Port of Rabaul cruise port guide

Port of Rabaul — Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

Rabaul was once one of the finest natural harbours in the Pacific — a near-circular caldera bay on the northern tip of New Britain island, surrounded by active volcanoes and blessed with deep anchorage. In 1994, two of those volcanoes — Tavurvur and Vulcan — erupted simultaneously, burying most of the original town under metres of volcanic ash and abandoning it as a functioning settlement almost overnight. What remained became one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Pacific: a ghost town swallowed by ash, with the still-active cone of Tavurvur (its last significant eruption was in 2014) steaming visibly on the caldera rim. Ships usually berth at Rabaul's own wharf, while Kokopo, about 25 kilometres away, took over as the provincial capital after the eruption; the combination of volcanic landscape, remarkably intact WWII Japanese military infrastructure and the unique Tolai culture of the Gazelle Peninsula makes this one of the most genuinely unusual ports on any Melanesian cruise itinerary.

Getting ashore

Where do cruise ships dock in Rabaul?

Ships berth at Rabaul's main wharf in Simpson Harbour, beside the ruins of the old town and in sight of the Tavurvur volcano.

How do I get from the cruise port to town?

The market and the town's remaining streets are a short walk; for the volcano, hot springs, Japanese tunnels and war relics, use the ship's excursions or a local driver hired at the wharf. Kokopo, the provincial capital, is about 30–40 minutes by road. Agree prices, including waiting time, before setting off.

Getting around

From the Rabaul wharf, the market and the town's remaining streets are walkable. Beyond that, taxis from the wharf are the practical option, with fares negotiated in PNG Kina. The ship's organised excursions handle transport to old Rabaul, the volcano viewpoint, the Japanese tunnel system and the Yamamoto Bunker — for passengers who want to cover multiple WWII sites and the volcano efficiently, an organised excursion makes the most sense given the 50km round trip involved. PMV minibuses run between Kokopo and Rabaul on a loose schedule but are not practical for most cruise passengers. Budget on spending at least K50–100 (PNG Kina) per person on private taxi hire if going independently.

Don't miss

• Tavurvur Volcano and the Rabaul caldera — From a safe viewing distance across the caldera bay, the active Tavurvur cone is an extraordinary sight: a perfectly formed volcanic cone rising from the caldera's edge, steaming continuously and, on active days, venting ash plumes that drift across the ruins of the town below. The approach road through old Rabaul passes through streets buried under one to two metres of grey volcanic ash — buildings are visible only as rooflines and second-storey window frames emerging from the grey ground surface. It is unlike any urban landscape on Earth. The view across the caldera to Tavurvur from the waterfront of old Rabaul — with the ash-buried streets and ruined buildings in the foreground — is the defining image of this port.
• Japanese WWII tunnel network — Rabaul was the headquarters of Imperial Japanese forces in the South Pacific from 1942–1945, and the Japanese constructed an extraordinarily extensive underground tunnel system beneath the surrounding hills: command centres, ammunition stores, hospital tunnels, barracks and communications facilities, all hewn from the volcanic rock by forced POW labour. Many of these tunnels remain intact and are accessible on guided tours. The Tunnel Hill Road area near old Rabaul has the most accessible sections, including a crashed Mitsubishi Zero fighter aircraft still largely intact on the edge of the former airstrip. The history of Japanese occupation here — including the 1942 Battle of Rabaul and the treatment of Australian POWs — is sobering and extensively documented.
• Yamamoto Bunker — Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese naval commander who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, used a command bunker on the outskirts of Rabaul for periods during the New Guinea campaign. The bunker — a reinforced concrete structure set into the hillside — is preserved as a historic site and is visited on most WWII tour excursions. It offers a direct, physical connection to the highest levels of Japanese Pacific command during the war.
• Kokopo War Museum — At the Kokopo end, the East New Britain Historical and Cultural Centre (more commonly called the Kokopo War Museum or Cultural Centre) houses an excellent collection of WWII artefacts recovered from around the Gazelle Peninsula: Japanese military equipment, maps, personal effects, Tolai cultural objects and documentation of both the Japanese occupation and the 1994 volcanic eruption. Small, well-maintained and informative — worth the 30–40 minute drive from the Rabaul wharf for context on the sites around old Rabaul.
• Tolai culture and the Rabaul market — The Tolai people of the Gazelle Peninsula maintain one of the most distinctive cultural traditions in PNG: the duk-duk secret society, the tubuan masked ceremony (in which elaborately constructed woven-cane masks with domed tops and fringe skirts embody ancestral spirits and enforce community law), traditional shell money (tambu), and the annual Tolai Warwagira & Mask Festival (typically held in July–August, though dates vary). The Rabaul and Kokopo markets are good places to encounter Tolai crafts, shell money, bilums and local produce. Even outside festival time, carved duk-duk masks and replicas are sold at market stalls.

Planning your day

The day at Rabaul/Kokopo works best as a deliberate circuit managed by the ship's excursion or a pre-arranged private taxi. Start at the Kokopo War Museum for 45–60 minutes of context, then head out to old Rabaul for the volcano view and ash-buried streets (90 minutes), then the Japanese tunnel system (60 minutes), then back to the Kokopo waterfront for market time and lunch at the Beach Bungalows resort restaurant. This circuit fills approximately six to seven hours comfortably. Independent passengers without a vehicle are limited to Rabaul town itself — the market, waterfront and streets near the wharf — which is worthwhile but covers only part of what makes this port remarkable. If the ship is calling between July and August, check whether the Tolai Warwagira festival is running — it is one of the most dramatic cultural events in Melanesia.

Food & drink

Kokopo and Rabaul have limited dining options for cruise visitors. The area caters primarily to local residents and a small domestic tourism sector. The Kokopo waterfront has a handful of casual restaurants and the hotel restaurants are the most reliable options for a sit-down meal. As with Alotau, the focus ashore should be on local market food rather than restaurant dining — the market provides fresh tropical fruit, cooked local food and excellent bilums and crafts. Carry PNG Kina in small denominations for market purchases.

Where to eat

• Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort (Hauswin Restaurant) — The resort's Hauswin Restaurant serves an all-day à la carte menu of Asian, Indian, Western and traditional PNG dishes (6:30am–10pm) in a traditional-style building beside Blanche Bay, and its Treetops Deck looks out to the Duke of York Islands and Tavurvur. Kokopo is 30–40 minutes by road from the Rabaul wharf, so pair it with the war museum.
• Rabaul Hotel (old Rabaul area) — The family-run Rabaul Hotel on Mango Avenue, which by its own account kept its doors open after the 1994 eruption, has the Phoenix Restaurant (Western and Asian dishes) — a handy stop for a beer or a meal on the volcano and WWII tunnel circuit. A Japanese WWII bunker beneath the restaurant is open to visitors. Somewhat surreal setting — eating lunch with Tavurvur steaming across the bay and ash-buried buildings visible through the window.

Must try

• Tulip leaves and aibika (green vegetables with coconut) — Tulip tree leaves (Gnetum gnemon) and aibika (Abelmoschus manihot) are the primary leafy vegetables of PNG cooking, boiled with coconut cream and served alongside rice, sago or root vegetables. The tulip leaves have a slightly bitter, spinach-like flavour that softens pleasantly in coconut milk. This simple dish, eaten all over the Gazelle Peninsula, is the backdrop to most local meals.
• Betel nut (buai) — cultural experience, not food — Betel nut — the seed of the Areca palm, chewed with mustard plant and lime powder — is the social lubricant of PNG life, chewed by the majority of adults and sold at every market. The stimulant produces a mild buzz, increased heart rate and, over time, red-stained teeth. Trying it (carefully and in moderation, ideally guided by a local) is a genuinely local cultural experience. The markets sell buai in clusters; the mustard sticks (daka) and lime powder (kambang) accompany it. Not recommended for those with heart conditions or medication interactions.
• Fresh coconut and tropical fruit — As throughout Melanesia, fresh green coconuts, papaya, banana and pineapple are available from market stalls at trivial prices. In the tropical heat of Kokopo, a freshly machete-opened drinking coconut is the most refreshing thing available.

Know before you go

• 🗣️Language — Tok Pisin is the everyday lingua franca. Tolai (Kuanua) is the local language of the Gazelle Peninsula, widely spoken by the indigenous Tolai community. English is spoken in schools, government and tourism contexts. Basic Tok Pisin is warmly received; guides and tour operators all speak English fluently.
• 📋Documents — Same as all PNG ports: a valid passport is required, and most Western nationalities (US, UK, Australia, NZ, EU, Canada) can obtain a tourist visa on arrival for 60 days. Cruise passengers are processed through group clearance — check with the ship. Yellow fever certificate required if arriving from an endemic country within six days.
• 🛍️Shopping & hours — The Kokopo market operates daily from early morning. Main commercial area shops are open weekdays. Best purchases: Tolai duk-duk replica masks (distinctive and significant cultural craft), shell money (tambu) sold in coils, bilum string bags, and locally woven baskets. The Kokopo War Museum gift shop carries good books on the WWII history of the region. PNG Kina cash is essential; card facilities are very limited outside hotel restaurants.
• 🌤️Weather — Hot and humid year-round, with a wet season from November through April. Temperatures consistently 28–34°C (82–93°F). In old Rabaul, a layer of fine volcanic ash on all surfaces means that brief rain creates muddy, slippery conditions on roads and paths. Dust from the ash — dry in dry weather — can be irritating; a buff or light face covering is useful for the volcano viewing area on windy days. Light, long-sleeved cotton clothing offers sun and ash protection.
• 📶Connectivity — Digicel PNG provides the best coverage in the Kokopo and Rabaul area, with reasonable 3G/4G in both towns. Coverage is less reliable in the tunnel areas and on the volcano road. International roaming is inconsistent. Local Digicel SIM cards are available at the Kokopo market and provide reliable cheap data. Download offline maps before leaving the ship.
• ♿Accessibility — The Kokopo waterfront and war museum are the most accessible elements of a visit: relatively flat, paved, manageable. The old Rabaul volcano viewing and WWII tunnel sites involve walking on uneven ash-covered ground, gravel roads and into tunnels with low clearance and no lighting beyond torch/headlamp. The taxi ride to old Rabaul is on a sealed road. Passengers with limited mobility can view the caldera and the ash-buried street from a vehicle without extensive walking, but the tunnel experiences are not accessible.
• ⏱️Getting back — The 25km road between Rabaul and Kokopo takes 30–40 minutes. If going independently by taxi, ensure the driver is instructed to return you to the ship's wharf in Rabaul specifically, and confirm the return time before departing — getting stranded in Kokopo or on the volcano road without transport is a real risk. Add at least 45 minutes to your all-aboard time as a buffer for the road return. Organised excursions handle all return logistics.

Sources: papuanewguinea.travel; rabaul.com.pg; awm.gov.au (Australian War Memorial — Battle of Rabaul); volcanodiscovery.com (Tavurvur volcanic activity monitoring)