TOP 5 EXPEDITIONS
Tigak Sea Kayaking Dossier
XPDO700
9 DAYS
GRADE – MODERATE
ITINERARY – COSTS – INCLUSIONS
For more General Information about your Kokoda Trip please click here.
EXPEDITION OVERVIEW
There are few places on earth left to explore, however Papua New Guinea in many respects is an adventurers final frontier. With hundreds of islands and thousands of kilometers of coastline, PNG to this day has so many destinations ripe for exploration.
One such place is the Tigak area of north west New Ireland. 1.5 hours flight from Port Moresby, The Tigak area is famous for its surf and SCUBA Diving. A long chain of islands stretches out from New Ireland and skirts the east coast of New Hanover. These islands are surrounded by pristine clear water and untouched coral reefs, home to a plethora of sea life.
Inhabiting these islands are small villages that live off the sea. Some live on islands as small as a football fields while others live on large islands that produce fruit and vegetable.
This sea kayaking expedition will explore this area, paddling from one small island to the next. We will visit people that have rarely seen outsiders, snorkel beautiful reefs and sample delicious sea food.
This 9 day expedition is for those that want to explore new areas, meet new people and discover the wonders that Papua New Guinea has to offer.
EXPEDITION GRADE
This expedition is considered moderate as there are no long walks and our paddling days of 4 hours are broken up by lunch and swims. Accommodation will vary from comfortable eco lodges to tents on the beach. While temperatures can be high (mid 30’s), crystal clear water and pristine coral reefs will be more than enough to keep you cool.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Port Moresby and transfer to hotel. Free time to relax.
Day 2: Fly Port Moresby - Kavieng. (B, L, D).
You will be met
at the airport by one of our team members and taken to the Nusa
Island Retreat. This afternoon you will meet with your local Guide.
We will check out our kayaks and go for a short practice paddle
around Nusa Island. That night we will have our expedition
briefing. Overnight in Retreat.
Day 3: Nusa Island Retreat –
Kabotteron Island (B, L, D)
Today we start paddling. But before we
start our Guide will go through some safety issues. After breakfast,
we set out for our first destination, Kabotteron Island approximately
2 hrs from the Retreat.
On the way we will stop at Nago Island (30 minutes away). Nago is a turtle nesting site so the chances of seeing turtles is very good. We will do some snorkelling there, before we head off for Enuk Island.
Enuk is a beautiful island, split by a narrow channel. Here we will have lunch and explore the island, escorted by one of the local villages.
From Enuk we head for Kabotteron and its southern tip. There we
will set up camp and depending on the time of day, snorkel the reef
just down from the village. Overnight Masat Village.
Day
4: Kabotteron - Nusakelo (B, L, D)
After breakfast we will start
NW towards Bangatang towards Nusaum. We will stop at Nusaum for a
snorkel of the excellent reef.
From there we head another 30 minutes to the southern tip of Lemus Island. Here we will have the chance to snorkel one of the best beach reefs in the region. After some morning tea we will head off to our days final destination.
From Lemus, we will paddle on the outer reef towards Nusakelo. Depending on the tide, we may be able to cross into the inner reef along the coast of Bangatang.
Finally, we will reach Nusakelo, a small village on the southern tip of the Tsoi group of islands. This is a great place to rest under some enormous trees and explore the rocky coast.
After lunch, we can hop into the support boat and head back towards Patio Island and Nup for a snorkel in what we consider some of the best reefs in the world.
Overnight in tents overlooking the bay.
Day 5: Nusakelo - Lamalangit (B,L,D)
Today we paddle
from Nusan Kelo to Lamalangit. This will be a
relatively easy day, with a gentle paddle along the coast of the Tsoi
group. We will have great views of the coast of New Hanover.
We will arrive in Lamalangit to a traditional greeting. In the
afternoon, we may have a chance to take a traditional outrigger canoe
into the channel with a local guide showing us some of the more
interesting aspects of living in such a remote community.
Day
6: Lamalangit - Tsoilik (B,L,D)
Today we track the west coast of
the Tsoi group of islands. Just south of Mansava Village is
a great snorkelling reef, which if the tide is right, we will
explore. From there we will paddle to Tsoilik and a superb guest
house area on the far north tip of the island with views over New
Hanover and beyond. We will have a Village presentation that night.
We will also have the chance to explore Tsoiliks lagoon and Bird
Island where birds from all over the region come to nest. Overnight
in very nice Bungalows.
Day 7: Tsoilik – Nusa Island
Retreat. (B, L, D)
Today we transfer back to Nusa Island Retreat.
If we leave early enough we will be back there by lunch. For those
who wish to surf, there should be time in the afternoon.
Day
8: Nusa Island Retreat – Port Moresby (B)
After
breakfast we will transfer to the mainland for our flight back
to Port Moresby. There we will rest and celebrate our trip
again.
Day 9: Fly home.
INCLUSIONS
- Kayak use with all safety gear including vest,
paddle, decks etc
- Accommodation throughout trip including 2 nights at
Holiday Inn Port Moresby and 2 nights at Nusa Island Retreat
-
Support boat throughout
- Radio contact between Kayakers, Support Boat and
Kavieng
- All domestic flights
- National park
fees
- Professional guide throughout expedition
- Local
tours
- Airport transfers
- Ranger and local guide fees
-
All meals as indicated in itinerary
- Cultural displays
-
Snorkel and Flippers
EXCLUSIONS
- Airport taxes
- Camera fees within Komodo National Park
- Visa
to PNG
- Personal expenses
- Beverages
- Extra meals not mentioned in
inclusions such as the eco-lodge
- Tips to guides and other staff
(optional)
XPD0700 9 Day Tigak Sea Kayak AUD$2990 ex Port Moresby
For those that wish to do some SCUBA Diving (highly recommended) we can add a couple of days to the end of the trip for this. SCUBA Diving trips are best organized through the Eco-lodge you will be staying at.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1.Sea-kayaking… What’s it
like?
Sea-kayaking is a most wonderful way to explore the
world. It’s inexpensive and environmentally-friendly, does not
require months of training and superior strength, and is good for the
body and soul. Sea-kayaking can take you beyond the reach of
civilization into the natural world, into the space between earth,
sea and sky.
No prior experience is necessary. As long as you are in good health and have a sense of adventure, you will quickly master the skills needed to paddle and steer your kayak. Our experienced guides will give an introductory lesson at the beginning of the journey, and will be there to help and keep everyone happy and safe throughout.
3. Would the expedition be too hard/too easy
for me?
We believe this program has some challenging sections
but they are not beyond the person with general fitness. If you are
physically fit and have a sense of adventure then these expeditions
are for you.
4. Is it safe?
It is safe. The Tigak
region is a sheltered island group and as such large swells are
uncommon.
The sea-kayaks we use are sleek and very stable, and
all are equipped with the usual safety features.
The No Roads
guides have kayaked, worked and adventured in wild places for many
years, and are skilled in risk-management and emergency medical care.
Finally, each expedition has a support boat that can help out
anyone in trouble and we have radio contact with Nusa Island Retreat.
No.
In the unlikely event that your sea-kayak should capsize, you will
easily exit the boat and your high-buoyancy life-jacket will keep you
afloat. Even snorkeling is possible for non-swimmers, with the help
of your guide and your life-jacket.
6. What’s our
group size?
We keep our groups small, a maximum of 12 on each,
to minimise our impact on the places we pass through, and to maximise
our enjoyment of each day.
7. Are the kayaks singles or
doubles?
We use double kayaks, which means you will be
paddling with another person. You may like to book with a friend and
paddle together, or you may be happy to get to know your fellow
travelers by kayaking with them.
For more experienced kayaks we provide a single
kayak.
8. What about the sleeping arrangements?
Nights
are usually spent in small villages near the water.
Back in Nusa Island we stay at the best eco-friendly lodge called Nusa Island Retreat. This lodge has been built with the environment in mind, so recycling is a major feature of the hotel.
9. Is diving possible?The
snorkeling and scuba-diving in the area is excellent, and are highly
recommended activities. If you wish to SCUBA we suggest you extend
your stay and organize a dive from the hotel in Nusa Island. All
equipment is available for hire.
10. Apart from the
sea-kayaking, snorkeling and scuba-diving, what else is there to
do?
Where do we start… there’s lying in hammocks, reading
books, going fishing, swimming, beach-combing, meeting the locals,
walking through forests, bird-watching, taking photos, exploring,
playing beach volleyball, and coconut petanque, dining with friends,
sharing stories, watching the sun set, playing guitars, gazing at
stars, sleeping soundly.... You’ll love it!
THE KAYAKS
The kayaks used proper sit in expedition kayaks made by Dagger. They are comfortable and perfectly suited for this type of sea kayaking, made from durable rota mold plastic.
They have adjustable seat and a rudder for easy control.
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
New Ireland people
have been blessed with rich and varied cultural practices and values
that blend well with the environment. The people of New Ireland are
Melanesian and speak 22 local languages. Traditional clan power is
wielded by chiefs, but clan rites and land claims are passed on in a
matrilineal system.
The traditional art of calling sharks is practiced along the coasts of New Ireland, but particularly on the West Coast around Kontu and Tembin where certain men have the ability to call up sharks. The unfortunate shark swims up to the caller’s boat where they can be speared and netted. Alternatively the shark propeller is used – a noose is hung with half coconut shells which make a rattling noise, attracting the shark up through the noose. A rope attached to the noose is connected to a wooden propeller which is spun round to tighten the noose and simultaneously pull in the rope. The shark, unable to keep moving, effectively drowns.
The people of New Ireland have three distinct culture or traditional practices: Malagan, Kabai and Tumbuan. While Malagan and Kabai are unique only to New Ireland including the "traditional shark hunter", Tumbuan which is a men's sacred society and widely practiced by the Tolais in East New Britain Province, actually originated from the southern area of New Ireland in the Lak/Kandas area where it is mostly practiced. New Ireland’s culture is rich, colourful and intricate.
MALAGAN
Unique to New Ireland is the carving of Malagan figures. They are only a concluding, but integral, part of a months long mortuary ceremony in the northern New Ireland area, but because of their 3-dimensional nature and intricate interweaving of one figure into another they immediately caught the attention of early travelers. Museums in Europe, especially Germany, have many fine examples that today would not be found anywhere else. In fact in the last 25 years, the number of recognised master Malagan carvers has reduced from 15 to only 2, and they are now old. Many thousands of these art pieces were collected in the German period that would otherwise have been destroyed.
The Malagan practice once covered the areas extending from Tabar Islands, Madak, Kuot, Noatsi, Nalik, Kara, Tigak, Lavongai and Djaul.
Today only the Tabar Group of Islands and a few of the Nalik villages on the east coast of New Ireland mainland, are still active in observing the rules and the use of Malagan carvings in their cultural feasts.
In Panatgin and Lamasong villages of the Madak area, Lossu, Langania and Libba of the Noatsi/Kuot areas, the carvers are mostly creating for tourists. Whilst not observing its cultural values and use, these areas are still maintaining the Malagan art and craftmanship.
KABAI
Kabai culture or traditional practice involved activities similar to that of the Malagan. However, in this particular tradition, there are no carvings or carvers involved. Instead, a tree trunk or a large branch of a tree, specially selected is cut, neatly trimmed up, and placed in a selected location in the village.
As in the Malagan culture, the Kabai is staged at a final feast to remember and honour deaths in a family. The important components of a Kabai are pigs, traditional shell monies ("mies") and taros.
The planning, preparation and co-ordination of a Kabai feast is very similar to that of a Malagan feast.
ARTS
Collections of carvings, shell jewelry, woven baskets and bags can be seen and purchased from the New Ireland Tourist Bureau, the Kavieng Hotel, Malagan Beach Resort and Nusa Island Retreat or you can do a day trip from Kavieng Town down to Libba Village to see one of the remaining two Master Malagan Carvers, Ben Sisia. The people of Nusalik Island also make beautiful shell jewellery, which are available to buy on Nusalik Island.
FLIGHTS
As a Licensed Travel Agent, No
Roads Expeditions can also arrange all your flights to and from PNG.
We will take the hassle out of organizing your travel arrangements so
you can concentrate on getting the students prepared.
ACTIVITIES
