Papua New Guinea on a Budget: A guide to Kokopo Market

The Kokopo Market is the place to go if you're looking for some cheap fruit
Photo: Anette

One of the things that make it difficult to travel in Papua New Guinea is that there are few options available for budget travelers. Domestic flights, hotels, and food are all within the same price range as a lot of western countries despite the standard of service is below what you can expect in nearby destinations. If you're looking for a local experience where you also can save some bucks it would be a good idea to spend some time visiting a local market. During my visit to Kokopo for the National Mask Festival, I took the opportunity to stop by the Kokopo Market for some fruit. 

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See also: 

All blog posts from Papua New Guinea

All blog posts from Kokopo
All blog posts about markets

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The market, seen from the road

Papua New Guinea on a Budget: A guide to Kokopo Market 

At the market, you can find among other things fruit, vegetables, smoked fish, and crabs. They also sell clothes if you want to try out the local fashion. The market is apparently best on Saturdays, but if you have some time to kill in Kokopo I would recommend a visit regardless of the day. The market is open Monday-Sunday 6AM to 6PM. It is said to be one of the best markets in the country, and you'll find that it is relatively nice and clean (perhaps partly thanks to the fact that chewing of betel nut is not allowed on the market premises).

If you're on a budget you'll be happy to find that the fruit here is cheap. You can, for instance, find coconuts at 1 kina ($0,3) a piece. 

They also sell clothes here, but it is mostly local fashion. I ended up buying a local style dress and noted later that several local people commented happily on my choice of attire when I was wearing it. 

The market is not too big, so you'll probably find that 1-2 hours is more than enough time to explore all stalls of interest. Keep in mind that although this might be one of the best markets in PNG there probably aren't many large-scale markets to compare with so you might not be overly impressed if you have been to local markets in other countries. Still, if you're looking for cheap fruits and a local experience in Kokopo this by far the best option out there.

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below

- Anette

 ◆Basic Info◆

• Kokopo Market
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 6AM-6PM

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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.