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Port Moresby is no one’s favorite city. It has no heart, no soul, no bustling cultural epicenter. It’s clean, new, spread out, and fairly dangerous — as far as cities go. But if you’re visiting Papua New Guinea, you’re inevitably going to spend a little time here. If you were hoping for a traveler love story about the contentious capital city and how it’s horribly misrepresented, then you’re going to be disappointed.
The PNG capital is brimming with very important people in pressed business suits and hosts very few tourists. The ones that do land here do so for a very short stint just to check Papua New Guinea off their country-counting list. Or they are on their way somewhere better in PNG. This quick guide isn’t going to show you how to get under Port Moresby’s skin and get to know the place better. It’s not going to urge you to stay longer either. In fact, keep it short and sweet. The less time you voluntarily spend in Port Moresby, the better.
Not because the city is dangerous. I think that reputation is pretty wildly over-inflated. It’s just….boring. And with all the better things to see in PNG, why stick around?
These are the things you should know before you land in Port Moresby, and some tips for how to enjoy your time in the city.
Where to Stay in Port Moresby
If you’re familiar with my other blogs, these recommendations are going to shock you.
Port Moresby drove me to book my very first night at a Hilton hotel, breaking pretty much all my rules about only staying and supporting local. But after a local hotel tried to charge me $110 to sleep in a room whose door (to outside) didn’t shut, electrical wires hanging from the ceiling, black mold in the shower, no wifi, AND a whole chair pushed through the wall…. I caved and spent $20 extra on the Hilton.
It turns out I do have standards.
Here are the three places I would stay again in Port Moresby.
1. The Hilton Residences
*sigh*. Yes, it pains me a little to write this. But god, was it an absolute godsend after a few weeks in a stilted hut.
If you want luxurious relaxation and a phenomenal night’s sleep, the Hilton is the best deal in town. On Trip.com, the Hilton residences regularly offer a $140 per night room with access to a pool, free breakfast, and a bed that’s more comfortable than mine at home. You can also do laundry (most residence rooms)!
They also store your extra luggage for free in case you don’t want to hit those domestic flights with everything you’ve brought.
2. Airways Hotel
Airways Hotel is number two. Super-comfortable rooms, affordable restaurant options, and a lovely pool. They also store your luggage securely for free! The real perk with them is reliably affordable rooms and a 4-minute drive from the airport. While it doesn’t have the same opulence as the Hilton, it’s cheaper and really comfortable.
3. The Sanctuary Resort and Spa
Sanctuary is yet another choice if you want to support a small (ish) business. Portions at the restaurant were massive, the rooms cozy, and the pool perfect on a hot day. This is actually where Air Niugini put us up for free when they canceled the room. You do have to contact them for the free airport shuttle, though. As far as luggage storage goes, I wouldn’t necessarily try it, as it didn’t seem to have the same security as Hilton and Airways.
The Perfect Sneaky Daytime Layover in Port Moresby
Here’s my little layover secret.
Because if you’re traveling around PNG, odds are you’re going to have some daytime layovers in Port Moresby. Rather than wait around the airport in the ONE crappy cafe for hours, you can go pop out to the Airways hotel shuttle (just look for the representative) tell them you’re going for lunch at Airways Hotel and stayed there before.
Take your free 4-min transfer to the hotel, head past reception down the hall on the left, past the shops to the elevator, and up to the 7th-floor Vue restaurant. Here you can share a pizza (a large semi-decent one) for 55 kina ($12) and access a nice swimming pool for as long as you want. This is the perfect place to spend your 3-, 4-, or 5-hour layover. Almost free of charge. And while it seems covert, I don’t think any of this is, technically, not allowed. The staff said they wanted to encourage people to come for lunch.
Then just pop down and tell them you’re headed back to the airport, and they will arrange the free shuttle back.
Luggage Tip: If you’re loaded down by luggage, they even have bag storage by reception that you can use, so you don’t have to bring everything to the pool and lunch.
Things You Should Know Before You Touchdown in Port Moresby
Here are some quick facts about the Papuan capital that will help you navigate the city.
1. Don’t venture out after dark.
Not trying to fear-monger here. The reality is that *probably* nothing will happen to you. But that doesn’t change the fact that Port Moresby has one of the highest per capita rates of violent crime, muggings, and carjackings in the world. Hotel shuttles stop after 9 PM, and your travel should too. There’s nothing to see or do in town after dark, so no point in taking the risk.
I wrote a whole blog post on safety in Papua New Guinea if you’re looking for more information. (*Coming soon*)
2. All major hotel chains operate free shuttles.
And you don’t have to pre-book them to utilize them. The Hilton, Airways, etc., all have a free shuttle to take you between the airport and the hotel. Now I’m not a big chain hotel user — but most other hotels in Port Moresby are abysmal for the price tag.
Don’t let the other hotel shuttle drivers steer you wrong. They will often approach you and offer to take you in their shuttle for a fee. But just find the one for your hotel and save the cash.
3. If you want a “decent” hotel room, you’re going to pay between $100-$150 a night.
I have low standards for decency. But when an absolute shit room in a bad part of town costs $75-90, I’ll spring for the extra $30 just to have a plush bed, A/C, a pool, and wifi. No, you’re not supporting a local business, but that’s not a given with most hotels in the city, as they are often foreign-owned.
4. There are a few cool things to see if you happen to have a full day in town.
For starters, the national museum. It’s not far from the airport and packed to the gills with artifacts like masks, clothing, and jewelry, unlike what you’ll come across on your own in the tribal areas. Here are a few other ideas for outings if you are dead set on getting some Port Moresby exploring in during your layover.
- Head to the Vision City Mega Mall to grab anything you might have forgotten.
- If you’re a history buff, you can hit the Bomana War Cemetery.
- Stroll the Koki Fish Market. This is one I was mildly curious about.
- Hit the Boroko Craft Market and the Ela Beach Craft Market for souvenirs like “bilum.” These are the woven bags you’ll see all over PNG.
- Enjoy a meal at Mumu. A PNG fine-dining experience at the Hilton complex that is widely regarded as the best restaurant in Port Moresby.
- Animal lovers should visit the Port Moresby Nature Park. Originally, I dismissed this as a touristic and likely not ethical way to see PNG’s indigenous wildlife, but the conservation here actually seems great on second glance, and it’s an accredited zoo doing a lot to protect these species you honestly won’t just happen upon in PNG.
5. Take advantage of Port Moresby for comfort and amenities.
Because the rest of Papua New Guinea has none.
I know I sound like I didn’t like the country, but really, I loved it. It’s just really rough out there. You might originally read this guide and dismiss me as the kind of traveler who doesn’t like to immerse in the local culture — but I promise you’ll be singing a different tune after a few weeks in the highlands or a canoe up the Sepik.
Port Moresby is a much needed stopover in a country that is notorious challenging to travel. If there’s a place you visited and loved in Port Moresby, please drop it in the comments because I would love to help people get underneath the skin of this somewhat gnarly city.
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