Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Papua New Guinea or Indonesian Papua?

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

I am planning a trip to New Guinea. But what part, the western or eastern? Anyone here who has experience in both the part and can tell me the difference between them? Advantages and disadvantages, and in what part will I experience the "real New Guinea" best?
best regards from Peeer Grynt :-)

Edited by: tomres

The difference is that PNG is independent, W. Papau belongs to Indonesia. There is some unrest in W. Papua due to the indigenous Papuans rising up against Indonesian rule, but I don't think that affects travellers. I've been to both back in the early 1990s, but wasn't in either place long enough to have much useful information, although as a solo female, I felt safer in W. Papua than in Port Moresby.

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Thank you for nice answer. :-)

Peer Grynt ;-)

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Your Q is answered here:
http://www.east-indonesia.info/faq/papua-travel-information-faq.html#10

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Thank you Laszlo, very helpful! :-)

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