Papua New Guinea, a journey into the unknown

Papua New Guinea is one of the few places in the world that seems almost off the map. To travel there is to enter a fascinating world of ancient cultures, divine beaches, coral-rich seabeds, and lots of history.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most remote places for adventure travel, offering an unparalleled variety of natural beauty, exotic wildlife, and cultural tradition.

Located north of Australia, New Guinea is the second-largest island in the world. As a land of geological contrasts, it is characterized by mountains up to 4,509 meters high, extensive jungle, vast deltas, and pristine coral atolls.

The great diversity of this country is rivaled only by the people themselves, whose traditions are still part of everyday life and are as varied and impressive as the surrounding landscape.

Many of the great travelers say that there are no places left in the world to discover. Among them, the British writer Lawrence Osborne who explained in his book, The Naked Tourist, his adventures to find a place that was not offered by any travel agency. He found it in the selves of Papua New Guinea, and the relative scarcity of tourists makes this country one of the most enigmatic destinations that can be reached in the world.

Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, has been an independent state since 1975. As many as 700 known languages are spoken there, or 45% of the total number of languages in the world. Reflecting the geological and ecological diversity of their country, each language represents a unique culture. It is estimated that more than 800 dialects are spoken.

New Guinea was formed by the collision of the Australian continental shelf with the Pacific Ocean shelf. In geological terms, the Bensbach region, south of New Guinea, is part of the ancient Australian continent and, in fact, during the last ice age, New Guinea and Australia were part of the same surface, joined by an isthmus.

The island of New Guinea has one of the richest and most varied avifaunas in the world, with a total of 708 bird species identified so far. For example, there are 43 known species of birds-of-paradise on our planet, 38 of which are found in Papua New Guinea.

The spread of the hat trade in the last century significantly affected the populations of these beautiful birds and, as a result, all species of birds-of-paradise in Papua New Guinea are now protected and it is illegal to remove their feathers from the country. The main threat to their existence now is commercial logging for timber and the clearing of their habitats and rainforests for orchards as the country's population grows.

Papua is also one of the best destinations for snorkeling or scuba diving, with an irresistible supply of aquatic treasures: luminous coral reefs festooned with huge gorgonians, warm waters teeming with colorful fish, underwater cliffs, and spooky World War II wrecks, not to mention the scarce number of divers. Few luxury resorts facilitate the underwater adventure.

Being in the Coral Sea, it's obvious that one of the country's biggest attractions is its underwater ecosystem. In fact, the first people to put Papua New Guinea on the destination list were scuba-loving travelers. This oceanic region is home to more aquatic species than any other. It is estimated that to dive in Kimbe Bay, off the north coast of New Britain Island, is to dive among more than 60 percent of the Pacific's coral species. Another magical place is Cenderawasih Bay, northwest of the big island of New Guinea, home to fascinating whale sharks.

After these seascapes, the beaches are the second most remarkable element of Papua New Guinea. You will find white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters with a green background of palm trees. Don't forget your snorkeling goggles, because a short distance from the shore is a surprising world of coral species.

Milne Bay is the pinnacle of this universe of amazing beaches. Alotau is the gateway to this dream bay, full of islands, white sand beaches, waterfalls, rivers, and colorful wildlife. It is the culmination of a trip to a paradise as unknown as it is surprising.

There are several annual cultural shows in Papua New Guinea, usually held in May, August, and September, which provide the opportunity to witness groups of tribes from all over the country in an extravaganza of vibrant colors, unique cultures, and extraordinary experiences.

The high season runs from May to October. It is the driest time, but also the coolest when festivals are held, therefore there is usually more tourists. December to March is the rainy season, and some roads in the Highlands may be closed.

There are no overland roads connecting the country, so most of the travel is done by light aircraft over hidden peaks, forests, and valleys. That's the most exciting part of the trip and what makes it so inaccessible and unique. No experienced traveler will remain indifferent when taking a trip to this wonderful island.