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EP 118 Papua New Guinea with musician David Bridie; Lonely Planet's 2026 hotlist & safe wifi connections
Description
Four kilometres from Australia, Papua New Guinea is our closest, and also our least explored neighbour. As PNG celebrates the 50th anniversary of independence from Australia, Australian musician and composer David Bridie talks about his connection with PNG, which spans four decades.
A founding member of Not Drowning, Waving, David first visited PNG in 1986; he is now an initiated Tolai man, returning more than 40 times, for work and to visit friends who've become family in Rabaul, Bougainville and Manus Island, as documented in the film Abebe; see davidbridie.com
Come for the fishing, diving and birdwatching, stay for the incredible, varied cultures, some only first touched by contact with the outside world in our lifetimes.
Also, the places you need to be going in 2026, thanks to trendsetters Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel in 2026 and for our tip this week, how to stop hackers targeting you on holiday, thanks to Saily SIM cards. See lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel and saily.com
Finally, Kirstie checks into the Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins, and we're both hoovering up Hong Kong classics at Atlas Dining in South Yarra. See https://ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/ and atlasdining.com.au
David's recommendations include:
Baia Sportfishing baiafishingpng.com
Walindi dive resort, Kimba walindiresort.com
Kumal Lodge (birdwatching) facebook.com/kumullodge989/
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