the Mt. Bosavi Wildlife discovery package to camp out where the Giant Rat in the world was discovered. World Scientists and a BBC Crew have discovered this rare species of Giant Rat in the world while at Mt. Bosavi. An interesting place on earth to watch the wildlife as they live with no human contacts. Our visitors can camp out at Mt. Bosavi watching the native animals in their wildest way. That's the very rare place on earth where no human beings live so you will notice the silly behaviors of the birds and wildlife.

A creek in Kandep, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.

The oldest Baiyer Zoo in the Highlands region offers you all kinds of different plants and animals. They live wild in the Zoo in Western Highlands Province. The longest cave on earth may be in the highlands. The entrance is at Baiyer Lumusa district in the Western Highlands Province and it is believed to be one of the longest caves but none had discovered it to claim.

In all your travel plans, we provide a local touch to your trip trying to make you be one of the locals while you are here with us.

Do not hesitate to travel the Highlands of PNG, with us you will tell a different story and we love to hear the story you will tell others about us.

Young girls from Enga Province in their traditional attire performing a traditional dance locally known as Simuli at Enga Cultural Show, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.

SEND us an email at: pacinter12@gmail.com or howarig4@gmail.com to discuss your budget for your PNG Highlands trip, we tailor our packages just for you to suit your budget and travel interest. We will reply to your message in a few days time. We ensure you get the value for your money. We are always open for negotiation, we take you to be a local with us and make you feel like a local, spending a day or 2 in the villages.

The misty mountains of Lufa

THE misty mountains of Lufa in the Eastern Highlands Province are welcoming for both international and local visitors alike. The weather is cool, not so hot, not so cold. People used to say its the world's best weather you will ever find anywhere in the world on the earth. In Eastern Highlands Province, every year round in September there is a Goroka Cultural Show. 

For this year 2015, Eastern Highlands Province is set to showcase its very colourful yet the biggest Goroka Cultural Show 2015 ever from the 11th Friday September 2015 to the 13th Sunday September 2015. If you are coming to Goroka Cultural Show 2015, then its a very cool idea to take a few days off Goroka town before or after the Goroka Cultural Show 2015 and spend some days or hours at Lufa, near the misty mountains with the locals breathing the cool and naturally moderated breeze. 

Be a local with the Lufa villages for a while. The Lufa misty mountains will welcome you with a so cool breeze from the mountains. Its is always so beautiful up in the PNG Highlands and Eastern Highlands Province gives you the best weather in the world as it separates the coastal areas and the highlands.  In the photographs below, Aimos Joseph Akem (with cap), a young man from Enga Province decided to spend some good time with visitors and workmates at Lufa. The background of the first photo is the misty mountains of Lufa, Eastern Highlands Province. Welcome to the highlands of Papua New Guinea!

Aimos Joseph Akem (far center in cap) with workmates and visitors having a time out with locals at Lufa, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

Aimos Joseph Akem (right with cap), a young man from Enga Province with his good driver in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.

“Why not spend your holidays in Enga?” asks Akem.

THE Highlands of Papua New Guinea still remains pristine and erotic to discover to the locals as well as International visitors. To the local Papua New Guineans, it is a lifetime experience being missed without you knowing it. To the rest of the outside world, the PNG Highlands is a country so different on the entire planent earth. Amongst many local PNGans whom advocate for local Eco-tourism, Aimos Joseph Akem is a young man from Enga Province, who thinks PNG local leaders in business and politics alike should spend their holidays in their villages and provinces rather than traveling out of the country. He has a vision for his province and his country. He says "Why not spend your holidays in Enga? Tribal fights seems to be an hindrance to both local and international tourists but still Enga is unique in many many ways. Please make sure to visit Enga if you are planning for a local getaway."

Welcome to Enga Province!

Aimos Joseph Akem.

A traditional hut in Kandep, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. Photos: Aimos Joseph Akem.

A creek in Kandep, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.

A Lake in Kandep, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.

People whom have traveled to the PNG Highlands

WE are super excited to hear from our visitors whom have traveled with us to the Highlands of PNG. We offer friendly village life experiences to those visitors who are interested to be part of a typical PNG highlands lifestyle. Many of our visitors whom have traveled with us have experienced the most memorable moments in their lifetime and decided to share with the rest what they have experienced how beautiful, colourful, exotic, wonderful, marvelous and exciting PNG Highlands is.

Some of the visitors whom have traveled to the Highlands of PNG with us are:

@....... Alexandra Marcu, a 16 year old young girl from Romania climbed Mt. Giluwe – the highest volcanic summit in the Pacific Oceania region including Australian Continent. She traveled six other volcanic summits in the other 6 continents of the seven continents in the world and Giluwe was the highest in the 7^th continent (Oceania).  Her blog is at: https://alexandraflaviamarcu.wordpress.com and she is also on Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/alexandraflavia.marcu

 @..... Dan Marcu from Romania, Alexandra’s father climbed Mt. Giluwe with her only daughter. He also writes the blog at: https://alexandraflaviamarcu.wordpress.com and he is on Facebook too at: https://www.facebook.com/dan.marcu

@.......... Ryan Manton from Australia decided to climb Mt. Giluwe before trying Mt. Wilhelm, the highest mountain in PNG. Giluwe is the second highest and his aim was to climb the highest and the second highest mountains in PNG.

@.........Elizabeth Bonshek from the British Museum in London, UK was in the Algena village spending at least 2 weeks. Algena Village is in Lower Kaguel District, Tambul Nebilyer, Western Highlands Province. Bonshek made a photo library of her stay in the village and also wrote a chapter in the internationally acclaimed book titled “Melanesia: Arts & Encounter” about making billums in Algena village by Mondika women. It was co-authored by Peter Kinjap, a local freelance journalist on the topic “Changes of making billums by Mondika women”. 

Alexandra Marcu and Dan Marcu at the Port Moresby Jackson's International Airport on first arrival to PNG, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.  

Alexandra Marcu at the peak of Mt. Giluwe with the post to landmark the highest volcanic summit in the Oceania region, Papua New Guinea.

Elizabeth Bonshek and Peter Kinjap discussion about traditional tribal war arms from the PNG Highlands.

Ryan Manton and local tour guide Bonny enjoying a wild fruit just few kms away from the peak of Mt. Giluwe, Papua New Guinea.

Travelling to the Highlands of Papua New Guinea

TO travel to the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), comparably we give you the best tour package. We humbly discuss with you of your planned trip and tailor the tour packages to suit your budget and your travel interest. So far we have so many positive comments and testimonies from people from all over the world whom have traveled the PNG Highlands with us. If any of the below or any other is your travel interest, contact us now to discuss more. Watching a live cultural show, bird watching (Bird of Paradise), climbing a volcanic rugged mountain, discovering new plants and animal species & experiencing a mere typical PNG highlands village is what we offer.

We are here to make you feel like a local, be a local with us. Only we can offer you this experience. PNG Highlands, a never to be missed place on earth for people wanting fun, touch, different and challenging experiences. Welcome to the highlands of PNG!

Alexandra Marcu (right) from Romania in action with children at Algena village (PNG Highlands) rehearsing for a Romanian dance on the Romanian National Day.

Dan Marcu from Romania at Algena village (PNG Highlands) with baby Steichen. 

Ryan Menton (centre) from Australian with local youths (Philemon at right & Jonathan at left) on their way to climbing Mt. Giluwe – the highest volcanic summit in the Pacific Oceania region and the second high peak after Mt. Wilhelm  in PNG).