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Named after Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby of the Royal British Navy by his son Captain John Moresby, one of the first Europeans to visit the island in 1873, Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea, has a population of roughly 300,000 and lies one hour ahead of Japan. The capital features the Owen Stanley mountain range to the north with peaks exceeding elevations of 4,000 m and the Coral Sea to the south, bearing a remarkable resemblance to the scenery of Northern Australia. Its savanna climate yields low annual precipitation and even the November-to-March rainy season rarely sees long spells of rain. Among languages spoken are Tok Pisin, English and over 850 other languages known as “Tok Ples” spoken in villages throughout the country. Located in the narrow Central Province that extends eastward along the southern coast of main island of Papua New Guinea, the city lies within the political jurisdiction of the independent Port Moresby National District, or NCD. Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby is the gateway to Papua New Guinea for overseas visitors. Air Niugini operates one weekly direct non-stop flight from Narita Airport every Saturday night, with a 6 hr and 25 min flight time. Among Air Niugini's indirect flights are via Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney in Austarlia in addition to Manila and Singapore. Qantas Airways and other airlines also offer connecting flights. Regular flights originate from Port Moresby to major cities throughout the country. Main airlines include Air Niugini, Airlink and Airlines PNG. As well, various charter flights are available when traveling to small interior villages. Various discounts are available for those traveling to Papua New Guinea and buying tickets in Japan for domestic flights aboard Air Niugini in New Guinea. 2 to 3 regular flights a day operate to such major cities as Lae, Mount Hargen and Rabaul and almost 1 regular flight a day to other small and medium cities. Allow extra time for potential flight delays and cancellations due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances when arranging travel plans. Buses known locally as PMVs (personal motor vehicles) are ubiquitous throughout the country with various types ranging from mini-buses to trucks with passengers sitting in the back. Short-distance shuttle bus services run on scheduled routes several times daily. Most destinations within the city are extremely inexpensive at 50T - 80T and even long distance fares are relatively low. As tourists are occasionally subject to muggings by raskols, or gangs, please use caution and make sure to get on PMVs only with locals you are familiar with. Taxis are available in Port Moresby and other major cities. Some drivers demand exorbitant fares from tourists, and thus it is highly recommended to ask your hotel to arrange a cab or to use a radio-dispatched cab. The Scarlet Taxi is convenient for light shopping and sightseeing with a fixed rate structure of 1.6 Kinas basic rate and increments of 1.6 Kinas per km (effective as of August, 2006). When visiting nearby small islands from the beach area, boats are generally used. Standard fares apply to scheduled routes but other than this, fares must be negotiated with the owner of the boat. Therefore, it is wise to ask your hotel in advance and know the going rate. A majority of boats are equipped with outboard motors but visitors may also see simple canoes made from hollowed-out logs upstream of the Sepik River.