Think twice.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Papua New Guinea
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria, Measles, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Papua New Guinea must obtain either a visa on arrival or an e-Visa to enter the country. Visitors may also apply for a visa from the PNG diplomatic missions.
Passport validity required: 6 months beyond entry.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Papua New Guinea, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual activity between men is illegal. People who are convicted face up to 14 years imprisonment. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers report that safety in Papua New Guinea varies significantly by region. East New Britain, including Rabaul and Kokopo, is considered safe, while Port Moresby and Wewak are viewed as higher risk, with locals advising against walking alone. Violent crime against tourists is considered unlikely, but pickpocketing and bag slashing occur. Road travel, particularly on routes like Maprik-Pagwi, carries risks from both potential robbers and poor road conditions. Tribal fighting in regions like Enga can lead to sudden instability, curfews, and flight cancellations. Travelers emphasize that public minibuses are not recommended for female solo travelers and advise relying on local news, recent intelligence, and professional guides to navigate shifting security conditions.
“East New Britain, like Kokopo and Rabaul, felt completely safe. Goroka was average, looking dodgy in some areas, but I did walk around a bit. Anything violent against tourists is very unlikely, maybe some pick-pocketing, I heard about bag slashing.
— r/travel
“The only actually cheap option to travel in PNG is taking PMV (public minibus) everywhere and finding guides just to take you to tribes or special activities. It would be 2-3 times cheaper I suppose. If you skip performances and guides altogether, stay in 1-2 areas, this can be done very cheaply. But PMV's are more risky (in some areas), takes much more time, and requires a lot of patience. Not recommended for females.
— r/travel
“Additionally, the security situation in Enga (province where Wabag is) turned bad due to tribal fights. A curfew was put in place, and the local airport stopped flights. Interestingly, the Enga Show was not canceled, and their staff claimed it was safe. Everyone else I talked to warned me against going to the Enga region.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
I · 240V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 111 / fire: 110
Cash vs. Card
The kina, denoted by the symbol "K" (ISO code: PGK) is the currency of Papua New Guinea. It is divided into 100 toea.
Zoom in
One Papua New Guinea city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09