Travel with Children

People who bring their pikininis (children) to PNG are often overwhelmed by the response of local people, who will spoil them mercilessly given half a chance. Child-rearing in Melanesian culture is a communal activity and just when you’re starting to fret about your missing two year old he/she will turn up being carried on the hip of a six-year-old girl.

There are few really child-friendly sights – no theme parks or carousels – but the practicalities of travelling with children aren’t too bad.

• Top-end and midrange hotels should have cots, and most restaurants have high chairs. You’ll be lucky, however, to find dedicated nappy-changing facilities anywhere, and forget about safety seats in taxis – working safety belts are a novelty.
• As you’d expect in a country where bare breasts are everywhere, breastfeeding in public is no problem.
• A limited range of nappies and baby formula is available in larger towns.
• There are no daycare centres catering to travellers, though top-end hotels may recommend a babysitter.