Milne Bay · Papua New Guinea

Milne Bay

The eastern tip of New Guinea and a sea of islands: Alotau and the history of 1942, the former port town of Samarai and the yam culture of the Trobriand Islands.

Papua Region

In the photo: Samarai Island

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Milne Bay lies at the eastern tip of the island of New Guinea, where the continent breaks into hundreds of islands in the Solomon Sea and the Coral Sea. Alotau, the provincial capital, occupies the bay’s northern shore, surrounded by forested mountains.

In August and September 1942, the Battle of Milne Bay was one of the first defeats of Japanese land forces in the Pacific War. Memorials in Alotau and at the former Turnbull Field commemorate the fighting, and the town itself grew over former Allied base areas.

In the China Strait, Samarai Island was the second town in the Territory of Papua in the early 20th century and today is a national historic site. To the north, the Trobriand Islands, with Kiriwina Island and Losuia, preserve the yam-house culture and the kula, the exchange circuit of shell necklaces and bracelets studied by anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski.

The province’s seas have reefs, walls, wrecks and sandy bottoms prized for diving. In November, the Kenu and Kundu Festival brings war canoes and drum groups from several islands to Alotau.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Alotau, Losuia.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Milne Bay is

Boundaries: Papua New Guinea National Statistics Office / OCHA ROAP / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Milne Bay

✈ Aeroporto de Gurney (GUR) · 12 km to Alotau

Gurney Airport (GUR), 12 km from Alotau, has flights from Port Moresby. The Trobriand Islands have an airstrip at Kiriwina, near Losuia, served by small aircraft. Between islands, connections are by boat, sometimes combined with other transport.

Suggested arrival point: Alotau

Baía Milne · Milne Bay Capital Suggested arrival point

Alotau

Alotau has been the capital of Milne Bay Province since 1969, on the bay’s northern shore facing the mountains. On the waterfront is the Milne Bay Memorial, dedicated to the 1942 battle; to the west, the Turnbull Field Memorial marks the point where the Japanese advance was halted. By boat, the former port town of Samarai in the China Strait makes a full-day outing. The town is the base for the bay’s dives and hosts the Kenu and Kundu Festival in November.

Baía Milne · Milne Bay

Losuia

Losuia is the main settlement and the government station of the Trobriand Islands, on the island of Kiriwina. From here you can visit the island’s villages, with yam houses painted and decorated with shells, such as Omarakana, the village of the Trobriand paramount chief, and Kaibola Beach in the north, which has a reef for snorkeling. The island is flat, made of coral limestone, and life follows the yam calendar, whose harvest is celebrated in the milamala.

The local experience

Things to do in Milne Bay

Alotau · Milne Bay · War memorial

Milne Bay Memorial

Memorial on the Alotau waterfront dedicated to the Australians, Papuans and allied forces who fought and died in the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942, with an interpretation area and panels.

Losuia · Milne Bay · Traditional village

Omarakana

Village of the Trobriand paramount chief, in central Kiriwina, with the large painted yam house decorated with shells, where anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski conducted his research.

Alotau · Milne Bay · War memorial

Turnbull Field Memorial

Memorial at the former Runway No. 3, between Gurney Airport and Alotau, marking the spot where the Japanese advance in Milne Bay was halted in 1942.

Losuia · Milne Bay · Beach

Kaibola Beach

White-sand beach in northern Kiriwina, beside the village of Kaibola, with clear water and a coral reef close to the shore, good for swimming and snorkeling.

See 1 more place in Milne Bay

Alotau · Milne Bay · Historic island

Samarai Island

Small island in the China Strait that was the second town of the Territory of Papua and the provincial capital until 1968; declared a national historic heritage site in 2006.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

Rain occurs in every month, with variations from island to island. From May to October, southeast winds often roughen the sea along parts of the coast; from November to April, the northwest monsoon brings more heat and humidity. The Kenu and Kundu Festival usually takes place in early November.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three or four days for Alotau, the 1942 memorials, a boat trip to Samarai and a few dives. To include the Trobriand Islands, allow another three or four days because of the small aircraft flights.

Which city to stay in

In Alotau, accommodations are in the town center facing the bay and along the road that runs east along the coast; some are on headlands and in coves reached by boat, with diving. In the Trobriands, lodging is on Kiriwina, near the airstrip and Losuia, and arranges village visits.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Milne Bay

How many days to stay in Milne Bay?

Three or four days for Alotau, the memorials, Samarai and some dives. With the Trobriand Islands, six to eight days.

How to get to the Trobriand Islands?

By small plane to the Kiriwina airstrip, near Losuia, with flights from Port Moresby or from Alotau, depending on the routing. There are also boats from Alotau, which are long trips with irregular schedules.

When is the Kenu and Kundu Festival?

It usually takes place in Alotau in early November, with war canoe races, kundu drums and dances from several islands. Check the exact dates each year before you go.

Is Milne Bay good for diving?

It is one of the country’s well-known diving destinations, with reefs, walls, wrecks and sandy bottoms hosting small and rare animals. Trips depart from Alotau and from dive lodges along the coast.

Do you need a car in Milne Bay?

No. In Alotau, accommodations and tour operators handle transport, and between islands the connections are by boat or by small plane.

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Milne Bay

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.