Papua New Guinea

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Papua New Guinea

Lying just south of the equator, 160km north of Australia, Papua New Guinea is part of a great arc of mountains stretching from Asia, through Indonesia and into the South Pacific. With a vibrant and colourful Papua New Guinea culture, more than 600 islands and 800 indigenous languages, PNG is made up of 4 regions with 20 provinces.The striking natural beauty and myriad complex cultures in Papua New Guinea offer some riveting and truly life-affirming experiences.

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The island of New Guinea, is only one-ninth as big as Australia, yet it has just as many mammal species, and more kinds of birds and frogs.

Head to the Highlands for a glimpse into PNG’s fascinating tribal cultures, or enjoy the Central, Oro & Milne Bay Provinces, home to gorgeous reefs and historic wartime sites – including the country’s foremost attraction, the Kokoda Track.

The mountainous terrain has spawned diversity in two ways: isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else, while within any one mountain range you will find different species as you go higher. In the lowlands are jungles whose trees are not that different from those of Southeast Asia. Yet the animals are often startlingly different – cassowaries instead of tapirs, and  marsupial cuscus instead of monkeys.

The greatest diversity of animal life occurs at around 1500m above sea level. The ancestors of many of the marsupials found in these forests were derived from Australia some five million years ago. By the time you have reached 3000m above sea level the forests are stunted and wreathed in epiphytes. It’s a formation known as elfin woodland, and in it one finds many bright honeyeaters, native rodents and some unique relics of prehistory, such as the giant long-beaked echidna. Above the elfin woodland the trees drop out, and a wonderland of alpine grassland and herbfield dominates, where wallabies and tiny birds, like the alpine robin, can often be seen.

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Quick Facts

Capital
Port Moresby

Population
8 million

Area
462,840 sq km (178,704 sq miles)

Major Languages
English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu

Major religion 
Christianity, indigenous beliefs

Monetary Unit 
Kina

Flight time from London
30 hours via Singapore and Brisbane

Time Difference 
GMT + 10

When to go

The weather in PNG can be unpredictable.

The wet season runs from December to March, which is obviously not the best time for hiking and wildlife watching.

However, if you’re coming for surfing, this is when you’ll find the best waves off the north coast and the islands.

The drier months of May through to October is generally the most pleasant time to visit. It’s also when many of the festivals are held.

In most parts of PNG, diving is good year-round; Milne Bay however, has the best visibility from September to January and from April to June.

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Where to stay

These are just a selection of the properties we can personally recommend. Please get in touch to hear more about our full portfolio.

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Get in touch with us now to start planning your journey

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