It's difficult to say exactly which street the local market is on… It just exists, and if you ask any local (most speak some English), they'll point you in the right direction. All were friendly to me as a lone female, and many of the local kids followed me to see what I was doing. Tropical fruit is everywhere, and the locally grown peanuts are an interesting treat (they're boiled, I think). The daily catch is often displayed as well, and bargaining in the local currency, kina, is fierce. They accept dollars readily, however, and are amenable to bargaining. (Frankly, I didn't really think paying $2 versus $1 was bad if a child ate better, and I'm a sucker for the grandchildren’s smiles - I just
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Tropical fruit is everywhere, and the locally grown peanuts are an interesting treat (they're boiled, I think). The daily catch is often displayed as well, and bargaining in the local currency, kina, is fierce. They accept dollars readily, however, and are amenable to bargaining. (Frankly, I didn't really think paying $2 versus $1 was bad if a child ate better, and I'm a sucker for the grandchildren’s smiles - I just couldn’t bargain down).
Wear comfortable shoes and breathable clothes but nothing flashy. As a blonde-haired and blue-eyed girl, I definitely stood out, but tight clothes and ostentatious electronics are unnecessary, as this is still a patriarchal society.
Carvings, woven baskets, decorated crocodile heads, and shelled necklaces also abound and shouldn't be missed, but the people selling many of these objects only emerge from the forests up the Sepic River whenever large groups of tourists are expected. Otherwise, the Madang Resort has several locals they endorse on their property who are wonderful people. Enjoy!
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