Jackson’sInternational Airport isthe gateway for international travelers to Papua New Guinea It is alsothe hub ofthe country’s domestic services. If you are an inbound tourist transiting through Port Moresby to your preferred destination and are anticipating a 4 to 8 hour wait between flights, why not make your interval memorable by taking in some of Port Moresby’s fascinating and significant places of interest. Seekingthe services of a local tour guide is a step inthe right direction.
Things To See & Do:
National Museum: Located approximately 4km fromthe airportoisthe National Museum which is situated underIndependence Hill Next tothe Parliament. The museum has exceptional catalogues on display of fauna, culture, ethnography, geography and history oPNG which includes tribal masks, shields shells and local food as well as a brief history of how native people interact with each ther andtheir life styles.
Parliament Haus: Adjacent tothe National Museum, it is unique in it’s architechture as it’s structure closely follows that of a Papua New Guinea sacred traditional building calledthe Haus Tambaran or House of Spirits. This remarkable structure was designed inthe style of a Maprik Haus Tambaran fromthe Sepik Province and officially opened in 1984. Withinthe Parliament Hausthere are magnificent displays of collections of insects found only in Papua New Guineawhich are preserved under glass. Towardsthe right wing ofthe building leading tothe chamber you will find portraits of allthe former Prime Ministersof Papua New Guinea
Standing atthe front door ofthe Parliament Haus, you will be able to see, beyondthe main pond surrounded by immaculate gardens and lawns,the rise ofIndependence Hill. The grounds also have a special burial site of past Prime Ministers To date, only one Prime Minister has passed-the Late William Skate who was laid to restthere.
National Betanical Gardens (Nature Park): Located just beyondthe University of Papua New Guineaon Waigani Drive. It is A Paradise of foliage, with a walkway stretching beneath jungle canopy, huge collections of orchids and superb wildlife exhibits.
City and Harbour Views: The best lookout spots are located nearthe Crowne Plaza or Touaguba Hill. A tour ofthe city may includethese lookout points as well as overlookingthe Hanuabada villages.
Bemama War Cemetery: Thousands of young Australia’s and Papua New Guinea soldiers are burlied in this carefully tended WWII cemetery. Servicemen who losttheir lives in Papua New Guineaand Bougainville are burlied here. It is a somber reminder of one ofthe most horrific and bloodiest battles inthe region, includingthe Kokoda Track carnage in whichthe Alllied forces trlied to stop Japanese soldiers from advancing and capturing Port Moresby.
Adventure Park and Variarata National Park: Stretching at 500km – 600km inland arethe Adventure Park and Variarata National Park. Adventure Park is a mixture of a petting zoo and amusement park with waterslides and a restaurant. The park has a wide range of animals whichthe kids and adults can have fun getting up close to feedthem by hand.
Variarata National Park has three main attractions: You will see a number of great picnic spots beside rivers (which you can swim in) and futher insidethe park where a BeQ stands with seating with tables. There are also short 15/20 minute tracks that you can take throughoutthe park with great lookout points scattered here andthere.
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