Papua New Guinea travel guide for Canadians

Papua New Guinea's immigration service decides whether a Canadian passport holder may enter, and on what terms. Nothing on this page is a substitute for the current rule: confirm the visa or eVisa requirement, the permitted stay and any fee with PNG Immigration and with the Government of Canada's travel advice for Papua New Guinea before you book anything non-refundable.

The parent guide for this country says a visa is required before arrival, so plan the application into your timeline rather than assuming you can board and sort it out at Jacksons International. Carry a printed or offline copy of the approval, and check that your passport has enough validity left for the stay you are asking for.

Canada does not have a resident mission in Papua New Guinea, so consular help for Canadians comes from the mission accredited to the country. Confirm which office covers PNG, and its current address, phone number and hours, on the Government of Canada's official list before you travel — do not rely on a number copied from a third-party page.

Register your trip with the Government of Canada before departure and save the emergency contact line offline. If you are travelling with an operator or lodge, ask them for the local numbers they use for police and medical help in that province.

Papua New Guinea prices are in kina (PGK, notes K2–100), so every figure below is a conversion, not a local quote. Treat the ranges as planning placeholders and check current prices and the exchange rate when you book.

The parent guide's pattern for a first trip — one night in Port Moresby, then five to seven nights in one or two regions reached by air — is what drives the cost: domestic flights, boat transfers and lodge nights, not day-to-day spending. Independent overland travel is for experienced visitors only.

There is no nonstop service from Canada to Port Moresby. Expect at least one long-haul leg to a hub in Australia or Asia and then a connecting flight into Jacksons International, so build in a buffer day on arrival rather than scheduling a domestic connection the same day.

Use the flight-time planner with your own departure city to get current routings and total travel time, and check the time difference before you book calls or transfers. Papua New Guinea is UTC+10, with Bougainville on UTC+11 and no daylight saving.

Papua New Guinea uses Australian-style Type I plugs at 240 V 50 Hz, so Canadian devices need a plug adapter and, for anything without dual-voltage support, a converter. Check each charger's label before you plug it in.

Power can be interrupted, and lodges in remote provinces may run on generators with set hours. Bring a power bank and a spare adapter rather than counting on charging at the airport or in transit.

Tipping is not expected in Papua New Guinea. A small thank-you to guides and porters is the norm for visitors who want to acknowledge good work, and it is best given directly and discreetly.

For trekking and village stays, ask your operator what is appropriate for the crew rather than guessing, and keep amounts modest and in local currency where you can.

The parent guide lists 112 for police, 111 for ambulance and 110 for fire, and flags these as needing confirmation. Save them, but also ask your lodge or operator for the numbers they actually use in that province, because response can depend on local arrangements.

This is a dated draft and has not been field-verified. Confirm emergency numbers and the nearest hospital or clinic with your accommodation on arrival, and keep the Canadian consular emergency line saved offline as well.