PNG's bad reputation

Hi everyone,

Just spent 10 days in PNG, visiting Lae, Goroka, Mt Wilhelm, Mt Hagen, Wewak, Lower Sepik, using PMVs, planes where there were no roads, and hitchhiked once. The people of PNG are absolutely wonderful and I have rarely experienced such hospitality. I find it all the sadder what an underservedly terrible reputation PNG seems to have, partly regarding what is written in LP, what is written on ThornTree, and what Australians have to say about their neighbor.

"PNG is expensive"
Single room at Surfers' Paradise YHA with shared facilities and no breakfast: AUD 85
Single ensuite room at Lutheran Guesthouses in Lae & Goroka including excellent all-you-can-eat breakfast: AUD 70

"PNG is difficult to travel"
I didn't make any arrangements before going to PNG. Wherever I went it was easy to find accommodation, transport, and, if required, local guides (Mt Wilhelm, Sepik). I wonder compared with WHAT it is difficult to travel in PNG? Booking a tour to SeaWorld? It was certainly a LOT easier to travel in PNG than in West & East Africa, Central Asia, or the less developed countries of Central America.

"PNG is unsafe"
Tourists I met during 10 days in PNG: 0
Tourists I met during 4 days in Afghanistan: 2
Again, compared with what? Yes, walking around Port Moresby at night is more dangerous than going to SeaWorld. But PNG is definitely safer than quite a number of African countries, most probably safer than various places in Latin America and certainly safer than Afghanistan.

Edited by: aki2006

Hi,
I was wondering if you might perchance have any accommodation tips? I am in country now and heading out to the islands today - ENB and NIP. I am on a budget, and really don't like spending much money on where I sleep because I don't really care about that - I would rather spend money on things to enjoy and experience!

Thanks!

Thanks for that aki. I am really drawn to visiting PNG but the bad press and apparent expense was putting me off somewhat.

How much roughly do you reckon you spent during your 10 day visit? Where did you fly from?

Cheers

Took the Virgin flight from Brisbane. Very hard to guess how much I spent. Flight prices vary widely depending on if you can get cheap fares (check airlines websites). Hotels between 40 and 130 Kina. Sepik boat trip was very expensive mostly due to the cost of fuel (I think it was 5 Kina per liter or so). Food depends a lot on what you eat, you can self-cater for little money if you stick to local produce.

hi aki, you wrote hotels cost between 40 and 130 kina. Are these rates available also in Port Moresby? you see im trying hard to find a reasonably priced hotel / guesthouse in the capital... any tips? thanks a lot

I didn't go to Port Moresby so can't advise on hotel rates there. I was told that it is a lot more expensive than elsewhere though.