Wherever we went in PNG, we were the only backpackers there and the first ones that locals ever saw. And for a good reason. There is no infrastructure to accommodate budget travelers.

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You can stay several weeks in the country without spending a lot of money. You just have to work a little harder for it.

Use the Tourism Promotion Authority

There are no tourists information desks anywhere. Not in the airports, not in the cities. Most people who come to PNG had it all organized for them by a travel agent.

So the TPA, based in Port Moresby, will have to do. They gave us great advice and connected us to people around the country who offer (relatively) cheap tours and accommodation.

Guides, guides, guides

Outside Port Moresby and Lae, PNG is a perfectly safe country for travellers. Most violence happens between tribes, and foreigners are respected to the point of reverence.

Still, everyone is advised to have a trusted local as a guide. They know the safe areas of the city, they can spot subtle signs of danger, and most importantly, they know all the good places.

There is no standardized price for a guide. Some may just ask for gasoline money. Others might want a daily stipend. Others might even give you a present for the privilege of spending time with a foreigner. You’ll have to talk it out.

Finding a trusted guide can be easy: ask at a hotel or a local church. Someone will know someone.

Accomodation

There is nothing that caters specifically to backpackers in PNG. All lodging we saw starts at 100 kina (about US$36 per night). Which means that if you want to save money on accommodation, you’ll have to stay with families.

This can be quite easy. In our three weeks in PNG, we only spent one night in paid accommodation, at a Catholic diocese in Kavieng. There are so few tourists that locals are happy to take in travellers for a few nights.

Try Couchsurfing

All our days in Port Moresby were spent with an Aussie expat on Couchsurfing.org. There are several other offering a spare bedroom or couch in the capital. However, other cities don’t boast many members.

Just ask

You could, in theory, go up to random people in a town and ask if you can spend some nights in their home in exchange for some money to help with food (30 kina – about $10 – a night would be a reasonable offer).

There’s always the risk that the person you approach could be dishonest and take advantage of you. Which is why you should:

Try the local church

We stayed one night at a guesthouse of the Catholic diocese in Vanimo, free of charge. We heard of two Czech guys who traveled around and stayed at the home of the local priests. Churches are good places to go to score cheap lodging because that’s where you’ll find warm, friendly, helpful people.

But always show your appreciation by offering a gift or contribution to the church. 20-30 kina is a good amount.

Transportation

PNG’s road atlas looks like someone spilled instant noodle crumbs over it. Disjointed curlicues of roads are everywhere, but nothing connects the entire country.

You can take a public bus (PMV) but it will only go as far as the road lets it. You won’t go very far, especially if you’re in a coastal city.

If you want to go father, you’ll have to take an airplane.

Flying domestically

There are two airlines in PNG, both of them charging high prices. Airlines PNG is cheaper but only does short flights. If you want to go to farther towns, like Kavieng or Vanimo, you have to go with Air Niugini.

Like most airlines, prices don’t make sense. A return flight from Port Moresby to Kavieng, for example, costs US$160. But a one-way flight to Vanimo, which is closer, is almost US$300.

Seek out the MAF

Where the domestic airlines dare not go, the Mission Aviation Fellowship is there. This is an organization that flies missionaries and supplies to remote villages, mostly in the Highlands. If they have open seats in one of their Cessnas, there’s no reason they would turn down a traveler. They make money and you get a cheap flight.

They can also provide good info on interesting places to visit. Contact them at bookings-png@maf.org

You could get lucky

In Port Moresby we met a pilot who flies fresh vegetables from the Highlands five days a week. He had some empty space and offered us a ride to Mt. Hagen in exchange for a few beers.

Unfortunately, the plane broke down the day before and had to be grounded for four days. We ended up going with Airlines PNG to avoid losing time.

But things like this happen frequently. You meet someone who knows someone who likes helping a fellow foreigner out. You just have to know where to find them.

Hang out at the Port Moresby Yacht Club

This is where the city’s expats gather to forget for a few hours that they live in PNG. Pilots and yacht owners can always be found there having some happy hour drinks. Make a friend and you could get lucky. Just don’t count on it.

Oh, and you need to be a guest of a member to get in. You’ll have to figure that one out on your own.

Travel by boat

There are always leisure sailors stopping in Port Moresby for supplies and maintenance. Many of them continue sailing to other coastal towns and islands. They may be looking for crew members willing to work for free in exchange for a ride. Again, ask around the Yacht Club. Someone will know.

Food

PNG has decent  supermarkets stocked with imported food from Australia and Asia. Only problem is, most products cost more than a local’s daily wage.

Would you pay $18 for a jar of instant coffee? Or $15 for a tub of Nutella?

Since most people in PNG grow their own food, markets don’t sell high volumes of imported foods. These are mostly for homesick expats. To save money, you’ll have to eat like a local.

Go to the public markets

That’s where you’ll find fruits and veggies grown by the locals. If you’re in the Highlands, the selection is plentiful and cheap. If you’re in the coast, you’ll just have to simplify your meals.

Eat the domestic stuff

PNG specializes in crackers and canned meat. There’s a dizzying variety of these at the supermarket. It’s not gourmet, but you could eat worse than crackers with luncheon pork or tuna in tomato sauce.

Useful Contacts:

PNG Tourism Promotion Authority
Pacific MMI Building, Level 5
PO Box 1291 Port Moresby
Phone: +675 320-0211

Country Tours
A tour operator based in Mt. Hagen, specializing in the Highlands
sales@countrytours.com.pg
+675 542-1603 or +675 698-8806