Kandep offers its slice of paradise

By MALUM NALU
For an area that has been ripped apart by tribal fighting for many years, remote Kandep in Enga is strikingly beautiful, just like everywhere else in Papua New Guinea.
I recently took a road trip from Mt Hagen to Kandep, overnighted, and the next day travelled on to Wabag and Wapenamenda.
The Mendi-Kandep Road, which was recently completed by Chinese contractor Covec, is no doubt one of the best in the country.
It passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country including mountains, rivers, waterfalls and flora and fauna.
I think about the possibilities of tourists visiting, of guest houses and lodges being set up, trekking tours, the possibilities are endless.
Things will happen, not only in Kandep but everywhere in PNG, if there are no law-and-order problems.
Kandep is one of the five districts of Enga.
It is located in the southern part of Wabag, capital town of Enga.
Kandep shares land borders between Laiagam-Porgera district, Wabag, and Wapenamenda districts.
It also shares borders with Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and the new Hela province.
Kandep is accessible by road, and the Kandep-Laiagam Road links to Wabag which is three hours drive back and forth.
The Mendi-Kandep Road was completed in 2015.
The Kandep-Magarima Road is under construction and will lead on to Hela capital Tari.
Kandep has many lakes, the largest being Pakelem, due to a volcanic eruption hundreds of years ago.
The people of Kandep live in tribes and land is owned by individual tribes.
Kandep is one of the worst higher altitude tropical frost victims.
It has a population of approximately 80,000.
Kandep has two LLGs, Lai Rural LLG and Wage Rural LLG.
Being divided by the long swamp, extending from north to south, Lai Rural LLG lies on the east and Wage on the west of the swamp.
I ask Kandep MP Alfred Manase about developing tourism there.
“I’ve already got a plan,” he tells me.
“The Mendi-Kandep Road is sealed and the National Government is going to seal the road between Kandep and Laiagam under the ADB (Asian Development Bank) programme.
“I think they will let the contract anytime next year.
“Once connected to Hela, we are connected in three different ways (Tari, Mendi and Wabag).
“That makes it easy in terms of accessibility and connectivity.
“Tourism is one of the things I really want to promote.
“We already have two guest houses inside the (Kandep) station, and another one just beside the river, which makes it three.
“I’m planning to support locals to build another guest house on the other side of the Wasa Bridge as soon as it is completed.
“There is a local legend about how this earth is going to end here.
“This is why all Enga and Hela relate to this area.
“It is because of all these legends that I want to turn Kandep into a tourist attraction.
“We have several tourism products that our district development authority is looking into.
“We are also looking at reviving cultural activities in Kandep because the people can dance and dress up – unlike other parts of Enga.
“We are looking at all these things.”
After talking with Manase, my mind comes up with a catchy tourism slogan: “Kandep – The Place Where the World Will End.”