Why travel out for vacation or holidays when paradise is just a boat ride away?
A locally-run lodge at Salamaua in Morobe Province promises breath-taking scenery, pristine waters and a stress-free atmosphere.
Buagong Lodge is located at the untouched seaside village of Busamang at Salamaua.
It is only an hour-long boat ride away from the congested Lae city.
Owner of the lodge, Guring Moari, has his own boat that he uses to pick customers.
His first building, consisting of two rooms upstairs and a kitchen underneath, was erected in 2013, while he got his first customer in 2014.
“Tupla manmeri ol kam lo Switzerland, ol i kam olgeta olsem honeymoon blo tupla,” he smilingly recalled. (A couple from Switzerland came all the way here for their honeymoon.)
“After that, mainly missionaries from ol different churches lo Lae ol sa kam lo hia.” (After that, mainly missionaries from the different churches in Lae used to come.)
After spending time at his lodge, the missionaries then passed on word to their colleagues in other parts of the country, including Mt Hagen and Goroka, and before he knew it, Moari was hosting German, Swedish, Canadian, US and Australian missionaries.
In 2015, his new setup was booked to host a children’s camp, where Moari was expecting 18 children and 10 adults.
“What mi wokim em, mi go baim ol mattresses, bedsheets na pillows – olgeta samting ken fitim ol displa 28 (guests). (What I did was, I purchased mattresses, bedsheets and pillows – everything that can cater for 28 guests.)
“So at the moment, I have everything that a guest house needs.”
The friendly and soft-spoken Busamang man, who is now in his 60s, has over three decades of experience as a safety and environment officer in the mining industry. His skills have enabled him to keep the place running since his retirement in 2014.
Moari built his lodge from scratch; from obtaining materials to installing electrical wiring and plumbing. Because Salamaua is yet to access electricity, a generator and solar lights ensure the area is well-lit at night.
And if the generator or the boat are having problems, the local businessman and his boys get them up and running in no time.
His wife and daughter-in-law are in charge of house-keeping and catering, while his son and nephews accompany him on his trips to and from Lae, as well as maintain the property.
Business has recently been picking up, hence Moari is planning on adding more facilities as soon as funds are available.
Apart from board and lodging, his beachfront can be used for picnicking, with a hauswin and barbeque stand provided.
Guests can go kayaking or even visit the waterfall, which is only a few metres inland.
Running water is piped straight from the mountains, with modern ablution facilities provided.
While Moari is not a regular social media user, he can be reached on 7097 7420.
