Nightlife in Papua New Guinea

Most of the nightlife in Papua New Guinea is limited to the capital of Port Moresby and the larger provincial centres. The larger hotels will generally have a weekend disco and there will often be a live band as well.

Several hotels in Port Moresby have dancing in the evenings and some organise live entertainment. The Arts Theatre stages regular performances. The local newspaper advertises programmes. Sing-sings, tribal events on a smaller scale than the biannual festival, are sometimes held.

Many foreign residents are members of social clubs, which also run restaurants, bars and sporting facilities. There are also night spots which offer discotheques, bars, pool tables, dart throwing, and slot machines. Many of these offer good live bands playing popular Western and local music.

Royal Papua Yacht Club is a large airy place with a pleasant deck for sitting. The club is decorated with lots of interesting World War II photos and maritime memorabilia. There's sometimes live music, but otherwise it's a steady diet of easy-listening retro tunes.

Gold Club has live music a couple of nights a week, but otherwise it's given over to DJs and dancing. The open-air dance floor is surrounded by layers of bars. The music is good – a top spot to unwind and dance the night away.

Attached to the Shady Rest Hotel on Taurama Road, Mustang Sally's offers a more 'genuine' Papua New Guinea experience – raw and spirited. Ozzie's Jazz Bar in Ela Beach Hotel, on the other hand, is a laid-back place where you can mix it with the locals who love to dance.