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A PURELY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

Our mission is to offer travellers an authentic step back in time to Papua New Guinea… the land of the unexpected!

ABOUT PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Located in the continent of Oceania, Papua New Guinea covers 452,860 square kilometres of land and 9,980 square kilometers of water, making it the 55th largest nation in the world with a total area of 462,840 square kilometers.

The currency of Papua New Guinea is the Kina (PGK). As well, the people of Papua New Guinea are referred to as Papua New Guinean.

The dialing code for the country is 675 and the top level internet domain for Papua New Guinean sites is .pg.

Papua New Guinea shares land borders with only one country, Indonesia.

Vehicles drive on the left side of the road (sometimes)

Electricity Supply is 240 volts and power points are ‘Type I’ the same as used in Australia and New Zealand

1523 – Portuguese sailor Jorge de Meneses, names part of the present day Papua New Guinea Ilhas dos Papuas, which translated means “land of people with frizzy hair”.
1546 – Spanish Explorer names the island New Guinea as he believed the inhabitants resembled the people of Guinea in West Africa.
1884 – the island is divided by agreement, with Holland ‘acquiring’ the western part (now West Papua), Germany the north east (New Guinea) and Britain the south east (Papua).
1906 – Australia assumes control of British Papua.
1914 – Australia occupies German New Guinea.
1921 – The League of Nations gives Australia a mandate to govern New Guinea, whilst still ruling Papua as a colony.
1945 – Australia merges its administrations of Papua and New Guinea.
1975 – Papua New Guinea becomes an independent nation with Michael Somare appointed Prime Minister.
1989 – civil war starts on Bougainville, triggered by disagreement over royalties from the Panguna Copper Mine.
2001 – peace agreement reached with Bougainville involving greater autonomy and a referendum ‘planned’ to be held by 2020 offering an option for independence from PNG.
2019 – Referendum held in Bougainville for locals to vote on whether to stay a part of PNG or to be an independent nation

The tropical wet season in Papua New Guinea normally runs from November to May. The North West monsoon season runs from December to March, and the South East season is from May to October. Coastal areas average 25-30ºC during the day with high humidity and warm nights. The further inland or higher the altitude, the lower the temperature will be. The nights are milder and more bearable in the Highlands.
The most popular surf destinations are on the Northern coasts of PNG, so the months of October to April are most favourable for decent surf conditions. The main tourist season falls in the Northern dry season, from April to November, when conditons are most sutable for birdwatching, fishing, trekking, festivals and basking in the tropical sun in one of our resorts.
Scuba Divers visit PNG all year round.

PNG is always in the news and usually it’s for the wrong reasons. In general, incidents involving foreigners are isolated and in many cases, are blown out of proportion by the media. There is usually a good reason for the problem and this does not always get reported to the public. The majority of trouble occurs in the larger cities and towns and is often related to tribal issues, particularly in the Highlands.

The majority of Papua New Guineans are some of the most beautiful and friendly people on earth. They will generally greet you with a wave, a smile, or a hello and the kids are so inquisitive that they will follow you around and want to join in with your activities.

PNG people are classed as Melanesians. Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from New Guinea island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Tonga. The region includes the four independent countries of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, as well as the French special collectivity of New Caledonia, and the Indonesian region of Western New Guinea. Most of the region is in the Southern Hemisphere, with a few small northwestern islands of Western New Guinea in the Northern Hemisphere.

The offical language that is spoken in Parliament and taught in schools is English. People from the New Guinea side of the country (former name under German rule) is Tok Pisin, a mix of English, German, Malay and Portuguese originating from colonial days. In the southern part of the country Hiri Motu is widely spoken, although in recent times, Tok Pisin and English are becoming more common.

Anti-malarial medication, Hepatitis B, cholera and other vaccinations may be required, so ensure that you visit your doctor or a Traveller’s Medical and Vaccination Centre to seek advice.

Tropical strength personal insect repellent should be worn in coastal regions, particularly around dusk, to help repel mosquitoes and midges. This is not necessary in the Highlands as the climate does not suit mosquitoes. With the high humidity, if you become ill on your holiday, most hotels keep a contact number for the local doctor. Payment is required at the time of consultation.

Hospitals are poorly equipped and shortages of common medicines sometime occur, however, pharmacies are usually well stocked with the common remedies.

Your passport must have a validity of at least six months beyond your stay to be allowed in the country.

Visas are required by all travellers to PNG. Both Tourist and Business visas can now only be obtained by applying in advance online. The cost is USD50 (approx. AUD72 or GBP40). Visas on arrival have been suspended since the outbreak of Coronavirus, except where bilateral agreements are in place, and you will not be allowed to board your flight without one. Check www.ica.gov.pg for more information.

THE BENEFITS OF USING A SPECIALIST

Whether you’re in PNG for business or leisure, we will find you a suitable property to suit your requirements.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) Holidays aims to promote Papua New Guinea as a safe and exotic holiday destination to the rest of the world. We will provide exciting and unique holiday experiences to a destination unlike anywhere else in the world, encourage respect and understanding of Papua New Guinea Culture and nature and will ensure that future tourism activity to and within Papua New Guinea is sustainable for the future of everyone – locals and visitors alike”.

The company is the vision of a few of us who have experienced PNG first hand and have a passion and understanding for Papua New Guinea and its exotic cultures, wildlife and pristine natural landscapes that remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. There has been much negative press towards PNG and its political instability, equally so mis-representation has taken place with regards to many of the outlying provinces that remain unscathed by the security issues of the capital – Port Moresby. We intend to redress the balance.

Martin Keating and Andrew Bowes have lived in Papua New Guinea having travelled extensively throughout the country. Together we have put together a holiday program to raise awareness of what PNG is all about and what it has to offer. Certain parts of PNG have very little infrustructure so the best way of showcasing Papua New Guinea has been to build “Safe” holiday packages complete with airfares, accommodation and tours. The hard work is already done. PNG is an “easy” destination (when for example compared with Bali, Thailand and Fiji – all with their own problems but we have decided to offer PNG to the world ONLY via the Australian Travel Agency Network). It is important to us and our Travel Agent network that visitors to Papua New Guinea are well briefed before their departure and this is just not practical via the Internet. On our website, you will find a showcase of packages from these diverse cultures, the idyllic scenery and amazing activities which have been put together with many niche activities such as trekking, bird watching, surfing and diving – but we must stress that to fully enjoy the experience you must know everything and this is only possible via your local Travel Agent. All packages on our website – and in our soon to be released brochure are ex-Australia.

It is time to reveal the hidden gems of Papua New Guinea and open the doors to a country that as a Tourism Destination is already gaining momentum and developing it’s own tourism infrastructure and understanding the importance of this aspect of it’s economy. We will help Papua New Guinea to achieve this every way we can.

The Kokoda Track has really begun Papua New Guinea’s success into tourism with numbers increasing dramatically over the last 5 years but there is so much more on offer there. We hope you will support our initiative and we endeavour to provide as much relevant information and support in providing existing and tailored holiday packages inviting you to visit some of the more remote locations in Papua New Guinea that will tantalise you and leave you wanting more!

PNG Holidays is IATA accredited (IATA Number 0235056) and Australian Government Licenced (Licence Number TAG82)
PLEASE NOTE: BLT (QLD) PTY LTD, TRADING AS PNG HOLIDAYS, IS AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AUSTRALIAN COMPANY WITH NO ASSOCIATION WITH ANY OTHER COMPANIES WITH A SIMILAR OR THE SAME NAME. COMMENTS MADE ON WEB-SITES SUCH AS TRIP ADVISOR ARE NOT RELATED TO OUR COMPANY.

Some of the benefits of allowing PNG Holidays arrange your next adventure are:

  • Our specialists have lived, worked and visited PNG extensively.

  • We have built a rapport over many years with PNG operators.

  • We use local operators specific to each region ensuring that everyone benefits from your booking.

  • We know our stuff, so you can be confident in our services.

  • We deal with travel agents, and we pay them, making it easy for you to use your favourite agency.

  • Unlike an online site, we book you from door to door.

  • Doing it yourself because it saves time and money is a myth.

MEET THE TEAM

Andrew

Sales, Reservations & Marketing

Andrew lived in PNG in the 1990s and first born child was born in Madang Hospital. Having been posted to Lae, Madang, Goroka, Kainantu, and Manus, he has been involved wth PNG Holidays since 2009 and has travelled extensively throughout the country, sourcing the best properties and tours to offer his clients.

Martin

BLT Group Owner

Martin started the company in 2007, after living and travelling extensively throughout Papua New Guinea. He and his wife Michelle also own Business and Leisure Travel, a north Queensland based company, with 3 fully licenced and accredited travel agencies in the region.

OUR PROMISE

No request is too big or too small for our team. If it matters to you, it matters to us. Let us make your escape perfect and help you with lifetime memories to share.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE SAID

I just wanted to say thank you so much for the way you organised our PNG trip. Everything ran so smoothly and I have never had such great seat allocation on planes! It really highlighted to me the benefits of going through an agent. Also thank you for the process in the lead up to the trip, we really valued your information and ability to get things sorted.We had an interesting but overall amazing time. It sure is going to be an experience that we’ll never forget. The phrase ‘the land of the unexpected’ definitely rang true, in true PNG style. Thanks again. Visited Goroka and Kavieng, March 2015.

Liz, From Melbourne, Victoria

Great support in organizing travel and accommodation in PNG. Milne Bay, November 2014.

Paulo and Giulia, From Italy

Andrew organised a terrific holiday to PNG for us. Any problems we encountered on our trip were sorted out quickly and efficiently. Milne Bay, November 2014.

Sara and Ian, From Sydney, NSW

I just wanted to say a BIG THANKYOU!!!!! You have been amazing, nothing has been a problem, you have always been obliging in all requests. Thank you to PNG Holidays and Kokoda Courage for all your efforts, a truly great experience. Andrew was fantastic, ensuring everything was booked & organised. Kokoda Courage made our trek so memorable, especially the organisation involved in having our father meet us at the end. The team at Kokoda Courage are extremely passionate about Kokoda & the people, giving endlessly of themselves with many donations & love. thanks for a trip of a lifetime. Kokoda, December 2013

Julie, From Port MacQuarie, NSW

Great communication, Andrew looked after the whole booking process and made sure we had everything we needed for the trek. Thanks for the hassle free trip. Kokoda 2013

Matthew, From Cairns, Queensland

Hello Hagen, Just wanted to let you know we had the best holiday ever, it was perfect from start to finish. The cruise was amazing, a luxurious place to call home and exciting trips to villages, great shopping for artefacts and the stunning beauty of the mighty Sepik and nearby lakes to visit.
We were upgraded to an overwater bungalow at Madang resort which was stunning. The resort restaurant was excellent with some great seafood dishes. The food on board the Kalbobo Spirit was superb, (with) three course meals at night and barbecues on deck for lunch. The crew were amazing, always there to help with a smile. It was an honour to have Sir Peter as our captain; he was great company and is obviously much loved by the people of the Sepik. Thank you so much for organising our trip at short notice and being so very helpful and kind, also for all the extra hints you shared with us. We will be booking our next holiday with you as soon as we get some more kina together. Many Thanks, Kindest Regards, Madang Resort & Kalibobo Spirit, August 2012

Rosann and Daryl, From Cairns, Queensland

Dear Andrew, thank you for your contribution to our recent holiday to PNG. Following is some feedback which I hope may encourage other customers to visit.
Port Moresby: Not as ‘unsafe’ as some would believe. Locals are of the opinion that the situation has improved.
Madang Resort: beautiful room over the water. Tours were interesting and entertaining. Our guide was particularly helpful, as were most people we met in PNG. Had a hoot on new years eve. We walked around the town, even to another hotel at night, and felt very safe.
Kokopo: Kokopo Village Resort was good for the price. We caught the PMV to Rabaul and enjoyed lunch at the Rabaul Hotel. The markets at Rabaul and Kokopo were worth a visit and wandering around Kokopo filled in a day. Lots of people were keen to have a chat and very helpful. Dinner and music at the Vavagil Restaurant was great. Obviously I don’t have to comment too much on the paradise that is Lissenung. I so hope we get to go back there one day. I would also like to comment on Air Nugini – terrific. Planes are clean and comfortable, staff great.
Thanks again for your assistance and we have recommended your company to all our friends and work colleagues. Hopefully we will also be able to use your services again. Cheers, Visited Madang, Rabaul/Kokopo and New Ireland, Jan 2012

Brian and Kaye, From Cairns, Queensland

Dear Andrew, thank you very much for putting the Madang, PNG trip together for us. We had a great time. The diving and landscape and natural god made beauty was second to none. Just absolutely stunning. Thank you once again for working so efficiently to put this together for us in a speedy manner.With immense Gratitude. Visited Madang in April 2011

Patti and Pat, From USA

Thanks Andrew for finding my son and I great deals on going back home……wouldn’t have done it without ur help. Went home to Madang October 2010.

Solitaire, From Ingham, Queensland

Thank you for organizing my trip back home! Such a great service & gr8 price! Flew home to Buka, October 2010.

Denise, From Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Hi Andrew, we want to thank you most sincerely for a terrific holiday. We loved the people, their hospitality, the scenery, activities etc. An absolutely top itinerary from a top team! Best wishes, Visited New Ireland and New Britain in June 2010.

Pam and Phil, From Sydney, NSW

Hi Andrew, we had a fantastic time, thanks heaps for all your help. Owen was a great trek leader and his knowledge of the trail and the war history that happened there was second to none, he brought a new dimension to our trip. Thanks again from all of us. Visited Kokoka and New Ireland in June 2010

Dave, From Sydney, NSW

Andrew just a quick note of thanks again on our PNG trip. Everything went smoothly and we both had a lovely time exploring New Ireland. I even met another couple from Australia, Pam and Phil, and we agreed that you had been most helpful in the planning of our trips. You are a credit to your organisation. All the best. Visited New Ireland in June 2010

David and Dorothy, From Sydney, NSW

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