Highlights
The Highlands are PNG's cultural heart, home to hundreds of tribes whose vibrant 'sing-sing' gatherings — a riot of feathers, face-paint, shells and drumming — are among the world's most spectacular cultural spectacles, best seen at the Goroka Show or Mount Hagen Cultural Show. Trekking the historic Kokoda Track, a demanding jungle route of WWII significance, is a bucket-list adventure for the fit.
Underwater, PNG is a diving legend — the reefs, walls and WWII wrecks of Milne Bay, Kimbe Bay and around New Britain rank among the world's richest and least-crowded, with astonishing biodiversity. Tufi's fjords and Kavieng add more diving and surfing.
The mighty Sepik River offers journeys deep into a world of stilt villages, haunting 'spirit houses' and extraordinary tribal art, while birders seek the dazzling birds-of-paradise in the rainforests. This is expedition travel — remote, challenging and reliant on organised tours and local operators — but for the adventurous, it delivers cultural and natural encounters found nowhere else on the planet.
When to go
May to October (the dry season) is generally the best time for the Highlands, trekking and most regions — drier trails and clearer conditions, and the season of spectacular cultural 'sing-sing' festivals (like Goroka and Mount Hagen, around August-September).
The wet season (November to April) brings heavy rain, especially in the lowlands, complicating travel. PNG's climate varies hugely by region and altitude — hot and humid on the coast and islands, cooler in the Highlands. Diving is good year-round. For the Kokoda Track, festivals and Highlands travel, aim for the dry season, roughly June to October.
Visa & entry
Many nationalities (including the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia) can enter visa-free for tourist stays of up to 90 days, while others need a visa in advance. A passport valid for your stay (often three to six months) is required. This country is not in the EU or Schengen Area, so it has its own entry rules and time spent here does not count against a Schengen allowance. Confirm the current visa-free allowance for your nationality with an embassy or official sources before you travel, as rules can change.
Health & safety
Papua New Guinea rewards the adventurous but requires serious caution and preparation — it has significant safety challenges, including high crime rates (including violent crime and carjackings) in Port Moresby, Lae and some urban areas, plus occasional tribal conflict in parts of the Highlands. This is not a casual independent destination: most visitors travel on organised tours or with trusted local operators and guides, use secure airport transfers and accommodation, avoid moving around towns on foot (especially after dark), and don't display valuables.
Remote travel, tropical disease (malaria — take prophylaxis), and limited medical care add to the challenges, so comprehensive insurance with evacuation cover is essential. Carefully read and follow your government's current travel advisory, which flags specific areas, before travelling.
Getting around
Air travel is essential in PNG — the rugged terrain means few roads connect regions, so domestic flights (Air Niugini and others) link Port Moresby with the Highlands, coastal towns and islands, and are the backbone of any itinerary (schedules can be unreliable, so build in buffer time).
Given the safety situation, most visitors rely on organised tours, trusted operators and pre-arranged, secure transfers rather than public transport or self-driving, which are not advisable for visitors. In the Highlands and on the Sepik or dive trips, local guides and operators handle logistics. Independent overland travel is difficult and not recommended; travel through reputable, experienced tour companies.
Money
The Kina is the local currency and PNG is very much a cash economy — carry cash (securely) for most transactions, as card acceptance is limited to major hotels and airlines in the main centres, and ATMs, available in cities and towns, should be used cautiously in secure locations.
Australian dollars can be exchanged; bring some for backup. PNG is surprisingly expensive given the logistics, flights and tour costs involved. Tipping is not traditionally part of local culture, though it is appreciated by guides, trek porters (who work extremely hard on routes like Kokoda) and tour staff for good service.
Papua New Guinea