So I was on a domestic flight today for work reasons and to pass some time I read through the seat back Qantas magazine. I was quite surprised to read an article about the virtues of PNG as a holiday destination.

I always thought PNG was somewhere that people only went to if they had to (or chose to rather) because of work and spent the entire time under armed guard. A bit like those people who work in Iraq on IT projects.

Have I misunderstood PNG? I am quite an adventurous traveller, but am not a silly one and had never entertained the thought of visiting PNG as I put safety first.

Thoughts?

I do remember at one time Port Moresby ranked worst city in the world on some ranking due to the crime rate.

That was Perth

Woman at work is going out with a guy who has been offered a contract on a site in PNG, think its mining of some kind. The contract has been on hold for the last three months and expected to stay like that for the next 6 months or so as its currently not considered safe to fly the staff over there

Apparently it's all beautiful and interesting and there's lots to do and see. Would these people lie?

It's a fabulous country and there are pockets of nice holiday destinations - usually behind barbed wire compounds eg Lae, Madang and Wewak. We were fortunate to live there before independence and to visit again some time after independence but I would be a bit wary of going now - our last visit showed quite a change. I loved the Highlands and walking around Mts Wilhelm, Hagen and Giluwe was amazing. I do have a friend whose brother went up to Lae before independence and is still there - he took out PNG citizenship and he is very happy but he's pretty much wontok now.

We considered going there on a diving holiday. The diving is meant to be great.

Are you still thinking about it? Or have you ruled it out?

I am not hearing anything to convince me so far that this might be a good idea.

No idea about the place but it's an all time classic song

It's still on the list! But we've got a couple of other holidays planned first (Fraser Island camping and fishing, and Colombia - we like variety in our holidays )

My niece lives in Bogota.

I heard Bogota and Colombia in general is a lot safer than it was when the cartels were running amok.

As for PNG, it's somewhere I've always wanted to go, it looks so beautiful, shame that it's so dangerous.

Any Pink Floyd fans on here see the movie Obscured by Clouds?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069451/ it's a French movie set in New Guinea with a Pink Floyd soundtrack

Needless to say it's a French Movie AND it's in New Guinea - there's lots of toplessness.

The diving is great! You'd probably be OK on a managed holiday. I havent heard of any tourists getting knocked off recently. It's just like all the other dangerous places in the world, follow the tour rules and you should be fine.

I'd be more worried of Emma than the locals,she's a Brisbane cop

i would not even think of going to Bali!!!!!