ENGA PROVINCE
LAIAGAM
Travelling west from Wabag on the Highlands Highway will take you to Laiagam District, with a 45 minute drive following the Lai River upstream to its source on the Sirunki Plateau.
This is one of the most fertile parts of Enga Province and the tour through this district will take you past neat patchwork arrangements of traditional Engan gardens up and down the steep, terrain, with occasional signs of modern agriculture coming in to the picture.
Along the highway there are numerous roadside markets selling fresh produce, including sweet potato, carrots, peanuts and strawberries. Fresh, cheap, tasty and healthy, its worth pulling over and pausing for some snacks for your journey.
SALT PONDS
One of Enga and Papua New Guinea's most unique attractions is found in Laiagam district. The traditional salt trade has been revived by the local people and is open for visitors.
At the Lynoge Salt Ponds, you can see how the forebears of the local people extracted salt from the water in these ponds, which bubbles up from under the earth.
More information on the salt ponds can be found here.
LAKE VIEWS
The lake view balcony at Yaskom Resort-Hotel is the perfect spot to taken in Lake Ivae, and see the source of the Lai River. The lake is also known as the source of the Sepik River as the Lai River is its major tributary.
Find out more about Lake Ivae and Yaskom Resort-Hotel here.
TASTING ENGA
The traditional earth oven cooking style, known as mumu, is found across the PNG & the Pacifc Region, and at Yaskom Resort, you can taste the tradition Engan mumu, which includes local meats and vegetables like banana and sweet potato infused with the flavours of edible forest ferns.
There are nearby strawberry farms and honey producing bee apiaries which have made this region a drawcard for foodies.
The annual Tasting Enga tour, which happens on the Enga Cultural Show weekend is the best time to experience all the flavours of Laiagam.
Read more about the Tasting Enga Tour here.