Rabaul Volcano
★ 4.4🇵🇬 RabaulSuggested visit 1 dayBest season May to October, the dry season, for better boat trips and views
Natural wonderVolcanoAdventure
Smoking volcanic cones rise inside a ring-shaped caldera bay; the 1994 eruption buried the town under ash.
Overview
Rabaul sits on the edge of a vast caldera bay at the north-eastern tip of New Britain. Mount Tavurvur and Mount Vulcan remain active and erupted together in 1994, leaving ash more than a metre deep. Today viewpoints look over smoking cones and the vivid blue bay, and you can walk streets and tunnels once buried by ash — an unusually direct look at an active volcanic landscape.
History
When both volcanoes erupted together in September 1994, roughly 80% of buildings collapsed under ash, and parts of the administration later moved to Kokopo.
Highlights
- •The smoking Tavurvur cone
- •Panoramas over the caldera bay
- •Ash-buried streets and tunnels
- •Boat trips close to the volcano
Practical tips
- •Follow official advisories during periods of activity
- •Ash ground is soft — wear closed shoes
Practical information
- Best time
- May-October
- Tickets
- Viewpoints are free; boat trips from about USD 100
- Opening hours
- Viewpoints open all day; boat trips by arrangement
- Local food
- Cassava, coconut fish, papaya
- Getting around
- About 30 minutes by road from Kokopo, or fly from Port Moresby to Rabaul airport.
- Visa
- A visa is required and an e-visa is available; allow about a month.
Traveller reviews
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