Brilliant experience, unforgettable taste of a culture very different from my own .
Disadvantages:
High crime rate in the capital city .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
If you are looking for an intense cultural experience, a taste of a world very different from your own, you can't go past a visit to Papua New Guinea. From the dense tropical rain forests of the highlands to the beautiful palm fringed islands, it is a land whose natural beauty is only surpassed by the variety and colour of the people who live there.
I lived in Papua New Guinea for about six months a few years ago, and I have to say out of all my travels this is the place that affected me the most. I mainly stayed in a little group of islands called the Trobriands, in the Milne Bay Province. 'The Trobes' (as they are affectionately known as) are gorgeous - picture the most idyllic island paradise you can think of and you'll be pretty close. Altogether they have a population of less than 30,000 people, and at the time I was there only four houses on the main island had telephones. The majority of people cannot speak English or even Pidgin (the language used in most major cities), and it has only been within the past few decades that the people stopped wearing grass skirts and took to cheap t-shirts instead (though a lot of women still go around topless). The main diet includes yams, bananas, coconuts and freshly caught fish. As experiences of different cultures go, I have to say this definitely topped my list.
Sadly though, I have to say that my time spent in Port Moresby (the capital of Papua New Guinea) did not affect me in the same way. It is a very ugly, over-populated city, and the crime rate is continually rising. Unemployment rates are ridiculously high - something like 90%, which is why 'Rascals' (PNG term for criminals) abound. My advice is to spend as little time as possible in Port Moresby - preferably get a connecting flight the same day if you can.
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