Port Morseby.

We begin our tour of PNG by arriving in the unnattractive and decidely non-exotic capital of Port Morseby where concrete and razor-barb rule the roost, though comfortable hotels are available at a price. Let’s get out of here and head for the hills!

PNG (Papua New Guinea) is a fascinating, brilliantly colourful countrythat is home to thick green landscapes, birds of paradise and a fistful of bizarre and unique cultures such as the Huli wigmen in the Highlands, Sepik River Crocodile cultists and sensual Trobriand islanders offshore.

These tribal people dress to kill (sometimes literally) and welcome PNG travellers taking photos – after all if you had spent several years in wig school or hours getting made up with war paint you’d want someone to capture your style too!

The Highlands is home to the most people in Papua New Guinea which still doesn’t make it crowded. Highlanders are live in different tribal clans across PNG’s Highland plateau and frequently engage in combat with neighbours but rarely causes fatalities. The largest tribe are the Huli wigmen.

Mt. Hagen is the capital of the Western Highlands; Goroka capital of the Eastern Highlands; Mendi capital of Southern Highlands. Both Hagen and Goroka arrange spectacular sing-sings (elaborate clan festivals with costumes and dance) every year.

The Southern Highlands are not very safe but rich in culture and wildlife/birds and well worth visiting with professional guides.
The Eastern Highlands stretches between the Highlands and the coastal provinces of Morobe and Madang with several mountain ranges. Local people there are regarded as the friendliest in the Highlands and participate in less tribal fights than in other provinces. The Asaro Mudmen – who wear masks made of mud for battle or ceremonial purposes – are the main attraction.

A Huli wigman security guard in Ambua Lodge, near Tari in the Southern Highlands.

A selection of bizarre PNG money, including feathers and shells and dogs teeth

Some variations on cash money in Papua New Guinea include both real and false dog’s teeth (the latter were made in Germany), birds of paradise feathers and Kina shells, but not in the photo are yams, engraved banana leaves or live pigs.

Bottom centre in the photo is Kina paper money used by tourists and by locals much of the time. For special occasions such as marriage dowries, funerals or other ceremonies more exotic offerings may be made such as a feather from a Bird of Paradise (top centre), carved bowls (top left), dog’s teeth necklaces (right side) and various shells including the most expensive, the Kina shell (golden yellow at centre).

Another very different but still exotic culture lives on in the Trobriand Islands, just offshore. And this is one of their toilets.

Security, or lack of it, is one reason why there are relatively few tourists in Papua New Guinea, whereas across the border in Indonesia they are overrun by big spenders (well, not exactly. . . over the border in West Papua is the Baliem Valley that is extremely primitive and relatively untouristed). Mental images of large, muscular men wielding little axes can be discouraging.

Some think the problem has arisen from a combination of over-education and inebriation. Young men are educated to have high expectations, become dissatisfied with the simple rustic life and leave their villages – and tribal law – for towns. But there in place of a pot of gold they find gangs of lost souls in the same jobless boat, and cans of golden brew for consolation. Thus a rascal is born.

The problem is acute in two or three large towns, with the scattered capital of Port Moresby as number one on the hit list, leading to the popularity of security guards, dogs and razorbarb, an endless, coiled razor blade that looks sensational when entwined with and perfumed by the omnipresent hibiscus or frangipani blossoms.

Budget travellers are a rare sight in PNG because locals rarely out out so inexpensive hotels and restaurants are few and far between and not particularly safe. The only really secure way to travel PNG is tourist class. Excellent, secure hotels can be found in all locations of interest, and more importantly excellent, knowledgeable guides.
So go lukluk, yu klia gut wantok?

The best time to travel in Papua New Guinea is May-October.
Worst: December-April (the wet season).

Tourist visas for up to 60 days travel can be granted at airports and sea ports but passports must be valid for at least 6 months.

• attending the Goroka or Mt Hagen Cuture Shows (Sing-Sings).

• hiking in the Western Highlands, with modest treks in the Wahgi Valley, a lovely lush region of roaring rivers, rainforest and fields of local crops. More serious hikers might want to tackle either the 4500 metre summit of Mt Wilhelm or the famously tough 96 km Kokoda Trail, a kind of pilgrimage route for Australians as their army fought the Japanese here in WWII. Kokoda is not to be taken lightly as people do die on it regularly from exhaustion or accidents. Rain may be torrential and mosquitoes unrelenting. April to September is the best season for hiking.

• bird watching: various small mammals and 185 species of birds including birds of paradise in the Baiyer River Sanctuary, Western Highlands 55kms (34 miles) north of Mt Hagen.

• orchid hunting.

• cruising the Sepik River and visiting unusual tribal groups other than the Hulis.

• travelling offshore to the Trobriand Islands for another cultural eye-opener.