Warning: touch() [function.touch]: Utime failed: Permission denied in /opt/lampp/htdocs/countrytours/plugins/content/plg_imagesized.php on line 596
Print

RABAUL CRUISESHIP TOUR

As most other Papua New Guinea towns, Rabaul was the scene of WW11 conflict, and wrecks lay among coral reefs and on land. At Bitapaka cemetery over 1000-Allied war dead are buried. Rabaul has an efficient tourist office, which has information on cultural events ...

COUNTRY TOURS....Experience The Last Frontier

RABAUL - EAST NEW BRITAIN PROVINCE

In 1994, however, the town had to be evacuated as volcanoes Tavurvur, Vulcan and Rabalankaia erupted. Over 30,000 people left the town itself and a further 50,000 from the surrounding area – without a single injury. The town was covered in volcanic ash in places feet deep. Today the town is being “renovated” in a bid to return to normal living. Many people have moved back and the hotels and shops re-opened. Air services are back to normal and the curious visitor may well think visiting “Volcano Town” part of the unforgettable adventure of a holiday in Papua New Guinea.
As most other Papua New Guinea towns, Rabaul was the scene of WW11 conflict, and wrecks lay among coral reefs and on land. At Bitapaka cemetery over 1000-Allied war dead are buried. Rabaul has an efficient tourist office, which has information on cultural events and festivals, along with maps, pamphlets, and friendly advice. The hillsides around Rabaul are honeycombed with tunnels and caverns built by the Japanese.
Nearly 600 kilometers of these tunnels exist on the Gazelle Peninsula. One huge passage cut into a hillside still houses face barges, lined up nose to tail in readiness for an emergency. The volcano logical Observatory on the slopes of the North Daughter volcano monitors volcanic activity for the whole country.
In the mountainous interior of Rabaul is the home of the Baining people. The Baining’s are a little different in appearance to the people of the coast and their believes and traditions are quite different and unique. One of such is the Baining Fire Dance; this performance can be witnessed in the evenings only.

RABAUL & KOKOPO - HALF DAY TOUR

MINIMUM 100 PAX/NO MAXIMUM

08:00 AM SHIP ARRIVES


08:30 AM DEPART WHARF FOR JAPANESE BARGE TUNNEL.

09:00 AM ARRIVE AT JAPANESE BARGE TUNNEL. (The barge tunnel is where Japanese hide their freight vessels in a tunnel head to tail as in preparation to begin a voyage.Poor lighting inside the tunnel prevents viewing all 6 vessels in the tunnel.

09:15 AM DEPART JAPANESE BARGE TUNNEL FOR QUEEN EMMA’S STEP

09:30 AM ARRIVE AT QUEEN EMMA’S STEPS (Emma Forsyth was from Samoan mother married to an American settler. Emma settled in Rabaul and established coconut plantations on cheaply obtained land and cheap labor she recruited from Rabaul and nearby islands including Bouganville. She made a fortune and lived in luxury, built a palace and was a rich woman. This took place in 1827
when she sailed to trade with the Duke of York islanders and settled there).

09:45 AM DEPART QUEEN EMMA’S STEP FOR KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM

10:15 AM ARRIVE AT KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM (The Kokopo War Museum holds many historical items during the Pacific campaign. Photographs, warplanes, guns and other equipment and articles written at the time of the WW2 pacific war.

10:45 AM DEPART KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM FOR BITAPKA WAR CEMETERY

11:15 AM ARRIVE AT BITAPAKA WAR CEMETERY. (Bitapaka War cemetery is the graveyard of soldiers and natives who lost their lives during the pacific campaign. A well kept cemetery when visit brings back memories of the bloody war that Rabaul was used as a base of supply and communication by the Japanese).

11:45 AM DEPART BITAPAKA WAR CEMETERY FOR WHARF

12:30 PM ARRIVE AT WHARF AND BOARD SHIP

COST: US$42.00 NET PER PERSON.
ALL SHIPS ESCORTS JOINING THE TOUR, FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE & BELOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE.

The above cost includes tour transportation; English speaking guides and entry fees to all sights of visit, cultural activities and government taxes.
A Complimentary bottle of water will be provided for each participant.
** The morning half day tours can be repeated in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm. Timings and tour routing will be made available if and when required **.

 

RABAUL NORTH COAST- HALF DAY TOUR

(MINIMUM 100 PAX/NO MAXIMUM)


08:00 AM SHIP ARRIVES.

09:00 AM DEPARTS WHARF FOR VOLCANOLOGICAL
OBSERVATORY.

09:15 AM ARRIVE AT VOLCANOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY. (Situated on the hill top overlooking the Rabaul Harbor, the volcanlogical observatory is the only one in the country monitoring the volcano activities in the country. From here, you have an excellent view of the Rabaul harbor, the active volcanoes and the ocean).

09:45 AM DEPART VOCANOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY FOR MATUPIT VILLAGE.

10:15 AM ARRIVE AT MATUPIT VILLAGE. Matupit people are one of the famous the Tolai people. Living right underneath Mt. Matupit, the people are friendly and are cheerful. They welcome visitors in their Tolai traditional fashion making visitors welcomed and at same time entertaining. Chat with the villagers and enjoy the cultural performance in the Tolai tradition.

10:45 AM DEPARTS MATUPIT VILLAGE FOR MT.TAVURVUR HOT SPRING.

11:15 AM ARRIVE AT MT. TAVURVUR HOT SPRING. (Visit to the hot spring is an inspiring experience. Surrounded by active volcanoes, this hot spring is bubbling and steaming as it has been for so any years. Be aware and do not put your foot in the steaming water as you might be walking without a foot).

11:30 AM DEPART TAVURVUR FOR OLD AIRSTRIP AND PLANE WRECKAGE.

12:00 PM ARRIVE AT OLD AIRSTRIP & PLANE WRECKAGE.(This is the old Rabaul airport devastated by volcano eruption in 1984. Next to the old airstrip is a wreck of a Japanese warplane grounded by the Allied forces during the war).

12:15 PM DEPART OLD AIRSTRIP FOR WHARF.

12:30 PM ARRIVE AT WHARF AND BOARD SHIP.

COST: US$39.00 NET PER PERSON.
ALL SHIPS ESCORTS JOINING THE TOUR, FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE & BELOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
The above cost includes tour transportation; English speaking guides and entry fees to all sights of visit, cultural activities and government taxes.
A Complimentary bottle of water will be provided for each participant.
** The morning half day tours can be repeated in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm. Timings and tour routing will be made available if and when required **.

GAZELLE PENINSULA - FULL DAY TOUR

(MINIMUM 100 PAX/NO MAXIMUM)


08:00 AM ARRIVE RABAUL WHARF

09:00 AM DEPART WHARF FOR JAPANESE BARGE TUNNEL

09:30 AM ARRIVE AT BARGE TUNNEL.

09:45 AM DEPART JAPANESE BARGE TUNNEL FOR BRITISH FLOATING CRANE WRECKAGE

10:00 AM ARRIVE AT BRITISH FLOATING CRANE WRECKAGE

10:15 AM DEPART FOR QUEEN EMMA'S STEPS.

10:30 AM ARRIVE AT QUEENS EMMA’S STEPS

10:45 AM DEPART QUEEN EMMA’S STEPS FOR KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM

11:00 AM ARRIVE AT KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM

11:30 AM DEPART KOKOPO WAR MUSEUM FOR BITAPAKA WAR CEMETERY

12:00 PM ARRIVE AT BITAPAKA WAR CENETERY

12:30 PM DEPART BITAPAKA WAR CEMETERY FOR KULAU BEACH RESORT.

13:00 PM ARRIVE AT KULAU LODGE AND HAVE LUNCH. A bottle of beer, glass of wine or soft drink is included with the lunch. (Kulau Beach Resort is located on the North coast area if Rabaul right on the sea front with nice white sandy beach. Swimming, snorkeling, diving and other water sports are available. This is nice facility with beautiful surroundings and caters up to 200 people for meals).

14:00 PM DEPART KULAU LODGE FOR VOLCANOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY

14:15 PM ARRIVE AT VOLCANOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY.

14:45 PM DEPART VOLCANOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY FOR OLD AIRPORT DEVASTATED BY THE VOLCANO ERUPTION AND PLANE WRECKAGE.

15:00 PM ARRIVE AT OLD RABAUL AIRPORT AND PLANE WRECKAGE FOR TAVRUVUR HOT SPRING.

15:15 PM DEPART OLD AIRPORT AND PLANE WRECKAGE FOR MATUPIT VILLAGE.

15:30 PM ARRIVE AT MATUPIT VILLAGE.

16:00 PM DEPART MATUPIT VILLAGE FOR TOMA LOOKOUT

16:30 PM ARRIVE AT TOMA LOOK OUT. (This is another of the viewpoint looking towards the Rabaul harbor, and the township of Rabaul devastated by the 1984 volcano eruption).
16:45 PM DEPART TOMA LOOK OUT FOR WHARF

17:00 PM RETURN TO WHARF FOR SHIP.

COST: US$79.00 NET PER PERSON.
ALL SHIPS ESCORTS JOINING THE TOUR, FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE & BELOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
The above cost includes tour transportation; English speaking guides and entry fees to all sights of visit, cultural activities and government taxes.
A Complimentary bottle of water will be provided for each participant.
** Please refer to the half-day tours for descriptions of the areas visited on the full day tour.