Malaria precautions for New Guinea?

[LittleFish1976]

I'm travelling in a few weeks time to several ports in New Guinea on a cruise including Alotau, Rabaul, Kiriwina and the Conflict Islands. I see that all of these are within the Malaria zone and wondered whether cruisers usually take the Malaria medication? I've known people with Malaria, and also those who have had adverse reactions to the medication so I'm trying to avoid either of those outcomes!

 

Have any of you travelled by ship to New Guinea and encountered this decision yourselves? I'd love some help! Of course I wouldn't be on land overnight and would be taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Any thoughts on this would be most welcome.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Aus Traveller]

We have gone on that itinerary a few times, the last just a month ago. We didn't see one mozzie. I took Bushman's repellant spray with us, but didn't use it. I would not consider taking anti-malarial medication unless I was living in a jungle area for a while, or taking a cruise on the Amazon.

 

 

[LittleFish1976]

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

We have gone on that itinerary a few times, the last just a month ago. We didn't see one mozzie. I took Bushman's repellant spray with us, but didn't use it. I would not consider taking anti-malarial medication unless I was living in a jungle area for a while, or taking a cruise on the Amazon.

 

 

Oh, that's brilliant. Thanks so much for that info and the super-prompt reassurance. I won't bother with it, then. I'll just get the personal spray and try to stay un-bitten!

 

Can I ask, did you happen to go on the Ahoima Cultural excursion in Alotau? I'm thinking it looks like the most 'local cultural' of the ones offered.

[Aus Traveller]

Re Malaria - On our first visit to PNG many years ago, our GP strongly advised against the anti-malarial medication. He recommended the various precautions to avoid getting bitten.

 

We have been to the cultural show in Alotau. Probably worth what you pay but not great. Another suggestion is get a local driver to take you on a sightseeing tour. Drivers can be found outside the wharf gate. The price for an hour tour was AUD$25. You could extend this to a two-hour tour including to the sites relevant to the WWII Battle of Milne Bay, but there probably wouldn't be enough to see to make it any longer. We did this in a reasonable standard car with air-con, although the air-con was a bit half-hearted.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Aus Traveller

[SinbadThePorter]

There is a risk of malaria, but on a cruise it is minimal. If you were doing a land based trip I would strongly recommend an anti-malarial.

 

So long as you use plenty of Rid and don't stay on shore after dusk there shouldn't be a problem.

 

Alotau is not great. If I was going back I'd probably stay on board for the day. The other ports are excellent.

Edited January 9, 2020 by SinbadThePorter

[RosieCanberra]

We were there in August, had no problems, saw no mozzies anywhere. We used a private driver in Alotau as well. 

[LittleFish1976]

34 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Re Malaria - On our first visit to PNG many years ago, our GP strongly advised against the anti-malarial medication. He recommended the various precautions to avoid getting bitten.

 

We have been to the cultural show in Alotau. Probably worth what you pay but not great. Another suggestion is get a local driver to take you on a sightseeing tour. Drivers can be found outside the wharf gate. The price for an hour tour was AUD$25. We did this in a reasonable standard car with air-con, although the air-con was a bit half-hearted.

Thank you, again. Good suggestion about the driver; I wonder though if an older woman by herself would be 'comfortable' in that situation? I know one has to be a bit careful in PNG.

[LittleFish1976]

22 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

There is a risk of malaria, but on a cruise it is minimal. If you were doing a land based trip I would strongly recommend an anti-malarial.

 

So long as you use plenty of Rid and don't stay on shore after dusk there shouldn't be a problem.

 

Alotau is not great. If I was going back I'd probably stay on board for the day. The other ports are excellent.

Thanks, Sinbad.

 

Interesting to hear your thoughts on Alotau. I'm really interested to see some of the culture but appreciate the idea.

[LittleFish1976]

5 minutes ago, RosieCanberra said:

We were there in August, had no problems, saw no mozzies anywhere. We used a private driver in Alotau as well. 

Thanks also for your confirmation of those ideas. Are they happy to accept AUS$?

[RosieCanberra]

Just now, LittleFish1976 said:

Thanks also for your confirmation of those ideas. Are they happy to accept AUS$?

 

Yes, ours was. We did 5 hours AUD$120 for two of us in a van with another couple. Had a driver, assistant and the tour guide. But I would get Kina before you go. Having a private driver means you can ask them to take you to the large supermarket so you can buy a drink using a large note, say K100, and get change. 

You need Kina for the locals, especially on Kiriwina. They are dirt poor there, try and spend some Kina there and be generous if you can. 

[SinbadThePorter]

11 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Are they happy to accept AUS$?

 

In the towns, mostly yes. On the islands, mostly no. Conflict island is a resort so there are no currency issues.

 

Take $5 notes to pay for things. Get Kina if you can.

 

By the way, mossies are like crocs. It's the one you don't see that gets you. 😮

Edited January 9, 2020 by SinbadThePorter

[LittleFish1976]

8 minutes ago, RosieCanberra said:

 

Yes, ours was. We did 5 hours AUD$120 for two of us in a van with another couple. Had a driver, assistant and the tour guide. But I would get Kina before you go. Having a private driver means you can ask them to take you to the large supermarket so you can buy a drink using a large note, say K100, and get change. 

You need Kina for the locals, especially on Kiriwina. They are dirt poor there, try and spend some Kina there and be generous if you can. 

Shall do. Thanks for the heads up. Did you happen to take school supplies or anything like that? I would like to help in some small way if possible.

[Aus Traveller]

30 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Thank you, again. Good suggestion about the driver; I wonder though if an older woman by herself would be 'comfortable' in that situation? I know one has to be a bit careful in PNG.

It is Port Moresby that is very risky. That's probably why cruise ships don't go there. However, I understand your reservations about going alone. When you meet people in the dining room, turn the conversation to what they plan to do in each port. You will probably meet people who would be happy to share a car with you. We would have been happy to do so if you had been on our cruise. 

[Aus Traveller]

13 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Shall do. Thanks for the heads up. Did you happen to take school supplies or anything like that? I would like to help in some small way if possible.

We didn't this time, but it is a good idea. The challenge will be to find the right person to give them to. If you have a taxi in Alotau you could ask the driver to take you to a school - provided it isn't during the school holidays.

[SinbadThePorter]

4 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The challenge will be to find the right person to give them to.

 

The cultural show is staged at the  Milne Bay Education Center . I would imagine if you are going there they could give you a few tips on what to do with school supplies.

 

If you get stuck with higher denomination Kina, you can quite often informally exchange it for Oz dollars that the islanders will be trying to offload as they don't have access to banks. It's not a scam, just be aware of the exchange rate.

[Elorac123]

We got Kina onboard with a great exchange rate.

Festival was worth the small amount paid but return buses had issues,,,nowhere to wait in the shade,,,,not enough buses but tourism is new to NG so they will learn,give them a few few years  grace and ho with the flow.

Did not see  a need for malaria meds

Cheers Carole

[LittleFish1976]

43 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

In the towns, mostly yes. On the islands, mostly no. Conflict island is a resort so there are no currency issues.

 

Take $5 notes to pay for things. Get Kina if you can.

 

By the way, mossies are like crocs. It's the one you don't see that gets you. 😮

 

Probably better a mozzie than a croc but I take your point 😉

 

[LittleFish1976]

5 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

The cultural show is staged at the  Milne Bay Education Center . I would imagine if you are going there they could give you a few tips on what to do with school supplies.

 

If you get stuck with higher denomination Kina, you can quite often informally exchange it for Oz dollars that the islanders will be trying to offload as they don't have access to banks. It's not a scam, just be aware of the exchange rate.

 

Good thought about the education centre. I hear that exercise books and pencils - that sort of thing - is welcomed.

[Aus Traveller]

LittleFish - I don't know where your cruise departs from, but if it is from Brisbane, I mention that there was a currency exchange booth at Portside selling kina. At the end of the cruise they were there to exchange any excess currency, however you can probably off load excess kina by exchanging some AUD that the locals on the island have been given.

[RosieCanberra]

1 hour ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Shall do. Thanks for the heads up. Did you happen to take school supplies or anything like that? I would like to help in some small way if possible.

 

The couple with us had school supplies. The driver took us to a local school to hand over these to the principal.

[LittleFish1976]

59 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

LittleFish - I don't know where your cruise departs from, but if it is from Brisbane, I mention that there was a currency exchange booth at Portside selling kina. At the end of the cruise they were there to exchange any excess currency, however you can probably off load excess kina by exchanging some AUD that the locals on the island have been given.

 

Hi Aus Traveller, I'm getting on in Melbourne but we do stop in Brisbane before continuing on to PNG. Don't stop in Brissie on the way back but rather Cairns. If the exchange is at the Port in Brisbane, I'll jump off and check out the rate. Thanks, again.

[LittleFish1976]

1 hour ago, RosieCanberra said:

 

The couple with us had school supplies. The driver took us to a local school to hand over these to the principal.

 

Great idea, thanks RosieCanberra. It sounds like the driver might be the go - that and enlisting another fellow passenger or two to come along!

[valantine80]

2 hours ago, RosieCanberra said:

 

The couple with us had school supplies. The driver took us to a local school to hand over these to the principal.

 When we cruised to PNG two years ago on Princess, they were asking anyone who was taking supplies ashore to register them with Passenger Services. Am not sure of the reason for this.

[RosieCanberra]

9 hours ago, valantine80 said:

 When we cruised to PNG two years ago on Princess, they were asking anyone who was taking supplies ashore to register them with Passenger Services. Am not sure of the reason for this.

 

I pretty sure everyone in our ship (P&O Aria) was meant to fill in a form or something as well. 

[LittleFish1976]

12 hours ago, valantine80 said:

 When we cruised to PNG two years ago on Princess, they were asking anyone who was taking supplies ashore to register them with Passenger Services. Am not sure of the reason for this.

 

3 hours ago, RosieCanberra said:

 

I pretty sure everyone in our ship (P&O Aria) was meant to fill in a form or something as well. 

 

I wonder why that is. Oh, well, happy to go along with that - assume it's some sort of customs requirement.