{"id":60168,"date":"2025-06-20T15:13:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T19:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=60168"},"modified":"2025-06-26T18:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T22:20:11","slug":"cruising-papua-new-guinea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/destinations\/cruising-papua-new-guinea\/","title":{"rendered":"Islands of Intrigue: Cruising Papua New Guinea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Canoes coming out to greet the author\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/canoes_visiting-Enhanced-SR.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Like clockwork, anywhere we dropped the hook, canoes came out to greet us, to trade and to share stories.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Pushy islanders circling the boat in their canoes. Drunken rascals harassing or assaulting crews. The constant threat of being attacked by saltwater crocodiles. Reading reports about Papua New Guinea, we weren\u2019t sure if it was a wise idea to even dare a brief stopover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe id=\"gkstfcayky\" src=\"https:\/\/cruisingworld.dragonforms.com\/gkstfcayky\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>But Papua New Guinea does have the advantage that it lies outside the cyclone belt (at least the northern part). So, we went, but we kept to a route far from the main islands. In the remote little islands, we found beautiful nature and hospitable people wherever we stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While occupying only 1 percent of the world\u2019s landmass, Papua New Guinea has an incredible 7 percent of Earth\u2019s biodiversity. It is the world\u2019s third-largest island country and the most populous among Pacific island nations\u2014even though nobody\u2019s quite certain how many people really live there. Calculations vary from 12 million to 17 million inhabitants. It is culturally diverse too, with traditional customs and lifestyles still practiced in remote areas. More than 800 languages are spoken, and the English-based Tok Pisin gives them\u2014and us\u2014a common means of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To really experience the country, it is necessary to travel inland and up into the mountainous interior. In 2005, we did just that, taking a series of trucks up the one and only \u201chighland\u2019s highway.\u201d It\u2019s a dirt road, really, with lots of tire-\u00adrepair stations along the way. As locals would, we traveled into the rainforest, past mining camps, and through towns that were quite basic. Everywhere we went, we received a friendly welcome\u2014sometimes from people with rotten teeth that were bright red from spitting the juice of betel nuts, which can be a bit unsettling at first.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Sailing canoe in Papua New Guinea\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/sailing_canoe_with_umbrella_material-Enhanced-SR.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Sailing canoes and outriggers are still the only means of transportation in remote atolls.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>We vowed to return, but it took us 20 years. Cruising through Papua New Guinea is a different experience. Even the oldest, most basically equipped sailboat is luxurious compared with some dwellings here, which can attract the wrong kind of attention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We came up from Vanuatu and continued to Kavieng at the northern tip of New Ireland, a pleasant little town with a great vegetable market and surprisingly well-stocked \u00adsupermarkets. Stalled in place by a lack of wind, we explored the many islands around the tip of New Ireland and around New Hanover; went up to the Saint Matthias group; island-hopped back to the Solomons via Tabar, Lihir and the Tanga group; and sailed on to Nuguria and the Mortlock group far out to the east. We then did another round of the most remote \u00adislands and atolls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to reports of crime we\u2019d heard from other cruising boats in the area, we\u2019d installed \u00admetal bars across all of our boat\u2019s hatches so that we could leave them safely open at night. We\u2019d also mounted motion sensors to activate our lights if anybody tried to board our boat \u00aduninvited. We stowed everything that couldn\u2019t be locked belowdecks, to avoid attracting thieves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Takuu performance\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/polynesian_culture_takuu.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Takuu and Nuguria were settled by Polynesians who still keep up their culture and language. <\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Because of all the reports, we went on high alert the day we anchored next to a reef with no land in sight and, suddenly, saw an open boat full of men approaching us at high speed. As it turned out, they slowed down, waved, and stopped to offer us some fish they\u2019d had just caught. For free. Ashamed of our paranoia, we sheepishly looked for something to give them as a thank-you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019d also read that it\u2019s crucial to visit the chief of each island right after anchoring to bring presents, ask for permission to stay, and be under his protection. On many of the little islands, we were directed to the \u201cchairmen\u201d (like mayors) for informal welcomes, with neither anchoring fees nor presents expected. We brought small gifts anyway.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wherever we anchored, we soon had canoes paddling \u00adtoward us: curious kids or adults coming to trade. The first day was usually the busiest, with everyone eager to meet the strangers and check out their weird floating home. We sometimes had a fleet of 10 canoes circling us and couldn\u2019t get any work (or rest) done, as we felt obliged to give one group after the other a tour of the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Child on the beach with sand on their face\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/beach_walk_with_kids.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">A young islander carries the spirit of Polynesia in their smile\u2014rooted in tradition, shaped by the sea.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The trick is to stay longer in a place. Once the excitement has worn off, visitors are occasional. On most islands, we were told that we were the first boat to call in 10 or even 15 years. It\u2019s a shame, really, because the islanders would be happy to have more visitors, tell stories and barter, especially where supply ships have stopped calling altogether. They need clothes, school supplies, sunglasses, reading glasses, staples such as rice, sugar and instant noodles, and household equipment including frying pans and towels. Spinnaker material for the sailing canoes is a perfect gift, but please don\u2019t encourage spearfishing along the reefs by giving away snorkeling gear\u2014the damaged reefs \u00addesperately need herbivores such as \u00adparrotfish and surgeonfish to&nbsp;keep algae at bay. It\u2019s better&nbsp;to give out hooks and lines, which target less-vital species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After watching coral bleach and die during previous summers in French Polynesia and Fiji, we didn\u2019t expect healthy reefs in Papua New Guinea due to its closer proximity to the equator, so we were surprised to find super-resilient corals. We had also expected the northwest monsoon, which is supposed to bring strong winds and rain, to set in during December, but it didn\u2019t arrive at all (and locals told us it had skipped the previous years as well). We enjoyed the hot, calm weather, but it sadly resulted in a serious bleaching event. The lack of wind also meant that we had a hard time making our way back southeast, but we managed, eventually, with lots of patience and light-wind sailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Around towns and densely populated areas, many reefs are hopelessly overfished, but in remote areas, the traditional subsistence fishing is sustainable. Many communities have created marine protected areas, which are breeding grounds for many species that will\u2014hopefully\u2014populate neighboring reefs, and the fishermen profit from the overflow around the no-fishing zones. We tried to encourage such projects by doing reef checks together with the locals, including schoolchildren. You can too: When you anchor off an island, ask whether the village has an MPA. Then, respect the no-fishing policy and ask whether you\u2019re allowed to snorkel. Bring locals with you to hang out with big fish. Make sure to leave a donation to encourage people to continue their efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Takuu children\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/traditional_houses_village_tour.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Island kids on Takuu proudly give us a tour of their village.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>While you\u2019re down there, you\u2019ll likely see the anemones that come in an astounding variety of colors and shapes, with clownfish in various patterns. We were surprised to find many reefs teeming with turtles, giant clams and lobsters. Apparently, many islanders converted to Seventh Day Adventism, and their religion forbids them to eat such animals. We were also happy to encounter big groups of manta rays, dolphins, and even dugongs in the lagoons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the export of saltwater crocodile products was banned in 1980, the number of these dangerous reptiles has steadily increased. Incidents are on the rise: swimming children, women doing their laundry in the river, dogs roaming the village at night\u2014nobody is safe when the crocs go hunting. Our first anxious question in each anchorage was whether there were saltwater crocodiles: <em>Igat pukpuk<\/em>? We made sure to ask several reliable-looking people before we dared to venture into the water. Meeting a hungry croc face-to-face was definitely not on our to-do list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Checking out the sailboat\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/curious_visitors.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Many islands we visited hadn\u2019t seen a sailboat in many years, so everybody flocked to inspect our strange floating home.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Birgit Hackl<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>In the island maze off Kavieng, people assured us that the outlying islands without mangroves were perfectly safe for snorkeling. On more-\u00adremote islands, the people just shook their heads and laughed. They had never seen one themselves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, that\u2019s another good reason to stay away from the mainland. During a hot, equatorial summer, having to stay out of the water would be unpleasant, but of course, not nearly as unpleasant as ending up as a saltie\u2019s dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit and Christian Hackl have been cruising aboard their S&amp;S 41, <\/em>Pitufa,<em> since 2011. Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pitufa.at\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pitufa.at<\/a> for pictures and information, and check out their books: <\/em>Sailing Towards the Horizon<em>, <\/em>Cruising Know-How<em> and <\/em>On Velvet Paws Towards the Horizon, <em>an homage to their ship\u2019s cat.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Papua New Guinea\u2019s remote shores offer an unforgettable blend of natural wonders and genuine human connections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":60174,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Birgit Hackl","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[162],"tags":[205,2000,197,2096,241],"class_list":["post-60168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destinations","tag-destinations","tag-lifestyle","tag-people","tag-print-july-2025","tag-south-pacific"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60168"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60168\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}