Papua New Guinea is quite an undiscovered country by tourists yet. In recent years tourism has peaked only 200 thousand visitors however this is not a country for the inexperienced travelers. PNG is a country of hundreds of different tribes and over 800 hundred languages making it one of the most diverse countries on earth. PNG, however, suffers from a very low HDI outside of major urban areas ranking it as the lowest in its region.

Traveling info

All visitors traveling to PNG must have a valid passport in order to enter the country. Additionally, a visa is required. Citizens of certain nations are allowed to enter PNG and obtain a visa on arrival which is obtainable on airports and maritime ports whilst others must obtain such document prior to their departure. Tourists can use their foreign issued driver’s license to drive in Papua New Guinea for up to the first three months of stay. After that period tourists must obtain a PNG driving permit.

Traveling hazards

Traffic in Papua New Guinea moves on the left. Travel on highways outside of major towns can be hazardous. Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of serious injury in Papua New Guinea, especially to passengers sitting in the open bed of a pickup truck. Whether the driver or a passenger, you should wear a seatbelt at all times. There is no countrywide road network. Roads, especially in rural areas, are in a poor state of repair. Other common safety risks on PNG roads include erratic and drunk drivers, poorly maintained vehicles, and overcrowded vehicles. During the rainy season, landslides occur on some stretches of the Highlands Highway between Lae and Mount Hagen. Criminal roadblocks on the Highlands Highway are often encountered during the day and widely after dark. Police roadblocks to check vehicle registrations are a regular occurrence at night in Port Moresby. As a driver, you should ensure that your vehicle registration and safety stickers are up-to-date in order to minimize difficulties at roadblocks. Crowds can react emotionally and violently after road accidents. Crowds form quickly after an accident and may attack those whom they hold responsible by stoning or burning vehicles. Friends and relatives of an injured party may demand immediate compensation from the party they hold responsible for injuries, regardless of legal responsibility. People involved in accidents should go directly to the nearest police station instead of stopping at the scene of the accident.

Environmental hazards

Papua New Guinea is mostly covered with rainforest and that always means lots of exotic and dangerous animals. Just like its southern neighbor, PNG has numerous venomous creatures both on land and sea. To start of the famous Australian dingo, can also be found in the PNG highlands. This wild dog is an apex predator on its territory and does not hesitate from attacking humans. Encounters are rarely reported due to the isolation of tribes from the government. Cassowaries are the raptors of today. These birds are the most dangerous of their species. There has been only a single fatal encounter however there are numerous accounts of serious injuries dealt by these birds. These animals are bold and will not hesitate to attack. The most attack is carried out in groups by these birds. There are 4 particularly venomous snakes in PNG. These are the Papuan taipan, banded sea krait, Papuan black, and the death adder. These belong to the most venomous snakes on earth. Due to the inefficiency of emergency services bites of these snakes in remote areas are extremely dangerous. The crocodile monitors inhabit PNG and have a single fatality on their account. Just like their relatives, the Komodo dragons, these animals are venomous and have a variety of bacteria in their mouth which quickly leads to infections after bites. Although these animals rarely attack humans, they are still dangerous and should be avoided. Now a surprise, there are venomous birds in PNG. It was discovered back in 1990 that these birds contained batrachotoxin, the same substance which makes the infamous poison arrow frog so dangerous. The source of the toxicity of these birds, however, was discovered to be the Melyrid beetles which contain this particular toxin in large amounts. These insects are consumed by the birds which in turn also makes them toxic. Although they generally do not pose a threat to humans it is worth putting it out there. When it comes to PNG waters they are just as dangerous as on land. The waters of Papua New Guinea have numerous venomous fish and large predatory creatures. Most venomous creatures inhabiting PNG waters are lionfish, stonefish and box jellyfish. Although none of these will directly attack anyone, touching any of them might result in a deadly sting. Largest living reptile, namely the saltwater crocodile can be found just about anywhere along the PNG coast. These gigantic crocodiles reach lengths of 7 meters and might weigh well over a ton. These animals are apex predators and are not afraid of even sharks as it has been documented before. They can be spotted far out in the sea, on the beaches and in brackish waters and salt marshes. Sharks are a true danger in PNG. PNG and the region numerous attacks both fatal and non-fatal. It is generally advised to stick to designated beaches only. Although sharks extremely rarely attack anyone closes up the shore, people who decide to swim out further or decide to enjoy some deep diving should stay very cautious as attacks happen most commonly in such circumstances.
Papua New Guinea is located around the tropical region and along the Pacific Ring of Fire is prone to natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, flood, cyclone, landslides, tsunamis, etc.

Health hazards

There is an outbreak of polio in Papua New Guinea. All visitors are strongly recommended to get vaccinated against Polio. There are several other vaccinations which are recommended for safe travel. These are the routine vaccines also known as MMR vaccines, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Unfortunately, there is no vaccination against malaria however there is medicine on prescription against it. It is recommended to consult your doctor before the trip regarding protection against malaria. An alternative way to protect from contracting the disease is to use mosquito repellents as the disease is transmitted through mosquito bites. Currently, the healthcare service delivery is provided by a combination of government, private facilities and church facilities – the majority of which are located in urban centers. To this end, the National Health Plan 2011-2020 has placed major emphasis on improving access to primary health services in rural PNG. Most remote places still have no access to proper healthcare. Access to emergency services is also limited in the most remote places. Tourists should consider purchasing medical insurance that covers emergency airlift if they plan on exploring the PNG jungles.
In case of an emergency dial 111.

Crime

The rate of crime in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is among the highest in the world. Crime rates are highest in and around major cities –Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Mount Hagen, and Goroka – but crimes can and do occur anywhere.
Visiting unguarded public sites (e.g., markets, parks, golf courses, beaches, and cemeteries) can be dangerous, and incidents have occurred at these locations at all hours. In Port Moresby, robberies have occurred around Parliament Haus on the weekends when it is unguarded. Travelers should be particularly cautious of pickpocketing threats when in crowded public places, especially local public markets. Bag snatchers may try to open doors of automobiles that are stopped or moving slowly in traffic. Sophisticated criminal enterprises also exist, and their capabilities often exceed that of local law enforcement authorities. Many of the businesses in Port Moresby have gated parking lots with guards on duty. Tourists have been victims of violent crime, including sexual assaults, carjacking, home invasions, kidnappings, and armed robberies. Many criminals turn increasingly aggressive during the commission of a crime and may result in grievous bodily harm or death. Westerners may be perceived as wealthy, potentially making them targets of opportunity. Incidents of robbery and carjacking can be coordinated based on known chokepoints. Criminal gangs use any means necessary to force passengers from their vehicles. There is no risk of terrorism in PNG. Cannabis is the only illegal drug produced in significant amounts in PNG and is the most popular illegal drug consumed there. It is largely grown in Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, and Southern Highlands provinces, and from there transported to other sites in the country.

Summary

Papua New Guinea is not a place for inexperienced tourists. Those who choose to travel should consider participating in an organized tour. More experienced tourists aware of the situation and customs in Papua New Guinea should feel safer. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
http://www.papuanewguinea.travel/passportvisainfo
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/papua-new-guinea