WESTERN ATOLLS in MANUS

 

Children of Hermit Island at sunset.

The Hidden Island Paradise - Luff Island, Manus Province

BY PRISCILLA HARRY

Papua New Guinea has some hidden Islands that has being forgotten and left alone for its inhabitants to cater for themselves.

Luff Island, located two nautical miles off the international dateline in Manus province is truly a forgotten paradise.

Under the Nigoherm council, it is commonly known as the Western Atolls up north between Wewak mainland and Manus province within the Bismarck Sea.

To Papua New Guinea, it is forgotten but to thousands of travelers on cruise circles, it is known as a “must stop” site in their travel plan.

Luff Island in the Hermit Island Group is one of those places when you search about PNG or read a cruising blog about this country, Luff Island village will always be mentioned as a highlight. 

Getting there is a slow struggle.  

Luff Island beachfront . .  serenely calm in the mornings.

Luff village leader Bob Poplis is an expert angler and runs a tour guide program for visiting tourists on the island.

“We often receive 3-4 yachts in a week from all around the world,” he added.

Poplis said the tourists makes it a one stop cruise and dock in at the bay in search of fresh water, fruits and local food and that is how we came up with the idea of giving them tour around the village or to nearby fishing spots and atolls.

Lepon Island, known for its inhabitants of different species of birds and fascinates tourists that approach the area.

The lagoon is surrounded by mini atolls, ravines and creeks that run from the only mountain in Luff supplies fresh water to the island community.

Creeping in infrastructure is the new Akip High School sanctioned by the Manus provincial government.

The purpose of Akip high school to ensure children in all surrounding Ninigo group of islands have a fair chance of education despite their rough voyages every year to outside provinces in search of proper education.

“Our form of transportation is by boat, but for the villages we still need basic services and acknowledge the Manus provincial government for implementing the new high school project but we still need health services due to the distance away from the main Manus Island,” Poplis added.

To this island community, simple village life is worth the measure and most of their daily routine is based around gardening, fishing, and hunting.

The Hula (Taro) sago and fish been the staple food, it takes a week’s travel back and forth from Lorengau town in search of matches, detergents, oil, soap, salt and sugar.

The highest income generating revenue is seafood and mainly it is the much sought-after Sea Cucumber (Bech-de-mer) that the islanders trade for cash.

On ordinary months from early January to June, they survive most on live fish trade and eventually after June the seabed often produce the finest species of sea slug and are often targeted on Asian markets for an affordable price.

One thing about Luff is that at the end of the day, you will still have a good laugh.

Luff Island thatched home