Have a peek inside our Asaro bedroom and join us for a meal
Cooking up a storm
Poor John and I have travelled all over the world and weathered all sorts of conditions. Temperatures have ranged from -3° to 53°C (27° to 127°F), and our tents and other accommodation have ranged from the non-existent to the rustic to the exquisite.
Exquisite doesn’t happen very often, but sometimes it comes in unexpected forms.
Papua New Guinea was an amazing destination and certainly delivered on weather. Every day was glorious (or on the hot side) and we didn’t get any rain. And the provided accommodation was an interesting mix of styles.
Boiling water for sponge baths
One amazing stop was in an Asaro village on a hilltop not far from Goroka, in the PNG highlands. I’ve already introduced the highlands, but I haven’t yet shown you where we stayed and what we ate.
Our Asaro hosts—they knocked themselves out to entertain and amuse us over several days—have created a special tourist village with more than 10 reed huts to accommodate visitors. Our group of almost 20 people is the largest crowd they’ve ever had.
The hand-built structures are exquisite in their simplicity, and furnished with basic bedding. The communal toilet and shower are located at opposite ends of the two rows of huts.
Outside our hut
Inside our hut
Poor John and I bunked down in a round hut. They are a bit smaller than the rectangular ones with a pointy end, but who cares. It’s not like you go to an Asaro village to spend all your time in your hut.
We were too busy enjoying the activities organised for us. We were also really impressed by the quality of the food and the variety of produce that could be grown in the highlands.
In fact, we learned that anyone in-the-know who travels to the PNG highlands will come home with a bag of fruit and veggies. In fact, highland airports offer a wrap-your-bag-of-produce service, so cherished purchases don’t roll around in the hold.
But back to our village.Our hosts have their homes at the base of the hill, but many spent all their time with us. In addition to the huts and amenities, there’s a dining hall, a kitchen, a place to boil water, storage buildings, a generator (for a bit of light at night), a range of agricultural plots and a huge open area for dances, performances and the like.
So I’ll be back soon to show you more about all the things we did.
Bags of produce on the airport carousel
Where to next? 
Just catching up on my reading and still enjoying reading about your PNG trip. That tear gas incident would have got me downright worried. Did you guys feel unsafe at any time?
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We never felt unsafe in the Asaro village, but you can’t help but feel a little uneasy in Goroka and, more so, in Port Moresby. But we were never threatened.
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Interesting trip !
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Thanks, it really was fascinating.
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It’s almost like being there. 🙂
Great pictures and nice description.
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Thanks so much. It’s been so busy around Christmas and New Year that I haven’t had a chance to write about the mock wedding in the village. Stay tuned.
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Sounds like an amazing trip by staying in a village in the PNG Highlands! Thanks for sharing!
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My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by. It was a fantastic experience. We also got to stay in several beach villages and I still need to write about those.
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