Boluminski Highway

The Boluminski Highway runs around two hundred and sixty kilometres down the east coast of New Ireland from Kavieng to Namatanai, built from 1900 under Franz Boluminski, the German district officer, who required villages along the route to construct and maintain their section, and it remains one of the better roads in Papua New Guinea. It runs close to the shore for most of its length under coconut palms with the sea on one side and hills on the other, passing villages, beaches, small guesthouses and roadside markets, and it is used for cycling as much as driving; riding the length over several days staying in village guesthouses is the way a number of visitors do it. Reefs and swimming beaches line the coast.

What you actually see

• The coastal road - the route under coconut palms beside the sea.
• Village guesthouses - the simple accommodation along the way.
• Beaches and reefs - the shore and snorkelling along the coast.
• Roadside markets - the produce and fish sold along the route.

When to go

May to October in the drier season for the riding and the road; the wet season brings heavy downpours. The full length takes two to four days by bicycle or a long day by vehicle.

Honest expectations

Accommodation is basic village guesthouses that need arranging ahead, not booked online. Sections of the road deteriorate and repairs are uneven. There are few services and supplies should be carried. Heat and humidity are heavy for cyclists.

Nearby

Kavieng is at the northern end; Namatanai is at the southern.