Significant safety concerns; travel only if you have a clear reason to go. Political freedoms are limited and travellers should be mindful of local sensitivities.
Regional breakdown
The risk picture changes a lot depending on where you go. Port Moresby, the capital, sees frequent armed robbery, carjacking and opportunistic street crime. Lae, the second city, has a similar reputation. Both cities are where most travellers land, and both need careful planning around transport and accommodation. The Highlands are the bigger concern. The official advisory guidance warns against all but essential travel to Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces because of tribal fighting. It also flags Enga Province, where every district except Wabag has been declared a fighting zone after waves of intercommunal violence. The official advisory guidance draws a wider line. Warning against travel to most of the Highlands region except Mount Hagen and Goroka, and naming Southern Highlands, Western Highlands. Eastern Highlands, Hela, Enga and Jiwaka. Bougainville is treated separately. The area around the old Panguna mine in Central Bougainville sits at the highest US warning level. Coastal and island areas such as Madang, Rabaul and the Trobriand Islands tend to draw fewer specific warnings. But piracy in surrounding waters and limited emergency response remain real factors.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Papua New Guinea advice on 5 April 2026. It currently warns against all but essential travel to parts of the country, with the Highlands provinces named explicitly. The update also flags Tropical Cyclone Maila, which is tracking toward the country with severe weather expected across several provinces, including the Western Province Islands. Travel insurance may not pay out for travellers who ignore official advisory guidance position. The official advisory guidance last reissued its advisory on 29 April 2025 at Level 3, Reconsider Travel. Within that, it places Central Bougainville near the Panguna mine and most of the Highlands region at Level 4, Do Not Travel. The advisory notes that US government staff need permission before going to certain areas. And that the US government has limited ability to help citizens outside Port Moresby. Neither government has issued an ordered departure for staff or dependants right now.
What travellers should know
Most trips to Papua New Guinea are planned around a specific purpose: diving, trekking the Kokoda Track. Business in Port Moresby, or research in remote provinces. The practical advice is to lock down logistics before arrival. Use airport transfers booked through your hotel or tour operator, avoid walking in cities after dark, and keep valuables out of sight. ATMs and fuel stops are common flashpoints for opportunistic crime. For anything outside Port Moresby and Lae, work with an established in-country operator who tracks local conditions day by day. Tribal disputes can flare quickly, and roads through the Highlands can close without warning. Mobile coverage is patchy, so a satellite messenger is worth considering for remote travel. Check that your travel insurance covers medical evacuation, since serious cases are usually flown to Australia. Watch the cyclone season carefully when planning coastal or island travel, and confirm flights the day before, since weather and security incidents both cause cancellations. Register with your embassy if you plan to travel beyond the main cities.