• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Indopacificimages

Indopacificimages

Underwater Photography by Don Silcock

  • Big Animals
  • Location Guides
    • Australia
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Timor Leste
    • The Philippines
    • Tonga
    • Japan
    • The Americas
    • Southern Africa
    • The Azores
  • Technical Diving
  • Photo Gear
  • Articles
  • About IPI

Understanding Papua New Guinea

Understanding Papua New Guinea… Discover more about this wild and adventurous country that offers so much to both divers and travelers looking for something different!

Papua New Guinea often grapples with a tough reputation, marked by corruption, violence, and safety concerns.

But dig deeper, and you’ll uncover a truly fascinating and rewarding destination.

By peeling back the layers, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of PNG and its complexities. Enabling you to make an informed decision about whether this remarkable place is right for you.

Because let’s be honest—PNG is not for everyone!

The first step in understanding Papua New Guinea is recognizing that it’s one of the most diverse and contrasting countries in the world.

Understanding Papua New Guinea
New Hanover Villagers

Despite having a population of just under 8 million people, it is home to over 850 languages and nearly 1,000 traditional societies and ethnic groups. Add to this the fact that PNG only gained independence in 1975, in a hurried transition from its colonial ruler, Australia—a move that created more challenges than it solved.

Combine that with the country’s dramatic topography, challenging geography, and the immense difficulties of establishing core infrastructure, and you’ll begin to understand its unique character.

Understanding Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea 101

Papua New Guinea 101… Truly one of the last great frontiers—a wild and adventurous destination with some incredible scuba diving and countless unique experiences waiting above the water. It stands as one of the most heterogeneous countries in the world. Despite its modest population of aeound …

Read morePapua New Guinea 101

Is It Safe To Go To PNG?

Is it safe to go to PNG… This is a question I get asked a lot, and the honest answer is no, it’s not 100% safe. But then again, where is these days? In my experience, the risks in Papua New Guinea are manageable and far outweighed by the incredible experiences it offers. Papua New …

Read moreIs It Safe To Go To PNG?

The Wantok System

The Wantok system is the social glue that binds the nation of Papua New Guinea together. An understanding of how it works is an essential ingredient in better understanding the people of PNG, their culture and how it all works! Simply stated, in a country where there is no safety net the Wantok …

Read moreThe Wantok System
Papua New Guinea and WWII

Papua New Guinea and WWII

Papua New Guinea and WWII… The invasion of PNG began on the 21st January 1942. When the Japanese Imperial forces seized Kavieng in New Ireland and soon after Rabaul in New Britain. The invasion, coming as it did just seven weeks after their devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbour, turned Papua New Guinea into key …

Read morePapua New Guinea and WWII

First Contact in Papua New Guinea

First Contact in Papua New Guinea… One of the most extraordinary stories from Papua New Guinea is the discovery of the highland people on the island of New Guinea. Isolated from the outside world for millennia. Their first contact with modern civilization occurred just over 90 years ago, in …

Read moreFirst Contact in Papua New Guinea

Expect The Unexpected Article

Expect the Unexpected – Papua New Guinea is truly one of the last frontiers. The country is a wild and adventurous place and offers some tremendous scuba diving. Combined with many unique and fascinating things to see above the water. One of the world’s most heterogeneous countries, Papua New …

Read moreExpect The Unexpected Article



Back To: The Complete Guide to Diving Papua New Guinea

About

Big Animals

Technical Diving

Photo Gear

Articles

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2024 · All Rights Reserved Indo Pacific Images