Papua New Guinea guide

Hi,

I'd love to go to Papua New Guinea end of December but I had lots of warning to go with a guide or through an organised tour. I had a look around but everything is way above my budget.
Is it really not safe to go and travel around PNG?
Does anyone has a contact for a local guide that could give me and my friend reasonnable prices? We are really easy going and don't need much comfort or anything!

Thanks,

Eloise

it is a big country - where are you hoping to go and what do you want to see and do ?

i suggest you read a guidebook and trip reports here and on tripadvisor to gain some insights

PNG is an amazing place but it is not easy or cheap to visit

Hi @majordom

Thank you for your answer, we'd like to have a few days discovering villages culture and traditions and the rest of the time relaxing on the beach and doing activities (surfing/snorkeling/diving) we were thinking one of these 3 options:
- Wewak and the Sepik
- around Kavieng
- from the Highlands (villages rainforest) to the coast (surf/dive) Goroka – Asaro (mud men) – Goroka to Madang (surf/dive)
We are really easy going and don't need much comfort or anything. We're just happy to discover a new place. We will have our surfboards with us though.
We are two and our budget is around 200 kina a day per person. Do you think that is something possible in this budget?

Thank you for your help,

Eloise

if you are used to travelling cheap in SE asia such as indonesia then PNG is very different - it is extremely expensive and there are few if any facilities for tourists - certainly nothing like that for backpackers in indonesia

your budget is very low for PNG and you will struggle to find places to eat and sleep - and then transport is very expensive by bus or boat and you need to take expensive flights between most areas (and pay extra to transport surfboards)

there is OK surfing on the north coast from vanimo to wewak but no real surf at madang - there is also surf on the north coast of new ireland but to access most of it you need a boat to get out to reef islands

if you are looking for a cheap fun backpacking type holiday with surfing like you can easily find in indonesia then my advice would be to go to indonesia not PNG - PNG is an amazing place but it is expensive, difficult and at times dangerous

Thank you @majordom
I am indeed used to travelling cheap in SE Asia that I discovered when I was a bit younger but would love to explore something different, more authentic. I just would also like to enjoy some relaxing time at the beach and heard snorkeling and surfing could be amazing in PNG.
I am aware my budget is quite low for PNG but I heard we could find affordable accommodation in church guesthouse. As transports is really expensive we don't plan to travel around that much and the flight would be additional to our daily budget. But I do understand though that this project would be challenging with our budget and that I definitely need more information.
Thanks,
Eloise

i am not saying dont go to PNG just go prepared and with the right expectations

Hello Eloise,
If you enjoy immersing yourself in the local culture with lovely people and don't need prissy comforts this might be for you. My husband and spent 3 weeks in safe Milne Bay PNG last winter. If you love snorkeling this is an awesome place to go! Fly into Port Morseby and right out to Alotau (PNGAir is cheapest) From Alotau you can contact Warren Dipole in WagaWaga Rainforest Lodge. Spend a couple of days there and he can take you a shirt way to a site where you can see Birds of Paradise with no trekking to get to there habitat! This is a thrill of a lifetime. Bring a real camera with a zoom lens and binoculars.
Warren can hook you up with boats to take you to several eco Lodges on beach villages with incredible snorkling! In Goonabalabala you can even swim with giant Mantas only a few feet from your mask. From your last village in your stay you can arrange a boat back to Alotau to fly back to POM.
Gail