PNG Surf Info
Bump
Went to Nusa Island Retreat a few years back, before COVID, in a January. Once was enough, 38 degrees day and night with 90%+ humidity, no air conditioning, traditional grass huts, the only time I felt cool was when I got caught in a downpour coming back from a surf in the longboats. Surf is fickle we had 2 or 3 great days and diminishing down from there over the 10 days with 3 days of waist high waves. The only people in the water were the resort’s guests so about 16 of us but we were always split into two groups/ boats. The local boat driver’s smoke while standing between the outboard’s fuel tanks, you can be literally miles out to sea and down the coast, out of all radio contact and no safety equipment was on board!! The reef is very much alive so the tiniest nick will get infected unless immediately treated (2 of our group were very sick on return to AU). All flights to PNG are ex Brisbane so that’s 2 more days/nights time and cost to be factored in. Security is still dodgy and especially for western women, flight transfers are in/out of Port Moresby - don’t leave the airport buildings and retribution is still a thing-we heard of a villager being clubbed to death on Nusa Island a couple of years prior to our trip and the resultant armed police presence run amok in the bar each night for a week … sounds like a Ripping Yarn!
I take it you don’t have shares in Nusa Island Retreat GS? ;)
I read from above that it's actually awesome, and he's steering us away. been cagey about where he went over xmas, too. Guyyyyy...!!?
Ive never been but I have a friend that goes to PNG on boat trips and he prefers it to Mentawai's, but he likes kind of small weird waves.
Sounds fun but that whole region from PNG, through NE Indo to Philippines is a lot more fickle than the Indo Indian ocean side.
From what i can gather the main attraction is low to no crowds and the beauty of the area..
indo-dreaming wrote:...but he likes kind of small weird waves...
From what i can gather the main attraction is low to no crowds and the beauty of the area..
haha, yup.
^^ I guess that sounds negative, but most of what I’ve said above is way outside the control of the resort. The positives- environmental footprint would be small (all traditional grass roofed buildings, fixtures, grounds down to the composting toilets and all super clean), resort is really a tropical paradise/garden, the staff are super friendly, the food is amazingly varied and super fresh.
Hey All,
just wondering if anyone has been to PNG recently (say since Covid) for a surf trip? considering a trip in early 2026 (land based camp) but having real trouble getting a proper guage on say swell consistency/size, crowds, quality of camps, number of surf breaks you have access to, safety/security etc. look like there are different regions (similar to Indo).
just seems to be minimal info/footage online say compared to Indo.
thanks in advance