PAPUA NEW GUINEA (2025) | Is Papua New Guinea Worth Visiting? Our 10-Day Travel Guide & Story

What's up guys? We're here in Papua New Guinea. In this video we're going to show you our travel guide for the country. So hope you enjoy it. The country of Papua New Guinea lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea, which is the world's second largest island, as well as a number of offshore islands scattered to the north and east. It's a land of incredible extremes, with over 800 languages spoken, and countless unique cultures hidden in its dense rugged landscapes. In fact, it's widely regarded as the final frontier, since much of the country remains untouched and full of natural beauty. Over the course of 10 unforgettable days, we got a taste of the country, the bustling city, the untamed wilderness, and the tranquil island life. In this video, we share our story and travel guide for Papua New Guinea. Now let's dive in. We are Zach and Ina. We make helpful videos about destinations around the world, so you can easily plan your own adventures. Our journey began in Port Moresby, which is the country's capital and the gateway to this incredible land. We decided to spend a day here, getting our bearings before heading deeper into the nature. We explored the city with our local guide Wesley, who took us to some of the best spots. The first stop was the National Museum and Art Gallery, which proved to be a great introduction to the country's history and culture. Wandering through halls filled with tribal art and ancient artifacts gave us a base to slowly start understanding PNG's rich story. Next, we caught a glimpse of the Parliament House's striking architecture before finding a peaceful sanctuary at the Port Moresby Nature Park. Walking through the lush trails felt like a first introduction to Papua New Guinea's unique wildlife, which is home to native animals like tree kangaroos, cassowaries, birds of paradise, and the beautiful southern crown pigeon. The day ended with a tour of the famous Ella Beach and visiting the local fish market, where we interacted with the vendors and learned about the popular beetle nut, which everyone seemed to be chewing. As the sun started to set, we made it back to our hotel for a beautiful view and delicious dinner. The real heart of our adventure was the Sipik River. At 1,126 kilometers or 700 miles in length, this is one of the world's most impressive river systems and was our main reason for coming to Papua New Guinea. We wanted to experience a way of life that has remained untouched for centuries. The journey to get to the river was an adventure in itself. We first flew to the coastal city of Weewak, which was full of local flair in its own right. We just landed in Weewak and we're just getting our bags from the baggage claim now. It's like a one minute walk from where we got off the airplane. After taking in the bustling atmosphere in the center, we stayed the night in a comfortable bed at the Weewak Boutique Hotel so we could fit in a good sleep before the river adventure. The morning after, we embarked on a rugged three and a half hour four by four drive that brought us deep into the forest. The road was quite an experience and we took it slow, making sure to stop along the way. We met a local family who showed us how to make sago, which is a staple food from a tropical palm. We also made sure to grab a fresh coconut from a small roadside market. Finally, we arrived at Pogwe, a tiny hamlet on the riverbank, where we took a moment to talk to our local guide Matthew about what we should expect to see along the Sipik. From Pogwe downstream, that's Middle Sipik. Pogwe upstream, that's Upper Sipik. We are going to the Middle Sipik to see the spirit houses and most about the traditions. I think the most interesting would be the dance with the tumbans and the cassowary. Even the spirit house and people with the crocodile skulls in their skins. After getting the rundown, we were ready to hop into our motorized dugout canoe, the main form of transport on the Sipik. This would be the start of our two-hour journey downstream to our guest house in Kanganamun. For the next two days, the Sipik was our home. Our bed was in a traditional style, similar to what most people from this area sleep in. Luckily, it had a mosquito net. Throughout our stay, we visited three different villages along the riverbanks and observed how the people live, trade, and practice rich cultural traditions. We took a walk around the local school, attended a town market, and stopped by various spirit houses. These sacred ceremonial buildings are the soul of the villages, used for community gatherings and passing down ancestral knowledge. On the inside, we saw intricate wood carvings as well as traditional masks. These are considered spiritually significant artifacts. We were also privileged to witness a drum session and a few ceremonial dances. These powerful performances have been passed down for generations. Life here is built around the river. It's their livelihood, their means of transportation, and a central part of their spiritual identity. It also provides their main source of food, with fishing being a daily activity. The locals even use the river water for drinking, cooking, and washing. Culturally, the people have a sacred connection to the crocodile. In fact, it's a totem animal that features in their stories and male initiation rituals, which involve painful body scarring to mimic a crocodile's skin. This part of our trip was a powerful reminder of how beautiful and authentic life can be when you strip away the extra things that come with the modern world. During the evenings, our English-speaking guides cooked us dinner over a small fire and shared stories of their culture and land, which were very special moments for us. We also enjoyed some starry nights thanks to the extremely low levels of light pollution. The Sipik is definitely an area that we'll remember for the rest of our lives. For the final leg of our trip, we first flew back to Port Moresby and then connected on another flight to Kokopo, which is on the island of New Britain. This region blends dramatic volcanic landscapes with an intriguing World War II history and stunning beaches. While Kokopo is now the main tourist hub with modern amenities, Rabaul was the province's former capital until it was largely buried by a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1994. We spent three nights at Rapopo Plantation Resort, which was located right in front of the beach. Our time here was a perfect mix of experiences. On our first morning, we jumped on a boat tour which left directly from the resort. Within just 10 minutes, we saw hundreds of spinner dolphins. The feeling of hopping in the water and swimming alongside them was nothing short of magical. In the afternoon, our local guides Martha and Norma introduced us to their Tolai village. We learned about their unique culture and their traditional currency of shell money, which is still used for dowries and exchanges today. They showed us how to string the shells onto cane strips and how they combine them into larger designs. They also explained in more detail how much shell money is worth. Later in the afternoon, we were treated to another cultural dance and sampled mumu, which is a dish that's slow cooked in a traditional earth oven. The pit is lined with heated stones and the food is wrapped in banana leaves. It was really interesting to see how the locals cooked this meal and the finished product was simply delicious. The next day, we challenged ourselves with a steep early morning hike up to Mount Tawurur, the same volcano that had a devastating eruption back in the 90s. This was a truly unique and humbling experience, which gave us a deep appreciation for the power of nature in this region of the country. There were some loose rocks throughout the trail, so we definitely recommend wearing decent shoes for the hike. It took us about an hour to reach the summit. As one of the most active volcanoes in PNG, this place remains a sight to behold, with its smoking crater and expansive views. After the hike, we were able to take some time at the boiling hot springs underneath the volcano. Then, Norma and Martha dove deeper into the region's somber World War II history by guiding us through Japanese tunnels and Admiral Yamamoto's bunker. We ended our trip with a visit to the bustling Kokopo Market, a final immersion into the sights, sounds, and vibrant culture of this remarkable country. Planning a trip to Papua New Guinea is a unique challenge, so we wanted to share the valuable lessons that we learned from our trip. First off, let's talk about timing. We highly recommend visiting during the dry season, from June to October. This is when the weather is at its best. If you can, aim for the festival season in August and September. This is when you can experience the most incredible cultural performances, with vibrant costumes and unforgettable dances. A large part of navigating Papua New Guinea is understanding its challenging geography. Due to the very limited road network, the primary way to travel across the country is by air or by boat. Flight cancellations and delays are very common, so we highly recommend factoring in some extra time in your itinerary. Made it through the long delay, it's about three and a half hours this time, but finally on our way to Rabau. At least it's on the same day. Since there's also no registered public transport in most places, you'll need to arrange for private transfers, pickups, or shuttles. This is a country that's truly off the beaten path, so make sure to have the correct expectations going in. Things don't always go according to plan, and that's part of the adventure. Instead of getting frustrated, try to go with the flow and be prepared for some disorganization. Locals also tend to be shy, so be proactive, ask lots of questions, and practice a little extra patience, especially with schedules. Another key piece of advice is to have a local guide everywhere you go. Papua New Guinea is not a country that you should explore on your own. For our trip, we booked with the tour company Pepeta PNG, and they arranged everything, connecting us with excellent guides in each area. It made a huge difference for our safety and our experience overall. We left a link to their website in the description below this video, in case you want to book with them. You should also make sure to carry cash for tipping your guides and making small purchases in the remote villages. You can get cash from the airport ATM. Another thing we learned was to bring along some small and useful gifts for the children in the When it comes to packing, a few things are essential. Make sure you bring plenty of mosquito repellent and malaria pills. You'll also want a good rain jacket and long-sleeve clothes to protect you from both the rain and the mosquitoes, especially when you're visiting the Sipik River. We also always had a bottle of hand sanitizer in our backpack. And most importantly, get good travel insurance. It's a must-have for a trip like this. Finally, to stay connected in the remote areas, we learned that Digicel has the widest network coverage. We recommend grabbing one of their SIM cards when you first arrive at the airport. We used Vodafone ourselves, but it only really worked in the cities. We only scratched the surface of Papua New Guinea in this video. There are lots of other places worth exploring if you have time, and we've put some other interesting destinations on the screen. Thanks for watching, and we hope you enjoyed our travel guide for PNG. We included all the important links you'll need for your own trip in the description below this video. We'll catch you on the next adventure.