Things to Do in Papua New Guinea in September
September weather, activities, events & insider tips
September Weather in Papua New Guinea
Is September Right for You?
Advantages
- Dry season tail-end means you're catching the last of the consistently good weather before the wet season ramps up in November - trails in the Highlands are still accessible, and you can actually plan outdoor activities without constant rain backup plans
- Festival season is in full swing with multiple cultural shows happening across the country, particularly the Morobe Show in Lae (mid-September) and various sing-sings in the Highlands where you'll see traditional dress and dances that tourists rarely witness
- Diving conditions around Milne Bay and Kimbe Bay are exceptional right now - visibility typically hits 25-30m (82-98 ft) and whale sharks start appearing around Loloata Island, with water temperatures comfortable at 27-28°C (81-82°F)
- School holidays in Australia end early September, so you miss the peak tourist influx while still having excellent weather - accommodations in Port Moresby and popular dive resorts drop prices by 15-25% compared to July-August
Considerations
- You're right at the transition point between dry and wet seasons, which means weather can be genuinely unpredictable - one year you might get perfect conditions, the next you're dealing with early wet season squalls that disrupt domestic flights (and flight delays here can mean days, not hours)
- The Goroka Show, PNG's most famous cultural festival, happens in mid-September and while that sounds great, it actually makes the entire Highlands region a logistical nightmare - flights book out months ahead, accommodation prices triple, and you need to book everything by January to have any chance of attending
- Afternoons get genuinely sticky with that 70% humidity, especially in coastal areas like Port Moresby and Madang - it's the kind of humidity where your clothes never fully dry and you'll be changing shirts twice a day if you're doing any walking around
Best Activities in September
Kokoda Track Multi-Day Treks
September is actually the last reliable month to attempt the Kokoda Track before the wet season turns it into a mudslide. The trail conditions are still manageable with firm ground underfoot, though you'll still be dealing with mud in the lower sections. Daytime temperatures in the Owen Stanley Range sit around 20-25°C (68-77°F) at altitude, which is about as comfortable as this trek ever gets. The real advantage now is that the leeches are less active than they will be in a month, and river crossings are still safe - come November and some of those rivers become impassable. Most trekkers take 8-10 days, and you'll need to be genuinely fit for this one.
Milne Bay and Kimbe Bay Liveaboard Diving
The diving right now is genuinely world-class. Visibility is hitting 25-30m (82-98 ft), water temperature is a comfortable 27-28°C (81-82°F), and the plankton blooms that attract manta rays and whale sharks are starting to appear. Milne Bay has the best muck diving in the Pacific - you'll see pygmy seahorses, mimic octopus, and nudibranchs that don't exist anywhere else. Kimbe Bay on the other side has pristine coral walls and regular hammerhead sightings. The advantage of September specifically is that you're past the Australian school holiday rush but still in prime conditions before the wet season stirs up the water.
Highland Village Homestays and Cultural Tours
September is festival season in the Highlands, which means villages are preparing for sing-sings and you'll actually see traditional practices in use rather than staged for tourists. The weather up here at 1,500-2,000m (4,921-6,562 ft) is cooler than the coast - expect 15-20°C (59-68°F) during the day - and the dry conditions mean village access roads are still passable. You can arrange homestays in villages around Mount Hagen, Goroka, and the Tari Basin where you'll sleep in traditional huts, eat mumu (earth oven-cooked food), and participate in daily village life. This isn't resort tourism - you're using pit toilets and bathing in streams, but it's the most authentic cultural experience you'll find in PNG.
Port Moresby Cultural and Historical Tours
Port Moresby gets a bad reputation for safety, but organized day tours through the National Museum, Parliament House, and the Bomana War Cemetery are genuinely safe and worth doing. September weather here is warm but not yet oppressively hot - you'll deal with 28-30°C (82-86°F) and that sticky humidity, but mornings before 10am are actually pleasant for walking around. The National Museum has the best collection of traditional artifacts in the country, and you'll understand the cultural diversity much better after seeing the regional variations in masks, bilums, and ceremonial objects. The Bomana War Cemetery is sobering but important for understanding PNG's WWII history.
Sepik River Multi-Day Canoe Expeditions
The Sepik River in September is still running high from earlier rains but not yet flooding, which means you can access village tributaries by canoe while still having comfortable camping conditions on river banks. Water temperature is warm at 26-27°C (79-81°F), and you'll be traveling in traditional dugout canoes between villages known for their woodcarving and spirit houses. The Sepik is one of the last places in PNG where traditional animist beliefs are still practiced openly - you'll see haus tambarans (spirit houses) with genuine ceremonial masks, not tourist reproductions. Expect basic conditions - you're sleeping in village guesthouses or camping, bathing in the river, and eating sago and fish.
Varirata National Park and Sogeri Road Day Trips
Just 45km (28 miles) from Port Moresby, Varirata National Park offers accessible rainforest hiking and birdwatching without the commitment of a multi-day trek. September conditions are ideal - trails are dry enough to be safe but the forest is still lush. You'll see birds of paradise (raggiana is most common), tree kangaroos if you're lucky, and the lookout points give you views down to the coast. The Sogeri Road route also passes the Bomana War Cemetery and Rouna Falls. Temperature up here at 600-800m (1,969-2,625 ft) is noticeably cooler than Port Moresby - expect 24-26°C (75-79°F), which makes for comfortable hiking.
September Events & Festivals
Goroka Show
The Goroka Show is PNG's largest cultural festival, typically held the weekend before Independence Day (September 16). Over 100 tribal groups from across the Highlands gather to perform traditional sing-sings in full ceremonial dress - we're talking elaborate headdresses with bird of paradise feathers, face paint, traditional bilums, and dances that have been passed down for generations. It's genuinely spectacular, but also genuinely chaotic with 20,000+ spectators. The show happens at the Goroka Showgrounds with performances running from early morning until late afternoon over two days.
Morobe Show
Held in Lae, the Morobe Show is smaller than Goroka but actually more accessible for travelers who don't want to deal with Highland logistics. You'll see cultural groups from Morobe Province and surrounding areas performing traditional dances, plus agricultural displays, traditional food competitions, and craft markets. It's less touristy than Goroka simply because fewer international visitors make it here, which means you get more genuine interaction with performers and locals. The show typically runs over a weekend at the Lae Showgrounds.