Papua New Guinea is only a short flight from Sydney (4 hours to be exact), however it is a whole world away from Sydney. With a huge variety of adventure activities to enjoy and an exciting culture to immerse yourself in, Papua New Guinea should be at the top of every Aussies ‘Must Visit’ List.
Known as the Land of a Million Different Journeys, PNG is home to more than 800 different languages and a myriad of colourful tribal and national festivals that span the country’s annual events calendar. From trekking the highest mountain in Oceania (Mount Wilhelm, 4,509m), to diving some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs, island-hopping across 600 + mostly deserted islands and discovering active volcanoes, PNG is an adventure travellers paradise. The country is also popular with war history buffs due to the prominent role it played in WW2, with the world-renowned Kokoda Track.
Our top things to do:
SCUBA DIVING
Enjoy a huge diversity of dive sites, including barrier reefs, coral walls (drop off), coral gardens, patch reefs, fringing reefs, seagrass beds, coral atolls, and wreck dive sites (ships, aircraft and submarines!).
Must See
- Dive down to a fully intact Japanese Zero fighter plane in Kimbe Bay, known also for pelagics, soft coral, fans and unusual critters.
- Experience the original “Muck Diving” location that put Papua New Guinea on the map, in Milne Bay.
- Discover why people keep going back to the tropical fiord-like rias of Tufi (Oro Province) to spot the hammerheads and moray eels against spectacular drop-offs.
SURFING
Explore PNG’s premier surfing destinations from October to April. Relatively new to international surf enthusiasts, breaks at Vanimo, Wewak, Madang and Kavieng are quickly becoming known for being uncrowded, challenging and entertaining for days!
Must See
- Take your surfboard down to Sero Board Riders Club at Taurama Point, just outside the Port Moresby city limits
- Wake up on the doorstep of Vanimo’s premier surf location at Lido village, with offshore conditions either on the left or right all day long
- Surf the various 3ft to 8ft reef breaks off Kavieng from Nusa Island Retreat, an environmentally low-impact facility
TREKKING
The Kokoda Track
Known as one of the world’s most spectacular and challenging treks, the Kokoda Track is one to take on as the experience of a lifetime. Renowned as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942, this 96km track will take you from Kokoda village through the rugged mountainous terrain of the Owen Stanley ranges to Owers’ Corner.
The eight to ten day Kokoda Track has become a pilgrimage for many trekkers, connecting with the land and paying respect to the soldiers who fought and died here. Delve deep into the dark history of the area and immerse yourself in the customs and culture along the track.
Mount Wilhelm
The Highlands region is famous for its tall mountains, with scores of readily accessible peaks. Mt Wilhelm, at 4,509m, is the most popular target for mountain climbers in Papua New Guinea with good road access to Kegsugl village from Kundiawa and National Park huts for climbers to stay in. Though it’s easy to access, Mt Wilhelm is far from an easy climb, and you should always use a guide, which can be arranged through your hostel or the PNG Trekking Association.
To start planning your adventure to Papua New Guinea head to: https://www.papuanewguinea.travel/
Leave a Reply