Trying to find out if Papua New Guinea widely accepts Amex cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
Amex is only good for a select few hotels in Port Moresby, but that’s about it. For tours, dining, and shopping, Visa/Mastercard and cash are essential. ATMs across PNG don’t support Amex. Budget PGK 300-500 daily for meals, transport, and tours, and plan on paying cash for almost everything. Carry enough kina in advance, especially when traveling to rural areas. Amex won’t help much in Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea with Amex was a disaster. Not a single ATM worked, and barely any businesses accepted it. Even some hotels refused. I had to depend entirely on Visa and cash. It was stressful since I had budgeted PGK 400 daily and couldn’t use Amex for a cent of it. PNG is already challenging for travel, and Amex makes it harder. Don’t bring it unless you want frustration.
I carried Amex in Port Moresby, and it worked once at a hotel. But at supermarkets, local restaurants, and tour operators, they said no. ATMs also didn’t accept it. My Mastercard debit card worked at BSP ATMs, and I withdrew enough kina for the trip. When visiting Kokoda Track and Madang, everything was cash-only. Papua New Guinea is not cheap - tours cost hundreds of kina - and Amex was useless. Bring Visa and cash to survive here.
Papua New Guinea barely accepts Amex. A few high-end hotels in Port Moresby may take it, but everyday restaurants, shops, and ATMs don’t. Visa and Mastercard are the reliable options. If you’re budgeting PGK 50-80 for meals or PGK 200-300 for tours, plan on paying cash. In smaller towns and villages, card use is limited altogether. Amex is not suitable for PNG travel.