A friend and I stayed at Ulumani for just shy of 3 weeks in the war house. I have travelled extensively, and it is one of the great, if not the greatest, experiences that I have had. If you are planning a trip to PNG, then I can't recommend Ulumani enough. I will go into further detail in the following paragraphs about why I think it's one of the best places around.

The people: Warren and his family are some of the nicest and most hospitable people you will ever meet. The lodge is located within their village, Wagawaga, which is set in a beautiful tropical setting. Warren's family constantly provided us with copious amounts of fresh fruit direct from their garden. The area surrounding the village is also completely safe and we never felt unsafe in the village or in town, even for a second. The people are a big part of what makes this place so special!

The environment: The lodge is surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens that are expertly manicured by Moses the gardener. As you can see from the pictures, the gardens are a bounty of tropical flowers that harbor countless stunning butterflies and birds. Warren also cares deeply about protecting the environment and is passionate about educating the local populace.

The activities: There are so many fun activities to do around Ulumani that we simply didn't have time to do it all in 3 weeks. However, we did a lot, including a trip to see the Reggiana bird of paradise in the wild, hiking up the mountain to an observation rock used by the forefathers, hiking to a beautiful waterfall and exploring Milne Bay. There is also a ship wreck just off the shore at the local village that provides excellent snorkeling. We saw many beautiful corals and fish, including colourful tusk and clown fish. There are many more activities on offer that I will do on a return trip.

The cost: If you are considering a trip to PNG then you already know that, in relation, it's an expensive country to travel to. Despite this, staying at Ulumani is affordable with different accomodation options for different budgets. Food is also relatively cheap with a local market only a short walk away and the larger shops in Alotau only a short drive. The activities will also cost money; however, most of this money goes to the local land holders as an incentive for keeping their respective places in a good, natural condition. In my opinion, the money you spend at either the local market or on local activities, is the best way to support the local community.

I also wanted to make a note about security, as Alotau received numerous bad reports in the media towards the end of last year. Despite this, I never felt or saw anything that made me feel even slightly unsafe. While there are certainly some areas which aren’t as safe, like there is anywhere in the world, Warren has in depth and up to date knowledge of the security situation. The areas surrounding his village are completely safe and if you wish to venture further afield, Warren will only take you to areas which he is 100% confident that they are safe.

If you are interested in staying at Ulumani and require more information, please don't hesitate to contact me. In summary, I can’t recommend this place enough and I can’t wait to return!

When you spend your vacation time and money to travel to PNG you want to find a local contact you can trust who can help you make the most of your trip. Warren is that person. He is simply one of the best hosts/local guides I've met anywhere in the world. He picked us up at the airport despite road closures and arranged boat transport and local guides for us to go up the Dawadawa river on a 3 day/2 night village stay. He'd never done that before, but everything went very smoothly. I felt very comfortable having him keep our passports while we were out on that trip, and then he picked us up and transferred us to Gonubarabara island in his trusty boat. He even got us more kina so we didn't have to go into Alotau. He adapted as we changed plans, was a great communicator during planning and while we were there, and he even guided us on the waterfall hike at a time when he was busy coordinating transfers of several other guests. He never missed a beat with any of the people he was hosting. The lodge was very well appointed, comfortable, had lovely orchids on the grounds, and has lovely views. We stayed in the upper bungalo. Food and company were very good as well. We didn't do the bird of paradise visit but heard from others it was great. Same for snorkeling on the shipwreck near Wagawaga. I cannot recommend Warren enough and would be glad to connect with you to give him a reference and answer any questions you have.

ein fantastischer Platz, friedlich, freundlich, bezaubernd, Warren ist der perfekte Gastgeber mit einem grossen Wissen. Wir hoffen das mehr Gäste diesen Platz entdecken.
We was here in september 2018. The most beautiful place in PNG. Dont miss it! Quiet. peaceful. We hope more people will enjoy this paradis. We was kanuing on Wagawaga river, birdwatching, village walk, jungelwalk. Warren is a wonderfull host. PNG need more spots like this. Very very god homemade food.

greetings from Annette and Frank