Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Only in dreams?

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea

So from what I've read, it seems PNG is an adventurous, raw, undeveloped type of place. Which is a good start, but does it have pristine, white sand beaches with sparkling blue water? And is the snorkeling spectacular and accessible (from a financial point of view)?

My ideal trip would to be place that has the rawness of Mali but also the type of fantastical tropical beauty that you imagine in your head.

I am thinking PNG might be this type of place but some insight would be appreciated.

Andrew

Well, it certainly has the raw beauty in a number of places, notably in the interior of the mainland, while plenty of off-shore islands provide those white sand beaches and good reefs.

Whether or not it is accessible from a financial point of view is another matter, and largely depends on your budget. As is the case with the South Pacific in general, PNG is certainly not a cheap country like many in Asia. Transport costs can be quite high, especially if flying around a lot, though food and accommodation can be quite reasonable by South Pacific standards.

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