Papua New Guinea

Visiting PNG

In this section you will find all you need to know when visiting Papua New Guinea, so you will arrive well prepared for your holiday:

Visa requirements

A 60-day Tourist Visa is available on arrival in Port Moresby at a fee of K100.00. To obtain a visa before you enter the country costs K75.00. You will need travel documents, sufficient funds for your stay in the country and airline ticket with confirmed outbound flights before expiry date of your Visa. As some restrictions apply to several Asian, Eastern European and African countries; please check with the nearest Papua New Guinea Mission or the nearest Australian mission, which is allocated in each country for visa requirements before travelling to the country.

Airport

Jackson's International Airport is the gateway of Papua New Guinea, situated about 8km away from the main town center of Port Moresby. Mt Hagen Provincial Airport has been declared International Port of entry because of the mining activities around the Highland provinces.

Customs & Quarantine
Adults over 18 have a general allowance of new goods to the value of K250 and are allowed duty free:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco
• 2 litres of alcohol.
• A reasonable amount of perfume.

Drugs, pornographic literature or video tapes, firearms and weapons are prohibited. Food items, seeds, spices, live or dry plants, animals, animal products and biological specimens such as cultures and blood need special import approval.

For more information on Customs Procedures and Services visit the PNG Customs website www.customs.gov.pg

Currency

Papua New Guinea's unit of currency is the Kina which is divided into 100 toea. There are K100, K50, K20, K10, K5 and K2 notes and a K1 coin. Daily exchange rates are listed in banks, newspapers and hotels. You can exchange your money at Jackson's Airport or in banks, which are open from 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday - Thursdays and 9.00 - 4.00pm on Fridays.

Credit Cards

Hotels, restaurants, shops, rental car companies, cruise operators and travel agents accept most major credit cards including Amex, Diners, Master cards and Visa Cards.

Value Added Tax (Vat)

All transactions within hotels, restaurants and bars are subject to 10% tax which is included in published prices.

Business Hours

Commercial Firms: Monday to Friday - 8.00am - 4:30 or 5.00pm. Saturday 8.00am - 12.00 noon.
Government Hours: Monday to Friday - 7.45am - 4.06pm.

Calendar of Events

Throughout the year there are festivals and shows being held around the country. We have a listing of the Calendar of Cultural Festivals and Shows throughout the country and Calendar of Special Events happening around the country.

Climate

Warm to hot and humid throughout the year. There is a rainy season, which varies from province to province, however, in general, it's driest from May to December. The air is clean; watch out for sunburn, particularly in the Highlands, even on overcast days.

Dress

Informal and casual with shorts and open neck shirts worn throughout the year along with traditional items and apparel: ramis. Sulus, laplaps and kolos. Thongs, sneakers and sandshoes are not allowed in some bars and restaurants. In the Highlands, sturdy walking shoes are recommended, as is a sweater or jacket for cool evenings. Female dress should always be modest.

Tipping

Visitors to the country are guest and hospitality is an honour in our Melanesian culture. Tips are neither expected nor encouraged.

Transportation

Transportation is mostly by air across PNG. A good network of roads connects the Northern zone and the Highlands region. Hire and rental cars, local boats and ferries, taxis in larger towns, plus local buses. There is no road link between the northern zone and the capital, Port Moresby because of the rugged nature of the terrain.

Electrical Voltage

Electrical current on the national grid is 240 volts. The type of plug that electrical appliance use in PNG, is TYPE I. Some hotels provide 110 volt outlets in guest rooms for shavers and hair dryers.

Health Regulations

Certification or vaccination against yellow fever or cholera is requiring for travelers over one year of age coming from or through infected areas. Malaria is the only serious health risk. Visitors are strongly advised to consult your local doctor or tropical disease clinic to commence anti-malarial preparations before arrival. Water quality is within World Health Organization standards in most towns. Bottled water is available. In rural areas it is advisable to boil water at all times.

Medical Services

Dental, doctors and hospital services are available in all major centers. Medical clinics and aid posts are found in remote areas and several hospitals are privately owned.

Public Holidays

New Year's Day - 1st January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Queens Birthday - 13th June, Rememberance Day - 21st July, Independence Day - 16th September, Christmas Day - 25th December, Boxing Day - 26th December.

Religion

Local traditional beliefs and ceremonies are maintained in remote areas; however, Christian influence is predominant.

Telecommunication

Papua New Guinea has modern satellite communications, which have brought the world closer at the touch of a few buttons. ISD and STD dialing are available in most parts of the country. Telex and Facsimile services are also readily available except in very remote areas where high frequency radios are in use.

Time Zone

PNG is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Media

Papua New Guinea has two daily English Language newspapers - the Post Courier and the National Newspaper.

Television
Papua New Guinea has only one Free air television channel called EMTV. Hotels that have Satelite dishes offer a wide range of Television ie. CNN, HBO, Cinemax, Discovery Channel, Movies etc.

Radio
24 hour radio services in the three National Languages are broadcasted in FM mode. Nau FM & NBC with the English Language, Yumi FM and Karai Station with the Pidgin Language and Central FM with the Motuan Language.