The island of New Guinea, of which Papua New Guinea is the eastern part, is only one-ninth as big as Australia, yet it has just as many mammal species, and more kinds of birds and frogs. PNG is Australia’s biological mirror-world. Both places share a common history going back tens of millions of years, but Australia is flat and has dried out, while PNG is wet and has become mountainous. As a result, Australian kangaroos bound across the plains, while in PNG they climb in the rainforest canopy.

PNG is one of earth’s megadiverse regions, and it owes much of its diversity to its topography. The mountainous terrain has spawned diversity in two ways: isolated mountain ranges are often home to unique fauna and flora found nowhere else, while within any one mountain range you will find different species as you go higher. In the lowlands are jungles whose trees are not that different from those of Southeast Asia. Yet the animals are often startlingly different cassowaries instead of tapirs, and marsupial cuscus instead of monkeys.

Papua New Guinea offers a wide variety of adventure vacations--from bushwalking through the rain forests and canoeing the island's rivers to diving the reefs of New Guinea and the smaller islands. In addition to the fascination of Papua New Guinea's extraordinarily rich and varied natural environment, the island also holds many reminders of World War Two, when it was the scene of brutal battles between the Japanese and Allied forces.

Language - The official language is English, which is widely used in business and government circles. Pidgin English and Hiri Motu are more commonly used (an estimated 742 other languages and dialects are also spoken).

Port Moresby the capital, is situated on the magnificent Fairfax Harbour. It houses the National Parliament, the National Museum, which contains exhibits of pottery from all the provinces, the Botanical Gardens and the Catholic Cathedral (which is built in the Haus Tambaran style).

The Kokoda Trail and Sogeri, 40km (24 miles) from Port Moresby via the Sogeri road, which offers magnificent views and winds through rubber plantations; Village Arts, a government-owned artifacts shop with the best artifact collection in the country situated at Six Mile, near the airport. Other places of interest near Port Moresby include the Wairiata National Park; Moitaka Crocodile Farm; Loloata Island and the Sea Park Oceanarium.

Lae, the capital of Morobe province, is Papua New Guinea’s second city and an important commercial center and seaport. The Botanical Gardens are among the best in the country. Mount Lunaman in the center of the town was used by the Germans and the Japanese as a lookout point. It gives a magnificent view over the Huon Gulf and the Markham Valley.

Madang The capital of Madang Province, Madang is an ideal starting place for many of the tours round the islands and up the Sepik River. It has a variety of shops, hotels, restaurants and markets, where storyboards depicting myths and legends can be bought. In nearby Bilbils and Yabobs, traditional pottery-making can be seen.

Kundiawa, a small town, is the capital of Simbu Province. Some of the local caves are used as burial places; others are popular with cavers. Rafting down the Wahgi and Purari rivers is also exciting. Mount Wilhelm, 4509m (1480ft), is in Simbu Province and is the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea.

Rabaul on New Britain is the capital of the island and suffered extensive damage, owing to volcanic activity a few years back. During the eruptions most of the town was destroyed and the inhabitants were evacuated to other parts of the island.

Bougainville and Buka are separated by a narrow channel of islets. Before Bougainville was closed to visitors, tourists were well catered for with activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, game fishing and swimming as well as bushwalking, caving expeditions, a six-hour downhill hike from Panguna to Arawa and a three-day jungle trek to the summit of Mount Balbi, a dormant volcano.

The staple foods in Papua New Guinea are rice, sago and kau kau which are generally prepared with seafood, Chicken, game, Pork and a large variety of greens. Papua New Guinea’s cuisine is very varied. People from Papua New Guinea prefer abundant dishes and food which is very well cooked. Papuans have three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner yet desserts, snacks, traditional beverages are consumed daily. A traditional dish is mumu named after the oven where they cook their dishes; mumu is made with Pork meat, sweet potatoes, rice and greens.

Traditional dishes like mumu which include Pork meat are generally served on traditional feasts. In Papua New Guinea, braising is one way of cooking meat, vegetables or seafood which is usually served with delicious sauces. Papua New Guinea offers a variety of exotic meals such as fresh Barramundi Cod cooked in wrapping of banana leaves, roasted chestnuts and incredibly delicious fruits.

Papua New Guinea's climate is tropical, as one would expect in a country located just south of the Equator. December to March is the wet season, although occasional rain falls year-round. While Port Moresby, the capital, and other towns on the coast are quite hot in the summer months, temperatures are considerable cooler in the Highlands. July, August, and September are the best months for trekking vacations.