8 reasons to visit Milne Bay
Islands, turquoise water and a dramatic festival
Milne Bay is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Papua New Guinea, with good reason. More than 600 islands, 160 of them inhabited, are scattered across the province in a tropical idyll in the Solomon and Coral seas.
Big cruise ships, such as those from the P& O line, regularly visit for the natural beauty and war history.
Going to Milne Bay with Air Niugini, you’ll fly into Alotau. This humble port town is the provincial capital, with a population of just 18,000 people.
Most people live a simple life here. They go fishing for mackerel and red emperor, hunt for wild pigs and grow vegetables such as taro, sweet potato and pumpkin.
There are some fascinating day trips near the town, such as the Battle of Milne Bay tour that visits war memorials and wrecks, the reminders of fierce fighting between Australian and Japanese troops during World War 2. Cooking and cultural tours are also on offer, or just wander into the town market where all those veggies are sold.
A number of local tour operators get the accolades, among them Milne Bay Magic Tours (+675 6410711, vickynev@spte.com. pg) and Reef Tours (loihai.com).
Some longer itineraries are on offer, too. Kokoda Trail Expeditions (kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au) has a six-day Milne Bay tour that includes the Bomana war cemetery, war memorials and battle sites. PNG Trekking Adventures (pngtrekkingadventures.com) has a new six-day Milne Bay trek, kayak and paddle board trip.
If you want to travel independently anywhere in PNG, then this region is one of the best bets.
Getting to most places in the area requires boat travel, which is an adventure in its own right. Motorised longboats cost about PGK500 a day to hire. You’ll find them for hire by just asking around, or going to the tourist office in Alotau. There are also public boats (like taxis) that cost a fraction of the price.
If you want things more structured, you can stay at a resort or hotel (some are
listed here) that arrange ground and water transfers, and tours.
Here are some of our top reasons to visit Milne Bay.
1 Safety and friendliness
Milne Bay is welcoming. Some people say its good karma is due to its isolation. The only way to get there is by air or sea. There are no roads in; theoretically keeping out bad elements. But despite this, take the usual precautions. Don’t wander into isolated areas at night and lock away your valuables in your room safe.
2 Kenu and Kundu Festival
Beating drums, war canoes and tribal dancing are part of this colourful annual festival, staged in Alotau each November. There are canoe and sailing races and rarely seen traditional songs and dances. See facebook.com/kenukundufest.
3 Driftwood Resort, Alotau
The resort’s white timber bungalows provide casual, beach-style accommodation, on the water’s edge. They have timber floors, ceiling fans, airconditioning and French doors to the front deck with wicker chairs. A little TLC is needed to the interior of my bungalow, but otherwise the resort lives up to its reputation as one the best places to stay in town. A bar and restaurant are located in a main pavilion, and there’s a jetty where you can dine out on fresh crayfish. Also on the menu, I find Asian influences: tempura prawns, chicken satay and Thai red curry. You don’t need to be a guest to eat here, anyone can go for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The friendly waiter says he once served Prince Charles, but it’s all a very casual shorts-and-thongs scene. One table of locals even drops some fishing lines over the side of the jetty, hoping to hook some sweetlips (a local fish) during dinner service. Some guests say they have seen dolphins here. The resort is a few minutes’ drive from central Alotau. See driftwoodresortpng.com.
4 Tawali Leisure and Dive Resort
Part of Tawali’s appeal is that it is a long way from anywhere. First, there’s a bumpy 90-minute road trip out of Alotau, with river crossings, and second there’s a boat transfer. The resort sits on a hillside, enveloped by jungle. Divers come here for the superb reefs, corals, sea cliffs and sea life. The resort has more than 60 identified dive sites and a live-aboard dive boat. Snorkellers are welcome, too, and there are bird-watching tours, excursions into caves stacked with skulls, treks to waterfalls, village visits and day trips to hot springs at Fergusson Island. There’s also a resort pool. Evenings can be spent on a timber deck with views over the sea, and dinners are a treat: crayfish tails and fish caught by villagers hours earlier. The villas are pleasant (timber floors, satellite TV, fridge, balconies and more sea views). See tawali.com.
5 Nuli Sapi, Logeia Island
There are just four basic overwater bungalows here, built to traditional style with bush materials. The bungalows and a kitchen/dining area are connected by a boardwalk and have queensize beds, bathrooms and decks overlooking China Strait. Mix with the islanders, go island hopping, or get back to basics with a fishing excursion from a traditional canoe. See facebook.com/NuliSapi.
6 Doini Island Plantation Resort
It’s just a few steps from your bungalow on to the lonely palm-lined white-sand beach at Doini Island where snorkelling, kayaking and swimming are on the agenda. Turtle watching (in season) is also available, along with tours to see World War 2 relics, nearby Samarai Island and skull caves. The bungalows are comfortable, with decks and ceiling fans, and there’s a large restaurant. The isolation is wonderful, but cruise ships stop here, so time your visit to avoid them. See doinisland.com.
7 Samarai Island.
This was once the provincial capital of Milne Bay, but it was destroyed by Allied troops during World War 2 so that it would not fall into Japanese hands. Nowadays, there is a small settlement of about 100 people on the island, and you can see the ruins of buildings. Try to visit on a Saturday when a lively produce market is conducted by villagers, who converge from surrounding islands. Pick up some fresh mussels for dinner.
8 Swimming with manta rays
Put on your snorkelling gear and take the plunge with these gentle giants just off the beach at Gona Bara Bara Island. The manta rays glide through the clear water like spaceships floating in outer space. Accommodation providers, such as Nuli Sapi and Doini Island Plantation Resort, are nearby and will take you to the manta rays as part of their activity packages.