This country with a total land area of 426,840 square kilometers (105 million acres) is culturally unique and one of the most rural nations in the world. What that means is the most of its people live in rural areas without the modern facilities that people enjoy. Papua New Guinea has a population of over eight million people, only 18% of whom live in the urban centers. Most of the remaining population that live in rural areas live in customary land or an area, owned by indigenous communities, where people live according to customs. The outside world might consider it backward, but for Papua New Guineans, it is their culture, their way of life.
Papua New Guinea is also culturally diverse. It has over 850 known languages, but 11 of them have already become extinct. The diverse languages also reflect the diverse culture of the different communities. Having close ties with Australia as part of the Australasia realm, Papua New Guinea’s diverse species of plants and animals are closely related to those found in the Land Down Under.
Papua New Guinea is the third-largest island-nation in the world. Tourists will enjoy so many aspects of this land like mountains, highlands, tropical rainforests, long coastlines, and marine bodies with vibrant coral reefs. It is within the Pacific Ring of Fire with several volcanoes, which could erupt but are also attractive to tourists.
For tourists who happen to drop by Papua New Guinea, they should visit any of its national parks to appreciate what real pristine natural resources look like. Most of its national parks are still pure and unmarred by development. Here are the top five national parks in Papua New Guinea that are worth visiting:
1. Varirata National Park
There were many discussions about the necessity of creating national parks in Papua New Guinea, as the entire nation could be considered an expansive national park. The purpose of a national park is to protect the purity of the wilderness within the nation. Well, when it comes to Papua New Guinea, the entire nation seems untouched. The idea of national parks came about when a Papua New Guinean delegate visited Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park in the U.S.
In 1970, the government worked to establish the country’s first national park started. The Varirata National Park in the National Capital District became the model to the seven other parks that followed, including the other protected areas in the country. The park has a land area of 10.28 square kilometers (2,540 acres).
This park is known for its many walking trails. It is also a popular birding area especially within the forest, which is unspoiled. Among the most exciting bird in the park is the Raggiana bird of paradise. As for the animals on the ground, among the most common animal residents are bandicoots, cassowaries, and wallabies.
2. Jimi Valley National Park
Jimi Valley is a landform in the Jimi District of Jiwaka. It is a remote community, which means its park is also remote. The area is mostly mountains covered with rainforests. The rainforests in the entire Jimi District is decreasing at a fast pace because of development. This is the reason why authorities decided to set aside 42 square kilometers (10,378 acres) of rainforest to be designated as a protected area in the form of a national park.
3. McAdam National Park
This park is ideal for bushwalking. There are rugged mountains ideal for hiking and trekking. There are no facilities, which means that tourists will get the real wilderness experience. The flora in the park is also exciting with Araucaria trees, orchids, and staghorn. The park is the last area where the Araucaria, locally known as klinkii, is found. It is considered a threatened species. It is also the tallest species of the evergreen tree family. The park also has a smattering of hoop pines.
The park is only 20.76 square kilometers (2,076 acres) and stretches between Wau and Bulolo. The former is popular for its mining grounds and was even the site for the gold rush in the early 20th century. Bulolo, on the other hand, is known for its rich forest areas.
The park is also an important refuge among animals like the echidnas, which are sometimes called spiny anteaters. This mammal is a native of Australia and New Guinea and is not related to the anteaters of the Americas. The echidna and the platypus are the only mammals that lay eggs. The echidna is a descendant of the platypus species. Other animals in the park are birds of paradise, cassowaries, and cuscuses.
4. Talele Islands National Park
This is a flat group of islands in the East New Britain Province. The park, which comprises almost all of the territory, is small at less than one square kilometer or around 76 acres. The highest point of the area is just 39 meters above sea level. The park is almost entirely blanketed with forests.
The island is also a popular roosting area for the frigatebird, which is a seabird found in most tropical and subtropical regions. This species of bird is very distinct, especially when it comes to males. Generally, frigatebirds have black feathers, deeply forked tails, and long hooked bills. The males have red gular pouches that inflate when they are trying to flirt with females.
5. Mt. Wilhelm National Park
Mount Wilhelm, which is part of the Bismarck Range, is the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at 4,509 meters. Sometimes, it is referred to as the highest peak in entire Oceania since Indonesia, which has higher peaks, is part of Asia. The park is within the mountain, which is located in Chimbu Province. The park is only eight square kilometers (1,976 acres). The park is quite accessible and the mountain provides a challenging-enough activity among seasoned climbers. However, many deaths have been recorded among climbers who met various accidents during their climb. It is not a hard trek up Mount Wilhelm peak, but the weather could be the climber’s enemy.
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