When you land in Papua New Guinea you enter one of the last frontiers of undiscovered wonders of the world. The country’s high mountains created unique ecosystems where species were left to evolve for hundreds of thousands of years in isolation from the surrounding areas. The results are still being discovered; new species of flora and fauna are found every year. The wealth of the ecosystem here is staggering. You can go from steamy tropical beaches flanked by palm trees to high mountain villages which get the occasional dusting of snow. Extraordinary animals and plants found nowhere else abound, including the tree kangaroo, spiny anteater and trees typical to the ancient forests of Gondwana. The same astonishing variety is found below the surface – in fact, if you were ever hankering to have something named after yourself, this is the place to look.

Papua New Guinea’s highlands host a Sing-Sing, a gathering of the local tribes each year in July or August. This is a fascinating spectacle of different tribes celebrating and maintaining friendships with a few days of dancing, singing and general goodwill. The few outsiders who are lucky enough to secure flights and lodging are in for a treat of colors, sounds and photo opportunities. If you time your trip right and book early enough, you can be one of a privileged few to take a part in the festivities. But even if you are not attending, the highlands are an intriguing and memorable place to visit and you should not miss them.

For divers there are resorts in various regions with different types of diving to choose from. There is also a good selection of quality liveaboards with a variety of itineraries, most of which change during the seasons to take advantage of the best diving conditions around the country. We have worked with the best of Papua New Guinea for many years and can heartily recommend the liveaboards Chertan, FeBrina, Golden Dawn, Spirit of Niugini, Star Dancer, Telita and Tiata – and we will help you to choose the right one for you.