Think twice.
Papua New Guinea’s safety score rose to 49 today, but you still face level 3 travel advisories from the US and Canada alongside active global polio and measles notices.
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
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •U.S. State Department travel advisory as of January 17, 2024: Reconsider travel to Papua New Guinea due to crime, civil unrest, and piracy. Exercise increased caution due to kidnapping, unex…
- •Do not travel to: Central Bougainville, particularly areas near the Panguna mine, due to civil unrest.
- •The Highlands region, other than the towns of Mt. Hagen and Goroka, due to civil unrest.
- •The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Port Moresby due to limited transportation infrastructure. U.S. government employees must ob…
- •The country has a reputation as a risky destination in some circles (primarily Australian ones), predominantly because of the activities of criminal gangs (known in Tok Pisin and commonly in…
- •That is generally a result of unemployment stemming from increased domestic migration from subsistence farming in the hills to the nearest urban area.
Staying healthy
- •Tap water in some regions can be unsafe to drink.
- •Malaria can be a hazard as well, although many villages, particularly those connected to industry, are regularly treated for mosquitoes.
- •As per WHO advice, you're also advised to get a booster shot for polio if you haven't received one in the last decade due to vaccine-derived polio being detected in the country.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
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
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 (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12