{"id":3238,"date":"2025-12-13T23:48:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T23:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyagesenpapouasie.com\/practical-advice\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T20:38:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T20:38:44","slug":"practical-advice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/voyagesenpapouasie.com\/en\/practical-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical advice"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Practical advice and the right frame of mind to get the most out of your visit<\/div>\r\n
Travelling well
In Papua New Guinea<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n

Papua New Guinea is a destination like no other. Traveling here requires a particular mindset, an openness to the world and an acceptance of the unexpected. Here are our tips, drawn from 25 years’ experience, to ensure your trip is a complete success. <\/p>\n\n

The Traveler’s State of Mind in Papua<\/h2>\n\n

Papua New Guinea is still a new country for organized tours. Whatever the form of travel, the number of visitors is still very small, and the country has yet to develop standardized structures. Every traveller here is a forerunner, inevitably far removed from the beaten track and international standards. <\/p>\n\n

Papuans offer what they have with great generosity, simplicity and enthusiasm. Accommodation can be precarious, transport can be “lived in”, guides are often villagers who accompany you through their own territories, armed with their ancestral knowledge rather than grand academic speeches. But everything is offered with more sincerity and heart than anywhere else in the world. <\/p>\n\r\n

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Sometimes planes are late, roads are blocked, houses are filled with smoke, a ceremony is delayed… But you have to get past these little hassles to enjoy an authenticity and a human richness that are out of the ordinary<\/strong>. That’s the price of discovering an unspoilt world. <\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\n

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At the Airport: Instructions for Use<\/h2>\n\n
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International Terminal (Jackson Airport)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All international arrivals and departures take place in Port Moresby. The international terminal has everything you need for your arrival: currency exchange (best rate in the country), vending machines, Air Niugini and PNG Airlines counters, cafeteria, souvenir stores and local telephone operators. <\/p>\n\n\n\r\n

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  • \r\n <\/i>\r\n Visa on arrival:<\/strong> At present, visa on arrival is not available for most countries. Ask us for advice on obtaining your visa. <\/li>\r\n
  • \r\n <\/i>\r\n Transfer tip:<\/strong> If you have a domestic flight on the same day, check in your baggage directly at the international terminal counter to avoid queuing. <\/li>\r\n <\/ul>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Home Terminal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Located 150 metres from the international terminal, it serves all domestic flights. Beware: it’s much more crowded, and security checks can take a long time. Once in the boarding lounge, pay close attention to the announcements and don’t hesitate to ask the staff regularly whether your flight is boarding. Don’t just rely on the screens! <\/p>\n\n\n\r\n

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    Golden tip:<\/strong> always arrive 2 hours early, even if it seems excessive. Air Niugini and PNG Airlines are very reliable when it comes to safety, but sometimes fanciful in their organization. It’s better to be patient than to miss your flight! <\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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    Money & Budget on the spot<\/h2>\n\n
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    \ud83d\udcb1 Exchange & Currency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The local currency is the Kina (PGK)<\/strong>. The exchange rate is approximately 1\u20ac = 4.5 Kinas<\/strong>. The best solution is to change your Euros directly at the airport, in the lobby of the international terminal. The rate is the same throughout the country, and it’s much safer and more convenient than the banks in town (which are a nightmare with endless waiting times). <\/p>\n\n\n\r\n

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    Important:<\/strong> Money can only be obtained in cities! Foreign currency cannot be used directly. Think about this before moving to a village or rural area. <\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    \ud83d\udcb3 Credit cards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    VISA and Mastercard<\/strong> are very practical! You can withdraw up to 5,000 kinas, depending on the ATM. Cards are also accepted at airport exchange counters and in most hotels and restaurants in major cities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Distributors can be found in every town.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

    \ud83d\udcb0 Indicative budget on site<\/h3>\n\n

    Here are some guidelines for estimating your personal expenses:<\/p>\n\n

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    • Hotel meal:<\/strong> 45 to 90 Kinas (\u20ac10 to \u20ac20)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Beer:<\/strong> 10 Kinas (\u20ac2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Soda:<\/strong> 5 Kinas (\u20ac1)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Bottle of Australian wine:<\/strong> 100 Kinas (\u20ac23)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Souvenirs:<\/strong> 10 to 1,000 Kinas (above 200 Kinas, large coins)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

      TNT shipment from Wewak:<\/strong> Possible but very costly (approx. \u20ac35\/kg).<\/p>\n\n

      \ud83c\udf81 Tips<\/h3>\n\n

      All our partners and teams are paid well within local standards. Tipping is not compulsory and is not common practice in PNG. Nevertheless, it’s welcome and a great pleasure. It can also take the form of a small gift or drinks during visits. <\/p>\n\n

      As a guideline<\/strong>, a 10 kina tip per customer per day for the entire team is a fair amount.<\/p>\n\n

      For information: the average wage in Papua is less than \u20ac2,470\/year, but 85% of the population is self-sufficient. The declared minimum wage is 70\u20ac\/month. A guide earns between \u20ac20 and \u20ac110\/day, depending on his\/her skills. <\/em><\/p>\n\n

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      Health & Safety: What you need to know<\/h2>\n\n
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      \ud83c\udfe5 Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Malaria<\/strong> (zone 3) should be your main concern, wherever you travel. It is absolutely essential to consult a doctor specializing in tropical diseases before you leave, so that he or she can prescribe the appropriate prophylaxis to be taken throughout your trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\r\n