OUR thoughts on PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The land of a million different journeys!

Papua New Guinea lies entirely within the tropics, just south of the equator and 160km to the north of Australia. It occupies the eastern side of New Guinea Island – the second largest island in the world. It has more than 600 islands, atolls and coral reefs and more than 800 indigenous languages. It is home to the largest intact rainforest outside of the Amazon. The country is divided into 4 main regions knows at the Highlands, Momase, New Guinea Island and Southern. Inside these regions there are many provinces.

“Top Ten Things to do in Papua New Guinea”

Discover PNG's amazing culture: with more than 750 cultural groups and over 850 languages there are plenty of colourful tribes to meet—visit the Mt Hagen festival or Mask Festival and join in a 'sing sing' with the locals.

Go trekking: Besides the famous Kokoda Track, PNG offers plenty of other exciting tracks which require different levels of fitness. If you are up for the challenge, the Black Cat Track, showcases some amazing landscape and WWII history but is said to require half-marathon fitness level.

Explore underwater: Diving in PNG offers 50 — 150 feet visibility to explore untouched coral reefs and outstanding marine life including reef sharks, pelagic fish, hammerheads, barracuda, manta rays as well as WWII wrecks (tanks, downed US bombers and Japanese Zeros) all in 28 degree waters.

Surfing un-crowded breaks: To ensure the sustainable development of surf tourism in PNG there is a management plan in place allowing only a maximum of 20 surfers in the water at any one time. Surfers are guaranteed to have a wave to themselves.

Bird Watching: With more than 600 different species of birds including 38 species of the 43 Birds of Paradise, PNG is a must-do for the fanatic bird watcher. Both on the mainland as well as on the PNG islands species can be found unique to that particular area.

Mountain climbing: The view across to the coast from the summit of Mt Wilhelm is well worth the climb. PNG's highest mountain is 4509 metres and is part of the Bismarck Range. The ascent is relatively easy. The track goes through remote areas and offers a great insight into the true PNG culture.

Catch a Black Bass: Fish in pristine waters and try to catch the famous Black Bass and Barramundi found in just about any of PNG's coastal areas. The beautiful scenery and the perfect fishing spots make PNG one of world's best fishing destinations.

Kayaking: There's plenty of options for all experience levels; paddle from New Ireland along a chain of remote exotic islands, to New Hanover. Visit the people living on these islands, people who have rarely seen outsiders and just live from the sea. Kayaking in PNG offers outstanding cultural experiences including village stays.

Expedition cruising: Discover PNG's remote areas and fascinating culture; cruising Papua New Guinea is particularly relaxing since the island pace is slow and informal. The country rewards cruise enthusiasts with unforgettable sights and sounds.

Kite surfing: With consistent 18-25knot winds in some parts and kilometres of untouched reef breaks kite surfing in PNG is a must. There are wave riders and blue lagoons for the flat water specialists. The prime breaks and the warm water combined with the Larubada trade mean kite surfing conditions are ideal.

Papua New Guinea is a very specialist destination and over time we are building Our Specialists knowledge of the country and all it has to offer. We have a few suggested itineraries under Our Holiday Deals. Each of our suggested itineraries are carefully planned and you will be assisted and/or escorted at all times during your stay. Please refer to them and also to Our Resorts for what each Lodge has to offer. To join the Mt Hagen Sing Sing Tour in August , the Mask Festival in Rabaul in July, or the Goroka Sing Sing in September would be a rare and unique opportunity. If you require planning and advice other than our suggested itineraries, then please call Our Specialists on 0800 500 598.