East Cape - Milne Bay

East Cape is a short drive (About 50km or 1 - 2 hrs) east of Alotau along what starts off as a quality sealed road and quickly deteriorates into a rough dirt road. All along the way, the road passes through small communities and villages and you'll pass many people walking by the road side.

The popular choice of transport is the PMV (Public Motor Vehicle). These are basically flat bed trucks with bench seats fitted along the sides. People either sit or stand on the tray under a framed canopy, or if it's very full, they sometimes hang off the back. It's quite an experience and you'll find all the passengers very jovial and always ready for a laugh. The PMV stops often along the way at seemingly random points to pick up and set down passengers.

Along with people, their is always some cargo to be carried as well. Fuel containers and small containers for kerosene (For lighting), market goods both bought and for sale and almost anything else you can imagine often shares the same space.

The road follows a steep ridge line towards East Cape and as you approach, you pass through the last hills and into the village itself. This village is a little more modern than the others you will see. It has a Catholic school with modern buildings, but the rest of the structures are mostly traditional huts. Located just beside the market area is a sandy beach where all types of water craft congregate and ply their runs between the outer lying islands. People arrive and depart constantly by paddling canoe, sailing canoe and fast dinghy.

For those looking for a walking experience. It is possible to get a guided walk to the top of the peak overlooking East Cape and get views right out across Milne Bay and the distant island groups. It's a tough walk, but well worth the effort.