Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania

Papua New Guinea is the perfect vacation destination for people who have seen it all! There will surely be something in Papua to impress even the most experienced traveler. The landscape remains as it has been for hundreds of years, the culture remains traditional, and water sports abound for the adventurous traveler!

Fast facts about New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia. Its capital, located along its southeastern coast, is Port Moresby. The western half of New Guinea forms the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. It is the world’s 3rd largest island country with 462,840 km2

Night cruises along the Sepik River

To begin your exploration of Papua, take a cruise around the island. In fact, many visitors make their vacation a cruise experience. The Sepik Spirit is a large cruise that takes visitors on three or six-night cruises along the Sepik River. This is a great way to explore life along rivers, which has remained relatively the same for centuries.

Papua New Guinea underwater

Papua New Guinea is often called the underwater photographer’s paradise. Some of the most famous underwater photographs have been taken on dives around the island. Beneath the depths of the water, you can see all kinds of coral, including impressive coral walls and gardens, as well as seaweed beds and numerous World War II wreck sites. The waters around Papua New Guinea are warm and this makes diving available year-round. The area’s beautiful coral reefs are filled with the most colorful fish in the world! The sport of diving is worth learning when you visit this lush island!

Many people come to Papua New Guinea to enjoy jungle treks through the formidable wilderness. Whatever your skill level, there is a hike or hike to match on the island. In the Highlands, you can climb high mountains with beautiful views and various volcanoes. Alternatively, take several days and tour the jungle with your own private guide. Be sure to keep your eyes open to see WWII artifacts, which are hidden throughout the island.

If you like wildlife, you will want to take a day to bird watch. The island is the only place to see the Bird of Paradise, and there are almost forty different species of these remarkably colorful birds. If you’re new to birdwatching, you can take guided tours of some of the rainforests to find the best places to watch the island’s colorful birds.

For an extreme island adventure, enjoy whitewater rafting on some of Papua New Guinea’s rivers. There are rapids for all skill levels and plenty of companies to help you hit the adrenaline rush of an exciting river trip. This is another way to see the colorful flora and fauna of the island!

While visiting New Guinea, be sure to take time to experience the local Aboriginal culture. While the people of the island constantly face the challenges of modernization, there are many subsistence farms in the highlands that still depend on the culture that has been part of their lives for hundreds of years. A diverse island, there are over a thousand different cultures on the island to explore. To find your next adventure, head to the exotic hug of Papua New Guinea.