Senior travel: Port Moresby
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 59 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Bomana War CemeteryStep-free: yes · about 60 minLevel lawns and paved paths (check).
- Ela Beach (look from the car, daylight)Step-free: partial (check before you go) · about 20 minA flat promenade; sand is not step-free.
- National Parliament House (view from the car)Step-free: partial (check before you go) · about 20 minA grand entrance with steps; ask if you arrange a visit.
- St Mary's CathedralStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 30 minSteps at the entrance; ask staff.
- Koki marketStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 45 minOpen market with uneven ground and puddles; not step-free.
- Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art GalleryStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 120 minA few steps at the entrance; galleries are mostly on one level (check).
- Port Moresby Nature ParkStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 120 minPaths are mostly level; some uneven sections (check).
Getting around in Port Moresby
Broken pavements, no kerb cuts and heavy traffic make the city very hard on wheels or with limited mobility. Travel is by car; the museum and hotels are the practical accessible stops.
- Pavements:
- Cracked, uneven and often absent.
- Getting around:
- A booked car is the only practical mode; ask for a vehicle with room for a folded chair.
- Hotels:
- Larger hotels have lifts and some accessible rooms; confirm before booking.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets are rare outside hotels and malls.
- Market:
- Uneven ground and crowds; not suitable for wheels.
Medicines and health on the ground
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation · before flying: Essential: serious illness or injury usually means evacuation to Australia; check cover for trekking and diving.
- Malaria tablets and prescriptions · 4–6 weeks before: See a travel clinic; bring prescriptions in original packaging.
- Malaria:
- Present in lowland areas: take medical advice on prophylaxis before travel, sleep under a net or in AC, and use repellent.
- Dengue:
- Occurs in the wet season; use repellent and cover up at dawn and dusk.
- Heat and sun:
- Shade and water every hour; strong sun year-round.
- Water:
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water.
- Food:
- Choose hot, freshly cooked food; peel fruit.
- Insurance:
- Take travel insurance with medical cover and air evacuation; local care is limited.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.