Are We There Yet?: Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea

Monday 24 June 2024

Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea - Cruise Ship Port

We arrived at 8 a.m. on a Friday and left at 6 p.m. on the Saturday. A tender port with the most beautiful beaches, the island of Panasesa, one of the Conflict Islands, is also a resort island.

Conflict Islands is an atoll (ring shaped group of coral islands) consisting of 21, mostly uninhabited islands in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, approximately 130km from the mainland.

They were first sighted in 1879 by HMS Cormorant, and named in 1880 by Captain Bower of HMS Conflict - after his ship. The HMS Conflict was a schooner built by John Cuthbert, Millers Point, NSW. It was launched in 1873, and her prime aim was to prevent blackbirding operations in the South Pacific by enforcing punishments. She was wrecked in 1882 on a reef off between Suva and Levuka with no causalities.

Approximately 950 acres, the islands are privately owned and part of a conservation effort to protect them. Irai Island is the largest island and the centre of the population. It has a 3,000 metre air strip.

Nearby is Panasesa Island is a resort island and the base for cruise ships. Consisting of 6 bungalows, it is the island we almost walked the whole way around.

Stepping off the jetty onto the beach one is welcomed by an information sign. To the right is the main part of the 'day tripper' cruise passengers amenities - toilets, refreshments, food, activities. To the right is beach.

The cruise ship offered many excursions and most were also offered at the island for much the same price.

We chose to do our own thing and walk around the island. Being late November it was hot, and PNG can be hot all year. We walked to the right past the long line of passengers wanting to get back on the ship. We chose to get off late, about 11am. No queue to get a tender to get off. We had our cameras, water, shade umbrellas (which we didn't need) and cooling towels. There is a souvenir hut with carvings and baskets and the usual postcards, hats etc.

Conflict Islands uses Kina for its pricing and only accepts credit cards. We read on social media posts not to bring credit cards, and to bring cash in Australian dollars or PNG Kina to buy food or drinks. Glad we took both - but only needed credit card.

Food and drinks are available in many locations along the beach in the little huts, and one even had alcoholic cocktails (and local beers) - that's where the long queue was.

The majority of the food available is locally made or grown. There was not a great variety and the chips were great.

After checking out the main area we headed down the centre path. We came to a fenced off area which we found out later was the resort area, and headed to the left of the path.

It was a well cleared and level path with beautiful lush gardens either side.

We walked past the turtle nursery - the island has a turtle protection program.

We ended up on the other side of the island and more beautiful beaches.

We walked across the airstrip

... and here the paths were very overgrown and we choose one that took us to the top part of the island.

From here we had to back track as there was no path and the tide was coming in and we didn't want to get caught on the beach.

So we walked back along the beach, past the resort and spent some time there.

There were only a few people there and the water was perfect.

The bottom of the island, we were told has a lot of rips and the tide covers the sand quickly, yet that is where a lot of passengers swimming and snorkeling - off the sand spit.

We headed back to the ship late afternoon.

With no queues for the tenders we walked along the long floating jetty and back onto the ship.

We loved the island and can't wait to get back there. However, I would not recommend this port for wheelchairs as beside the difficulty of wheelchairs on tenders, the jetty is a floating one and goes up and down with the waves. In saying that, I had no difficulty walking on the jetty as there are hand rails to hold onto.