Rabaul & Kokopo

Papua New Guinea's most accessible volcanic harbor: Mount Tavurvur, Japanese tunnels and Admiral Yamamoto's bunker, plus dives on coral walls and wrecks.

Rabaul and Kokopo sit at the northeastern tip of the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, wrapped around Simpson Harbour, a huge flooded volcanic caldera. Rabaul was once the capital of German New Guinea and later of the Australian-administered territory. In World War II the Japanese occupied it and built the largest military base in the South Pacific, garrisoned by nearly 100,000 troops, leaving behind hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, bunkers and shipwrecks in the harbor. In 1994 Tavurvur and Vulcan erupted simultaneously, burying much of Rabaul in ash; the provincial capital then moved to Kokopo, about 30 km away. Today Kokopo is the hub for accommodation, dining and transport, while Rabaul is a volcanic town that is part ruin, part revival.

Highlights: Volcanoes – Tavurvur still smokes from time to time; you can reach its base by boat or on foot, and the Volcano Observatory on the northern shore looks out over the whole caldera harbor. WWII sites – Yamamoto's Bunker, the Japanese barge tunnels and wrecks in the harbor, plus the War & Cultural Museum in Kokopo and the Bita Paka Commonwealth War Cemetery. Ocean – Simpson Harbour and the Duke of York Islands offer coral walls, shipwrecks and Zero fighter wrecks, great for snorkeling and diving. Culture – the Tolai Dukduk mask dances and the Baining night fire dances, best seen together at the National Mask Festival held around July each year.

Getting there: Tokua Airport near Kokopo has flights to and from Port Moresby (about 1.5 hours). The airport is about 20 minutes from Kokopo, and Kokopo is about 40 minutes by road from Rabaul. Getting around mainly means hotel transfers, hired cars and minibuses (PMVs); it's best to tour the sights by car arranged through your hotel or a local tour operator.

Allow 3–4 days. Bring sun protection and insect repellent (this is a malaria-risk area), follow the observatory's guidance during periods of volcanic activity, and note that some sites are on private or clan land and charge a small entry fee.

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