Hotel review: Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort

Location

Air Niugini flies daily from Port Moresby to Tokua Airport, which services Kokopo and Rabaul. The flight is a bit under two hours. Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort provides transfers (for a fee) from the airport to the resort. The drive is about 30 minutes on a bumpy road that is being upgraded to four lanes. The resort is on the coastline of Blanche Bay centrally located in Kokopo, with views of the sea, islands and volcanoes. It’s a further 40 minutes by road from Kokopo to Rabaul.

The place

Former Air Niugini CEO Simon Foo and his wife Evelyn are the owners of the resort, which opened about 25 years ago and is a reliable and proven provider of accommodation, food, tours and good service under the watch of resort manager Mukesh Kumar.

The Pacific-style architecture of the Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, including the Hauswin Restaurant. Credit: Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort

The architecture is Pacific style, with timber poles and accents, high thatched roofs, open-style lounges and dining areas, cane furniture and bungalow accommodation. Coastal comforts are present in the form of ceiling fans, air conditioning and bar fridges.

The resort’s beach is fringed with palms, and the sand is raked and kept in pristine condition along with the lush gardens, which give the place a sanctuary-like feel.

The resort has several boats and vehicles, and an excellent range of water and land tours that include swimming with dolphins, island visits, snorkelling and volcano excursions.

Rooms

There are several room styles, from apartments to waterfront bungalows. Depending on which you choose, there are polished timber floors, sofas, desks, louvred windows that open to sea breezes, and outdoor verandahs with deck chairs. The interiors are Melanesian style, some with thatched walls, artwork and artefacts such as old wooden paddles and other Pacific flourishes to add character.

Food and drink

The Hauswin Restaurant (pictured) is an open-air affair with a wide-ranging menu that includes traditional PNG food, Asian, Indian and Western dishes. It is consistently good (try the ceviche, chilli crab and butter chicken) and is under the stewardship of Chef Ryan from the Philippines and Chef Rakhi from India, who have been with the resort for more than a decade each.

What guests like

“The bungalows are spacious and beautifully decorated.” – TripAdvisor

“Friendly staff, beautiful room, very good food.” – Expedia

WHO STAYS? A mix of business and leisure travellers, including families with young children.

HOW BIG? 51 rooms

COST Waterfront executive bungalow from PGK656 per night.

CHECK IN / OUT 1pm /10am

HIGHLIGHT Sometimes it’s the simple things that are best, such as the resort’s treetop deck (pictured), where you are surrounded by birdsong and views to the sea and volcanoes. The deck is perfect for an early morning coffee at one of the tables as the sun rises, or to have lunch or dinner.

WHAT ELSE? Annually, Kokopo hosts the National Mask Festival in July, and Rabaul stages the Frangipani Festival in September.

WHAT’S NEARBY You can walk to Kokopo’s market, the war museum, banks, supermarkets, business offices and a golf course.

This article was first published in the November 2026 – January 2027 issue of Paradise, the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini.