Papua New Guinea Safety Guide 2025
Stay safe during your Papua New Guinea trip with essential safety information.
Safety Overview
Papua New Guinea has a high crime rate, particularly in Port Moresby and Lae, where robbery, carjacking, and violent crime targeting foreigners occur regularly. Travel is possible and rewarding but requires strict security protocols: always use pre-arranged hotel transport, never walk outside compounds after dark, and travel with reputable licensed operators for all remote area visits.
Papua New Guinea is a land of extraordinary cultural diversity and pristine natural beauty in the Pacific. From the vibrant traditions of over 800 indigenous cultures to world-class diving sites and the legendary Kokoda Track, PNG offers adventurers an unparalleled experience in one of the world's last frontiers.
Current Advisory
Exercise a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea. Reconsider your need to travel to Port Moresby, Lae, and Mount Hagen at night. Do not travel independently to the Highlands Highway or remote areas without certified local guide and operator support.
Last updated: 2025-06
Travel Advisories
Official warnings and recommendations from government sources.
US State Department
Reconsider travel due to crime and civil unrest. Violent crime, including sexual assault, carjacking, home invasion, and robbery, is common throughout PNG.
Australian DFAT Smartraveller
Exercise a high degree of caution. Serious crime affecting foreigners is common in Port Moresby and other urban areas. Petty crime is widespread.
UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office
High risk of crime in urban areas. Street crime, robberies, and carjackings occur regularly. Road travel at night outside major towns is strongly discouraged.
Official Advisory Sources
- 🇺🇸 US: travel.state.gov
- 🇬🇧 UK: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
- 🇨🇦 Canada: travel.gc.ca
- 🇦🇺 Australia: smartraveller.gov.au
Safety Checklist & Emergency Card
Download our printable safety checklist and emergency contact card.
Common Scams to Avoid
Be aware of these common tourist scams.
Airport Taxi Overcharging
Unlicensed drivers outside Jacksons Airport approach arrivals offering taxis at inflated rates and sometimes with accomplices. Official rates from airport to city are $15-25 but unlicensed drivers may demand $80-100.
Raskol Gang Targeted Robbery
Organised criminal gangs (raskolim or raskols) specifically target tourists in Port Moresby who are walking or in vehicles stuck in traffic, particularly near markets and along main roads.
False Guide Offers
Individuals near tourist sites and markets offer guiding services, then either overcharge, redirect to shops paying commission, or in some cases set up robberies by associates.
Craft and Currency Inflated Pricing
Some vendors at tourist markets significantly inflate prices for foreign visitors, particularly for bilum bags and carvings that locals pay a fraction of the quoted price.
Landowner Fee Demands
In some remote areas, individuals claiming to be landowners demand unexpected fees to access beaches, diving spots, or cultural sites not covered in your tour package.
Essential Safety Tips
Practical advice for staying safe during your trip.
Avoid walking alone, especially after dark
Use only registered taxis and avoid PMVs (public motor vehicles)
Stay in secure accommodations with good security measures
Avoid the Highlands region except Mt. Hagen and Goroka
Keep valuables secured and maintain low profile
Register with your embassy upon arrival
Avoid Bougainville Panguna Mine area
Travel with reputable tour operators for remote areas
Carry a certified copy of your passport and keep the original in your hotel safe; police checkpoints are common and ID is required
Consult a travel health clinic before visiting: malaria prophylaxis, hepatitis A/B vaccines, and typhoid vaccination are strongly recommended for PNG
Safety by Traveler Type
Solo Travelers
Solo travel is possible in PNG but requires strict security discipline and advance planning. Stay exclusively at hotels with strong security protocols (Airways, Hilton, The Stanley), use only hotel-arranged transport, and never walk alone outside secured areas. Connect with expat communities at hotel bars (Duffy Cafe Bar, Airways Hotel Wingz) for local advice. Solo travel to remote areas always requires licensed operators and guides - never travel alone to Sepik, Highlands, or remote islands.
Female Travelers
Female travellers face heightened risks in PNG including harassment and assault. Travel with a trusted companion where possible, dress conservatively at all times outside resort environments, avoid isolated situations, and never walk alone after dark anywhere in the country. Harassment is common at markets and on public transport. Use hotel-arranged transport exclusively. Female travellers who have visited PNG safely consistently credit thorough pre-planning, reliable operators, and staying within hotel security infrastructure.
Families
Family travel is possible with thorough preparation and younger children particularly need consideration. Recommended for children aged 10+ due to safety requirements, limited pediatric healthcare, and demanding conditions. Stick to Port Moresby and Madang as family bases. Loloata Island Resort and Madang Resort Hotel are the most family-appropriate properties. Malaria prophylaxis for all family members must be arranged with a travel health specialist before departure. Bring full first aid kit, all medications, and familiar snacks as Western brands are limited.
LGBTQ+ Travelers
Same-sex relationships are criminalised in Papua New Guinea under Section 210 of the Criminal Code with penalties of up to 14 years imprisonment. Public displays of affection between same-sex couples should be avoided entirely. While enforcement against tourists is not the norm, the legal situation and conservative social attitudes require considerable discretion. The expat community is generally more accepting but social norms in local communities are very conservative. LGBTQ+ travellers should research current conditions and exercise complete discretion throughout their visit.
Health & Medical
Stay healthy during your trip.
Vaccinations
Required: Yellow fever (if arriving from infected area). Recommended: Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies (for remote areas), Routine vaccines (MMR, Polio, Tetanus). Malaria prophylaxis ESSENTIAL for most areas.
Water Safety
NOT SAFE to drink. Drink only bottled or boiled water. Avoid ice in drinks. Use bottled water for brushing teeth. Water purification tablets recommended for remote areas.
Food Safety
Stick to hotel restaurants and established venues for food safety. At markets, only eat freshly cooked hot food and intact fruit you can peel yourself. Never eat raw salads or cold foods from street vendors. Hepatitis A vaccination is strongly recommended.
Medical Facilities
Port Moresby General Hospital is the best medical facility in PNG but standards are significantly below Western levels. For serious medical emergencies, medical evacuation to Australia (Brisbane or Cairns) is standard practice. Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is absolutely essential.
Medication Tips
- Bring enough prescription medication for your entire trip plus extra
- Keep medications in original containers with pharmacy labels
- Carry a letter from your doctor explaining your medications
- Some medications may be restricted - research before traveling
- Pack basic medications: pain relievers, anti-diarrheal, antihistamines
Emergency Contacts
Important numbers to have on hand.
Emergency Services
Police, Fire, Ambulance
Medical Emergency
Hospitals and clinics
Your Embassy
Consular assistance
Tourist Police
Tourist assistance
Before You Go
- Register with your embassy's travel notification program
- Save emergency numbers in your phone
- Note your hotel's address in local language
- Share your itinerary with family/friends
- Know your travel insurance emergency hotline
Travel Confidently in Papua New Guinea
Get our complete safety guide with emergency card, insurance recommendations, and area-by-area safety ratings.
Download Safety Guide