Highlands Highway

I just finished (Feb 4th to 16th, 2015) a journey from Tari to Lae down the Highlands Highway by PMV with stops in Mt Haugen and Goroko. Flew Lae to Kavieng, down New Ireland by PMV and the boat over to Kokopo and flew back to Port Moresby.

Fantastic and easy on the PMV and flights. Felt safe all the time as it seemed like I picked up my own "secret service" detail looking out for me. Most people are aware of the poor reputation PNG has and want to change it. People were friendly and helpful. I did not get overconfident and kept an eye out for the "raskols" yet never had any problems.

Biggest cost is lodging, big compared to The Philippines where I had spent the previous four weeks.

If you are going and want a great adventure that few people take then do PNG. I did not see any other backpackers while on the road. Me, I am 67, male, Caucasian travel solo and speak from the experience of having traveled in some 80 countriesl

Good to hear PMV travel can be safe now, not so when I was there years (and years) ago.

Hello Watsoff and other interested parties:

I was warned and warned again about the "raskols" and other dangers of traveling the Highlands Highway solo by PMV. These warnings came from residents. While I could sense there was a measure of possible danger I never experienced any because the of the good people who surrounded me. I envy anyone who got to travel there year (and years) ago. That goes for many parts of the world.

LOL, that was supposed to read years and years ago :-) When I landed in PM I was warned, by a National no less, NOT to take a taxi from the airport, because, he insisted, I would not make it to my destination - he nearly had a heart attack when he learned I was a female travelling on my own. He told me to go back to the arrivals hall and look for an expat, to ask for help getting to wherever I was going. I did so, there was only one expat couple waiting for their son, they drove me to their home, phoned around for somewhere for me to stay (the hotel that had been recommended by another expat in West Papua had closed down) ... long story, but we found one in Boroko, the wife drove me, and there were 4 locked gates to contend with to get in and out of their property. As well, she wouldn't leave the house without a walkie-talkie (1994 remember, no cells). Paranoia reigned. But at the time the raskol problem was rife and even the Nationals and other guests at the hotel were overly cautious about my safety. PMVs were constantly being held up on the Highlands Highway, etc. etc. etc. So it's good to hear that things are changing for the better. Of all the places I visited on that trip, Port Moresby was the most 'dangerous,' more so even than the remote areas of Kenya where fighting between the Kalenjin and Kikuyo was getting out of hand and the government was predicting a civil war. I'd love to go back to PNG now.

In my trips around PNG totalling over 3 months, I never experienced a single PMV hold-up or robbery/thievery of any sort.
I still followed basic precautions like not walking around the Highlands' towns at night, but why should one, anyway?
I'd love to return to PNG to see more - especially Milne Bay and perhaps Manus.

Our safety precautions were the same. Walking around Mt. Haugen at night by oneself would be nothing short of stupid. A return to PNG is in my game plan (along with another dozen other trips). Beside visiting many other places I would love to bicycle the Highlands Highway from Tari to Lae. Don't imagine that has been done very many times.

On my 3rd trip to PNG, I kept hearing of a couple who were cycling the Highlands Highway westwards on a tandem bike, and got as far as roughly halfway between Tari and Lake Kopiago.
I must admit I'd feel a bit worried about security on the Southern Highlands section though.

As I said in my earlier posts I was treated very well almost to the point that I had my own security detail watching out for me all the way. From Tari to Lea I felt safe the entire distance.

Thanks a lot for the information. Your trip was in February. Do you think you would meet more travellers in August/September? I am thinking of doing the Septik, but I think it would make more sense in a group to share the costs of the boat.

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