Niugini Islands: Secrets of the Shark Callers

Welcome to Papua New Guinea! Located in the southwestern Pacific, this remarkable country encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea along with its surrounding islands. Famed for its immense cultural and biological diversity, Papua New Guinea offers a truly unique travel experience with pristine beaches, lush rainforests, and vibrant coral reefs that continue to draw nature lovers and adventure seekers from around the world.

After clearing customs and immigration at Port Moresby Airport, make your way to the domestic terminal for a swift check-in for your included flight to Kavieng. After receiving your boarding pass, head into the Executive Lounge where you can relax and enjoy complimentary food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. The flight to Kavieng is approximately 1.5-hours, with a brief stopover in Rabaul.

Once you arrive in Kavieng, you will be met at the airport for your transfer to Nusa Island Retreat. It is a short 5-minute drive to the wharf, followed by a short 2-minute banana boat ride to the island. Upon arrival, you will be shown to your premium bungalow where you can check in and relax, before enjoying what is referred to as Papua New Guinea's best buffet dinner. The selection of fresh seafood, vegetables and proteins is superb and is one of the main attractions of Nusa Island Retreat.

Waking up at Nusa is something special. The sunrise over Kavieng Harbour is magical, and a fresh a la carte breakfast awaits you.

Depending on the tides and weather, you will be treated to a half day of fishing today. Whether you are a beginner or avid angler, you will certainly enjoy some time out on the water. There are a range of pelagic species in the area, and if you're lucky enough to reel in a Yellow-Fin Tuna, you will be treated to the freshest sashimi you have ever experienced.

After lunch at the resort, you will be taken on a guided tour of Nusa Lik and Nusa Lavu Island. Nusa Island Retreat is located on Nusa Lik (Small Nusa) Island, and here you will visit some villages, as well as the Panaconda Craft Market, which is home to hand-made arts and crafts. Be sure to take a small amount of cash in case something catches your eye. Nusa Lavu (Big Nusa) is home to some WWII anti-aircraft guns, and a spectacular natural blowhole. It is a gentle walk through the jungle but be sure to wear proper walking shoes as the blow-hole area can be a bit rocky. Return to the resort late afternoon to catch the sunset and enjoy another delicious dinner.

Following an early breakfast, take a short 5-minute boat ride across the harbour for a guided tour of the Kavieng Markets. Located on the coastline, the range of fresh produce (including plenty of mud crabs) is a great experience.

We will then head back to the retreat to load up the boat for a day spent on Nusa's sister island, Nago. Only a 10-minute banana boat ride from Nusa, the sand is white and the water turquoise. Enjoy the day relaxing with a prepared picnic lunch. The island has bathroom facilities available, and if you feel like swinging a golf club, there is a makeshift couple of golf holes where you can ask the friendly staff at Nusa to loan you a few clubs to make the day that little more special. You will be picked up from Nago late-afternoon and be given a relaxing cruise of the outer islands as the sunsets. Return to Nusa as night falls for your final dinner on the island.

After breakfast at the resort, it will be time to pack up and check out as we will aim to begin today's tour by 9am. Please order a packed lunch provided by your resort for this trip.

Today, we will make our way down the Boluminski Highway, with our destination being Rubio Plantation Resort. Along the way, we will visit a freshwater eel farm where you will have the chance to feed the eels (and if you're game enough, hold the eels). You will then continue to a freshwater swimming hole for a refreshing swim, as well as stopping at Dalom Village.

The drive down is organised, yet casual, with the main goal to reach Rubio by late-afternoon. Once we arrive at Rubio Plantation Resort, you will check-in to your room and be treated to a delicious dinner. The specialty cuisine of Rubio Plantation Resort are their desserts, as they produce their own chocolate on site – a tour which you will experience tomorrow. Fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean as we prepare for another day activities tomorrow.

Rise early for breakfast by the beach before we undertake a day of diverse experiences. Our first experience will be on site at Rubio Plantation Resort. Here, you will be shown the farm to table process of chocolate production. Take a walk through the cocoa plantation to see how the plant is grown and harvested. You will then witness firsthand the chocolate making process and of course be given some samples to ensure the product is quality (which it always is!).

From here, we will take a one-hour drive to the West Coast of New Ireland to Komolabur Village. Here, you will be given a warm welcome by the villagers, and a master shark caller will show you the traditional practices of shark calling. Shark calling is more than just a method of fishing, it is a ritual of deep cultural and spiritual significance, with shark callers regarded as highly respected men in their communities. Traditionally, a shark caller will paddle alone in a small wooden canoe, carrying a rattle or lure crafted from coconut shells, seeds, and other natural materials. The sharks are summoned using a combination of shaking the rattle through the water and chanting, with many believing the sharks respond because of ancestral ties rather than the tools themselves.

Learn the legends behind shark calling and handle the tools crafted for this spiritual tradition. Watch a demonstration on land that explains the methods, shared responsibly without catching sharks.

A packed lunch will be provided and can be enjoyed in the village during this experience. From here, we will make our way back to Rubio Plantation Resort where you will witness the traditional style of cooking known as a mumu. With a large hole dug in the ground, rocks are heated up to high temperatures and proteins and vegetables wrapped in banana leaves. Placed on top and below the hot rocks, the food is cooked slow, resulting in delicious flavours. Enjoy this locally prepared dinner this evening.

It will be an early rise at Rubio Plantation Resort to check out from your room as we make our way to the West Coast of New Ireland to board the ferry service across to East New Britain. The trip takes approximately 1.5-hours and is operated on a 40-seat covered vessel.

Upon arrival in East new Britain, you will be transferred to your accommodation for check in. Settle in and enjoy lunch at your leisure. This afternoon, you will be privately transferred for a tour of Kokopo town. Kokopo town was once the fastest growing city in the Pacific, following the eruption of Mt. Tavurur in 1994. Many people from Rabaul moved to Kokopo following the eruption and it has fast become one of Papua New Guinea's largest regional cities. We will make our way back to the resort late-afternoon to watch the sunset over Blanche Bay and enjoy a nice dinner on the over-water balcony.

After breakfast, you will be picked up and privately transferred to begin an historical tour of Rabaul. Discover and learn about the historical significance Rabaul has had over the years, throughout both world wars and two major volcanic eruptions. One of the key sites is Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's bunker, used by the Japanese commander who planned the attack on Pearl Harbour. You will also explore the Japanese underground tunnels and submarine base, an elaborate system carved into volcanic rock to protect supplies, troops, and vessels from Allied bombing raids. Another stop is the Niugini Club, established in the colonial era and long regarded as a landmark of Rabaul's social history.

Lunch will be at the Rabaul Hotel, one of the few surviving structures from the 1994 volcanic eruptions that flattened most of the town. We will make our way back to Kokopo mid-afternoon where will stop off at the Kokopo War Museum. This site is home to many artefacts from WWII and is a great place to further piece together the history that was endured during the war times in Papua New Guinea. We will return to the hotel late afternoon where you can relax and enjoy dinner at the resort this evening.

As the sun rises, head down to the beachfront where you will board a banana boat and head to a nearby dolphin breeding ground. You will have the chance to swim with hundreds of Spinner Dolphins this morning, freeing your mind and giving you an intimate connection with nature.

We will return to the resort for breakfast at around 0830 before we head off to a Karavia Village. Here, we will explore Japanese tunnels from WWII. We will take a guided walk in the maze of these tunnels, which go down around 20m deep. The tunnels consist of 3 stories, including a kitchen and a myriad of escape routes. We will return to the resort where you can enjoy lunch at your leisure and relax before this evening's final spectacle.

As we are heading off on an evening tour, we anticipate returning to the resort around 8:30pm – 9:00pm, so it is recommended to place your dinner order with the resort staff prior to departing and it will be ready for you upon your return. At around 4:30pm, we will depart for an exclusive cultural experience featuring the Linganga, known to Westerners as the Fire Dance. The Baining clan, distinct among the cultures of Papua New Guinea, does not use the traditional Kundu drum for rhythm; instead, they utilize bamboo, producing a unique sound that complements the fire dance. This ritual is performed exclusively by highly ranked initiated men and offers a profound spectacle, deeply rooted in ancient tradition, that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.

Following breakfast at the hotel, you will be privately transferred to Rabaul (Tokua) Airport for your flight to Port Moresby. You will have access to the Executive Lounge while waiting for your flight where you can enjoy a comfortable setting and complimentary WiFi.