Lae, island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

On the southern coast of the Huon Peninsula is the second largest city in Papu New Guinea – Lae . At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a small missionary settlement here, but by the middle of the 20th century, when gold was found in the mountains, the settlement began to turn into a large city. Now Lae is one of the main industrial centers of the country.

The main attraction of the city is the Botanical Gardens. They cover an area of 3000 sq. m. The gardens are divided into separate sections, introducing visitors to the flora and fauna of different regions of the state. Here you can see about 15 thousand local plants, 21 species of birds, several species of reptiles, 70 species of butterflies, 6 species of turtles and several dozen species of frogs and fish. In addition, there is a military cemetery in the Botanical Gardens, since during World War II Lae was the main base of Japanese troops on the island of New Guinea. The Melanesian Arts and Crafts Center Morobe is worth a visit, where the main areas of work of local artisans are presented.

Every year at the end of October, the country-famous Morobe Show takes place in Lae.. About 100 bands from different tribes come to perform at the sing-sing show. Mount Lunaman rises in the center of Lae, which was used by the Japanese and Americans as an observation post during World War II. Now it also offers beautiful views of Huon Bay and the mountainous valley of Markham. Lae It is surrounded on three sides by mountains – the Saruwajed Range and the northern spurs of the Owen Stanley Range, which come close to the coast. Here is a zone of increased seismic activity, which is confined to the Pacific ring of fire. Most of the volcanoes are located in this part of the island of New Guinea (about two dozen). The zone of seismic activity attracts lovers of hiking – there are many tourist routes of various levels of complexity. Fans of outdoor activities will also be interested in McAdam reserve, which protects rare species of pines – Ring pine and Klinka pine. In addition, the Watut River flows in the vicinity of the city , which is perfect for rafting.

South of Lae The popular Salamaua Beach stretches along Huon Bay with good conditions for swimming and diving. For diving, the coral reefs of the coastal city of Finschhafen and the island of Siassi are also suitable.

Goroka, New Guinea island (Papua New Guinea)

According to i Type USA, the city of Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands province. It is located at an altitude of 1600 m and is called “the city of eternal spring” for its mild climate. Initially, a small settlement of Goroka in the middle of the 20th century, with the development of the mining industry, began to turn into a city with a developed infrastructure. Now it is the main commercial center of the highlands of the island of New Guinea.

The city of Goroka is famous for its annual colorful Goroka show festival.. The festival is held in September on the dates closest to the State Independence Day (September 16) and lasts three days. This is the oldest festival in the country. For the first time it began to be held in the middle of the 20th century in order to rally the local tribes and clans together. Now more than 40,000 representatives of different tribes gather here – they arrange colorful performances that talk about the culture of each individual tribe, dance and sing. The festival is one of the country’s top tourist attractions, providing an insight into Papua New Guinea’s ethnic diversity. In addition, a market opens every Saturday in Goroka, where both products and handicrafts are sold. Opposite the market is the ethnic theater Round-Round. The city is home to the nation’s second largest museum , the McCarthy Museum. It is affiliated with the National Museum of Port Moresby. The museum consists of 6 galleries with collections of folk crafts and crafts, military relics and photographs, reflecting the ancient relationship between Europeans and the inhabitants of the highlands. The museum has a souvenir shop.

Goroka is the starting point for traveling through the mountains and jungles of the province. From here, excursions to coffee plantations are arranged, ascents are made to Mount Michael (3380 m) and Gahavisuka. At the foot of Mount Michael is the village of Lufa, from which you can get into a cave with ancient petroglyphs. On Mount Gahavisuka, 11 km from the city of Goroka located reserve mountain Gahavisuka. It covers an area of 80 hectares. The park was created to protect the species of orchids and rhododendrons growing on the slopes of the mountain. At an altitude of 2450 m, there is an observation deck in the park.

Tours of the villages of the Eastern Highlands provide the best representation of the diversity of national crafts and tribal cultures. The most interesting are the village of Bena Bena (10 km from Gorok), whose inhabitants are famous for the art of weaving – they make rugs, bedspreads and mats, and the village of Asaro, whose inhabitants cover the body with clay to look like ghosts and scare away enemies from neighboring tribes.