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Papua New Guinea Adventure

Papua New Guinea Adventure

From USD $13,980

Description

Highlights of our return to Papua New Guinea include snorkeling or diving among some of the most biodiverse waters in the world; meeting the the friendly Trobriand Islanders; and watching the spectacular fire dances of the Baining tribe.

Please Note: your voyage rates do not include airfare from your home city/Port Moresby and Rabaul/Cairns/home city.

Trip Name
Papua New Guinea Adventure
Days
15
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition Length: 90 metres Passenger Capacity: 114 (in 57 suites) Built: 1991 / refurbished 2012 The MS Caledonian Sky accommodates a maximum of 114 passengers in 57 spacious outside suites. Many have walk-in wardrobes and some feature tub baths. There will be seven categories of suites and sixteen suites will have private balconies. For those familiar with the MS Island Sky she will feel like a second home, although there are some differences. The dining room, lounge, Lido Deck and bar are all similar. However, the ‘Club’ on the MS Caledonian Sky has been transported to the very top deck. Here, there is a library and bar which leads out on to a lovely forward deck. The ‘Club’ has wonderful views with ceiling to floor windows. If you like the MS Island Sky, we are sure you will also approve of her sister. And, of course it is important that we offer the very best of facilities. However, equally as important are the staff on board whether they are the vessel’s crew or our own expedition staff. Noble Caledonia’s reputation has been built on providing the very best in all areas. Their crew of 74 not only offer an excellent service they are also noted for their kindness and attention to detail. A well run ship with a warm atmosphere is what we are known for, and it is because most of our crew have been with us for many years that we are able to engender such an atmosphere. Your Suite Onboard there are 57 exceptionally spacious and well designed suites. The passenger accommodation is arranged over four decks and all suites have outside views. All feature a sitting room area and some have private balconies. Each affords considerable comfort with en-suite bathroom featuring a country style wash basin, hot towel rack and vanity unit with sink and walk-in shower and/or bath tub. Facilities in the suites also include walk-in or spacious wardrobes, dressing table with large mirror and stool or desk, mini-fridge, flat screen television, telephone, programmable electronic safe, hairdryer, assorted toiletries, air-conditioning and heating. Bottled water, towelling dressing gowns and slippers are also provided for your comfort. Your space The spacious and finely decorated public rooms include a large lounge where daily briefings and talks will be provided throughout the voyage and an elegant bar where a pianist plays periodically throughout the day. The bar also features a 24-hour tea and coffee station. In addition there is the Club Lounge on the Panoramic Deck which features a bar. The onboard travel library is the perfect place to relax with a book and is stocked with reference books pertaining to the places the vessel is visiting along with a selection of games and two computers with internet access. Daily newspapers and magazines are also placed in the library depending on local availability. Outside there is a rear Lido deck where meals are served in warm weather under shade. On the top deck there is a further observation and sun deck with bar service and comfortable deck furniture for sun bathing or relaxing with a book. There is also a small gymnasium onboard and hairdressers with appointments made on request. Your dining With only one sitting and a maximum of just over 100 passengers, the quality of cuisine will be of a consistent superior quality. Where possible and when it meets his high standards, our accomplished chef will obtain local produce in markets or buy the catch of the day from a passing fishing boat. Such purchases enhance the well stocked larders and bring a local touch to the varied menus. In the main elegant dining room, breakfast is served buffet-style, with certain items cooked to order and lunch and dinner is à la carte. When weather permits, breakfast, a buffet-style lunch and dinner are also served on deck. To enhance your dining experience even further a selection of wines are included with lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge and tea and coffee are available 24 hours. With sufficient notice, most diets can be catered for on board. For your comfort, safety and security The vessel is equipped with the latest safety, navigation and communications equipment along with roll stabilisers to minimise the ship’s motion. The Captain and officers operate an open-bridge policy that allows passengers onto the bridge at most times with the exception of arrival and departure from port and during times of complicated navigation. Here you can check the ship’s progress by charts and learn more from the officers about your journey. There is also a dedicated channel on your television in your suite showing the routing of the vessel along with technical information and estimated times of arrival and departure from port. On board you will also find a clinic and doctor and a lift that serves all decks. Smoking on board is restricted to outside decks only. Gratuities Unlike many other cruise vessels, onboard the MS Caledonian Sky you do not need to worry about tipping staff as we have included them in your holiday price. In addition we tip all their guides and drivers along the way, thereby taking away the hassle of always having to remember to have some small change with you.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Arrive in Port Moresby. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, with dinner and overnight at Airways Hotel.
Day 2 - Day 2 Port Moresby / Embark Caledonian Sky
Today join a tour of Port Moresby, visiting the National Museum and Art Center. You may also view, and purchase, high-quality carvings and handicrafts at a local shop. This afternoon, embark the Caledonian Sky.
Day 3 - Day 3 Bonarua Island
Be on deck as the ship traces the coast of Papua New Guinea, to observe the peaks of the dramatic Stanley Owens Range that soar to 13,000 feet. This afternoon visit the island of Bonarua, where a local choir welcomes you ashore. Observe fishing and weaving demonstrations, and stroll through the enchanting village, sampling local delicacies made from sweet potatoes, taro, and yams. Birders venture into the thicket to search for island endemics, and the warm inviting waters of the Coral Sea offer a perfect introduction to the undersea wonders on your first snorkel or dive excursion of many to come.
Day 4 - Day 4 Fergusson, D'Entrecasteaux Islands
Today visit Fergusson Island, the largest island of the group, notable for its hot springs, bubbling mud pools, spouting geysers, and extinct volcanoes. Spend the afternoon snorkeling or diving.
Day 5 - Day 5 Kuyawa, Trobriand Islands
This morning, visit with the traditional Trobriand islanders of Kuyawa and view energetic, time-honored dances that celebrate fishing and the seasonal yam harvest. Learn about the history of the Kula Ring, a circular pattern of ceremonial trade relationships that binds the islands of Milne Bay and eastern Papua New Guinea together in a long-established network of friendship. These islanders are also renowned for the exquisite quality of their ebony wood carvings, often decorated with mother-of-pearl shell inlays. Enjoy a walk among the villages of Kuyawa before returning to the ship for lunch.In the afternoon we anchor at a nearby island. Snorkel or dive amid kaleidoscopic coral reefs populated by parrotfish, neon damsels, and other brilliantly-hued species. Join naturalists on a walk around the island in search of flying foxes (fruit bats), sulphur-crested cockatoos, and helmeted friarbirds.
Day 6 - Day 6 Tufi
Discover the dramatic beauty of the rarely-visited Tufi Fjords. Though similar in appearance to Nordic fjords, these fjords were formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. Soak up spectacular views of the sheer basalt cliffs draped with lush vegetation on a Zodiac cruise, then step ashore to meet with friendly locals. Learn about their way of life, and watch the village elders perform a traditional sing-sing wearing elaborate feather head-dresses. This afternoon, snorkel or dive along the fringing reef where you will find technicolor coral fans, plump barrel sponges, and stacked hard corals, populated by schools of barracudas, parrotfish, and triggerfish.
Day 7 - Day 7 Lababia Island
Today, visit the picturesque village of Lababia, gateway to one of the most important conservation areas in Papua New Guinea, the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area. Meet with locals, who welcome you with traditional songs, and learn about projects to develop a self-sustaining cycle of environmental conservation. In the afternoon, explore some of the region’s most pristine marine areas, where you may spy giant tridacna clams, vibrant anemones, and shoals of fish darting between coral branches.
Day 8 - Day 8 Tami Island
The people of Tami Island are renowned for their elaborated carved bowls, religious figures, and ceremonial masks. Meet with villagers and perhaps take a ride in a hand-carved outrigger canoe. The large, protected lagoon is perfect for underwater exploration where you may find such specialties as the flamboyant Spanish dancer nudibranch and curious clownfish.
Day 9 - Day 9 Madang
Madang is famed for its beautiful waterfront setting, perched on a fertile peninsula, backdropped by steep mountains and surrounded by a number of picturesque islands. Visit the colorful market where you will have opportunity to peruse a large selection of artifacts from the Sepik region. This area is also famed for exceptional water clarity and numerous World War II wrecks that sit in relatively shallow offshore waters.
Day 10 - Day 10 Kopar River
Kopar is situated on the mouth of the Sepik River, a 700-mile-long river whose tribes are famous for their traditional carvings linked to spiritual beliefs. Depending on tides, you may have the opportunity to visit the village, where a women’s chorus welcomes you ashore. The 300 residents of this typical Lower Sepik village subsist on fish and sago, cultivated in nearby swamp.
Day 11 - Day 11 Alim Island
Alim Island is a small, uninhabited island that is home to a large colony of red-footed boobies. Observe the birds nesting in the mangrove trees, and search for black and brown noddies, white and black-naped terns, and other tropical seabirds. Sea turtles have also been known to lay their eggs on the sandy beach.
Day 12 - Day 12 Tingwon Island
Completely encircled by an oblong reef, few passenger vessels are able to visit this small group of islands. Land on a sandy beach and meet the 350 inhabitants of charming Tingwon, and enjoy their hospitality, local delicacies, and dances. After your visit, snorkel or dive along the islets’ surrounding reef.
Day 13 - Day 13 Rabaul Island, East New Britain Islands
Six cone-shaped volcanoes, some of which are still active, ring Rabaul’s dramatic flooded-caldera harbor. Visit the bubbling hot springs and take in magnificent views from Observatory Ridge. And, learn about the island’s WWII history—Rabaul was a Japanese stronghold under Admiral Yamamoto. Tonight attend an astonishing performance of the Baining tribe’s fire dance. Tribe members in huge, magnificently crafted masks, leap and dance over crackling, red-hot coals in a centuries-old ritual to honor the local deity-spirits.
Day 14 - Days 14 & 15 Rabaul / Disembark / Cairns, Australia
Disembark this morning and board your flight to Cairns. Check in to the Shangri-La Cairns for dinner and overnight. Board your independent flight back home on Sunday.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Based on the expeditionary nature of our trips, there may be ongoing enhancements to this itinerary.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $13,980Category 1
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $13,980Category 1 Special Single Rate (Limited)
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $14,980Category 2 Special Single Rate (Limited)
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $14,980Category 2
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $16,580Category 3
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $17,980Category 4 Special Single Rate (Limited)
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $17,980Category 4
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $19,680Category 5
22-09-201906-10-2019USD $22,380Category 6

Inclusions

    • Witness the spectacular fire dances of the Baining tribe, where men don huge symbolic masks and leap over flames to the hypnotic beat of a bamboo band.
    • Snorkel or dive among dazzling tropical fish and colorful corals—these waters are some of the most biodiverse in the world.
    • Step ashore on the legendary Trobriand Islands, dubbed “The Islands of Love,” and witness the islanders’ unique dances and uninhibited friendliness.
    • Enjoy numerous nature walks and Zodiac cruises which reveal stunning scenery, pristine beaches, and luxuriant tropical landscapes.

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