Remarkably untamed, Papua New Guinea offers much for travelers to discover. From jagged rock outcroppings to mossy forests to hilly vistas, PNG has pearl-shelled villagers, prosaic hill people, tree kangaroos and Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterflies. Arguably, the diversity alone has excited a explorers, anthropologists and travelers for years.

Culture
There are four main regional areas to visit, with distinct different cultural and political groups: the Highlands, the Islands, the Coastal regions and the Sepik Region. Some authorities divide the people into Papuans (predominantly descended from the original arrivals) and Melanesians (more closely related to the peoples of the southwest Pacific), though some people (particularly those in outlying islands) are closer to being pure Polynesian or Micronesian. The dividing lines between these definitions can hazy.

There are over 750 languages spoken in PNG (representing about one third of the world's indigenous languages). Pidgin, or Neo-Melanesian, has become the lingua franca in recent years and is great fun to learn. Borrowing words from many languages, it is primarily derived from English and German. Educated residents will likely prefer that you speak English because Pidgin also is perceived as the language of the bullying expatriate.

The Christian church has been influential throughout PNG and most Papua New Guineans count themselves as Christians. Pantheistic beliefs and traditional rituals also are integral to Papuan culture.

History
It is believed that Papua New Guinea was originally inhabited by Asian settlers more than 50,000 years ago. The first European contact was by the Portuguese explorer Jorge de Meneses in 1526, who named the island Ilhas dos Papuas (Island of the Fuzzy Hairs). Inigo Ortiz de Retes, of Spain, later called it New Guinea because the country's population reminded him of Africa's Guinea.

In 1824, the Dutch (expanding their Dutch East Indies empire) formalized claims to sovereignty over the western portion of the island. Germany took possession of the northern part of the territory in 1884, the same year that Great Britain declared a protectorate over the southern region. In 1906, British New Guinea became Papua, and newly independent Australia assumed administration of the region. During World War I, Australian troops secured the German headquarters at Rabaul, taking control of German New Guinea. In 1920, the League of Nations handed PNG over to Australia as a mandated territory. During World War II the northern islands and most of the northern coast fell to the Japanese. By the end of the war, Japan surrendered and the eastern half of New Guinea reverted to Australia and became the Territory of Papua & New Guinea. Indonesia took control of Dutch New Guinea in 1963 (incorporating it into the Indonesian state as Irian Jaya). PNG was granted self-government in 1973, and full independence was achieved in 1975.

Attractions
Port Moresby
Port Moresby, has a (population 145,000) is the capital of PNG and the major exit/entry point for travelers with the only international airport. There are several attractions worth visiting. The National Museum, the Botanical Gardens, The Parliament house built with a resemblance of a traditional Sepik Haus Tambaran, Varirata National Park and the start of the WWII Kokoda Trail. A visit to Papua New Guinea Arts has one of the largest collections of artifacts from throughout the country.

The Sepik
The mysterious Sepik River is the longest river in Papua New Guinea. The local people say it flows from the very beginning of the world. In fact, it originates some 1200 km away, high up ear the Irian Jaya border. Today, the Sepik remains largely unaffected by western civilization. The people live much the same as their predecessors:  hunting crocodiles and making flour from sago palm. Sepik people are amongst the greatest primitive artists on earth; their artifacts are unique and sought after by many international museums. There are three ways to explore the Sepik. Aboard the air conditioned cruise ships MTS Discoverer and MV Sepik Spirit or by dugout canoe. However, once you're traveled by dugout you understand why the Sepik is the Amazon of the Pacific. It's totally unexpected! The call of tropical birds in the early morning, the steamy forests, the deep resonance of village drums -- for the uninitiated it's real Indiana Jones stuff. Villagers treat you like an honored guest. The comfort of the cruise shops have many advantages. An adventure outpost in Karawari Lodge, accessible only by air and an exciting boat trip on Karawari River, tributary of the Sepik. Guests live in isolated luxury close to where ancient rituals are still carried out. They can observe traditional celebrations, dances, the making of musical instruments and can sample native food. 

The Highlands Region
Today, the Papua new Guinea highlands are still as formidable as wen they were first discovered by Europeans in 1933. Many places are only accessible by air. The Highlands vary from moist tropical rainforests to grassy landscapes and the snow capped peak of Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea's highest mountain. Each year, costumed Highlanders walk hundred of miles to perform at the Goroka or Mt. Hagen shows. The Mudmen of Asaro look like aliens from another world. You'll see rich ochre colors, two-meter high headresses and plumes of the "Bird of Paradise." The HIghlands also feature the nation's coffee plantations and OK Tedi (the world's largest gold and copper mine). Nestled at 7,000 feet in the Southern Highlands, Ambua Lodge offers a bird's eye view of paradise plus a touch of luxury off the beaten path. Nearby,, the culture of the Huli people (magnificently varied in their self-decoration); bird watching (150 species of birds, including 11 species of Birds of Paradise)l; and moss forest dotted with high-altitude orchids.

Coastal Region
The Coastal region consists of a fertile coastal strip backed by some of the most rugged mountains in Papua New Guinea. Offshore one can find a string of interesting, and in some cases still active, volcanic islands. Madang, an hour's flight from Port Moresby, is in the middle of the coastal stretch and is described as 'the prettiest town in the Pacific.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Papua New Guinea Tourism
Los Angeles Office
5000 Birch Street
Suite 3000 West Tower
Newport Beach, Carlifornia 92660
Tel: 949-752-5440
Fax: 949-476-3741
e-mail: wantok@earthlink.net and sales/losangeles@airniugini.com.pg