National Capital District · Papua New Guinea
Where to stay in Port Moresby
Port Moresby is a city in National Capital District, Papua New Guinea, home to about 317,000 people.
- Best months
- July
- Nearest airport
- POM9 km · Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport
- Currency
- PGKkina
- Time zone
- Pacific/Port Moresby
- Language
- English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin
About
About Port Moresby
Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: Pot Mosbi), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New Zealand.
Port Moresby is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. The city is on the shores of the Gulf of Papua. Its population is around 365,000 (2011) and growing quickly. The indigenous people of the area are the Motu-Koitabu. Moresby, as it is commonly known, got its name from Captain John Moresby who arrived in 1873 as the first European visitor. The city is quite spread out. The original colonial settlement was by the sea and this is still the port area, as well as the main business and banking district. On the hills above are upmarket residences.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Port Moresby
See
- Port Moresby Nature Park
- Papua New Guinea National Museum & Art Gallery
- Bomana War Cemetery
- National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
- Touaguba Hill
- Moitaka Wildlife Sanctuary
- Port Moresby Golf Club
- Ela Beach Craft Market
Do
- Hiking
- Hiri Moale Festival
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Port Moresby to stay in
Hotels are generally quite expensive in Port Moresby, and the quality of accommodation can be disappointing. Research hotel options before you book to check current standards and arrangements for airport transfers. Due to the security situation it's likely that you won't leave your hotel after dark, so choose one with good dining and recreation options.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Port Moresby
22 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Islander Hotel | 7.8 km | |
| Lamana Hotel | 5.1 km | |
| Airways Hotel | 1986 | 8.1 km |
| Citi Boutique Hotel | 5.4 km | |
| Crown Hotel | 1978 | 0.3 km |
| Crowne Plaza Residences Port Moresby | 2019 | 0.4 km |
| Ela Beach Hotel | 0.6 km | |
| Ela Beach Hotel & Apartments | 1967 | 0.6 km |
| Gateway Hotel & Apartments | 1980 | 7.9 km |
| Grand Papua Hotel | 0.1 km | |
| Grand Papua Hotel-a Radisson Individuals | 2011 | 0.1 km |
| Hibiscus Motel | 3.0 km | |
| Hilton Port Moresby Hotel & Residences | 2018 | 4.6 km |
| Holiday Inn Express Port Moresby | 5.2 km | |
| Holiday Inn Port Moresby | 1986 | 5.1 km |
| Laguna Hotel, Port Moresby | 6.2 km | |
| Loloata Island Resort | 1970 | 16.7 km |
| Paddy's Hotel & Apartments | 2012 | 5.6 km |
| Raintree Lodge | 6.0 km | |
| The Hideaway Hotel | 6.9 km | |
| The Stanley Hotel & Suites | 5.7 km | |
| Whittaker Apartments | 0.2 km |
All 22 hotels in Port Moresby, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Port Moresby
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Port Moresby are July. December is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; February is the wettest, with about 261 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Port Moresby: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport (POM), about 8.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Girua Airport (PNP, 148 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Port Moresby is the main point of entry into Papua New Guinea for air-traffic and most of the boat-traffic.
Getting around
For a tourist, the attractions in Moresby can be spread out. There is little 'attraction' in the CBD and walking around will not get you very far. It is nice to walk along Ela Beach and around market areas but otherwise you will be reliant on motorised transport. There is the odd push-bike around the place, though finding one for hire may be a challenge. The locals rely on mini-buses (known as Public Motor Vehicles) that service all parts of the city. Whilst cheap, some drivers do not mind over-loading their vans.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
POM · Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport
PNP · Girua Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Port Moresby
Drink
The drink of choice in Port Moresby as in the rest of Papua New Guinea is South Pacific lager: "SP beer". However, once that cultural experience is done, you will probably prefer to move on to the more refined 'SP Export' lager, or 'Niugini Ice' beer. To buy alcohol you have to go to one of the characteristic yellow and green coloured shops that are usually integrated into the supermarkets. You don't want to go to the ones that aren't. They have a relatively limited selection of wines, mostly Australian or New Zealand brands. The prices are higher than you would expect because of the taxation of alcohol.
Stay safe
Port Moresby is well known for its crime. Carjackings, muggings and worse are common. Women are particularly at risk. Foreigners are sometimes specifically targeted. As such, it has been rated as one of the least livable cities in the world. There is a great deal of concern about the level of crime and civil disorder and about the ability and willingness of the police to cope. Police officers have been found to be complicit in major crime. Police brutality against minor offenders, complainants and witnesses has been the subject of criticism from the international group Human Rights Watch.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Port Moresby: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Port Moresby?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Port Moresby are July. December is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; February is the wettest, with about 261 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Port Moresby?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport (POM), about 8.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Girua Airport (PNP, 148 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Port Moresby?
kina (PGK).
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.