Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the world's second largest island and contains more linguistic diversity than any country on earth - over 800 languages, in a population of ten million, in a landscape of highlands, rainforest, volcanic coastline and coral reef that has kept communities separated enough to develop entirely distinct cultures. The Highlands Show in Mount Hagen, where tribes gather in full ceremonial dress, is one of the great cultural events in the Pacific. The country is logistically demanding, the infrastructure thin, and the rewards proportional to both.

Travel advisory Some regions carry significant safety risks. Check current conditions before planning travel.

Our guide is being written from the ground up, with the time this place deserves.

We are still gathering the notes that make a guide worth keeping: Highlands Show timing, Sepik River lodge routes, dive sites along the Bismarck Sea and the village guesthouses that require a local introduction and return something no hotel can.