TRAVELLER Welcome to country Details from sjeffrey@www. pacific.org. WHERE TO STAY Relax at Tubo Eco Lodge, with a perfect view of Lake Kutubu, and enjoy superb birdwatching. Norman Ba’abi is the owner (nibaabi@gmail.com). Alternatively stay in Kiburu Lodge (+675 549 1350), a wilderness retreat in the rainforest, only 10 minutes from Mendi. – JOYCELIN LEAHY
OUR OUR COUNTRY REGION
WESTERN HIGHLANDS CAPITAL MOUNT HAGEN 46,256 PEOPLE 4299 SQUARE KILOMETRES HOW FAR FROM PORT MORESBY? 514 KILOMETRES AIR NIUGINI flies from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen up to four times daily, except Wednesday. The flight time is 1 hour. Mount Hagen is the third-largest city in PNG, but it feels rural, especially as you come in to land over grass huts and terraced gardens throughout the fertile Wahgi Valley. THINGS TO SEE & DO G o to the Mount Hagen Show, held each August and see locals
44 Paradise – Air Niugini’s in-flight magazine
in traditional dress (pictured). W ander around the Mount Hagen market, where the locals are welcoming and there’s a wide array of produce and other goods. E njoy some of PNG’s best coffee in park-like surroundings at Kofi Cave, near the airport. P lay a round of golf at Mount Hagen Golf Club (mthagengolfclub.com).
WHERE TO STAY Rondon Ridge Lodge (pngtours. com), 40 minutes from Mount Hagen, is part of the Trans Niugini Tours chain. The lodge is in the hills overlooking Mount Hagen. Two of the best hotels in town are the Highlander (coralseahotels.com.pg) and the McRoyal (mcroyalhotelpng. com). For no-frills accommodation, try Martha’s Retreat (facebook. com/marthasretreatpng). — JOYCELIN LEAHY WESTERN CAPITAL DARU 201,351 PEOPLE 98,189 SQUARE KILOMETRES HOW FAR FROM PORT MORESBY? 434 KILOMETRES AIR NIUGINI flies from Port