Must-see attractions in Papua New Guinea

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    Port Moresby Nature Park

    Port Moresby

    At the northern end of Waigani Dr, by the University of Papua New Guinea, this is an island of calm. More than 2km of walkways thread under and through…

  • National Museum & Art Gallery

    Port Moresby

    This superb museum, beautifully remodelled for the country's 40th anniversary of independence, is the best introduction you can get to Papua New Guinea's…

  • Varirata National Park

    Port Moresby

    Right after the small store at Laloki River Gorge is the turn-off to Varirata National Park which, at 1000 hectares and over 800m high, is the highlight…

  • Parliament Haus

    Port Moresby

    The main Parliament Haus building is in the style of a Maprik- or Sepik-style haus tambaran, while the attached, circular cafeteria follows Highland…

  • memorial to Christopher Robinson

    Papua New Guinea

    The main thing to do on Samarai is just wander around soaking up the faded-glory. From the wharf, head toward the hill and, at the northeast corner of the…

  • Submarine Base

    New Britain

    For a picnic spot, nothing can beat the Submarine Base at Tavui Point. The Japanese used to provision submarines here during the war. There are tunnel and…

  • Sohano Island

    Papua New Guinea

    The most easily accessible of the islands near the southern mouth of the passage is Sohano, a few minutes by boat (K2) from Buka. It was the provincial…

  • Matupit Island

    New Britain

    The 1994 eruption should have destroyed little Matupit Island but the prevailing winds brought Tavurvur’s load over Rabaul and left this connected island…

  • Queen Emma's Steps

    New Britain

    From the Historical & Cultural Centre it's a short walk to the site of Queen Emma's house, Gunantambu, now occupied by of the Gazelle International Hotel…

  • Kimbe

    New Britain

    Kimbe is the provincial headquarters and a major centre for palm-oil production. Although it has a seafront, it's a fairly unassuming town with no real…

  • Omarakana

    Papua New Guinea

    Halfway between Losuia and Kaibola, Omarakana is where the island's paramount chief resides. You'll know you're there by the large, intricate, painted yam…

  • Kamiali Wildlife Management Area

    Papua New Guinea

    This 69,000-hectare reserve comprises forests, mangroves, sandy beaches, coral reefs, waterfalls, rivers and lakes, and includes the steep David Suzuki…

  • Kalopa Cave

    Papua New Guinea

    At Kaibola village, at the northern tip of Kiriwina, you can swim and snorkel at the picture-postcard beach, though much coral has died recently. About 1½…

  • Kokopo Market

    New Britain

    The buzzing Kokopo market is also well worth a stroll. It’s best on Saturday. Buai (betel nut) and its condiments, daka (mustard stick) and cumbung …

  • Bomana War Cemetery

    Port Moresby

    A turnoff near Fourteen Mile takes you to the large and carefully tended Bomana War Cemetery, where 4000 unknown PNG and Australian WWII soldiers are…

  • Hanuabada

    Port Moresby

    Past the docks to the north lies Hanuabada, the original Motu village. Although it is still built over the sea on stilts, the original wood and thatched…

  • Hombrum Bluff Lookout

    Port Moresby

    Some kilometres down the rough Kokoda Track road (barely navigable in a 2WD in the dry season only) is a turn-off left (west) back towards Port Moresby…

  • Old Parliament Building

    Port Moresby

    The Old Parliament Building was never an architectural wonder, but its opening as the House of Assembly in 1964 was a significant milestone on PNG's road…

  • Ohu Butterfly Habitat

    Papua New Guinea

    The Ohu Butterfly Habitat, 15km southwest of Madang, is a community conservation and research project where butterflies, including PNG’s famous birdwing…

  • Bita Paka War Cemetery

    New Britain

    This poignant war cemetery contains the graves of over 1000 Allied war dead, many of them Indian slaves. The gardens are lovely. It’s 8km off the main…

  • Wildlife Management Area

    Papua New Guinea

    This wildlife management area is 10km south of Madang. It’s featured in scenes from the 1996 film production of Robinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan. There…

  • Koki

    Port Moresby

    The picturesque stilt village of Koki, at the eastern end of Ela Beach, is worth visiting if you can find a local to take you. The best way to do that is…

  • National Orchid Gardens

    Port Moresby

    Around Fourteen Mile, next door to the humdrum Adventure Park PNG (look out for the Ferris wheel) are the excellent National Orchid Gardens. Apart from…

  • Madang Museum

    Papua New Guinea

    In the same building as the Madang Visitors & Cultural Bureau, this small but fascinating museum is worth visiting. Learn about the 1660 eruption of Long…

  • Peter ToRot’s Cemetery & Memorial Church

    New Britain

    As the Burma Rd begins to dip towards the coast, it passes through the Rakunai site of Peter ToRot’s Cemetery and Memorial Church. Peter ToRot was a…

  • McDonald's Corner

    Port Moresby

    On the rough Kokoda Track road you can drive past McDonald's Corner where there's a small memorial that marks the start of the Kokoda Track. It was here…

  • Togaku

    Papua New Guinea

    A half-hour's walk from Butia Lodge, this village is notable for its particularly splendid yam house – the tallest on the island, painted in the…

  • Japanese Barge Tunnels

    New Britain

    Tunnels built to hold the barges out of sight from the Allies. They were hauled to the water along rails by Indian slaves, now buried at Bita Paka War…

  • Japanese Aircraft Wrecks

    New Britain

    In the same area at Matupit Island, there’s quite a smattering of Japanese aircraft wreckage scattered among the palm trees and now semi-buried in earth,…

  • Coastwatchers’ Memorial Beacon

    Papua New Guinea

    The 30m-high Coastwatchers Memorial Beacon, visible 25km out to sea, is a reminder of those who stayed behind enemy lines during WWII to report on…

  • Beehives

    New Britain

    The two rocky pinnacles rising from the centre of Simpson Harbour are called the Beehives and are said to be the hard core of the original old volcano…

  • Kaibola Beach

    Papua New Guinea

    At Kaibola village, at the northern tip of Kiriwina, you can swim and snorkel at the picture-postcard white-sand beach (bring your own snorkelling gear)…

  • Luyo

    Papua New Guinea

    Trobriands Islanders believe in the power of certain individuals to bring rain. This power is passed on from father to son, and during periods of drought…

  • Waterfall

    Papua New Guinea

    There's a good, fairly demanding hike to a waterfall from Treetops Lodge (three hours round trip). It's a beautiful jungle walk, with steep ups and downs…

  • Passage

    Papua New Guinea

    A particular highlight in Buka is the passage, which refers to the channel that separates Buka Island from Bougainville Island. The water runs at about 6…

  • Australian War Memorial

    Papua New Guinea

    The Australian War Memorial has a detailed description of the Battle of Milne Bay in which joint Australian and Papuan forces pushed back and defeated the…

  • Wawela

    Papua New Guinea

    On the road south of Losuia, Wawela is on a beautiful, curving sand beach edging a cool, deep, protected lagoon. On a falling tide, beware of the channel…

  • Laloki River Gorge

    Port Moresby

    A few kilometres past the Bomana War Cemetery cemetery, the road winds up the impressive Laloki River gorge and you're soon more than 600m above sea level…

  • Kaileuna Island

    Papua New Guinea

    Of the islands off Kiriwina, Kaileuna Island is the easiest and cheapest to access as boats carrying buai (betel nut) travel from Losuia most days. The…

  • Ela United Church

    Port Moresby

    There is little of historical interest remaining in Port Moresby's CBD, where office towers and neglect have steadily claimed much of the area. The oldest…

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