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Blue crater lakes amid green mountains

Papua New Guinea travel guide

Highlands and coast across a large Melanesian country, best visited in April and May

Best: Apr, May

Photo: lloydphotography / Pixabay

Capital
Port Moresby
Languages
English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
Currency
Papua New Guinean kina
Time zone
UTC+10:00
Plugs
Type I · 240 V
Driving
On the left
Emergency
112 / 111

Why visit Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea suits independent travellers who are happy to plan a slow trip across a large country of 462,840 km². You can combine highland towns such as Mount Hagen with coastal bases like Kavieng, Rabaul and Alotau. The best months are April and May. One honest limitation is that towns are small and far apart. Port Moresby, the capital, has 317,374 people, while Mount Hagen has 29,765. Expect to plan every stage of the trip.

  • A large, thinly populated country

    Papua New Guinea covers 462,840 km² but has 11,781,559 people. Even the capital, Port Moresby, has only 317,374 residents. Most towns are small, so expect a quieter, less crowded trip than in many other countries in the region.

  • Small coastal towns to explore

    Several towns sit on the coast: Kavieng, with 19,849 people, Rabaul, with 7,024, and Alotau. Their small size makes them a slower, more local alternative to the capital.

  • Inland life in Mount Hagen

    Mount Hagen is an inland town of 29,765 people and is not on the coast. It gives you a contrast to the coastal towns and shows a different side of the country.

  • English works alongside local languages

    The official languages are English, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu. You can manage in English, and learning a few words of Tok Pisin or Hiri Motu is a good way to connect with local people.

  • Clear best months: April and May

    April and May are the best months to visit. Planning around them makes your timing simple. Just remember that this is a big, spread-out country, so leave extra time for travel between towns.

Is Papua New Guinea right for you?

Great for

  • Travellers who dislike heat: highs stay around 22–23°C and lows around 18°C all year
  • English speakers, since English is an official language alongside Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu
  • Mid-year visitors: July has the least rain at 235 mm, and August and September average 9.9 sun hours
  • Coastal trips based in small towns like Kavieng, Rabaul and Alotau

Less ideal for

  • Anyone wanting dry days: rain falls on about 23 to 31 days every month
  • Trips from December to February, when monthly rain reaches 732 to 827 mm
  • Travellers after hot beach weather, as highs rarely go above 23°C
  • Fans of big-city life: the capital, Port Moresby, has about 317,374 people

Papua New Guinea right now: September

7.0/10
Avg high
23°C
Avg low
18°C
Rain days
25

Averages for Papua New Guinea.

Weather by month

This data covers Papua New Guinea as a whole, with no city named; highs stay near 22–23°C all year, and June to September is driest, with 235–309 mm of rain and about 9–10 hours of sun a day. Avoid December to February, when 732–827 mm of rain falls and it rains on 28–31 days a month.

Average highs and lows in Papua New Guinea by month January: high 23°C, low 18°C , 31 rain days . February: high 22°C, low 18°C , 28 rain days . March: high 22°C, low 18°C , 31 rain days . April: high 22°C, low 18°C , 29 rain days . May: high 23°C, low 18°C , 28 rain days . June: high 22°C, low 18°C , 24 rain days . July: high 22°C, low 18°C , 23 rain days . August: high 23°C, low 18°C , 26 rain days . September: high 23°C, low 18°C , 25 rain days . October: high 23°C, low 18°C , 29 rain days . November: high 23°C, low 18°C , 29 rain days . December: high 23°C, low 18°C , 30 rain days . 23°C 18°C JAN 31d 22°C 18°C FEB 28d 22°C 18°C MAR 31d 22°C 18°C APR 29d 23°C 18°C MAY 28d 22°C 18°C JUN 24d 22°C 18°C JUL 23d 23°C 18°C AUG 26d 23°C 18°C SEP 25d 23°C 18°C OCT 29d 23°C 18°C NOV 29d 23°C 18°C DEC 30d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Papua New Guinea (country average) · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Papua New Guinea: month-by-month weather →

Sample itineraries

7 days

Capital, inland town and the coast

  1. Day 1–2

    Port Moresby

    Start in the capital, the largest city on this trip with 317,374 people. Get kina, a local SIM and your bearings. English, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu are all spoken.

  2. Day 3–5

    Mount Hagen

    Head inland to Mount Hagen, a town of 29,765 people and the only stop away from the coast. Ask local guides about day trips into the countryside around town.

  3. Day 6–7

    Alotau

    End on the coast in Alotau, a quieter base for slow days by the water. Leave some spare time here in case your onward connection back to Port Moresby changes.

10 days

Port Moresby, Mount Hagen and the islands

  1. Day 1–2

    Port Moresby

    Arrive in the capital, home to 317,374 people. Sort out kina, a SIM card and a type I plug adapter. Note that traffic drives on the left.

  2. Day 3–5

    Mount Hagen

    Spend 3 days inland in Mount Hagen, a town of 29,765 people. Walk the town and use a local guide to see the surrounding countryside.

  3. Day 6–7

    Rabaul

    Move to coastal Rabaul, the smallest town on this route with 7,024 people. Take it slowly and let a local guide show you the coast around town.

  4. Day 8–10

    Kavieng

    Finish in coastal Kavieng, home to 19,849 people. Keep the last days loose for time by the sea and as a buffer for changes to your connections home.

Food to try in Papua New Guinea

Mumu

A feast of pork, chicken, sweet potato and greens, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked slowly on hot stones in an earth pit. It is made for celebrations and big gatherings, especially in the Highlands.

Kaukau (sweet potato)

Sweet potato is the everyday staple in the Highlands. It is roasted in the fire, boiled, or cooked in a mumu, and you will find it in markets and village meals.

Sago

A starch taken from the sago palm, eaten in lowland and river areas such as the Sepik. Cooks make it into flat pancakes or a sticky, jelly-like dish, often with fish or greens.

Aigir

A dish from East New Britain of chicken or fish with vegetables and coconut cream. It is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on hot stones, often for family events.

Highlands coffee

Papua New Guinea grows arabica coffee in its Highlands, much of it on small farms. Try it in cafés in Highland towns such as Goroka and Mount Hagen, or in Port Moresby.

Kulau (green coconut)

Kulau is the Tok Pisin word for a young green coconut, drunk straight from the shell. Sellers offer them at markets and by the roadside, mostly in coastal areas.

Know before you go

  • Plugs and voltage: Sockets take type I plugs, which have flat pins set in a V shape. Mains power is 240 V. Bring an adapter, and check that your chargers and devices accept 240 V.
  • Driving side: Traffic in Papua New Guinea drives on the left. If you come from a country that drives on the right, take extra care at junctions and when turning.
  • Emergency number: The emergency numbers are 112 and 111. Save both in your phone before you arrive, so you do not need to search for them in a hurry.
  • Currency: The local currency is the Papua New Guinean kina. Plan how you will get kina before you travel, and ask your bank whether your cards will work here.
  • Languages: Papua New Guinea has 3 official languages: English, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu. Learning a few words of Tok Pisin is a friendly way to connect with people.
  • Time zone: The country uses UTC+10. Check the time difference from home before booking calls or connecting flights.
  • Calling code: The international calling code is +675. Use it when you give a local number to people abroad or save local contacts in your phone.

Papua New Guinea: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Papua New Guinea?

April and May are the best months, but any month from April to November works about as well. All 8 of those months score 7 out of 10. If you want the least rain, go in July, when rainfall drops to 235 mm. August has the most sun, at 9.9 hours a day. Rain falls often all year, so plan for wet days whenever you go.

Is Papua New Guinea good to visit in January or February?

You can go, but these are among the wettest months, so pack for heavy rain. February gets 827 mm of rain and January gets 732 mm, about 3 times more than July. January has rain on 30.5 days and sun drops to about 7 hours a day. These months still score 6.8 and 6.6 out of 10.

Does it rain every day in Papua New Guinea?

Almost. Even the driest month, July, has 22.8 rain days. March has 30.8 rain days, so rain falls on nearly every day. Most days still get some sun, from 6.5 hours in February to 9.9 hours in August and September. Bring a rain jacket and keep your plans flexible.

How warm is Papua New Guinea?

Temperatures barely change during the year. Average highs stay between 22.3°C and 22.7°C, and lows between 17.9°C and 18.4°C. These are national averages for 2015–2024. The place you visit may be warmer or cooler than this. Rain, not heat, is what changes from month to month.

What plug type and voltage does Papua New Guinea use?

Papua New Guinea uses Type I plugs and 240 V. If your devices use a different plug, bring an adapter. If they only work on a lower voltage, you will also need a converter.

What currency, language and time zone does Papua New Guinea use?

The currency is the Papua New Guinean kina. The languages are English, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu. The whole country is on UTC+10:00. Cars drive on the left. The emergency numbers are 112 and 111.

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