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Before you go
Your trip to Alotau.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Alotau – Milne Bay Destination Milne Bay Capital
How to get there
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Aeroporto de Gurney (GUR) 12 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Via Gurney Airport (GUR), 12 km from the center, with flights from Port Moresby. From the airport, the road passes Turnbull Field before reaching Alotau; transfers are usually arranged with your accommodation.
How many days
Two or three days: one for the waterfront, market and the 1942 memorials, one for a boat trip to Samarai and one for diving or snorkeling.
When to go
It rains year-round. From May to October, the southeast wind can roughen the bay; from November to April, it is hotter and more humid. In November, the town usually hosts the Kenu and Kundu Festival.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The center is small, and trips to the memorials, dive sites and Samarai are arranged by accommodations or local operators.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Alotau
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Morning
Waterfront and Milne Bay Memorial
Start at Alotau’s waterfront and the Milne Bay Memorial, with panels about the 1942 battle. Then go to the market, with fish, fruit and island handicrafts.
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Afternoon
Turnbull Field
In the afternoon, visit the Turnbull Field Memorial on the airport road, where the Japanese advance was stopped, and pass by the area of the former KB mission, scene of the first fighting.
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Late afternoon
Late afternoon on the bay
Return to the waterfront and watch the late afternoon over the bay and the mountains on the southern shore.
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Evening
Seafood dinner
Have fish or seafood at your accommodation and arrange the boat to Samarai or the next day’s dive.
2 days in Alotau
Day 2
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All day
Samarai by boat
Depart by arranged boat for the China Strait and Samarai Island, a former port town and a national historic site. Walk the island and return to Alotau before dark.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What to see in Alotau?
The Milne Bay Memorial on the waterfront; the Turnbull Field Memorial on the airport road; the town market; and, by boat, Samarai Island. Alotau is also the base for the bay’s dives.
Where is Alotau’s airport?
Gurney Airport is 12 km from the center. The road passes Turnbull Field before reaching the town.
How to go from Alotau to Samarai?
By boat with arranged transport. There are shared boats to Logeia, next to Samarai, and chartered boats that go directly to the island. Arrange your outbound and return trips in advance.
Is Alotau a good base for diving?
Yes. Trips depart from Alotau and from dive lodges along the coast to the bay’s reefs, walls, wrecks and sandy bottoms.