Three of a Kind

City essentials for longer stays in Port Moresby, Singapore and Honiara

PORT MORESBY, PNG

A GOOD PLACE TO STAY The Whittaker Apartments (coralseashotels.com.pg) are regarded as being among the best serviced apartments in Port Moresby. Located at Ela Beach, south of the city, the 30 two-bedroom apartments are bright, light and spacious. All are fully furnished and self-contained with kitchens, Wi-Fi and cable TV. There are also laundries, a pool, barbecues and housekeeping service.

CAR HIRE (+ DRIVER) You can rent a car in Port Moresby and drive yourself, but for security reasons it’s preferable for business visitors to hire a car with a driver. Firms such as Hertz and Budget offer trained local drivers and supply wellmaintained vehicles ranging from sedans to 4WDs and minibuses.

MOBILE SIM

There are two choices for mobile phone and internet services in PNG: Digicel and bmobile-Vodaphone. Both offer pre-paid bundles for voice and data with seven, 14, or 30-day terms. If you are venturing outside Port Moresby, Digicel has a reputation for wider coverage in remote areas.

HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS

A GOOD PLACE TO STAY The King Solomon Hotel (kingsolomonhotel.info), with bay views, is a long-established landmark in Honiara. The different wings of the steep site are joined by a mini cable car. There are 73 rooms, ranging from small studios to spacious two-bedroom apartments. All contain everything needed for extended stays, and there is Wi-Fi, a gym, bars and restaurants on site.

CAR HIRE

The first thing to know about driving in the Solomons is that you will need to get a local licence, in addition to your home country or international licence, so bring two passport-sized photos with you to file with the application. There aren’t many paved roads, and even they aren’t always in great condition, so a sturdy car is a must. Local firm Kosol offers hire cars and is also the Hyundai dealership, so you can be confident of a recent and well-serviced model. 4WD Hyundai Korandos are available if you’re going anywhere off the main roads.

MOBILE SIM

For medium-term business visitors, Solomon Telekom has a range of mobile phone and internet plans that will keep you in contact locally and internationally, at reasonable rates. Bmobile-Vodaphone also operates in the Solomons.

SINGAPORE

A GOOD PLACE TO STAY In a big city, location is everything, and Fraser Residences Singapore apartments (orchard. fraserhospitality.com/en) are in the heart of the Orchard Road district, close to commercial and retail centres and subway lines. The apartments are part of an award-winning international hotel group, designed for mediumto long-term stays. As an encouragement, the Residence offers discounts for longer stays. And if you’re there for more than a month your cat or (small) dog can join you as well (if certain conditions are met).

CAR HIRE The consensus of advice for foreign visitors who want to drive themselves in Singapore is ‘ don’t’. Public transport is excellent, and taxis are plentiful and comfortable. However, if you want to arrive in style, or you’re part of a larger group, hiring a car with a driver is a good option.

MOBILE SIM There are three main mobile providers in Singapore: Singtel, Mobile One and Starhub. You can buy a prepaid SIM from shops and stalls all over the city, and top-ups can be bought via ATMs as well as in 7-Elevens and similar convenience stores. Competition between the networks is ferocious, so prices are low and coverage is good.