Papua New Guinea is an amazing tourist destination – more Australians should visit

‘Those willing to visit Papua New Guinea will reap the rewards – remarkable landscapes, few tourists and more opportunities than you could dream of.’ Photograph: Stefanie Vaccher

Last June, I spent four days snorkelling in crystal clear water, swimming with dolphins, and learning to cook freshly caught fish on heated rocks. I wasn’t in Fiji, Vanuatu or New Caledonia – some of the favourite Pacific holiday destinations for Australians – but in Nyapio, a tiny island in Papua New Guinea.

I have been incredibly fortunate to live in PNG for the past two years. Travelling for work and pleasure, I have visited 15 of the country’s 22 provinces. There is hardly a holiday you can’t do in PNG.