Lae

Introduction

Lae is the capital of Morobe Province and is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located near the delta of the Markham River and at the start of the Highlands Highway, which is the main land transport corridor between the Highlands region and the coast. Lae is the largest cargo port of the country and is the industrial hub of Papua New Guinea. The city is known as the Garden City and home of the University of Technology.

With no road connections between Port Moresby and much of the rest of the mainland, Lae's port is also the main way by which food from the Highlands (potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, etc) reaches the capital. Coastal shipping from Lae also offers a cheaper transport option for those who cannot afford to fly to Port Moresby. Known as the "gateway to the Highlands", this does Lae a disservice as it has much to offer in its own right.

In the 1920s, Lae was the busiest airport in the world - it was there that aviators in the gold mining industry first proved that it was commercially feasible to ship cargo (and not just people) by air. Lae was the last known stop of aviator Amelia Earhart on her attempted around-the-world air journey in 1937. She did not reach Howland Island, her next planned refueling stop. During World War II, Lae was a major base for Japanese troops.

Sights and Activities

• Lae Botanic Gardens - Right in the heart of Lae city the gardens give a good appreciation of some of PNG's vegetation and attract a wide range of birds.
• Lae War Cemetery - Contains 2,818 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 444 of them unidentified.
• The Rainforest Habitat - This is a self-funding display on 10 hectares at the Lae University of Technology and has a large collection of animals and birds, including a dozen of the 30 species of Bird of Paradise found in Papua New Guinea. The Habitat has around 80 Birds of Paradise, many on display in a 3,000 square metre rainforest enclosure.

Weather

Lae has a tropical climate with daytime temperatures between 28 °C and 32 °C and nights around 22-24 °C. The city has a huge amount of rain a year, averaging around 4,400 mm. June to August is the wettest time of the year with around 500 mm per month, while January to March sees around half of that amount.

Getting There

By Plane

Lae Nadzab Airport offers flights to/from Alotau, Goroka, Hoskins, Madang, Popondetta, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Buka, Lorengau, Bulolo, Finschhafen, Kabwum, Lablab, Omora, Satwag Wau, Yalumet, Wewak and Vanimo.

By Car

Lae can be reached by car from most cities in PNG's Highlands, via the Highlands Highway, and also from Madang on the north coast.

By Boat

It is possible to get a berth on a coastal freighter from Port Moresby.

Getting Around

By Car

Take care when driving around Lae as, although the roads are improving, there are many potholes.

Sleep

• Huon Gulf Motel (near the Botanical Gardens and the old Lae air strip).
• Lae Highway Inn (on the outskirts of town at the beginning of the Highlands Highway), ☎ +675 472 4344, fax: +675 472 4345.
• Lae International Hotel, 4th Street, ☎ +675 472 7000, ✉ [email protected]. Has a swimming pool suitable for adults and children. K400 approx. for a double.
• Lae Travellers Inn, Vee Street.
• Melanesian Hotel, 2nd Street (opposite the GPO). Check-in: Noon, check-out: 10.00.

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet usage among the people is relatively low. You can find internet cafes in major cities, towns and other tourist centers. Wifi coverage is still very low, but is growing.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Papua New Guinea's international country code is 675.

Digicel is by far the better telecom provider. A new prepaid sim card is easy to purchase and can be used in any unlocked phone. Calls cost from 0.60-1.00 kina and SMS from 0.25 kina. Topup is available anywhere where there is network and also online (credit card or PayPal). Mobile Internet costs 0.35 kina per MB but it's possible to buy hourly (30 MB for 1 kina), daily (60 MB for 2.5 kina), weekly (150 MB for 10 kina) or monthly (900 MB for 65 kina) packages. There are also promotions and packages for calls and sms.

Post

Post PNG offers postal service in the country. It is only recommended to use for sending postcards, as it is not very reliable nor fast. To send packages overseas, use international courier companies like FedEx, DHL or UPS.

External Links