Kwato Island Guest House
Why visit Kwato Island? There is not much there these days.
There was nothing there in 1891 when the Rev Charles Abel of the London Missionary Society was looking for a suitable site to set up a mission. At that time, Kwato was uninhabited because there was a fetid swamp on the foreshore and the local belief was that it was occupied by a terrifying and vengeful serpent with whom one messed at ones own risk. But Englishman Charles Abel was an avid cricketer and he did not see the swamp, he saw a potential cricket ground and promptly set about filling it! Kwato Island Guest House is on the edge of this cricket ground — the first cricket ground in PNG!
The Christian Mission and Education & Vocational Training Centre that Charles Abel and his wife began at Kwato in 1891, quickly became famous throughout PNG and the world for the quality of workmanship in boat building and other technical skills, and for the caliber of graduates trained and educated there. Abel also instilled a love of sport, and cricket in particular, and in 1929, took a cricket team to Port Moresby to play against an all-white team. The all-Papuan Kwato team was narrowly defeated, but even so it was a historic milestone in race relations at the time.
The following year Charles Abel was killed in a motor accident in England. The stunning commemorative stone church on Kwato built in his name after his death is strongly supported and maintained today by an active congregation from surrounding islands.
Because of its historic past and present idyllic beauty, there have been many requests for accommodation from people wishing to visit. So we have recently built two self-contained cottages where you can stay for a very modest tariff. Because of its central location, Kwato Island makes an ideal base from which to explore the surrounding islands.
Activities
Beach-combing, canoeing, snorkeling, fishing, bush walks, surfing, wedding packages.
Contact
Kwato Island Guest House
Milne Bay Province
Papua New Guinea
Bookings can be made through Napatana Lodge or Masurina Lodge. Following are the contact details:
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About Milne Bay
Alotau International Hotel
