Ecotourism Melanesia’s PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Papua New Guinea has a number of locations where non-government organisations have assisted local villages to establish organised ecotourism projects. Most of the projects have the ultimate aim of protecting the natural environment and local culture from logging and other high-impact developments. Some of these projects provide start-up funds for building a central accommodation facility and then follow up with hospitality and management training to enable the village people to run the project themselves. In other cases a collection of village guest houses is jointly marketed with a local conservation attraction.
The central theme is low-key village-based accommodation which is a launching pad for forays into nearby conservation areas. Locations with high biodiversity are usually selected.
Madang Province has a number of good village stays and village guest houses along the North Coast Road, including Wasab, Udisis and Barem Villages. These operators have all been assisted by a local ecotourism development project. There is a full list under Recommended Accommodation - Other Areas on our Madang Province page.
Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, Salamaua District, Morobe Province - a variety of coastal, freshwater wetlands and rainforest habitats covering 47000 hectares, managed by local villagers with the help of the Village Development Trust. Local ecotours run by village people, accommodation at the village-run Kamiali Guest House
Lakekamu Basin Gulf Province - inland forest habitat, Lakekamu Basin conservation area, network of village-owned guest houses
Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Eastern Highlands Province - highlands forest habitat, network of village homestays
Trekking in Omie Territory, Oro Province, is a 7 day trek around the lower slopes of Mt Lamington, a scintillating cultural experience and jungle safari organised and supported by the Omie people ... do it now before word gets out (added April 2003)
ARTICLES ON COMMUNITY ECOTOURISM IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA *Published in "Paradise", the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini
MORE INFORMATION
ECOTOURISM MELANESIA LTD
Unit 1 Lot 3 Section 444, Ranu Place
Four Mile Hill, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
(Postal address: PO Box 24 Waigani NCD)
Phone & Fax (675) 323 4518
E-mail ecomel(at)online.net.pg · Website: www.em.com.pg