Travel Guide Golfe Du Huon

This gulf which protects Lae houses several traditional villages that are not explored by tourists. The route proposed here can be done in a day or more complete over several days. It is an excellent way to discover the local life of coastal villages around Lae. Travelers can organize a visit to the Tourist Office of Lae or the VTD, which is investing a lot in this region. Starting from the port, near a malfamed market, we find, on the right, fish processing plants, managed by Filipinos with a few fishing boats. Then comes the main wharf which can only accommodate three large carriers at the moment. But work should be done quickly to expand this wharf, which is vital to the country's economy. It will then extend to the Makham River, which flows into the bay a little further and gives a brownish color to the harbor water. Otherwise serious is the fact that gold mines upstream of the river directly discharge their waste, causing huge amounts of sediment to be deposited in the bay. Since these wastes are not treated, they carry with them all the pollution of mines, including arsenic… Before the port expands, the authorities will have to move the "settlements", these wild facilities from other provinces, installed just after the wharves. After the mouth of the Makham River, we arrive at a first village. Then, following a short passage into deep waters, a narrow passage leads to Labu Lakes that mark the entrance of the Labu Tali Conservation Area, a conservation area for leatherback turtles. These lakes form from the water flowing from the marshes that separate the Lae Plain from the surrounding mountains. The boat evolves in a mangrove environment where villagers move in traditional canoes, fishing, collecting wood for fire or collecting oysters on mangrove branches, the spectacle of life that flows peacefully in a magnificent environment. This site used to serve as a water base and the "jet set" of Lae came to jet-ski or swim. But as a result of problems with traditional owners, everything stopped. Returning to the sea, continuing along the coast, the village of Liabu soon emerges, leaving the river Buan, very pleasant for a swim in freshwater, among the children of the curious village to see visitors. We'll find a first guesthouse here. A little further, at 1 hour of Lae boat, we already see Salamaua, a government station known for the beauty of its waters and the possibilities of trekking in the surrounding jungle, to discover remnants of the Second World War or points of view. You can sleep at Salamaua Guesthouse (++675 472 3782), but you will have to cook yourself. Further away, start the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, from the village of Lababia where a guesthouse can welcome visitors (contact via the VTD). This conservation era protects corals, leatherback turtle breeding areas, mangrove and primary forests. The place is beautiful, the welcoming population and the surrounding area offer a few days of rest and walking or snorkeling at low prices (from 50 kinas at night).