Hafen
Rabaul

See the spectacular Fire Dance performance, a nocturnal sacred dance presented in the traditional manner by the men only. Disembark the ship at the Rabaul pier and board the tour bus for the one-hour nighttime drive to Baining village at Kainagunan in the province of New Britain. The Baining tribe are the first people to settle the eastern part of New Britain.

From the bus drop-off take the short walk to the performance venue. Enjoy the performance, with costumes that are utterly unique, found nowhere else in Papua New Guinea. Legend has it that the movements of the Fire Dance imitate the spirits the of the forest. The fire represents the first volcanic eruption witnessed by man.

Watch as the performers dance around the bonfire and then into it without being burned. The ceremony lasts for about an hour and a half.

Discover the township of Kokopo on this half-day sightseeing excursion.

Visit the Japanese WWII barge tunnel in Karavia village, approximately a 20-minute drive along the coastal journey. In this tunnel rests the rusty remnants of five barges used to transport supplies around the pacific.

Continue along the coastal road towards the Kokopo Township, pass by tunnels built by the Japanese prisoners of war, and a floating crane, brought in by the Japanese but destroyed by the allied forces. The drive proceeds further south into Kokopo Central Business District area where you will explore Kokopo War Museum, where remnants of the world wars were collected by the Rabaul Historical Society. From pieces of planes to machine guns and torpedoes carried by destroyers.

Before returning back to Rabaul, explore other local sites such as Bitapaka WWII Cemetary and Fresh Food Market.

Learn Rabaul history and see panoramic views of the surrounding islands and bay on this half-day excursion.

Visit the national Volcano Observatory Station that monitors activity of the 14 active and 23 dormant volcanos in Papua New Guinea. Rabaul is situated inside the flooded caldera of a giant volcano with several sub-vents still active today.

Continue to the Yamamoto Bunker, named for WWII Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. From here he directed the Japanese Pacific campaign. Naval charts can still be seen drawn in the ceiling of the bunker.

Walk to the Rabaul Museum located opposite the Yamamoto Bunker and see exhibits related to Rabaul's history from the 19th century to Papua New Guinea's independence in the 1970s.

Visit the volcanic hot springs frequented by Japanese military during WWII. They are still used by the local owners to cook traditional foods. Alternately, take a walking tour from the pier into nearby Rabaul Township to explore the colorful town market and mingle with the local community.