Papua New Guinea: where it is, when to go and what to see

Are you thinking of a beach holiday in a remote location? Papua New Guinea could be the place for you! So far away as to be almost remote and, unfortunately, little exploited, even though the fact that it is not very popular with mass tourism preserves its unspoilt and wild landscapes. So little is said about Papua New Guinea that people often forego a trip without knowing that it is a land rich in nature with beautiful beaches, coral reefs, forests and imposing smoking volcanoes. Here is all the info you need to know where it is, when to go and what to see!

Informed travel: useful info

• Inhabitants: 7,275,324

• Capital: Port Moresby

• Languages: English, tok pisin and hiri motu

• Local currency: Papuan kina (€1.00=3.83 PGK)

• Climate: equatorial and tropical climate, average temperatures 22 / 30 °C

• Vaccinations: no compulsory vaccinations for those arriving from Italy. A yellow fever vaccine is required for travellers coming from countries at risk of transmission (mainly African states and some areas of Latin America).

• Entry requirements: passport with residual validity of at least 6 months and 60-day tourist visa required upon arrival at the airport.

• Distance from Italy: 14,343 km (20 - 30 hours flight time)

Location

Papua New Guinea is a peninsula in Oceania located on Papua Island, a large island shared with Indonesia. Nevertheless, Papua New Guinea is a state in its own right with its own government and administration.

How to get there

• FromMilan or Rome: the main airport is Port Moresby, but there are no direct flights from Italy. At least two stopovers are necessary, changing several airlines, for a journey of almost 30 hours (the individual flights take about 5 hours each, but the stopovers are very long). Usually the first stopover is in London, Frankfurt, Warsaw or Doha, and the second in Manila or Singapore. The airlines offering connections between Milan or Rome and Port Moresby are British Airways, Quatar Airways, Philippine Airlines,Air Niugini and Singapore Airlines.
  Flights fromRome from €1,222.00 - Flights from Milan from €1,296.00

• From major European capitals: to avoid at least one stopover, leaving from a European city can help. Contrary to what you might think, there are several cities in Europe that are well connected to Papua New Guinea, for example from London you can fly with British Airways and Philippine Airlines with a stopover only in Manila, from Frankfurt you can fly with Singapore Airlines with a stopover only in Singapore, while from Warsaw Air Niugini flies from Warsaw with a stopover only in Singapore.

When to go? Info on climate and best time

• Climate: The climate is either equatorial or tropical depending on the area and in both cases has very high temperatures. Rainfall days are frequently distributed throughout the months and throughout the territory, but it generally rains less in the south. The sea temperature is always warm between 27 and 29 °C.

• Best time to visit: June to September is the perfect time to visit the whole country, during which it rains less and in some areas even rarely.

• Period toavoid: November to May is the rainy season with a high risk of cyclones

• Tips: if your trip includes not only beaches but also mountainous inland areas, then you will need some clothes for the mid-season, but without exaggeration, such as a light jacket. If, on the other hand, you want to venture on a trek to higher peaks, in which case you will also need a heavy jacket and a jumper

Which area/city to go to?

Papua New Guinea has a vast territory that also includes a myriad of islands, approximately 80 of them. However, not all areas are ideal to stay in due to the scarcity of services and the difficulty of reaching them. Here are therefore the three best areas/cities that we would like to recommend:

1. Port Moresby: is the capital of Papua New Guinea, on the south coast, the city with the most accommodation and catering facilities, transport and various tourist services such as rentals, currency exchange and excursion agencies

2. New Britain: is the largest island in the territory, naturally beautiful and at the same time very popular with tourists, especially DIY travellers, undoubtedly due to the ease of reaching it thanks to the low-cost air connections with the capital

3. Madang: is one of the country's major cities, the starting point for many excursions to small remote islands and complete with an airport. It also boasts beaches with lush vegetation and is a great spot for snorkelling among the coral reefs.

What to see and do: beaches and sights

1. Panasia Island is a small island in the Louisiade archipelago with all the characteristics of a perfect oasis of peace. Wide beach, white sand and turquoise waters, the ideal place for a day trip

2. Blanche Bay is a bay at the north-eastern end of New Britain Island, a spacious beach overlooked by hotels and resorts offering spectacular views of the sea but especially of the smoking volcanoes

3. Buka Island is a small island north of Bougainville, to which it is almost attached. This island, although small, is so popular that it has a tourist office, which is rare in Papua New Guinea, and is especially loved for its clear waters and for the possibility of fishing or snorkelling

4. Bramble Haven is a circular atoll that in its interior creates a beautiful lagoon with the typical colours of tropical waters. A one-day excursion can help you reach the island without difficulty and spend your time relaxing carefree

5. Alotau Beach is a long stretch of coastline bordering the town of the same name overlooking Milne Bay in southern Papua New Guinea, a succession of dark sands due to strong volcanic activity where various tourist services are concentrated

6. Kitava Island is a small, unspoilt, typically tropical island, a favourite spot for snorkelling and diving, but also for canoeing around it. It is one of the most popular excursions and, in fact, it is not difficult to reach as it is included in the destinations of many excursion agencies.

7. Mount Tavurvur is one of the oldest volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, which has given rise to other small volcanic cones that have been active again since 2009. It is located in the easternmost part of New Britain Island, just a few steps from the beach, and is a natural attraction for tourists who can observe the smoking crater from the sea.

8. Varirata National Park is located near Port Moresby and is a large green area of trails and mountain rainforest that is home to several species of birds. A highly recommended place for birdwatchers!

9. Mount Wilhelm is the highest peak in Papua New Guinea at 4509 metres, a few kilometres from Madang. Quite a challenging trek but much sought after by mountain lovers

10. Kokoda Trail is a 96-kilometre rugged trail through the Owen Stanley mountain range in the interior of the Pese. The trail was the subject of battles during the Second World War and today is one of the most popular treks in Papua New Guinea. The trail is very strenuous and on foot takes about 16 hours during which you are in the middle of the forest, but of course some hiking agencies offer alternative treks in the best adventurous sections

How much does a holiday in Papua New Guinea cost? Prices, offers and advice

Those who decide to take a trip to Papua New Guinea will have to consider a very high budget! The most expensive part is definitely the round-trip flights of around €1,000.00 to which, in most cases, you have to add the cost of a few other (fortunately cheaper) internal flights to get around the various areas, unless you want to spend your entire holiday in one place.

If this is your intention, then we recommend buying a flight+hotel package of more than 10 days given the time spent travelling and the large amount of money you are going to spend. For a two-week package, the cost is around €1,600.00 with bed and breakfast in a hotel or flat, which is advantageous considering that a room usually costs from €45.00 per night without anything included. In any case, if you stay in a hotel, you can enjoy full meals in small restaurants for around €8.00, whereas if you stay in a flat, you will also have to factor in grocery costs, which are in some cases the same as Italian prices, in other cases much higher.

Finally, let's have a look at the prices of the most popular services, such as public transport accessible for a few cents, car rental for €35.00 per day and excursions with prices starting at €150.00 for a full day.

• Where to stay: Hotels and B&Bs from €48.00 per room - see offers

• Low cost flights: from €1,225.00 - see offers