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Walking & Trekking
Milne bay is paradise for trekkers and bushwalkers alike. There are easy tracks to follow along the coast that meander through picturesque villages and some really challenging treks into the mountains into virgin rainforest. Napatana offers a number of these and can provide guides. The forests have a plethora of birds, plants, butterflies and other animals. The blue Ulysses butterfly is common as are the different coloured varieties of Priamus. Each island has its own colour. The Goliath butterfly is also here as is the Hercules, the largest moth in the world.
Suggested treks are from Ulumani Treetops Lodge on the south side of the Bay all along the coast to the tip of the country, stopping overnight in a village called Dalidali on the way and ending at Gumoisu Guest House. The Gumoisu lookout commands a breathtaking view of the Samarai cluster of islands and a local 10 minute ride by dinghy will bring you Samarai for the next stage of the journey.
Another idea is to go across from East Cape to Sewa Bay to stay at Saidowai Guest House. The Bay is home to the Giant Pitcher Plant, also the Lamiodendron Magnificum, which is the only Begonia that is also a flowering tree. This is endemic to Normanby island. From Sewa Bay you can trek to Esa’ala in a day and overnight at the Women’s Guest House there. A short dinghy ride brings you to Fergusson Island, home to the hot springs and an extinct crater.
A third route is along the north coast all the way to Cape Vogel. You can stay in villages along the way and there are many interesting things to see. From Cape Vogel you can sail across to Goodenough Island and climb Oya Madawaa, a mountain that is said to have the largest height to base ratio in the world. The highest mountain on Goodenough is 2536 meters (8320 feet). The Catholic Church has a Guest House at Watuluma and can organise guides. On these mountains there is a strip inhabited by the endangered Goodenough Wallaby that is the only endemic wallaby in the Pacific.
Another option from Cape Vogel is to jump on Star Ships on a Sunday and travel to Tufi and later on to Oro Bay and Lae or Rabaul by boat.
From Alotau there are a number of short walks to waterfalls and into the rainforest. There are also five tracks across the mountains to the north coast.
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About Milne Bay
Bird Watching
