1. Get a visa upon arrival. All overseas travellers must have a visa for entry into Papua New Guinea. Luckily for many tourists, including Australian citizens, Papua New Guinea will provide free visas on arrival for up to 60 days, which you can get at the Port Moresby International Airport after you have landed.

2. Organise your trip in advance. Papua New Guinea is not the type of country you can simply turn up to and expect to see everything the country has to offer. If you want to travel around the country, planning ahead is invaluable. Not only does it guarantee you a spot in tours, transportation and accomodation, but it will save you a lot of money as well!

3. Bring some warm clothes with you just in case. Although the country is tropical and fairly warm throughout the year, some sites and villages are located at high altitudes where temperatures can drop considerably. These areas can be surprisingly cold compared to the coastal regions and Port Moresby, so bringing an extra layer with you will be very handy.

4. Don’t travel alone or at night. Papua New Guinea can be very dangerous at night so it’s best to travel during the daytime with other people. Furthermore, it can be very beneficial to hire a guide for the local area you are staying in. Not only will they be able to translate and communicate with local tribes to help you travel, but their knowledge of the area will prove invaluable as they can tell you which areas to avoid to stay safe.

5. Bring Malaria medication and take vaccination shots before you travel. While the hospitals are well equipped to deal with Malaria, as you travel further and further away from the cities, these resources become harder and harder to find. Malaria carrying mosquitoes do exist in low lying areas, so keep yourself protected by taking vaccinations back home before you travel and keeping some Doxycycline and Malarone on you while you are out just in case.