Heard they’re are cannibals there be careful. Are there any there if you did paddle in NG?
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My Dad spent time in NG during WW2. He seldom talked about it . I found a book of photos from his unit. The photos I remember were of dead Japanese soldiers. Cannibals were not mentioned.
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There was a Survivorman episode where Les Stroud went to Papua New Guinea. I suspect it was his least favorite destination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4IsFmjpvmA
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Never paddled in New Guinea but I’ve paddled in New Buffalo where the tourists from Chicago are so dangerous that we have a special name for them.
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I heard they switched to Corn Pops.
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Re tourists from Chicago - Wisconsin could fund most of the state budget if they enforced speed limits on I-39 N and US 51 N on summer Fridays.
Not sure I want to paddle New Guinea, but they grow some excellent coffee on the eastern part of the island!
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I was offered a job there way back in the 80’s for a British NGO. Sounded exotic. When I learned that you basically had to live inside a fenced and guarded compound full time, I declined the “opportunity” 
My Uncle fought there in WWII, he had a large club like knife he traded with the locals, that he kept in his cabin when I was growing up. He never mentioned them being headhunters etc. but said they were pretty fearsome looking guys who did in a lot of Japanese troops. He did signal work (radio for Navy fire to support troops on the beaches) and paddled ashore in the dark in rubber rafts during attacks to call in fire. He was not fond of the place, but I think that was because of the Japanese. I interviewed him and his friend about their experiences for a high school history project.
From the State Dept.: Reconsider travel to Papua New Guinea due to crime, civil unrest, and piracy . Exercise increased caution due to kidnapping, unexploded ordnance, inconsistent availability of healthcare services, and potential for natural disasters. Some areas have increased risk.
Sounds like not much has changed in 80 years.
Right now the Chinese were invited in by the gov to restore order fwiw
What’s next, Haiti? Chicago, California?
The Med off the coast of Gaza? Euphrates through Baghdad? The Black Sea off the Crimean Coast? I was going to say the river through Kabul, but that’s more trash than water.
No. And I have not paddled in Antarctica, Tierra del Fuego or Kamchatka either.
Can’t see much recent info here. A lot has changed since 1945.
I paddled Port Moresby Harbour in 2017 and off Buka in Bouganville (the island to the east) in 2023 with the local villagers in their outrigger canoes. It was a great experience.
Bouganville I consider very safe. Papua New Guinea has some unrest in the highlands and the “rascals” even around Port Moresby can be dangerous. The warnings are real. With some local help and knowledge, you can be relatively safe.
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New Guinea is culturally diverse and largely safe for tourists. Research local customs and respect cultural sensitivities when traveling.