Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea

(Bougainville, Buka), D'Entrecasteaux Islands and more than 200 small islands. This article will tell you what a holiday in New Guinea is like, attractions, entertainment and prices in the country.

The total area of New Guinea is 462.8 thousand square meters. km. The island was once part of the mainland, then, due to rising sea levels, it became an island separated from Australia by the Torres Strait. This fact explains that the same marsupials live in New Guinea as on the mainland.

The settlement of New Guinea occurred more than 45 thousand years ago by peoples from Asia. Europeans arrived here in the 16th century. During the period of colonization, the island belonged to several European countries. Independence New Guinea received in 1975.

The relief of the island is mixed, there is both a flat part and areas covered mountain ranges. The highest point rises 4.9 kilometers above sea level. The subequatorial climate in the south of the island gives way to the equatorial climate in the north. Winter here lasts from May to September, and from December to March is the heavy rainy season.

For domestic tourists, visiting this country seems distant and exotic. They are partly right. Here you can see something that you won’t see on advertised famous resorts. In New Guinea, virgin nature, untouched by technogenic civilization, has miraculously been preserved. Whites spread out along the entire ocean coast, sandy beaches, taking tourists back hundreds of years, when, in the 16th century, a European first set foot on these lands.

New Guinea on the map:

And today a white person begins his acquaintance with these regions from the capital of the state, Port Moresby. The city is very interesting, colorful, and offers a rich excursion program. Although local hotels do not boast of the “Hilton” level of service, they provide everything necessary for the guest.

The islands of New Guinea are of volcanic origin and are surrounded by countless picturesque lagoons, reefs, underwater plateaus, around which underwater life boils in its amazing diversity. Coastal ocean waters since the times when great things happened geographical discoveries, hide the skeletons of dead ships full of treasures. This is an amazing region with its own mysteries and secrets.

Climate Features

New Guinea has a humid, tropical climate, and most of the territory has a mountainous terrain. High ridges stretch across the entire country (Bismarck Ridge, Central Ridge, Owen-Stanley Ridge). Many volcanoes and mountain peaks rise 3,000 meters or more above sea level, and the height of the peak of Mount Wilhelm is 4,509 meters. Between the huge, significantly dissected rocks lie intermountain basins, about 1500 meters above sea level.

The climatic features of this region can be considered that the year here is divided into only two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. When changing them, no sudden temperature changes are observed. The thermometer fluctuates around +25℃ (lower in mountainous areas), and it gets really hot only near the coast. Another surprising thing is that each season comes to different areas of the country in different time. Rainfall generally occurs in most areas between December and March, with the dry season extending from May to October.

Attractions

An interesting event occurred in New Guinea in 2005. Scientists from the United States have discovered a place here where an ecosystem untouched by humans has been preserved. They called this place the “Garden of Eden.” The garden's area is 300,000 hectares; previously unknown animals, insects, several types of palm trees, and many different plants unknown to science were discovered on its territory. Representatives of the local fauna are not at all afraid of humans, they even allow themselves to be picked up. This proves that they also met people for the first time. “Gardens of Eden” is essentially a virgin tropical forest, reliably sheltered from outside influence, forgotten by time, in which not a single path has been trodden by man to this day. In this wonderful corner, everything remains the same as it was at the moment of creation.

Giluwe Volcano is located in the Southern Highlands province and is the highest volcano in all of Australia and Oceania. The slopes of the volcano are covered with green meadows. The peak of Giluwe was first conquered by Australians. Now many climbers come to New Guinea to repeat this ascent.

The National Botanical Garden is located in the capital, Port Moresby. With 3,000 varieties of orchids, this is the largest collection of orchids in the southern hemisphere. And for birds it is - real paradise, here you can thoroughly enjoy the singing of local birds of paradise. Tourists come here from all over the world to admire the amazing, huge collection of orchids collected here, walk along the suspended trails and get acquainted with the “plant map” of Guinea.

Bayer Nature Reserve is another natural attraction worth visiting. This river reserve, founded in 1968, has a huge area. Live here different types parrots, possums, tree kangaroos and other animals. Here you can take a tour along the river, stroll along the unusual beautiful places and admire the scenery.

Where to visit

As mentioned above, coming here, tourists get an amazing opportunity to plunge into the world of virgin, wildlife, practically unaffected by human activity. Many nature reserves have been created here, National parks and gardens. First of all, it should be said about the “double-headed” (with two peaks) shield volcano Giluwe. It is located in the Southern Highlands, and rises to 4368 meters, being the second highest peak in Guinea, after Mount William, and the highest in Oceania and Australia. On the surface of Giluva you can see amazingly beautiful green alpine meadows.

Others, no less famous and amazing a piece of paradise can be called the Bayer Nature Reserve, mentioned above Created by nature itself, it is located in the river basin, 55 km from Mount Hagen. And it is an amazing place where you can best get an idea of the animal and plant diversity and richness of this region.

Definitely on the list of places worthy of attention, Lake Qutbu should be included. Situated in the Southern Highlands, it is famous for its picturesque views and the rare species of fish found in its waters. The area of the lake is about 50 km². Along its banks, the Qutbu is surrounded by wetland forests that are under state protection.

The first one cannot be ignored in this review. National Park New Guinea - Variata. Located near the capital (only 42 km), it spreads over an area of more than 1000 hectares. In former times, these lands were a favorite hunting ground for local tribes. The park even has a religious building - a house tree, revered by the Koiaris tribe.

The so-called “Cook Swamps” deserve special mention - in the past, these were settlements of farmers located 1500 meters above sea level, in the Western Highlands and covering an area of 116 hectares. Since the middle of the last century, archaeologists have been constantly excavating the settlement site.

Last on this list, but by no means the least in its significance and value, is the National Museum of New Guinea. By visiting its exhibition halls, you can get acquainted in detail with the features of national culture, existing traditions and rich history countries. Museum complex built in such a way that different, thematically divided parts of its exhibition are located in different parts of the city. On the one hand, this seems inconvenient, but on the other, residents and guests of the capital have the opportunity to access the spiritual heritage from different “angles,” including architectural ones.

Peculiarities of national Guinean cuisine

The local menu does not look quite usual for Europeans. To the products that are familiar to us, for example, fish or meat, local cooks generously add stewed vegetables and Exotic fruits(for example, passion fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple, banana, etc.). IN national cuisine tuber crops are widely represented: kaukau, taro, sago, yam and pig. And the most popular dish among the local population is “mumu”. It includes ingredients such as rice, sweet potato, meat, herbs and spices.

However, the increased flows foreign tourists, contribute to the emergence of restaurants offering dishes from Chinese, European and Indonesian cuisine. As for alcohol, locals prefer beer made according to recipes that came from Australia and the Philippines.

Where is the best place to stay?

Finding a place to stay won't be a problem. Moreover, it is possible to choose a suitable option for any budget. If you can’t afford to stay in a hotel, you can easily take advantage of the hospitality of local residents, who will charge tourists a nominal fee for breakfast. And those for whom hotel accommodation seems preferable should pay attention to Kimbe Bay. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens and there are coral reefs very close for diving. The apartments are air conditioned, there is free internet access, and there are bars and restaurants.

Another great hotel to consider is the Kimbe Bay West New Britain. From its windows there is a wonderful view of Pacific Ocean, and he himself, is located in the port of Kimbe - the “coral capital” of the world. The hotel is adjacent to the New Britain Island Highway. In the morning, for guests here " Buffet", and the rest of the time the restaurant offers guests traditional Guinean dishes, as well as dishes from all over the world. The hotel works exchange office currency and there is a guarded parking lot.

Shopping at local stores

There are many big ones in the country shopping centers and shops. Most of them work from 9:00 to 17:00, on all days except weekends. But some retail outlets serve customers on Saturday (until 13:00) and even on Sunday. There are quite a lot of unusual goods produced in Guinea on the shelves. Large retail outlets service international bank cards, but withdrawing cash from them is a very problematic activity.

There are few ATMs, and those that exist are mainly located big cities and in the capital and serve only those clients who have an account with the national bank. Paying with a card on the periphery is almost impossible. But, traveler's checks accepted in all branches, but you should be prepared for queues.

In Guinean markets, it is absolutely not customary to bargain, and in the provinces, you can only pay national currency, and, due to the shortage of banknotes with small denominations, it is quite possible not to receive your change.

Transport connection

New Guinea International Airport is located in its capital, Port Moresby. An air ticket from New Guinea will cost at least 800 euros one way. Coastal shipping exists between all the islands of the country.
There is a problem with other types of transport in the country. This is due to the fact that the road infrastructure is poorly developed. Taxi services are also very rare. Tourists usually rent a car, but to do this you need to have a credit card. bank card, international driver's license and driving experience. But when you have “wheels”, you have a great opportunity to go everywhere and see everything.

Criminal situation

In New Guinea, the crime rate is not much different from any other countries. The same crimes as everywhere else: scammers, thieves, hijackers, robbers, etc. Also, the Guinean police are not averse to making extra money from visitors. Basically, most of the offenses occur in cities and the capital. There are various criminal youth groups. However, thanks to the efforts of the authorities, these crimes do not take the form of an epidemic.

Safety

Doctors strongly advise anyone planning to visit this country to get a set of vaccinations. In the tropics, diseases such as typhus, cholera and malaria are much more common. Moreover, if for some reason it is not possible to stay in a hotel and eat only in a restaurant. And in relation to children, doctors are even more categorical and urge parents to vaccinate their children against a whole bunch of possible diseases, which include: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B.

Knowledge of these subtleties and careful preparation for the trip is the key have an interesting holiday in New Guinea in 2020.

You can feel the atmosphere of the country in the video:

Published Fly Hunt Tue, 22/10/2013 - 01:46

Cards

Yandex maps

Google Maps

Perhaps one of best places worldwide holiday destination: Papua New Guinea

A small state in Oceania, Papua New Guinea, is located in the eastern part of the island of the same name, New Guinea. In addition to the main – island – part, the country also has its possessions on smaller, neighboring islands. These islands in particular include, for example, New Britain or New Ireland, as well as some other territories. The Pacific Ocean and its seas (Arafura Sea and Coral Sea) wash Papua New Guinea from different directions of the world.

The name of the state comes from the Malay word "Papua", which translated means "people with curly hair" The fact is that the Malays have mostly straight hair, while the locals of Papua have really curly hair. The second part of the country’s name is “New Guinea“- arose thanks to Europeans, or rather Portuguese sailors, who found the skin color of the local aborigines similar to the skin color of the inhabitants of Guinea in Africa.

The country has changed its ways many times official name. So, for example, from 1884 to 1906 it was called British New Guinea, and later - from 1906 to 1949 - it was called simply "Papua"as part of Australia.

In addition, the country was divided into southern and northern: from 1884 to 1920, there was a so-called German New Guinea . Only since 1949, the Australian colony "Papua" and colony " New Guinea» merged into one province, now known as Papua and New Guinea, and starting in 1975, Papua New Guinea became a new independent state.

Photos of Papua New Guinea

Tourism in Papua New Guinea

Holidays in Papua New Guinea are quite new not only for Russians, but also for many people from other countries of the world. However, the country has great amount attractions, as well as types of recreation. Here you can enjoy the local culture or visit a variety of markets and festivals, and popular sports include diving and surfing, as well as hiking Outdoors. Even fishing in Papua New Guinea is distinguished by its diverse and often unique flora and fauna.

Every year more than 70,000 tourists from all over the world come to Papua. The cultural traditions of Papua New Guinea are very diverse: the fact that there are more than 800 languages in the country speaks volumes. Among the locals cultural traditions Local carvings and national dances especially stand out. You can also enjoy folk singing, as well as all sorts of decorations and architecture of Papua - and all of the above will vary greatly throughout the country.

Festivals and public holidays are regularly held in Papua New Guinea. In May, tourists can visit the Coffee Festival or " Festival in Goroka", the National Mask Festival, which takes place in July, various shows and festival programs in August and September, and the Canoe Festival in October and November.

The most famous hiking trail in Papua New Guinea is Kokoda ( Kokoda), which goes through the sites of the Second World War, where battles took place between Australia and Japan. Another popular trail is climbing Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea. There are many more in the country walking routes, including very complex ones.

Diving and surfing in Papua New Guinea

Papua is perhaps one of the best diving destinations in the whole world! This is where some of the best coral reefs on the planet are located. In addition to the huge variety of places with reefs, there are also numerous places with ships and even planes destroyed in the Second World War. Papua New Guinea can rightfully provide diving for every taste. Some of the best places for diving in the west of the country are: Kimbie Bay ( Kimbe Bay), Caving ( Kavieng) and Madang ( Madang), Alotau ( Alotau) and Tufi ( Tufi), as well as Rabaul. The capital Port Moresby also offers excellent diving opportunities. It is especially worth noting that many diving sites are very easy to reach.

You can enjoy surfing in Papua New Guinea all year round! In the south of the country there are places such as: Hula Beach (about 100 kilometers from Port Moresby) and Milne Bay, as well as Bougainville ( Bougainville) and some others. Here you can surf from June to September, but in the north of the country the surfing season begins in mid-October and lasts until the very end of April. In the north it is worth noting such places as: Madang ( Madang) and Caving ( Kavieng), as well as a place with, perhaps, the best wave– Vanimo ( Vanimo).

The first European to see the shores Papua New Guinea, there was a Portuguese navigator Jorge de Meneses, who in 1526-1527 named the island Ilhas dos Papuas (Island of Curly Hair), and the Spaniard Inigo Ortiz de Ret a little later called it New Guinea (the reason for this is the same thick hair of the islanders - de Ret considered them to be descendants of the Guinean tribes of Africa).

Further exploration of the vast territory around New Guinea was carried out successively by Bougainville, Cook, Stanley and John Moresby, after whose campaigns European ships practically disappeared from these waters for several centuries.

However, in 1824, Holland, relying on the power of its colonies in the region, declared its rights to the western part of the island of New Guinea, in 1884 Germany took possession of the northern part of the territory, and just three days later Great Britain declared a protectorate over the southern coast of the island (direct annexation took place four years later).

In 1920, the League of Nations officially transferred these territories to Australia. Twenty years later everything northern islands and much of the northern coast of New Guinea were captured by the Japanese, who were rapidly advancing south, and by 1942 fierce fighting had broken out throughout the area between the Imperial Army and Allied forces.

By 1945, the mainland and the island of Bougainville were recaptured, but the Mikado army turned New Ireland, Rabaul and New Britain into impregnable fortress, having equipped extensive defensive lines (about 600 km of tunnels alone were dug), the fighting on which continued until the surrender of Japan.

After the war, the eastern half of New Guinea was returned to Australia and became a mandate territory of Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia took control of the Dutch part of the island (in 1963 this territory was annexed by the Indonesian state as Irian Jaya). Papua New Guinea was granted self-government in 1973 and declared full independence in 1975.

Today, Papua New Guinea is a region of wild and unexplored land, virtually unknown to European tourists, a country of harsh conditions and unique nature. On this piece of land, only slightly larger in area than Germany and the Benelux countries combined, such a diversity of living beings and natural complexes that they can be compared, perhaps, with the whole of Eurasia.

Stifling rainforest regions give way to cold mountainous regions, centuries-old swamps lie next to equally ancient coral reefs, and jagged limestone cliffs border plains covered with emerald green grass.

Plus hundreds of unique tribes and peoples with their own traditions and amazing story, thousands of species of exotic plants and many dozens of species of unique animals, from tiny tree kangaroos or birds of paradise to huge butterflies. It is this diversity, left completely untouched by man for so long, that attracts thousands of researchers, anthropologists and travelers.

Port Moresby

The capital of Papua New Guinea and the country's main gateway, Port Moresby is located on a peninsula in the superb natural Fairfax Harbor lying on the south-eastern shore of the island, in the wider Gulf of Papua.

The hills surrounding the capital are extremely picturesque, and almost the entire mouth of Fairfax Bay is blocked by powerful coral reefs, so there are many sports organizations here. The city has all the conditions for scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, sea fishing, water skiing, golf, tennis and squash, and some lack of equipment and qualified instructors is more than compensated by the unique conditions of the surrounding nature. However, most interesting places located outside the city limits, in the Central District.

Central District

Covering an area of approximately 1,000 hectares, the park was originally a hunting ground for the chiefs of the coastal Koiari tribes, and now features almost all of the region's flora and fauna, including birds of paradise, wallabies and deer. There are a dozen walking trails throughout the reserve, at the end of which a beautiful panorama of Port Moresby and the green coastline opens. Just north of Port Moresby, the Brown River is a pleasant place for swimming, rafting and picnicking.

Nearby begins the famous Kokoda Trail, which connects the northern and southern coasts of the island. This essentially ordinary mountain trail passes through extremely picturesque places Owen Stanley Ridge is also the country's most popular historical excursion - it was along this trail that the most brutal battles broke out between the Japanese and Allied forces during World War II.

The trail goes through rugged and beautiful mountain areas, under the canopies of dense tropical forest, past numerous clear rivers and waterfalls, visiting battle sites - bunkers, caponiers, artillery positions and defensive lines of both warring sides.

Just 46 kilometers from Port Moresby, the picturesque Sogeri Plateau begins - the starting point for the Kokoda Trail.

Here, at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level, the air is fresh and cool, and the numerous rubber plantations and ethnic villages only add to the charm. Here, in the town of Six Miles, near the airport, is Village Arts, a state-owned store with the best collection of folk arts and crafts in the country.

Nearby are the historic Bomana War Cemetery with a beautiful park and the Moitaka Farm, which researches and breeds crocodiles and other living inhabitants of the region.

To the east of the capital, the popular Idlers Beach begins, and in the waters of the bay lie the Sinasi Reef and Daugo Island, famous for their beautiful corals and white sandy beaches.

Further east, just fifteen minutes' drive from Port Moresby, is one of the best resorts Islands - Loloata Island Resort(www.loloata.com). Surrounded by one of the largest coral reefs on the planet, it offers excellent conditions for snorkeling, diving, fishing and more. aquatic species recreation (nearby is marine park"Oceanarium").

Northern District, or Oro

Few people, when mentioning New Guinea, expect to hear about fjords. However, the coast of the Northern District around the town of Tufi really most closely resembles the rocks of Norway or Iceland, with the only difference being that the water here is always warm, and these beautiful rocks were formed not by the influence of a glacier, but by the tectonic forces of the Earth. Cape Nelson, jutting out into the Solomon Sea, was formed by the eruption of three volcanoes, whose rapidly hardening lava ran down to the water, creating numerous rock tongues and gorges, so similar to classic fjords.

The clear waters of the local fjords, going down to a depth of 90 meters, are teeming with a huge number of representatives of tropical ichthyofauna, and the rocks themselves rise above the water to a height of more than 150 meters. The wide mouths of the bays are protected by reefs, and the shores are often covered with mangrove forests, over which hang the vertical slopes of gorges covered with mosses and orchids, from which cascades of waterfalls fall.

It is not surprising that in such a beautiful place there is intensive creation of tourism infrastructure, the fulcrum of which is the city of Tufi, from where diving tours and many all kinds of trips related to bird watching, deep-sea fishing, windsurfing, canoeing or simply doing nothing on the whites are regularly organized sandy shores, framing Cape Nelson from both the north and south.

Every October, the region celebrates the Tapa Festival, followed by Martyrs' Day and Korat Church Day. The northern branch of the Kokoda Trail ends in the village of Kokoda, spreading along the coast to Buna and Gona with many local tourist roads.

It was also the scene of fierce fighting during the Second World War, so the surrounding area is replete with traces of those battles, and at Hiropa Plantation, on Buna Road, there is a Japanese plaque commemorating the 15,000 Imperial Army soldiers who died here. On the slopes active volcano Mount Lamington is home to thousands of birds.

Southern Highlands

The Kikori, Erave and Strickland rivers take off from here, the second highest mountain of the island, Jiluwe (2900 meters), is located here, caves of enormous depth have been discovered and amazing people live, whose acquaintance with modern civilization is limited only to occasional meetings with the inhabitants of mountain towns. This is one of the few places on the planet where the traditional way of life is evident in almost every aspect local life.

Ancient ceremonial rituals are present everywhere, men and women still wear traditional dress, and huts are still built from stones and branches of bushes. The fresh air of the mountains is ideal for numerous excursions, and under the canopy of a dense tropical forest you can see (and hear) dozens of bird species, clear rivers with numerous waterfalls.

South of the district capital Mendi, at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, lies the beautiful Lake Kutubu - the second largest lake in Papua New Guinea and one of the most unusual bodies of water in the region. Listed in 1998 natural monuments planetary significance, it is famous for its unique ichthyofauna - 10 out of 14 species of fish living here are not found anywhere else on Earth.

It is also calm and very beautiful lake provides refuge to almost a hundred species of birds, and its shores abound with reptiles and insects. Local residents built a small boarding house above the water's edge, using only local materials and traditional construction methods. Hiking tours to the most beautiful places in the vicinity of the lake regularly depart from here.

The Mendi Valley is also well known for its beautiful landscapes, limestone caves and the Uli Vig hunters, who paint their faces red and yellow and wear elaborate wigs made from human hair.

Eastern Highlands

A land of gold mines and coffee plantations, the Eastern Highlands are more susceptible to European influence than any of the country's other upland regions. The Highlanders still live in neat villages, clusters of round huts surrounded by low walls and meadows of feather grass-like kunai grass. Traditional rituals and dress here are gradually being replaced by jeans and cowgirls, and English speech can be heard much more often than in other regions of the country.

The biggest locality region - Goroka (population about 25 thousand) is its agricultural and commercial center.

The village of Bena Bena, located 10 km from Goroka, is the largest community in the mountainous areas specializing in hand weaving - rugs, bedspreads and mats made by local artisans are very popular throughout the country.

Also nearby is the village of Asaro, inhabited by representatives of the ethnic group of the same name, widely known for its ritualism, as well as the unusual tradition of covering their bodies with gray mud (legend says that in this way Asaro warriors frightened their enemies, who mistook them for ghosts - theatrical illustrations of this particular legend are the centerpiece of the Goroka Festival).

And around there are endless coffee plantations, through which you can go to the Cotuni trout farm, or to a large cultural center Kainantu (however, it is better to go here through the Kassim or Lae Pass), where they not only sell traditional local crafts; but they also teach local woodworking or weaving technologies.

Chimbu District

The main way to relax here is active. Trekking trails of all difficulty levels scatter throughout the district, going past traditional villages of the Chimbu (Simbu) tribal group, through dense tropical forest, past pristine rivers with their trout farms, along the shores of the beautiful Pindaunde lakes, where there is a small lodge. The landscapes here are breathtaking - on a clear day you can see almost the entire island from the mountain slopes, from the northern coast to the southern, and the climate is cool (there is even snow cover on the peaks).

The capital of the Kundiawa district is located in a picturesque setting near the old airfield, which lies directly on the mountain slope (even the runway here is at an angle to the horizon). The town does not boast any attractions, but is a good starting point for mountain and river hikes in the region.

Just a few kilometers from Kundiawa, almost next to the main road, lie the Keu Caves, where speleological tours are often organized (there are many other caves in the vicinity, but most of them are burial places for soldiers killed in battles and are therefore closed to the public), and The local rivers Vagi and Purari, according to many experts, are among the best in the world for organizing rafting and kayaking.

Western Highlands

Western Highlands District lies between Chimbu, Enga and Southern Highlands Districts. The mountainous land of the region is covered with dense equatorial forests of the lowlands and green alpine meadows of the mountain slopes, merging into the ever-shrouded mountain peaks.

The region's capital, Mount Hagen, is a colorful and bustling commercial center where quick profits from coffee and tea plantations quickly replaced traditional lifestyles, turning the city into something resembling the "Frontier towns" of Wild West films.

55km north of Mount Hagen, the Bayer River Reserve is one of the best places in the country to see the famous birds of paradise, possums, tree kangaroos, parrots and cassowaries in their natural environment a habitat. Hiking trails to the valleys of the Vaga and Ter rivers or trekking routes to the southwestern slopes of Mount Wilhelm begin from here.

Western district

On south coast islands of New Guinea, between the border with Irian Jaya and west coast Gulf of Papua, lies the Western District - the main agricultural region of the country. The region's wide open fields and marshy river valleys are teeming with life - home to Rusa deer, wallabies, wild pigs, crocodiles and lizards. And all this is just a few steps from domestic flocks and waterfowl - the region's residents manage to find a delicate balance between providing for their own food needs and protecting the original inhabitants of this land.

The main city of the district - Daru is located on a small island of the same name near the southeast coast of the country, in the Torres Strait.

Once a small center for pearl and sea cucumber fishing, it has now become a fast-growing trading and fishing port, somewhat reminiscent of the ever-bustling Arab seaside towns. Its main export product is crocodile leather and products made from it, so the local market is constantly flooded with lovers of fashion accessories and tourists from Australia (Cape York is only 180 km away from here - a trifle by the scale of the region).

Main tourist site Western District - Bensbach Wildlife Lodge, located on the river of the same name, whose mouth forms the border between Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. The vast plain of the Bensbach River is almost entirely flooded during the season, providing unique living conditions for a myriad of birds and fish (the lodge is considered one of the best fishing spots in the country), and during the dry season, herds of ungulates roam this analogue of the Nile Valley.

In the upper reaches of the Fly River, which flows through the district, there is one of the largest gold and copper mines on the planet - Ok Tedi. Opened in 1980, it produces about 80 thousand tons of ore daily; it is not difficult to guess that the Fly River is also gold-bearing - amateur gold mining on its banks has long turned into a kind of tourist attraction (the content of the precious metal in local sediments is small, but the process itself is entertaining ).

Lake Murray (Murray), located in the very center of the district, is the largest floodplain lake in Papua New Guinea and in the rainy season increases its area five times, filling more than 400 square meters. km of meadows and valleys. Now a crocodile research station has been opened on the lake, offering tourists other environmental services.

Sepik District

This secluded corner of the planet, with its buttery brown rivers, dozens of tribes, many of them barely above the Stone Age, and their myths, magic and rituals, is the perfect place for fans extreme tourism. Along the banks of the rivers there are a series of colorful local villages with their stilt houses, long canoes with noses like crocodile heads, lakes overgrown with exotic flowers, and local misty sunrises and stunning sunsets are said to have no analogues on the planet.

Good beaches for relaxation and diving are located in the area of Cape Moem, in the Mapik region you can get acquainted with the amazing culture of the Abalem tribes, around Madang - the capital of the region of the same name - with the art of local potters, in the village of Timbunke - with local construction methods. Near the capital of East Sepik - the city of Wewak - you can visit Cape Vom (Uom) - the site of the surrender of the last Japanese garrison on the island (here on September 13, 1945, Lieutenant General Adachi signed the act of surrender and presented his sword to General Robertson) with its war memorial and old an airfield around which silent evidence of that war is scattered in abundance (Wewak itself also has a Japanese war cemetery and a Peace Park).

The village of Kanganaman is famous for its recently restored “house of spirits” (the local house tambaran is considered a monument of national importance), and Korhogo is famous for its “mei” masks (local tribes have been using totemic symbols from the world of insects since ancient times), and Waskuska also has a beautiful “house of spirits” , in Yigei they make traditional tom-toms "garamut" (when rafting on the river, their sound can be heard everywhere), and in the village of Svagap (Suagap) they make simple and elegant pottery in folk style.

The excellent coastline west of Vanimo (West Sepik, 30 km from the Indonesian border) forms a small peninsula, literally abutting limestone cliffs on which a Japanese landing barge rusts (the waters here are excellent for diving).

From September to January the 260-kilometer coastline near Wutung attracts hundreds of surfers, and strong northwest winds between December and March create excellent conditions for windsurfing. At a short distance from the town of Aitape (founded by the Germans in 1905) there are several small islands. There were also bloody battles in this area, so in the waters around the islands and the old Taji airfield you can find several dozen crashed planes and warships (there is a war memorial near Taji).

Morobe District

Such a varied relief also resulted in the richest natural world The region - the interior and coast of Morobe abound with unique representatives of flora and fauna and are cut through by numerous excursion trails, especially frequent in the Wau Bulolo area.

Lae

The second largest city in Papua New Guinea, Lae was a tiny mission station until the 1920s, developing rapidly after the discovery of gold mines in the Wau region. Over the next twenty years, it grew into the main port and industrial center of the northeast of the country.

Near Lae lies the town of Wau, formerly major center gold mining, and now houses the Wau Institute of Ecology on its territory with a small museum and zoo. Near the city are McAdam National Park and Mount Kaindi, the pretty coastal town of Finschhafen (founded by German colonists in 1885, today it is the center of the island's Lutheran community), the Vatut (Watut) River with its beautiful raft sites, as well as the Thami Islands, whose population is widely known for its carved wooden balls, considered true works of art.

South of Lae lie: the attractive Sialum coastline with coral terraces, the excellent Salamaua beach with good conditions for swimming, diving, windsurfing and hiking through the battlefields of World War II, the picturesque Labu Lakes in the Markham Valley (an interesting population of lake crocodiles here), the Siassi Islands with beautiful coral reefs, as well as the long ocean shores of Maus Buang and Labu Tali - nesting sites leatherback turtle, some representatives of which weigh up to 500 kg and reach a length of up to two meters.

Milne Bay District

The very east of Papua New Guinea, together with the groups of Trobriand Islands, Murua (Woodlark), Lachlan, D'Entrecasteaux, Louisiada, Conflict and Samarai, is part of the Milne Bay district. Formerly one huge naval base during the Second World War , the district is literally full of various traces of those events. It also includes 160 small islands and 500 reefs scattered over an area of more than 250 thousand square kilometers, which turns it into a real Mecca for divers and fans of water sports.

The capital of the district is the town of Alotau, spectacularly located on the edge of Milne Bay, - excellent place to start getting acquainted with this unusual region. From here, numerous ships depart to the island of Fergusson with its hot volcanic springs, mud fumaroles, geysers and volcanoes, to the picturesque island of Mishima with its reefs and gold mines, to the island of Murua (Woodlark) with its wood carving masters, to the Trobriand Islands with their unique social system (local leaders have enormous power and influence, but inheritance is through the female line)

and the colorful harvest festival of Milamala, to the island of Kiriwina with its freshwater caves (an amazing phenomenon for the small islands of the region) and ritual caves near the village of Matawa, to the island of Goodenau, in the center of which rises a large stone with mysterious inscriptions, as well as to numerous small reefs, waters around which contain the ruins of hundreds of sunken ships and warplanes from the Second World War.

New Britain

The island of New Britain (area 37.8 thousand sq. km), lying 30 km northeast of the coast of New Guinea, forms two administrative regions - Western and Eastern. This is the most big Island Bismarck Archipelago - from east to west it stretches for almost 475 km, and from north to south - from 35 to 85 km. His northern shores washed by the waters of the Bismarck Sea, and the southern ones by the Solomon Sea.

Despite its age (about 10 million years), the island is mountainous and active - a low slope runs along its entire length. Mountain chain, replete with volcanic peaks, fumaroles and green valleys. There are especially many volcanoes in the northern part of the island - here they stretch in an almost continuous series high peaks active volcanoes Langila (Cape Gloucester, 1330 meters), Bamus (2248 meters), Ulawun (the highest high volcano Bismarck Archipelago, 2334 meters), many of them having extensive calderas. Southern slopes The mountains are composed of limestone, and therefore abound in caves, grottoes and picturesque outlier rocks.

Rabaul

The city of Rabaul is the official capital of the island and one of its most tragic monuments. Once the richest and beautiful city country, which became the scene of fierce fighting during the Second World War, the city of flowering gardens and a rich port was almost completely destroyed in September 1994 by the eruption of the Tavurvur volcano, and its inhabitants were evacuated to other parts of the island.

All that remained of its former appearance were half-buried in black. volcanic ash neighborhoods around Simpson Bay Harbour, some of the port buildings (the port is still operational!) and numerous underground structures of the huge (total length of almost 576 km) tunnel system dug by the Japanese during the war.

Moving from the airport, which is now located in Tokua (approximately 50 km from Rabaul), you can visit the picturesque peninsula of Gazelle Peninsula, bordering the beautiful bay from the sea with the cone of Tavurvura rising above it, drive through coconut groves and lush forests of the foothills and enter the lunar zone landscape at the foot of the volcano.

Having driven through the black streets of the city, most similar to the scenery of some apocalyptic film, you can exit through the relatively undamaged Mango Avenue to a real oasis of miraculously surviving (and carefully restored) tourist hotels. If you have some courage, you can dive in the harbor of Rabaul, which stores in its depths tens and hundreds of warplanes and ships of the Second World War. Then drive east to the town of Kokopo with its Museum military history and the ruins of Gunanthambu Mansion, built in the 1880s by the legendary "Queen Emma".

Duke of York Island is a 45-minute boat ride from Kokopo, renowned for its excellent diving and snorkelling conditions, while the surrounding lagoons offer canoeing, windsurfing, waterskiing and yachting. Or you can head north to Kabakada, where the extreme popular resort Kulau Lodge, built right on the beach in traditional local style.

Volcanic caves, thick thickets of corals and clear blue waters The bays are home to a huge amount of marine life. There is also a popular dive site known as "The Cathedral" - a vast horseshoe of coral reef with a large cave at one end. The inner side is formed by an extended strip white sand, and the outer one - with the richest coral “gardens”.

Muruk Cave in the Nakanai region is believed to be the deepest underground system in the southern hemisphere (French cavers recently traversed part of the tunnels to a depth of 1,200 meters below the entrance level, but did not reach the end of the tunnels). The small town of Talasea is located on the shores of the Williams Peninsula, the adjacent bay is widely known for its “necklace” of small islands, the ruins of American bombers from World War II and active volcanism.

Talasea is the center for the production of traditional local "money" from cowrie shells, and obsidian (volcanic glass) mined in these parts has been found in excavations in many areas of Oceania, with many of these samples dating back to the third millennium BC. And on the island of Pangula, the Vabua Valley (Valley of Hot Water) with several dozen geysers and fumaroles deserves attention.

The best surfing spots - www.surfingpapuanewguinea.org.pg - are located along the coast of Vanimo (West Sepik, 30 km from the Indonesian border), on the sandy beaches in the Kavieng area (New Ireland Island).

Papua New Guinea was settled by people from the Asian mainland more than 50 thousand years ago. Numerous waves of migration that swept through the territory of the islands on the way to Australia and the islands of Oceania formed here many unique ethnic groups, whose isolation from each other further emphasized their originality. The first European to see the shores of Papua New Guinea was the Portuguese navigator Jorge de Meneses, who in 1526-1527 named the island Ilhas dos Papuas (Island of Curly Hair), and the Spaniard Inigo Ortiz de Ret a little later called it New Guinea ( the reason for this is the same thick hair of the islanders - de Ret considered them to be descendants of the Guinean tribes of Africa). Further exploration of the vast territory around New Guinea was carried out successively by Bougainville, Cook, Stanley and John Moresby, after whose campaigns European ships practically disappeared from these waters for several centuries. However, in 1824, Holland, relying on the power of its colonies in the region, declared its rights to the western part of the island of New Guinea, in 1884 Germany took possession of the northern part of the territory, and just three days later Great Britain declared a protectorate over the southern coast of the island (direct annexation took place four years later).

In 1906, British New Guinea became known as Papua, and administration of the territory was transferred to newly independent Australia. With the outbreak of the First World War, Australian troops captured the capital of the German territories, Rabaul, and took control of the German part of New Guinea. In 1920, the League of Nations officially transferred these territories to Australia. Twenty years later, all of the northern islands and much of the northern coast of New Guinea were captured by the Japanese, who were rapidly advancing south, and by 1942, fierce fighting had broken out throughout the area between the Imperial Army and Allied forces. By 1945, the mainland of the country and the island of Bougainville were recaptured, but the Mikado army turned New Ireland, Rabaul and New Britain into an impregnable fortress, equipping extensive defensive lines (about 600 km of tunnels alone were dug), battles on which continued until the surrender of Japan .

Nowadays, Papua New Guinea is a region of wild and unexplored land, virtually unknown to European tourists, a country of harsh conditions and unique nature. On this piece of land, only slightly larger in area than Germany and the Benelux countries combined, such a variety of living beings and natural complexes is concentrated that they can, perhaps, be compared with the whole of Eurasia. Stifling rainforest regions give way to cold mountainous regions, centuries-old swamps lie next to equally ancient coral reefs, and jagged limestone cliffs border plains covered with emerald green grass. Plus hundreds of unique tribes and peoples with their own traditions and amazing history, thousands of species of exotic plants and many dozens of species of unique animals, from tiny tree kangaroos or birds of paradise to huge butterflies. It is this diversity, left completely untouched by man for so long, that attracts thousands of researchers, anthropologists and travelers.

Port Moresby

The capital of Papua New Guinea and the main gateway to the country, is located on a peninsula in the superb natural Fairfax Harbor, lying on the south-eastern shore of the island, in the wider Gulf of Papua.

The hills surrounding the capital are extremely picturesque, and almost the entire mouth of Fairfax Bay is blocked by powerful coral reefs, so there are many sports organizations here. The city has all the conditions for scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, sea fishing, water skiing, golf, tennis and squash, and some lack of equipment and qualified instructors is more than compensated by the unique conditions of the surrounding nature. However, most of the interesting places are located outside the city limits, in the Central District.

Central District

The Central District covers a narrow strip along the southern coast of the Gulf of Papua to the eastern tip of the island of New Guinea, as well as the southern slopes of the central mountain range. To the north-east of Port Moresby are the spectacular Rouna Falls, and nearby Warirata National Park, the country's first nature reserve. Covering an area of approximately 1,000 hectares, the park was originally a hunting ground for the chiefs of the coastal Koiari tribes, and now features almost all of the region's flora and fauna, including birds of paradise, wallabies and deer. There are a dozen walking trails throughout the reserve, at the end of which a beautiful panorama of Port Moresby and the green coastline opens. Just north of Port Moresby, the Brown River is a pleasant place for swimming, rafting and picnicking.

The famous one starts nearby Kokoda Trail, which connects the northern and southern coasts of the island. This essentially ordinary mountain trail passes through the extremely picturesque places of the Owen Stanley Range, being at the same time the most popular historical excursion in the country - it was along this trail that the most brutal battles broke out between the Japanese and the Allied forces during the Second World War. The trail goes through rugged and beautiful mountain areas, under the canopies of dense tropical forest, past numerous clear rivers and waterfalls, visiting battle sites - bunkers, caponiers, artillery positions and defensive lines of both warring sides.

Just 46 kilometers from Port Moresby, the picturesque Sogeri plateau- starting point for the Kokoda Trail. Here, at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level, the air is fresh and cool, and the numerous rubber plantations and ethnic villages only add to the charm. Here, in the town of Six Miles, near the airport, is Village Arts, a state-owned store with the best collection of folk arts and crafts in the country. Nearby are the historic Bomana War Cemetery with a beautiful park and the Moitaka Farm, which researches and breeds crocodiles and other living inhabitants of the region.

To the east of the capital, the popular Idlers Beach begins, and in the waters of the bay lie the Sinasi Reef and Daugo Island, famous for their beautiful corals and white sandy beaches. Even further east, just a fifteen-minute drive from Port Moresby, is one of the island's best resorts - Loloata Island Resort (www.loloata.com). Surrounded by one of the largest coral reefs on the planet, it offers excellent conditions for snorkeling, diving, fishing and other water activities (the Oceanarium Marine Park is nearby).

Northern District, or Oro

Few people, when mentioning New Guinea, expect to hear about fjords. However, the coast of the Northern District around the town Tufi Indeed, most of all it resembles the rocks of Norway or Iceland, with the only difference that the water here is always warm, and these beautiful rocks were formed not by the influence of a glacier, but by the tectonic forces of the Earth. Cape Nelson, jutting out into the Solomon Sea, was formed by the eruption of three volcanoes, whose rapidly hardening lava ran down to the water, creating numerous rock tongues and gorges, so similar to classic fjords. The clear waters of the local fjords, going down to a depth of 90 meters, are teeming with a huge number of representatives of tropical ichthyofauna, and the rocks themselves rise above the water to a height of more than 150 meters. The wide mouths of the bays are protected by reefs, and the shores are often covered with mangrove forests, over which hang the vertical slopes of gorges covered with mosses and orchids, from which cascades of waterfalls fall. It is not surprising that in such a beautiful place a tourist infrastructure is being intensively created, the fulcrum of which is the city of Tufi, from where diving tours and many various trips related to bird watching, deep-sea fishing, windsurfing, canoeing or simply doing nothing on the white sandy beaches are regularly organized. the shores framing Cape Nelson from both the north and south.

Every October, the region celebrates the Tapa Festival, followed by Martyrs' Day and Korat Church Day. The northern branch of the Kokoda Trail ends in the village of Kokoda, with many local tourist roads running along the coast to Buna and Gona. It was also the scene of fierce fighting during the Second World War, so the surrounding area is replete with traces of those battles, and at Hiropa Plantation, on Buna Road, there is a Japanese plaque commemorating the 15,000 Imperial Army soldiers who died here. Thousands of birds nest on the slopes of the active Mount Lamington volcano.

Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands lie not in the south at all, but in the very center of the country. This region is often called "Wonderland" because until 1935 this chaos of mountain ranges and evergreen forested valleys was practically one big blank spot on all maps of the world. The Kikori, Erave and Strickland rivers take off from here, the second highest mountain of the island, Jiluwe (2900 meters), is located here, caves of enormous depth have been discovered and amazing people live, whose acquaintance with modern civilization is limited only to occasional meetings with the inhabitants of mountain towns. This is one of the few places on the planet where traditional ways of life are evident in almost every aspect of local life. Ancient ceremonial rituals are present everywhere, men and women still wear traditional dress, and huts are still built from stones and branches of bushes. The fresh air of the mountains is ideal for numerous excursions, and under the canopy of a dense tropical forest you can see (and hear) dozens of bird species, clear rivers with numerous waterfalls.

South of the county capital - mehndi, at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, lies the beautiful Lake Kutubu - the second largest lake in Papua New Guinea and one of the most unusual bodies of water in the region. Included in the list of natural monuments of planetary significance in 1998, it is famous for its unique ichthyofauna - 10 out of 14 species of fish living here are not found anywhere else on Earth. This tranquil and very beautiful lake also provides refuge to almost a hundred species of birds, and its shores are teeming with reptiles and insects. Local residents built a small boarding house above the water's edge, using only local materials and traditional construction methods. Hiking tours to the most beautiful places in the vicinity of the lake regularly depart from here.

The Mendi Valley is also well known for its beautiful landscapes, limestone caves and the Uli Vig hunters, who paint their faces red and yellow and wear elaborate wigs made from human hair.

Eastern Highlands

The largest settlement in the region is Goroka(population about 25 thousand) is its agricultural and commercial center.

Village Bena-Bena, located 10 km from Goroka, is the largest community in the mountainous regions specializing in hand weaving - rugs, bedspreads and mats made by local artisans are very popular throughout the country. There is also a village nearby Asaro, inhabited by representatives of the ethnic group of the same name, widely known for their ritualism, as well as the unusual tradition of covering their bodies with gray mud (legend has it that in this way Asaro warriors frightened their enemies, who mistook them for ghosts - theatrical illustrations of this particular legend are the centerpiece of the Goroka festival ).

From Goroka Post Office a trail leads to Mount Kiss, which offers a magnificent view of the valley, and south of Goroka you can climb Mount Michael and visit a cave with prehistoric petroglyphs. 11 km from the city lies Mount Gahavisuka Provincial Park, which occupies 80 hectares of beautiful mountainous terrain and has been turned into a small botanical park where plants from all over the country are collected. And around there are endless coffee plantations, through which you can access the Kotuni trout farm, or the large cultural center of Kainantu (however, it is better to go here through the Kassim or Lae pass), where not only traditional local crafts are sold; but they also teach local woodworking or weaving technologies.

Chimbu District

In the heart of the highlands lies Chimbu District, the country's smallest and most densely populated region. The mountain slopes here literally rear up - the entire district is occupied by steep mountain ranges, dissected by deep and often inaccessible valleys. The highest point of the country and the most popular place for climbers from all over the region is located here - Mount Wilhelm (4509 meters). The main way to relax here is active. Trekking trails of all difficulty levels scatter throughout the district, going past traditional villages of the Chimbu (Simbu) tribal group, through dense tropical forest, past pristine rivers with their trout farms, along the shores of the beautiful Pindaunde lakes, where there is a small lodge. The landscapes here are breathtaking - on a clear day you can see almost the entire island from the mountain slopes, from the northern coast to the southern, and the climate is cool (there is even snow cover on the peaks).

District capital Kundiawa is located in a picturesque setting near an old airfield, located right on a mountain slope (even the runway here is at an angle to the horizon). The town does not boast any attractions, but is a good starting point for mountain and river hikes in the region. Just a few kilometers from Kundiawa, almost next to the main road, lie the Keu Caves, where speleological tours are often organized (there are many other caves in the vicinity, but most of them are burial places for soldiers killed in battles and are therefore closed to the public), and The local rivers Vagi and Purari, according to many experts, are among the best in the world for organizing rafting and kayaking.

Western Highlands

The region's capital is a colorful and bustling commercial center, where quick profits from coffee and tea plantations quickly replaced the traditional lifestyle, turning the city into something resembling the "Frontier towns" from the films about the Wild West.

55km north of Mount Hagen, Bayer River Reserve is one of the best places in the country to see the famous birds of paradise, possums, tree kangaroos, parrots and cassowaries in their natural habitat. Hiking trails to the valleys of the Vaga and Ter rivers or trekking routes to the southwestern slopes of Mount Wilhelm begin from here.

Western district

On the southern coast of the island of New Guinea, between the border with Irian Jaya and the western coast of the Gulf of Papua, lies the Western District - the main agricultural region of the country. The region's wide open fields and marshy river valleys are teeming with life - home to Rusa deer, wallabies, wild pigs, crocodiles and lizards. And all this is just a few steps from domestic flocks and waterfowl - the region's residents manage to find a delicate balance between providing for their own food needs and protecting the original inhabitants of this land.

The main city of the district is Daru located on a small island of the same name off the southeast coast of the country, in the Torres Strait. Once a small center for pearl and sea cucumber fishing, it has now become a fast-growing trading and fishing port, somewhat reminiscent of the ever-bustling Arab seaside towns. Its main export product is crocodile leather and products made from it, so the local market is constantly flooded with lovers of fashion accessories and tourists from Australia (Cape York is only 180 km away from here - a trifle by the scale of the region).

The main tourist site of the Western District is Bensbach Wildlife Lodge, located on the river of the same name, whose mouth forms the border between Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. The vast plain of the Bensbach River is almost entirely flooded during the season, providing unique living conditions for a myriad of birds and fish (the lodge is considered one of the best fishing spots in the country), and during the dry season, herds of ungulates roam this analogue of the Nile Valley.

Sepik District

The Sepik River, the valley of which forms the northwestern district of the country of the same name, is one of the largest river systems in the region (the length of the river itself is about 1126 km). This vast region north of the Bismarck Ridge is almost entirely occupied by a huge river basin, swampy lowlands and tropical forests, turning into mountain slopes, the peaks of which are often crowned with snow caps (at the equator!). With its buttery brown rivers, dozens of tribes, many barely above the Stone Age, and their myths, magic and rituals, this secluded corner of the planet is the perfect destination for adventure tourism enthusiasts. Along the banks of the rivers there are a series of colorful local villages with their stilt houses, long canoes with noses like crocodile heads, lakes overgrown with exotic flowers, and local misty sunrises and stunning sunsets are said to have no analogues on the planet.

Good beaches for relaxation and diving are located in the area of Cape Moem, in the Mapik region you can get acquainted with the amazing culture of the Abalem tribes, around Madang - the capital of the region of the same name - with the art of local potters, in the village of Timbunke - with local construction methods. Near the capital of East Sepik - the city Wewak- you can visit Cape Vom (Wom) - the site of the surrender of the last Japanese garrison on the island (here on September 13, 1945, Lieutenant General Adachi signed the act of surrender and presented his sword to General Robertson) with its war memorial and the old airfield, around which there are scattered in abundance silent evidence of that war (Wewak itself also has a Japanese war cemetery and a Peace Park).

The Chambri Lakes, a vast expanse of shallow water located in East Sepik, are widely known for their vibrant bird community, crocodiles and many villages home to renowned arts and crafts artists. The village of Aibom is famous for its potters, who use ancient techniques not only to make ordinary kitchenware, but also to produce fireplaces and tiles. The village of Kanganaman is famous for its recently restored “house of spirits” (the local house tambaran is considered a monument of national importance), and Korhogo is famous for its “mei” masks (local tribes have been using totemic symbols from the world of insects since ancient times), and Waskuska also has a beautiful “house of spirits” , in Yigei they make traditional tom-toms "garamut" (when rafting on the river, their sound can be heard everywhere), and in the village of Svagap (Suagap) they make simple and elegant pottery in folk style.

Excellent shores to the west of Vanimo(West Sepik, 30 km from the Indonesian border) form a small peninsula literally abutting limestone cliffs on which a Japanese landing barge rusts (the local waters are excellent for diving). From September to January, the 260 km of coastline near Wutung attracts hundreds of surfers, while strong north-westerly winds between December and March create excellent conditions for windsurfing. A short distance from the town of Aitape (founded by the Germans in 1905) lie several small islands. There were also bloody battles in this area, so in the waters around the islands and the old Taji airfield you can find several dozen crashed planes and warships (there is a war memorial near Taji).

Morobe District

In the very northeast of the island of New Guinea, on the Huon Peninsula around the bay of the same name, Morobe District is located. Here the densely forested Saruwaged Mountains, the northern spur of the Owen Stanley Range, open directly onto the coast, forming a chain of small volcanic islands in the sea, while the southwestern part of the district lies within the fertile Markham Valley, sandwiched between high ridges. Such a diverse topography is also responsible for the rich natural world of the region - the interior and coast of Morobe abound with unique representatives of flora and fauna and are cut through by numerous excursion trails, especially frequent in the Wau Bulolo region.

Lae

The second largest city in Papua New Guinea, it was a tiny mission station until the 1920s, developing rapidly after the discovery of gold mines in the Wau region. Over the next twenty years, it grew into the main port and industrial center of the northeast of the country.

There is a town near Lae Wow, formerly a major gold mining center, and now housing the Wau Institute of Ecology with a small museum and zoo on its territory. Near the city are McAdam National Park and Mount Kaindi, the pretty coastal town of Finschhafen (founded by German colonists in 1885, today it is the center of the island's Lutheran community), the Vatut (Watut) River with its beautiful raft sites, as well as the Thami Islands, whose population is widely known for its carved wooden balls, considered true works of art.

South of Lae lie: the attractive Sialum coastline with coral terraces, the excellent Salamaua beach with good conditions for swimming, diving, windsurfing and hiking to the battle sites of the Second World War, the picturesque Labu Lakes in the Markham Valley (an interesting population of lake crocodiles here), the Siassi Islands with beautiful coral reefs, as well as the long ocean shores of Maus Buang and Labu Tali - nesting places for the leatherback turtle, some representatives of which weigh up to 500 kg and reach a length of up to two meters.

Milne Bay District

The capital of the district is the town Alotau, spectacularly located on the edge of Milne Bay, is an excellent place to start exploring this extraordinary region. From here, numerous ships depart to the island of Fergusson with its hot volcanic springs, mud fumaroles, geysers and volcanoes, to the picturesque island of Mishima with its reefs and gold mines, to the island of Murua (Woodlark) with its wood carving masters, to the Trobriand Islands with their unique social system (local chiefs have enormous power and influence, but inheritance is through the female line) and the colorful harvest festival of Milamala, to the island of Kiriwina with its freshwater caves (an amazing phenomenon for the small islands of the region) and ritual caves near the village of Matawa, to the island of Goodenow, in in the center of which rises a large stone with mysterious writings, as well as numerous shallow reefs, the waters around which contain the ruins of hundreds of sunken ships and warplanes from the Second World War.

New Britain

The island of New Britain (area 37.8 thousand sq. km), lying 30 km northeast of the coast of New Guinea, forms two administrative regions - Western and Eastern. This is the largest island of the Bismarck Archipelago - from east to west it stretches for almost 475 km, and from north to south - from 35 to 85 km. Its northern shores are washed by the waters of the Bismarck Sea, and its southern shores by the Solomon Sea. Despite its age (about 10 million years), the island is mountainous and active - a low mountain range runs along its entire length, replete with volcanic peaks, fumaroles and green valleys. There are especially many volcanoes in the northern part of the island - here there are an almost continuous series of high peaks of the active volcanoes Langila (Cape Gloucester, 1330 meters), Bamus (2248 meters), Ulavun (the highest volcano of the Bismarck archipelago, 2334 meters), and many of them have extensive calderas. The southern slopes of the mountains are composed of limestone, and therefore abound in caves, grottoes and picturesque outlier rocks.

Rabaul

The city of Rabaul is the official capital of the island and one of its most tragic monuments. Once the richest and most beautiful city in the country, which became the scene of fierce fighting during World War II, the city of flowering gardens and a rich port was almost completely destroyed in September 1994 by the eruption of the Tavurvur volcano, and its inhabitants were evacuated to other parts of the island. All that remains of its former appearance are the neighborhoods around the Simpson Bay harbor half-buried with black volcanic ash, some port buildings (the port is still operational!) and numerous underground structures of a huge (total length of almost 576 km) tunnel system dug by the Japanese during the war.

Moving from the airport, which is now located in Tokua(approximately 50 km from Rabaul), you can visit the picturesque peninsula of Gazelle Peninsula, bordering from the sea a beautiful bay with the cone of Tavurvura rising above it, drive through coconut groves and lush forests of the foothills and enter the lunar landscape zone at the foot of the volcano. Having driven through the black streets of the city, most similar to the scenery of some apocalyptic film, you can exit through the relatively undamaged Mango Avenue to a real oasis of miraculously surviving (and carefully restored) tourist hotels. If you have some courage, you can dive in the harbor of Rabaul, which stores in its depths tens and hundreds of warplanes and ships of the Second World War. Then drive east to the town Kokopo with its Museum of Military History and the ruins of Gunanthambu Mansion, built in the 1880s by the legendary "Queen Emma".

The island is 45 minutes by boat from Kokopo Duke of York, renowned for its excellent diving and snorkeling conditions, while the surrounding lagoons offer everything you need for canoeing, windsurfing, water skiing and yachting. Or you can head north to Kabakada, home to the extremely popular Kulau Lodge resort, built right on the beach in traditional local style.

The western part of the island of New Britain is virtually untouched by tourism. The only exception is the Valindi plantation area, where one of the best dive resorts in the Pacific region is located. The resort is located on a private palm plantation stretching along the shores of Kimbe Bay and is surrounded by a wall of volcanic peaks. Volcanic caves, thick coral forests and the clear blue waters of the bay are home to a huge variety of marine life. There is also a popular dive site known as "The Cathedral" - a vast horseshoe of coral reef with a large cave at one end. The inner side is formed by a long strip of white sand, and the outer side is formed by rich coral “gardens”.

The island of Papua New Guinea was first noted in the 16th century thanks to the navigator from Portugal who discovered it. Throughout its history, in the “paws” of civilization, the island has been repeatedly colonized, conquered, given over to other countries for management, and used mercilessly natural resources. Today, Papua New Guinea is a state with sovereignty and its own self-government.

Papua New Guinea is, perhaps, one of the cleanest places on the planet, where the hand of man has not yet managed to transform and modify amazing nature of this island. This land is replete with the most exotic flora and fauna - we can say that these lands hold the record for the number of amazing species of animals and plants that attract both tourists and biologists. Papua New Guinea has everything that is included in the universal concept of “heaven on earth”: sandy golden beaches, mysterious jungles, clear blue sea, entire colonies of coral polyps, dazzling sun and serious steep cliffs, which contrast nicely with the bright colors of nature.

Papua New Guinea annually attracts a decent number of tourists with its beauty and attractions. You will learn about the main and most famous attractions of this island below.

Although Mountain peaks Most tourists associate them with Sweden and Austria; Papua New Guinea can also surprise with its mountain ranges, cliffs and gorges. Of course, ski lovers will be disappointed - after all, there is very little snow on the top of Mount Wilhelm in New Guinea, which, however, does not diminish the interest of tourists in it.

This mountain is a real landmark of Papua New Guinea, with which many significant events in world history are associated and which is more than 4 thousand meters in height. There are two routes to climb it, differing in difficulty level. Mount Wilhelm is distinguished by its picturesqueness - its paths lead tourists past exotic jungles that frame its slopes with islands of lush vegetation.

The Giluwe volcano is a real giant of the Australian continent that appeared long before the start of the Ice Age. The volcano is slightly inferior in height to Mount Wilhelm and has a vertical length of slightly less than 4.4 thousand meters.

This attraction is interesting for its nature. The volcano is surrounded on all sides by extremely picturesque views; its very surface is covered with a blanket of alpine meadow grasses, among which you can find both world-famous and hitherto virtually unexplored plant species.

Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea and perhaps its most amazing city. The entrance to Port Moresby begins at a sea harbor called Fairfax. This capital is strikingly different from large and wealthy European cities - not because the number of high-rise buildings in the city is kept to a minimum, but because of its stunning natural design.

Port Moresby, like all cities of Papua New Guinea, is part of civilization with the harmonious inclusion of islands of nature - gardens, alleys, parks - into the bustle of the city. The capital of Papua New Guinea is surrounded on all sides by forests and hills - they seem to carefully “hold” the city in their paws, bringing the necessary harmony and exoticism.

Undoubtedly, one of the most amazing places in Papua New Guinea is the settlement of Kuka - an ancient town on this moment half-hidden by the jungle. The settlement is an archaeological site with an area of 116 hectares. It is known that the age of this settlement exceeds 5 thousand years, which makes this marshy and uneven area especially attractive to archaeologists and scientists.

Despite the fact that the tribes living in this area several thousand years ago were far from science Ancient Greece, they created their own system for watering the “gardens,” which looked like a branched grid. The ancient agricultural settlement of Kuka has recently been included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Fjords of New Guinea (Northern District)

The word “fjord” alone is associated with the harsh nature of Norway, and we are often surprised when we come across this word, for example, in Papua New Guinea. Oddly enough, the Guinean island actually has fjords that have the same magnetism and beauty as those in the land of the Vikings.

The most amazing bays with steep cliffs, azure clear water and low skies - every year they attract a huge number of tourists who want not only to admire the natural attraction, but also to touch the warm (unlike the fjords of the northern countries) water, and, if possible, even swim.

Owen Stanley is one of the most famous and widely known landmarks. This ridge, in a long chain, with a horizontal length of about 3 hundred km and a vertical length of about 3 thousand meters, runs along the island of New Guinea, originating in its southern part. Owen-Stanley was discovered in late XIX century and has since become one of business cards Guinean island.

Throughout Papua New Guinea, it is quite problematic to find a place free from the habitat of plants and animals, and this mountain range- not an exception. Many species of plants grow on its rocks, holding their roots to the rocky soil, while Owen Stanley itself is surrounded by tropical forests that lie at its foot.

The Sepik is a river of the Guinean island, which is the longest and most picturesque river in New Guinea. Guineans are extremely proud of this natural landmark because it largely supports and provides life on the island.

The Sepik runs through almost the entire island, meandering and making interesting turns, with a length of more than 1.1 thousand km. The river is interesting for tourists because its waters, although not crystal clear, are nevertheless very fertile, and the banks are picturesque. The Sepik, like almost the entire nature of New Guinea, escaped the intervention of civilization. That is why traveling along it seems even more exciting, because in some places on its banks - be it swampy areas or difficult jungles - no human has even set foot.

The Southern Highlands are a whole system of mountain ranges, jungles, tropical forests, cliffs, waterfalls and rivers. It is absolutely impossible to capture all its beauty during one excursion. It will take more than one day to enjoy the amazing views, which are more reminiscent of glossy heavenly covers than reality. The southern highlands are home to many peoples living according to a traditional way of life that was formed several hundred years (and maybe even millennia) ago.

During excursions you can get acquainted with some of them and even more closely feel the harmony with natural forces and life itself that permeates the entire island. Almost unknown to civilization, the peoples of New Guinea are extremely amazing, who can teach modern man much more than he thinks. Tours in the Southern Highlands offer crystalline waterfalls and breathtaking cliff views, lush rainforests and deep lakes.

Rabaul is a city that experienced many tragic events in world history, witnessed the Second World War, saw the battles of local residents with conquerors and died, almost completely disappearing under the ashes of a volcano that awoke near the city.

Formerly the most successful, most famous city Papua New Guinea, at the moment Rabaul is only a dim echo of its former beauty, however, despite this, crowds of tourists every year begin their excursion routes with a visit to this city.

Walking along the streets, which used to bloom with lush gardens and were lined with beautiful buildings, you can sometimes see the ruins of houses from 1994. Diving enthusiasts with a bit of courage can try diving in the city harbor, which is notable for the fact that its waters carefully envelop numerous aircraft wrecks from the middle of the last century.

The world-famous Lake Kutubu is one of the most amazing pearls of Papua New Guinea. Kutubu is the second largest lake on the Guinean island, but, despite this, perhaps the most “alive”.

Its depths are home to the rarest fish species on the planet, whose habitat is limited only by the border of Lake Kutubu. The shores of the natural reservoir are decorated with colorful vegetation, in which many species of birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects have found shelter.

Local residents are very proud of the lake and do everything to preserve its purity, flora and fauna. There are several waiting for tourists who want to see this attraction. excursion routes that pass through the most attractive and Amazing places Kutubu.

Perhaps nowhere in Papua New Guinea are there such suitable and well-developed conditions for active recreation. Numerous turbulent rivers passing between the rocks, waterfalls, and coral lagoons fully justify a visit to the Duke of York.

On this island, interested tourists can try a variety of water sports: canoeing, diving, windsurfing, surfing and much more. This island seems to be created specifically for entertainment and will not give tourists who love leisure, get bored.

The Central District is one of the favorite destinations for tourists because it can be called the “heart” of Papua New Guinea's wildlife. This is where the main and most large nature reserve islands called "Warirata". The Central District is also famous for its landscapes, the green lush forests of which are intersected by chains mountain gorges, waterfalls and rivers.

The Varirata Nature Reserve is visited annually by a large number of tourists, who are invariably delighted when meeting many species of animals and exotic birds. In the Central District there are many places where anyone can find a holiday of their own interest: a tour of the Kokoda Trail, a walk along the many beaches, resorts and much more.

The Eastern Highlands are a paradise for lovers of American cinema of the 30s-50s, a cinematic picture come to life. This is a storage place for many minerals, the most important of which is gold, which was so raved about by the entire West several decades ago. The eastern highlands consist almost entirely of tobacco, coffee and orchard plantations. Tourists here will get to know local residents and their way of life, a journey through the most beautiful botanical gardens and reservoirs.

The Western District differs from the Eastern Highlands only more traditional way of life life. This region distinguished by its fields, valleys, ports and harbours. The Western District is somewhat similar in local flora to the Australian continent - here you can find kangaroos, huge reptiles, and antelopes. In many seaside towns in the region, there is a lively trade in local handicrafts, pearls, jewelry for the fair sex, and clothing items made from crocodile skin.

It might be useful to read: