• Allow at least one spare day before your flight out of PNG in case internal flights are delayed due to weather or shortage of aircraft. Travel insurance is essential.
• PNG weather is predictable: it will be either very warm or hot. Except around Port Moresby, it will also be very humid.
  A wide-brim hat and plenty of SPF 30+ sunscreen are essential.
  At night it can be quite cool in elevated settlements (in the Highlands, and even around Kokoda in villages such as Hagutawa and Misima) so carry a light jumper. A lightweight microfibre blanket can be handy.
• Carry plenty of water whenever you go walking.
• It will rain. You will get wet. A folding umbrella is very useful for both shade and when the inevitable rain shower arrives, usually in the afternoon. Rain jackets are also useful, with "breathing" fabrics being more suited to the combination of heat and humidity. Don't expect your clothes to stay dry.
• Slip-on, open-toed footwear is ideal around a village, but roads and tracks can be stony so strong shoes are recommended.
• Walking along rural roads is a social event. Expect kindness and smiles. There's only light vehicle traffic in most areas, and with all your fellow pedestrians it's hard to be lonely. People are respectful of your privacy so you'll probably need to break the ice. Many older people speak good English and enjoy conversation.
• Don't be alarmed when you see someone carrying a huge grass knife.
                   
  It's everyone's favorite tool for tidying stray wisps of lawn, working in the garden, opening coconuts and nearly any other outdoor job you can think of.
• Communication with the world beyond Kokoda is difficult. There is no public or mobile phone communication available in Kokoda, and no internet service.
  Mail is very slow and unreliable. As a general rule in PNG do not send valuables in the mail because postal theft is very common.

• Kokoda has a good hospital, located on the Station plateau at the northern extremity of the Trail.
• Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases are common in PNG, as in most tropical locations. Consult your doctor about preventative medication. Use an insect repellent containing DEET. An insect net is always useful when sleeping.

Getting to Kokoda
There are three ways to get to and from Kokoda:

Fly
Airlines PNG operatestwo weekly services to and from Port Moresby (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 0900 from POM, and leaving KKD at 1010). Cost each way is about K325. The flight over the spectacular Owen Stanley Range takes 25 minutes. Book well ahead.
Charter flights by operators such as Tropic Air are also available. These cost K2500-3000 for a ten-seater plane.

Public Motor Vehicle (PMV)
If you're going to or from Popondetta you can ride in the tray of a PMV for around K10-20. The truck will take around four hours to travel the 60 km, due to bridge and road damage caused by Cyclone Guba in 2007.

Walk
The tough and unforgettable 96 km trek between Owers Corner and Kokoda takes eight or nine days. Get very fit and book with a reputable trekking company to do this. Three companies worth checking are BackTrack Adventures, Kokoda Trekking and PNG Trekking Adventures.

• To watch a traditional dancing performance, it's necessary to book it at least two weeks in advance. This is because it may take up to a week to contact the dancers, and another week for the them to gather the materials needed for their ceremonial dress.

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