WAY, WAY, WAYYYY OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

I don't get too many inquiries for truly off the beaten path destinations like Papua New Guinea, but this country is definitely a special one to see for yourself. The work to get there and get around makes it worth it when you meet the people and learn about the multicultural island roots. 

This country has over 1000 tribal groups and contains 20% of the world's languages (over 800!). Each tribal group is different - distinctive traditional dress, dance, art, and culture. On a typical trip, a traveler would be able to go from interacting with some of the river tribes, to the highlands, and maybe even to one of the islands, if time allows. Papua New Guinea has very few roads - travelers must take domestic flights to get around in many places.

While it definitely is an atypical destination for most travelers, it has one major aspect that makes it an easier trip than one might suppose: English is one of the three official languages of the country. This means that many people you encounter will speak English - even in the remote tribes. The country was previously an Australian territory, until 1975 when it gained its independence. 

Visiting different tribes

With so many different tribes living in Papua New Guinea, a good trip to the country must contain interactions with several areas of the country, to ensure you get a chance to appreciate the simultaneous complexity and simplicity of everyday living here.

The Mask Festival

In the province of East New Britain (on one of the islands of Papua New Guinea) there is a Mask Festival each July and celebrates the unique mask cultures of the country and demonstrates their traditional masks and dancing. It's a very popular event!

Best time to travel

May - October; Mask Festival is in July each year, the Hagen Show (another popular cultural event) in the highlands takes place in August of each year.

Recommended duration

10-14 days to be able to see several tribal groups

Pairs well with

If you have enough time that you can spend 14+ days on a trip, it pairs well with Australia.

Cost factors

On the more expensive end, mainly due to the cost of flights (both international and domestic)

Ready to book a trip here?

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