©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Morobe & Madang ProvincesPOP 1.2 MILLION / AREA 62,470 SQ KM Includes ¨ Why Go? Morobe Province..........84 Geographically speaking, Morobe and Madang are similar – Lae................................84 both rise from azure seas off Papua New Guinea’s northern Salamaua .....................90 coast into a series of thickly forested hills towards imposing mountain ranges. Both also offer plenty of scope to grab a Wau & Bulolo ...............90 snorkel and banana boat your way to palm-lined bays and Madang Province ......... 92 coral islands. Madang ........................ 92 Lae grew up hard through a notorious 1920s gold rush. North Coast In the 1940s Lae was invaded by the Japanese and bombed Highway .......................98 by the Allies. Grappling with growing pains and wrapped Simbai .........................101 in razor wire, modern Lae is now a booming economic and industrial hub – a crucible of PNG’s rapid social change. Madang, situated on a small peninsula jutting into a tranquil harbour, is far more relaxed and prettier than bus- tling Lae. Despite facing occasional raskol (bandit) issues Best Places to in modern times, Madang has retained much of its carefree Stay disposition to match its postcard vistas, easily accessed coral ¨ Madang Lodge (p93) reefs and fascinating wreck dives. ¨ Lae Travellers Inn (p85) ¨ Jais Aben Resort (p98) When to Go ¨ Tupira Surf Club (p99) Madang °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 24/600 Best of Activities 30/86 ¨ Morobe Show (p85) 16/400 20/68 ¨ Niugini Diving Adventures 8/200 (p92) 10/50 ¨ Tupira Surf Club (p99) 0/32 0 ¨ Kalam Culture Festival J FDM A M J J A S O N (p101) Jun–Sep The dry Jun–Aug During Late Oct The season offers the the Lae–Finsch­ Morobe show best visibility for hafen area’s wet draws singsing divers in Madang. season there can groups from be lots of rain. around the country. 83 0 100 km 0 50 miles Watam Manam Boroi Hansa B I S M A R C K S E A Bay Ramu Bogia Tupira River Base camp N Ulingan Ad o e l rth CBay Karkar PROVINCE b EAST SEPIK Guav e r t iver R o Magiya R a ast n Salemben g Hwy e Bagabag MADANG Malolo Rv PROVINCE l Bargam o g R o Sch r a Aiome am Alexishafen d G Ra e u R ng r Utu Mission D e iv Tab Long a B er Bau m Madang p i Yabob Lake i Sakar PROVINCES MADANG & MOROBE MADANG& PROVINCES Mt Herbert Simbai Astrolabe Wisdom Tolokiwa er s Bay St (4267m) m Cape Rigny rai a t Usino Bogadjim V Umboi r F Saidor i t JIWAKA c i n i s i a (Rooke) PROVINCE k Bundi Koropa t e r Bandit z Ra r e S R m Ra t a Brahmin u Dumpu n r Mt Wilhelm n H ge a Mt Hagen g e w Bonga (4509m) y i Teptep Wasu t Gusap Sialum Kundiawa Goroka Watarais MOROBE Kabwum PROVINCE Sa rawage t Range Kainantu Henganofi M H u o n P e n i n s u l a ar Boana awl i n Pindiu Maneba SIMBU k R s on EASTERN h Nadzab R a n g Wharf PROVINCE a m Airport e Butaweng Gagidu HIGHLANDS Rv Station PROVINCE Rv Buki Wonenara Watut Lae Wharf Mt Tabletop MA & (3686m) Busama & Gwado Huon Watama Labu Tali Salamaua Gulf Mt Tambu D Huon Gulf Coast A Menyamya Bulolo Bitoi N Aseki Rv GULF PROVINCE Wau PROVI G Kaintiba Black Kamiali Wildlife Edie Creek Cat Management Area Hidden Valley Trail Kui Bulldog Siboma B Track ow u nc t u Alligator M Morobe Point Tekadu Kakoro Mt Lawson t n E Waria s Hercules Bulldog (2722m) Rv Saigara S Bay HIG Kerema Mt Strong Pema Bau Maclatchie (3588m) Gulf of Papua Point CENTRAL ORO hl PROVINCE PROVINCE IG hts Morobe & Madang Provinces Highlights 1 Diving the wrecks and 3 Catching a wave on the 5 Watching leatherback carnage of WWII or snorkelling clean Ulingan Bay break turtles scramble ashore over the psychedelic reefs opposite the Surf Club in at Kamiali Wildlife around Madang (p92). Tupira (p99). Management Area (p89) 2 Paying your respects to 4 Bouncing in a banana boat under a full moon. the fallen at the War Cemetery, as it speeds along the Huon 6 Witnessing the beetle­ and watching Anga warriors Gulf Coast (p89) to your bejewelled singsings of the dance at the Morobe Show in very own Robinson Crusoe isolated Simbai (p101) Lae (p84). hideaway. villages high in Bismarck Range..