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Is Port Moresby safe? 🇵🇬

Papua New Guinea · Safety report last updated 13 October 2026

As of October 2026, Port Moresby scores 36/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: caution advised. Port Moresby presents significant safety risks for travelers, with high crime rates and official advisories recommending against non-essential travel. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (high risk).

Safety Report

IsMyTripSafe.com

Port Moresby 🇵🇬

Papua New Guinea · Assessed 13 October 2026

/ 100

Caution advised

Safer than ~21% of countries

Score capped at 44 — Level 3 advisory — reconsider travel. No other indicator can raise the score above this.

District map

What drives this score

Crime40/100CautionCrime index 81.4 / 100 · city-level

Sentiment38/100ElevatedVery Negative

Advisories25Elevated

Stability61Fair

Health68Fair

01 · Official Guidance

Advisories

Elevated

UK Foreign Office (FCDO)

Level 3

Advises against all travel to parts of the country

“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel FCDO advises against all but essential travel to: Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces due to the high risk of tribal fighting Enga Province in the Highlands, except Wabag District Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.”

Updated 2026-10-07T11:18:52Z

Full advisory →

Government of Canada

Level 3

Avoid non-essential travel

“Canada's official risk level for Papua New Guinea: avoid non-essential travel.”

Updated 2026-09-24T08:53:35.0538603-04:00

Full advisory →

02 · Evidence Signals

Crime

Caution

Mugging & robbery risk

High risk

City SignalCity Web Research

Pickpocketing & theft risk

Moderate risk

City SignalCity Web Research

Visitor safety sentiment

20 / 100 (Very Negative)

City SignalCity Web Research

Feeling safe walking alone at night

15 / 100

City SignalNumbeo (city survey)

Feeling safe walking alone in daylight

28 / 100

City SignalNumbeo (city survey)

Urban scale factor

284k residents

City SignalCity Geocoding

Crime index (crowdsourced)

81.4 / 100 · city-level

City SignalNumbeo Crime Index

Homicide rate

9.3 / 100k

Country BaselineWorld Bank Open Data · 2010

Feel safe walking alone after dark

No data

—

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database

Physical assault (past year)

No data

—

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database

Robbery / mugging

High

High risk of mugging and armed robbery, particularly in isolated areas and after dark. Carjackings are also a concern.

Pickpocketing

Moderate

Pickpocketing and bag-snatching can occur in crowded areas such as markets and bus stations.

▸ 3 more indicators

Detected human-trafficking victims

0.00 / 100k

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database · 2022

Bribery during public-official contact

54.0%

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database · 2021

Crime seen as a major business constraint

12.5%

Country BaselineWorld Bank Enterprise Surveys · 2015

03 · Environment

Health & Air

Fair

Air quality

US AQI 52 · Moderate

Open-Meteo Air Quality

Hospitals

6 beds / 10k · country avg

WHO Global Health Observatory

Weather

October: highs ~35°C · high heat

Open-Meteo

Road safety

14.9 / 100k

WHO Global Health Observatory

Natural hazards

2 active alerts · Wildfire (green)

Country BaselineGDACS / USGS

Wildfire

forest fire notification in Papua New Guinea · ~240 km away

Wildfire

forest fire notification in Papua New Guinea · ~478 km away

CDC travel health notices · none for this destination

Worldwide notices (not specific to this trip): Polio, Dengue, Measles

04 · Institutions

Stability

Fair

Political stability & no terrorism

56/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Terrorism deaths (latest year)

0 recorded

100

Country BaselineGlobal Terrorism Database · 2021

Rule of law

49/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Control of corruption

32/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

▸ 3 more indicators

Government effectiveness

38/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Regulatory quality

45/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Voice & accountability

53/100

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

05 · Field Research

Current Situation

Elevated

Traveller sentiment score

Very Negative

38/100

Reported feel20Very Negative

Robbery risk34High risk

Pickpocket risk78Moderate risk

Travelers report feeling very unsafe, with significant concerns about walking alone day or night and a high worry about being mugged or robbed.

Port Moresby presents significant safety risks for travelers, with high crime rates and official advisories recommending against non-essential travel.

The city experiences high levels of both violent and property crime, and visitors report feeling unsafe, particularly at night. Official government advisories from Canada and the UK strongly caution against travel to Papua New Guinea, with specific provinces being areas of concern. Travelers should be aware of potential scams and exercise extreme vigilance.

Recent developments

Sep 2026Papua New Guinea police bust human trafficking ring, rescue 39 Indonesians.— The Straits Times
Sep 2026Armed gang carries out one of PNG's biggest robberies in history.— ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Sep 2026Worker dies after crocodile attack at Port Moresby wildlife park.— Australasian Leisure Management Magazine
Jul 2026Organised crime syndicate members sentenced to a combined 54 years’ jail over botched 500kg cocaine importation.— World Border Security Congress

Common scams

Advance-fee scams, often involving requests for money for fake business opportunities or assistance.
Credit card skimming and fraudulent ATM withdrawals.

Which areas are safe? District-by-district ratings are on the Safety Map→

Full briefing

Port Moresby faces substantial safety challenges, with official advisories from Canada and the UK strongly recommending against non-essential travel due to high crime rates and instability. Travelers should be aware that the city's crime index is very high, and residents report a significant worry about muggings and violent crime.

Recent reports highlight ongoing issues, including a large-scale armed robbery in September 2026 and a human trafficking bust in the same month. The risk of carjackings and opportunistic theft is also a serious concern. Visitors often express feeling unsafe, particularly when walking alone, even during daylight hours.

To mitigate risks, it is crucial to avoid displaying wealth, limit movement after dark, and use only reputable transportation. Be vigilant in crowded areas where pickpocketing can occur. Given the overall security situation, exercising extreme caution and adhering strictly to safety advice is paramount for any traveler considering a visit.

Was this Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea report helpful?

06 · After Dark

Is Port Moresby safe at night?

High risk of mugging and armed robbery, particularly in isolated areas and after dark. Carjackings are also a concern.

No specific districts were flagged as no-go areas after dark, but the usual night-time rules apply: stay in lit, populated areas and keep your phone out of sight.

07 · Questions

Port Moresby safety FAQ (2026)

Is Port Moresby safe right now (2026)?

Port Moresby presents significant safety risks for travelers, with high crime rates and official advisories recommending against non-essential travel. The city experiences high levels of both violent and property crime, and visitors report feeling unsafe, particularly at night. Official government advisories from Canada and the UK strongly caution against travel to Papua New Guinea, with specific provinces being areas of concern. Travelers should be aware of potential scams and exercise extreme vigilance. (Assessed 13 October 2026.)

Is Port Moresby safe for women, families and solo travelers?

Safety is not one number, and this Port Moresby report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.

Which areas of Port Moresby should tourists avoid?

No districts were flagged as no-go areas for visitors at the last assessment.

What are the most common scams in Port Moresby (2026)?

Advance-fee scams, often involving requests for money for fake business opportunities or assistance.
Credit card skimming and fraudulent ATM withdrawals.

How does Port Moresby compare with other places in Papua New Guinea (2026)?

Port Moresby ranks #3 of 4 Papua New Guinea destinations we've assessed, scoring 36/100. See the Papua New Guinea safety overview for the full list.

How is this port-moresby safety score calculated (2026)?

The score blends 14+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight; the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.