The island nation on the edge of the world. Papua New Guinea is known for its remoteness, its varied tribal cultures, and as one of the final frontiers unaffected by mass tourism. We spent nearly a month traveling through PNG’s islands, rivers, and highlands to see if that reputation held up.
I don’t think that Papua New Guinea is the country that most people portray it as online. So, while writing about this young nation, I’m going to try not to fall into the easy tropes of remote tribes and untouched jungle. Because it is most certainly touched. PNG was a victim of colonization, deforestation, and modern mineral extraction. It still suffers from these problems today. The tribal communities remain undeveloped and untouched in a sense only because the government has failed them deeply. Deep-sea mining, missionaries, and gold rushes have all impacted the Papua New Guinea of today. So, while the crush of mass tourism hasn’t descended, don’t go to PNG expecting pristine.
Despite its plight of problems, PNG is an incredible country. When it comes to culture, there may be no other place on the planet with so much diversity. In natural landscapes, too. You can dive tropical waters, climb the tallest mountain in Oceania, hop around the highlands, and take a canoe upstream in verdant valleys. If it’s a destination that has always fascinated you, then visit sooner rather than later.
Papua New Guinea Travel Guide
Recommended Destinations: Highlands, New Britain, Sepik River, and Duke of York Islands if you have the time.
Minimum Recommended Trip Length: 1-3 weeks, depending on how many regions you would like to visit.
One Bucketlist Item You Cannot Miss: A trip up the Sepik River in Northern Papua New Guinea.
Things to Consider Before You Go: Papua New Guinea has some of the least developed infrastructure on the planet. With that comes challenging travel and lots of disease risk. Polio, Malaria, Dengue, Typhoid, etc. Medical care outside of Port Moresby is nonexistent or poor at best, so you should take precautions and bring a well-stocked med kit.
Visa Requirements
Papua New Guinea requires a visa for American travelers. You can apply here. Once granted, you’ll have 60 days in the country. For other nations, there are E-Visa and VOA options.
Estimated *Backpacker* Budget
On a Shoestring: $100/day
Flashpacker: $175/day
Backpacker Luxury: $200/day
Backpacking in Papua New Guinea is… challenging to say the least. These budgets assume you want to visit the country and actually see some of the “touristy” things like tribal communities. If you don’t and you simply want to go, you could get by on much less. Maybe as low as $50 per day. On a shoestring expect to be eating sweet potatoes and instant noodles, visiting only one region, & skipping the more expensive tourist attractions. Backpacker Luxury opts for the nicest hotel room available and splurges on activities. Flashpackers are the middle ground & often do a mixture of both.