SEA TRANSPORT

As you would imagine, being an island province, much of the transport throughout the province is by boat.

Most communities in New Ireland own a Yamaha Banana Boat, which they use to get from one island to another. It really is this island region’s version of the family car. People move around quite a lot so it is possible to pay for a ride to some of the many areas of the Province. So long as you aren’t on a strict timetable, this can be quite a cheap way to get around. You do need to be flexible with your schedule though, as you may often need to wait a few days for someone to be going where it is you are planning on getting to. It does need to be highlighted however, that most of these local boats do not carry lifejackets, flares, or any safety gear of any kind.

If you want to get to the Tabar Island Group, banana boats generally leave from Konos, midway down the East Coast of New Ireland. Getting out to the many islands to the West of Kavieng, including New Hanover (Lavongai), can be organised out of Kavieng.

If you have pre-booked accommodation out at any of the guesthouses on the islands, they will usually arrange your transfer to their island.

LAND TRANSPORT

The Boluminski Highway runs from Kavieng all the way down the east side of mainland New Ireland. There are crossover roads from the east coast to west coast at Fangalawa, Konos, Karu and Namatanai. The west coast road extends from Lamusmus down to Palabong.

Buses can be booked in Kavieng for groups, and hire cars are available (see below).

There is also Public Transport in/around Kavieng and along the highway in the form of PMV’s (Public Motor Vehicles). PMV’s run the full length of the highway, and are a very cheap way of getting from Kavieng to Namatanai, or breaking up the trip going from village to village along the way.

Taxis are available in Kavieng and Namatanai, and may also be hired for full days or for longer trips.

HIRE CARS

KAVIENG HOTEL - email kavienghotel@daltron.com.pg

KAVIENG NIU LODGE - email kaviengniulodge10@gmail.com

KAVIENG TRANSIT HAUS - contact noxiesplace@gmail.com or phone +675 984 2544

NAMATANAI LODGE - Email: nti_lodge@yahoo.com, Call Reception on +675 7162 6409 or WhatsApp +675 70424606

AVIS - call Francis in the Kavieng office on +675-7202-9426, or their Head Office in Port Moresby on reservations@avis.com.pg, or +675-7202-9401 or +675-324-9400

HERTZ - Located at the Kavieng Club. Contact +675-984-2374 or +675-7936 5565, or their central reservations on hertz@leasemaster.com.pg

NO.1 CAR HIRE - Contact Geofrey via WhatsApp on +675 7200 1553

OUR HIRE CAR - Email managerreservations@ourhirecars.com.pg or call +675 7026 2212 or +675 7628 3640

tour guides

One great way to get around and make sure you don’t miss anything is to get a guide! There are a few different options out of Kavieng.

Noxie’s Tours offers both land and sea transport, as well as cycling tours down the Boluminski Hwy, kayaking tours out the the islands, fishing trips, bushwalking and road trips. Contact Noxie’s on noxiesplace@gmail.com, via WhatsApp on +675 7431 9255 or call +675 984 1018

Trans Island Tours can coordinate all kinds of activities and locations within the province into a tailored tour for you and your travel companions. Contact Patrick at Trans Island Tours on transislandtours@gmail.com or via WhatsApp on +675 7330 8808 . Check them out on Facebook & Instagram.

Karanas Comfort Tours PNG offer Adventure Tours (Land & Sea) and Cultural Tours in the province. They can customise tours according to your itinerary. Find them on Facebook & Instagram, or contact them via WhatsApp on +675 7024 3424 or email on karanascomfort@gmail.com.

Solwara Tours are based out in the Tsoi Islands, and is run by Abraham Sirambat who also owns Solwara Cottages. Solwara Tours offer a variety of tours and experiences throughout the Tsoi Islands, New Hanover (Lavongai) and Three Island Harbour. You can contact Abraham via WhatsApp on +675 7398 1703 or email to info@solwara-cottages-and-tours.com. You can also check out Solwara Tours on Facebook & Instagram

Very experienced PNG Tour Guide - Dominic Tulo is based in Rabaul, however he does offer customised trips through New Ireland Province. Dominic is originally from West Coast New Ireland and has over 19 years experience in Tourism in Papua New Guinea. Contact Dominic via email info@pngtourguide.com , WhatsApp on +675 7836 7015 , Facebook or Instagram .

Other accommodation facilities like Clem’s Place, Nusa Island Retreat, Rubio Plantation Retreat and Lissenung Island Resort also arrange a variety of tours for their guests.

If you don’t have an international roaming plan for your mobile phone, you may find buying a prepaid local SIM card is the best way to ensure you can use your cellphone in Papua New Guinea. SIM cards are readily available at Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby, and at many small shops in Kavieng. There are lots of options for topping up your phone in most areas of New Ireland, depending on the provider.

The telecommunications providers in New Ireland are Telikom PNG, Bmobile and Digicel

Digicel provide the most extensive coverage in almost all areas of New Ireland, and have 4G networks.

There isn’t any 5G coverage in New Ireland. Wi-Fi is virtually non-existent.

Serious medical conditions typically require treatment outside of Papua New Guinea. Travellers should ensure that they have adequate travel insurance. Visitors should also note that malaria is prevalent in PNG. Please consult your doctor or specialist travel clinic for vaccine and prophylactic requirements prior to arriving in Papua New Guinea.

In terms of Safety, New Ireland would be one of the most peaceful places in all of Papua New Guinea. We don’t recommend walking around town of an evening, but apart from that, if you bring your usual common sense with you whilst travelling, you shouldn’t encounter any issues.

For Frequently Asked Questions about Health & Safety in Papua New Guinea visit papuanewguinea.travel/safety-tips

PNG’s currency is the Kina (PGK). There are two banks in Kavieng - Westpac PNG and The Bank of South Pacific (BSP) - both of which have ATM’s.

There aren’t any official money changers, apart from the banks, but most accommodation facilities in town will be happy to exchange foreign cash (AUD, Euro & USD) for Kina for you. Some shops in town accept foreign credit cards, but with heavy transaction fees. Outside of Kavieng, there is an ATM at Konos and at Namatanai, but you will find it very difficult to get cash anywhere else, and no one will accept credit cards.

Kavieng sits only 2.5° south of the equator, and being so close to the equator is lucky not to experience typhoons or cyclones. The temperature does not change much throughout the year, and is always warm and humid. Temperatures usually average at around 31° C each day, with lows of around 22° C over the evening. Humidity sits fairly consistently at around 75%.

The northwest winds from December-February bring with it the rains, and these months receive more rain than others. The driest months are generally June-October.

Being so close to the equator, winds are generally pretty light all year round.

Surf Season is from November through to late April (longer around the Central Coast)

Dive Season is all year round, although visibility and conditions are best from May through to November.

Papua New Guinea has over 820 different languages, which represents the many different areas and cultural diversity of the country.

New Ireland Province has 25 different tok ples (local languages), plus English and Tok Pisin.

Don’t let this worry you!! Most people you will deal with as a visitor can speak English!!

You do indeed need a visa for Papua New Guinea.

All passport holders must apply for a visa before leaving home. You can apply for a range of visas including working visas, business visas and tourist visas.

This process can change, so for the most up to date information on the current requirements, visit the PNG Immigration website.

Passports must be valid a minimum of six months from date of intended travel.