Introduction to Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a fascinating land with approximately 5 million people speaking more than 800 different languages in 20 provinces including the National Capital District in which its capital Port Moresby sits on the naturally constructed Fairfax Harbour..

Research shows that the first human settlers reached the country by island-hopping down the Indonesian Archipelago from mainland Asia about 50,000 years ago. The first European sighting on record is when two Portuguese explorers sailed by in 1512. They named the country ‘Ilhas dos Papuas’ — Land of the Fuzzy Hairs. At the end of the 19th century the country had been divided into three zones — Dutch, German and British.

Progress towards Independence escalated in the 1960s and in 1973 internal self-government came into effect. On 16 September 1975, full independence was declared, and the country of more than 200 cultures with different traditions and over 800 languages on approximately 600 islands including almost half of New Guinea Island — the second largest island in the world (the mainland) —became known as Papua New Guinea.

With its rugged mountains, its low-lying swamps, steaming volcanoes and coral atolls, PNG is a country of great geographical diversity. Located wholly within the Tropics, just south of the Equator and 160km to the north of Australia, PNG has a land-mass of about 461,700 sq km. A great percentage of the country’s land-mass is covered with a dense blanket of rainforest — an exotic tangle of vines, creepers, flowers, plants and trees.

A central core of mountains — the Owen Stanley Range — runs east to west rising steeply from the coastal plains on New Guinea Island. From its highest peak, Mt Wilhelm (4500m) and many other mountains, great rivers like the Sepik and Fly begin their journey to the sea. These rivers travel through dramatic scenery dotted with thousands of villages, their dwellers living the same type of subsistence existence as their ancestors, thousands of years ago. The overall population density is low; nearly a third of the people live in the Highlands.

Wild orchids blaze from the green background of the forest canopy. Papua New Guinea has a greater number of orchid species than any country in the world. Bird life including the many species of Bird of Paradise proliferate in the forests. Of the 43 known species of Birds of Paradise, 38 are found in PNG. Numerous other birds including the cassowary, which stands 1.8m high and can weight up to 58kg and the Crowned Goura Pigeon unique to the country and the size of a turkey hide in the greenery. Other unique creatures include the world’s largest butterfly — the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing and the long-nosed echidna.

Papua New Guinea’s art forms are as diverse as they are distinctive. In a country where language varies from village to village, it can be expected that artistic expression will differ in style just as dramatically. Pottery, weapons, carvings, masks, bilums (natural fibre string bags), basketwork and musical instruments are produced by people according to their traditional skills and beliefs. But the living art of face and body painting, dance masks and traditional costumes should be experienced at a ‘singsing’ (celebration).

Towering mountain peaks, fertile valleys, golden beaches, colourful coral islands — Papua New Guinea is a country of wild beauty, of breath taking landscapes, of fascinating flora and fauna. Air and sea transport plays a major role in PNG, due to its rugged terrain and offshore island destinations. With 466 registered airfields, natural deep-water harbours, road links between some major towns, travel in Papua New Guinea is an adventure.

Climate Conditions
There are two seasons in PNG. It’s either wet or dry all throughout the country at different times of the year. Coastal areas experience temperatures that range between 24-35 degrees C (75-95 F) with high humidity. In the cooler Highlands, you can expect anything between 12-28 degrees (54-82F) and with less humidity. PNG does not experience devastating cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes. The wet season is normally from November to March although different areas will see a variation.

Cultural Dos and Don'ts
It’s important to understand that when you are trekking, you are walking through “someone’s backyard” and everything is either communally owned or owned by a family or tribe. Always remember, there are certain cultural taboos that must be observed. Always ask your local guide if you are not sure if a certain request will or will not offend the local people and their custom. If you are being asked to pay to take a photograph, it is best not to take the photo as paying will encourage a dependent mentality and other demands. The only photographs we pay for is with the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. Remember there is no war pension available to these people. For a truly rewarding cultural experience, ask as many questions as you can.

Currency and Valuables
The unit of currency is the Kina, pronounced "kee-nah", and sub-units of 100 are called Toea, pronounced "toy-ya". Note denominations are available in K2, K5, K10, K20 and K50. To pay for other goods and services before and after the trek, travelers cheques and international credit cards are accepted at most major hotels and retailers including American Express, Diners Club, Master Cards and Visa credit cards. Before leaving your country, we ask that you buy Kina cash at the travelers’ exchanges of the international departure ports of Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Singapore, Manila and Narita (Tokyo). If you are connecting on a domestic flight on the same day, you may not have the time to do your bank transactions in PNG. Banks operate between 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. On the trek itself, you are best advised not to carry valuables including large amounts of cash. Before you depart for the trek, be sure to leave your valuable items with the hotel or tour operations office in Port Moresby for safekeeping. Only small change is required for buying local fruits, vegetables, artifacts and other local souvenir items.

Health and Safety Issues
Consult your doctor for any medical condition that you have before departing for PNG. Also, prior pre-departure training is highly recommended. Malaria medications are strongly recommended. Also, it is advisable to keep your tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis, and polio inoculations current. Diarrhea and dysentery are not severe in PNG as is the case in Asian countries. You are required to provide a copy of your medical declaration before the commencement of the trek. A copy should be given to the trek tour operator for file.

Insurance and Medical Issues
You are strongly advised to purchase Travelers Insurance in your home country to cover for unexpected trip cancellation and delays, loss and damage to baggage, and for illness, accident and medical evacuation. By signing the Client Trek Contract, you are making an undertaking that you understand the risks involved and possible dangers. Government and church-run aid posts are not found along the trek and trekkers are recommended to pack their own basic first aid medical kit. In case of emergencies, we carry satellite phones.

Language and Communication
PNG has about 700 languages and most Papua New Guineans speak at least two languages. The official national language is English and the two other most commonly used languages are Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. Most guides will speak English apart from Motu and one other local language. Always ask if you do no understand what’s being said.

Passport, Visa and Immigration
All visitors to PNG including tourists are required to have a visa to enter PNG. Currently a 30-day tourist visa is available upon arrival for nationals of many countries including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, UK, USA and most western European countries at Port Moresby’s Jackson’s International Airport. This visa is non-extendable and the fee is currently K100. To acquire a visa upon arrival, you will need a valid passport, proof of sufficient funds for your stay, an onward airline ticket with confirmed bookings and Kina cash. Alternatively, you may acquire your visa prior to leaving your home country with either the nearest PNG Embassy or in some cases at the Australian Embassy in your country. Always check with these embassies for current visa requirements prior to leaving home. It’s now normal practice for airport departure taxes to be built into the price of your international air ticket. On top of this, and upon departure from PNG, you will be required to pay a further K30 as airport facilities tax. Remember, this is a separate tax. Please make sure your passport is valid for 6 months prior to entering PNG. PNG will not let you enter the country if it is within 6 months of expiring.

Security
PNG has its share of security problems just like everywhere else in the world. Most negative stories that are published in the media are mainly occurrences in the capital, Port Moresby. Even then, not all parts of Port Moresby are troublesome. There are numerous places that you can visit which are totally free of incidents. What’s important to know is the fact that the rest of Papua New Guinea is safe for travel by tourists and residents alike. Unfortunately, most people overseas and visitors alike never get the chance to know the good, positive and interesting features about PNG people, culture and places because everyone hears and dwell only on the negative news that PNG receives from bad press overseas. A positive advice to everyone everywhere is to apply commonsense in everything that you do and do not render yourself into a vulnerable situation that could cause your distress. Take precautions at all times and always ask your tour guide for advice.

Time
PNG is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and is on the same time as winter time in Sydney, Australia, or Eastern Standard Time in Australia.

Tipping
Tipping is not encouraged in PNG. But if you would like to show your appreciation to a particular guide for a job well done, do so at your own discretion. Also, remember to mention the good service provided to a member of the tour operations management to be used as an example to encourage better staff performance and excellence.