SOME TIPS:

• Hotels in Papua New Guinea are relatively expensive compared to many countries in Asia and Pacific Islands, including Australia and New Zealand. You would normally spend between K80 and  K200 per night for guesthouses, inns, and motels. For luxury hotels, resorts, and motels, you should expect to spend between K100 to K400 per night. Overall quality of service in luxury hotels are equivalent to major hotels in developed nations.

• Charges accommodation may not reflect quality of service - you must bear in mind that many places of accommodation in the city may charge you more and provide less services than expected. However, very few hotels that are run by Coral Sea Hotels throughout Papua New Guinea are known for excellent services.

• Book ahead or end up paying the price - this is the rule you cannot avoid. You need to call the places of accommdation in Papua New Guinea ahead of time. Many accommodation places have vacancies throughout the year so you should have no problem walking up to the counter to book a room. However, it is important to book via e-mail, fax, or phone ahead of time before arriving in Papua New Guinea.

• Few Choices - there are not many hotels or places of accommodation in Papua New Guinea. Some towns or cities have only two or three places of accommodation, while other even more or less. It is therefore important to book ahead. Also, make sure to re-confirm your bookings. Sometimes, goof-ups are possible. You might want to avoid such happening.

• Safety - all luxury hotels in Papua New Guinea have reliable security during the days and in the nights. Security and safety is therefore not a problem.

• Transportation between airport and hotels - most places of accommodation in Papua New Guinea are located miles away from airports. Call and arrange for airport pick-ups and drop-offs before arriving in Papua New Guinea. Some luxury hotels provide free pick-ups and drop-offs. If the place you are staying does not have free pick-up, you can get a local PMV bus to get there. It is important to ask anyone you meet at the airport for directions to the bus stop. Papua New Guineans are friendly people; they will help you get to the bus stop. Past experiences show that some locals would invite you to come stay with them while you are in town, however, do not bet on this for luck in the "land of the unexpected!"

• Excitement & Fun - in luxury hotels, the bars and dance rooms are always open in the nights and afternoons. Stop by and have a "SP Beer" or other beer and alcoholic bevarages. Some luxury hotels in the cities have places designated for white collar people and foreigners that live and work there. Ask each hotel personnel to find more information about other interests while staying.

• Not all hotels use credit cards or travellers cheques - it is very important to take cash with you to pay for your accommodation. Most hotels and places of accommodation in Papua New Guinea do not accept anything other than cash currencies (in Papua New Guinea Kina).

• Option - if you have not decided as to where too stay or wish to spend a night or more in a rural village setting, contact me to arrange for your unique travel experience at Kokop Village Eco-Tourism Center in Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province. Send email to skyuimb@hotmail.com or skyfdn@hotmail.com.