Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has everything for the adventurous person!

Here is a variety of the nature and unspoilt areas you never thought existed. Papua New Guinea has so many different cultures and tribes and they still speak more than 800 languages. The birdlife is unique, the diving is maybe the best tropical diving in the world, the nature is fabulous and maybe the most important – the people are fantastic!

This country has the biggest potential we have seen. It is still untouched in many areas – a great destination for the experienced traveller who has already been in South and Central America, Southeast Asia, India and Africa.

In 2004 Papua New Guinea issued 16.000 visas, compared to Fiji who issued 500.000! Unbelievable when you think of what you get in this country. There are probably two main reasons why this country still is a hidden gem. The first thing is the bad reputation Papua New Guinea has and the second is that it is still an expensive country to visit.

Yes, Port Moresby and Lae are tough towns but not as tough as the Australian newspapers present them. Not more dangerous than walking in the wrong places in any big city around the world.

Sometimes one forgets that more than 30 000 people get killed every year in USA by guns and pistols – still people dare to go USA!!!! And if you get outside the cities in Papua New Guinea you can expect a friendliness that will surprise you.

It is a very young country – independent since 1975. The infrastructure is in some places nonexistent, health system not the best and we visited many small villages where they had no teacher for the children > at school. So expect a rough time and in some places primitive living as they more or less only have luxury resorts or homestays and not so much in between. However, that is changing.

Those who can cope with the characteristics of Papua New Guinea and takes it as it is will have an unforgettable experience.

In “Huli Wigman land” up in Tari, Southern Highlands we stayed with Steven Wari at Warili Lodge. We had a fantastic time with him and his guides and loved the meeting with the Hulis. The birdlife in this area is world class.

Alois Mateos at Ambunti Lodge arranged our week long adventure at Sepik River. It’s an amazing river with very interesting people and glorious nature and wildlife.

Another lovely place we stayed at was Napatana Lodge in Alotau where Pat and Peter are two fabulous hosts. The diving we had at Tawali Lodge in Milne Bay was unbeatable and the surroundings around Goroka and Mt Hagen in the Highlands where awesome.

Read our 4 Travel Stories from Papua New Guinea by clicking on the menu on the left side of this page.

At the bottom of the page on the Travel Stories you will find associated photos.