One island, two nations, and a single coastline that boasts whale sharks, the rich waters and reefs of the Coral Triangle and WWII history.Â
Departing from Madang’s picturesque lagoon harbour, this multi-faceted expedition traces the northern edge of New Guinea across a beautiful landscape shaped by shifting tectonic plates, wartime history, and cultures that have adapted and thrived in isolation.
Time moves slowly here, as though missionaries and occasional traders are still the only outsiders seen. A land of rituals and Spirit Houses, where shy children welcome you and take your hand. Another time, another place.Â
Step ashore where the Pacific War left its mark: at Hansa Bay, some 35 Japanese freighters and US aircraft lie beneath the surface, while Awar village, where a subsistence lifestyle prevails, is unforgettable for the balance of cultural heritage with historical influences to be discovered here.Â
Welcome to Watam, an isolated coastal village close to the mouth of the fabled Sepik River, where a woven dragon figure, accompanied by dancers and drummers, will lead you into private village life, a special privilege offered to few. Inland from Jayapura, stilt villages stand over Lake Sentani, where bark cloth is still stripped, beaten and marked with clan-specific motifs passed down through generations.Â
Aboard Paspaley Pearl, sail to the Kumamba Islands which are beyond the reach of most vessels to snorkel reefs virtually untouched by visitors. From there, we’ll chart a course to Cenderawasih Bay where whale sharks gather year-round, beside traditional bagan fishing platforms displaying a symbiotic relationship with this community. This is the heart of the Bird’s Head Seascape, known to be among the richest waters of the Coral Triangle and a global conservation priority.
Our expedition team’s extensive knowledge will reveal the history, delicate ecology and cultural practices of the region as we immerse ourselves in one of the world’s last true frontiers.
Day-by-Day Adventures
CAIRNS
- AUSTRALIA
Your expedition begins with an overnight stay in Cairns, before your charter flight the following morning to Madang, where you’ll meet your fellow travellers and board Paspaley Pearl.Â
DAY 1
MADANG
- PAPUA NEW GUINEA
This expedition commences with a memorably beautiful departure, Paspaley Pearl passing scattered volcanic islands as she slips out of Madang’s tropical lagoon harbour headed for the magnificent Bismarck Sea. Time to meet your expedition team members and hear their initial briefing on what to expect on this voyage exploring the coastline of one of the world’s most geologically active islands. Adventure awaits.
DAY 2
HANSA BAY
- PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Hansa Bay served as a major Japanese naval base and transit station during WWII, its western shore home to the Awar airfield built as a forward fighter and bomber base. Approximately 35 shipwrecks now lie scattered across the bay, some visible from the surface in the shallows. Snorkelling anyone?
Step ashore at Awar village where the wartime past is a real presence in the landscape, in stories passed between generations, in the daily rhythms of the community that has endured here.
DAY 3
WATAM VILLAGE
- PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Rarely visited Watam village sits at the north-western end of Broken Water Bay and upon arrival here a traditional ‘dragon’ figure, woven from pandanus, feathers and shells, will lead a procession to the village that signals our welcome and grants access to private village life. These genuine cultural practices a precursor to mingling with the villagers, building connections between their culture and ours with conversations, inviting us to join and witness their unforgettable everyday life.
DAY 4
ALI ISLAND
- PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Beautiful Ali Island, part of the Louisiade Archipelago, is surrounded by coral reefs. This small island is home to around 500 locals who spend time fishing, subsistence farming and preparing food, rhythms largely unchanged over centuries. The indigenous Yakamul language is still spoken and there’s evidence of human habitation dating back to 3000BC. You’ll uncover World War II stories on the island which was an Australian and US base and a major battle site between the Japanese and Allied forces in 1943. Enjoy this idyllic island paradise, and take time to enjoy the warm water and coral reef.
DAY 5
JAYAPURA
- INDONESIA
Jayapura is the port at which we’ll enter Indonesia and this town is our gateway to Lake Sentani. American forces came ashore here in April 1944, and Yos Sudarso Bay became MacArthur’s staging ground for the return to the Philippines. What draws us lies twenty kilometres inland. Indonesia’s largest lake, Lake Sentani spreads 104 square kilometres beneath the Cyclops Mountains, its villages standing out over the water on stilts, canoes tied at the doorstep.
We go ashore on Asei Island to visit traditional villages where craftsmen create multi kayu, bark paintings, and strip khombouw bark to make cloth, marking it with motifs and fish designs to designate their clan.
DAY 6
KUMAMBA ISLANDS
- INDONESIA
Ten miles off the Sarmi coast, three low islands sit out in the Pacific on their own. The densely forested Liki, Armo and Kosong islands feature empty stretches of white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and bio-diverse fringing coral reef, natural habitats for schools of wild dolphins. About 270 people live on Liki, Sobey people from the Sarmi coast, and the village is laid out by clan. They fish for mackerel, tuna and snapper and these clans, like us, leave no footprint on this pristine reef. Here there are no hotels, no resorts, no commercial tour operators, just as well you have Paspaley Pearl as your base camp.
DAY 7
AT SEA
- INDONESIA
Settle into the gentle rhythm of a day at sea aboard Paspaley Pearl. Savour moments of calm, relaxation and reflection, enjoying the comforts of life on board as anticipation builds for what lies ahead.Â
DAY 8
CENDERAWASIH BAY
- INDONESIA
Cenderawasih Bay lies at the western end of New Guinea Island, south-east of the Bird’s Head Peninsula. In 2002 the western part of the bay was declared a national park, covering more than 1.4 million hectares of reef, uninhabited islands and open water, and home to the world’s largest fish, the whale shark. Over many years, the whale sharks have learnt the habits of local fishermen, who catch small baitfish at night in nets lowered from platforms known as bagans. The sharks are now year-round residents, feeding on baitfish that spills from the nets at the surface. Cenderawasih Bay forms part of the Bird’s Head Seascape, the centre of marine biodiversity at the heart of the Coral Triangle. There are also the remains of World War II
shipwrecks and aircraft in the bay. We spend two days here to take advantage of the reefs, the islands and the whale sharks.
DAY 9-10
AT SEA
- INDONESIA
After two days of exploring Cenderawasih Bay, enjoy a change of pace as Paspaley Pearl makes her way towards Sorong. Take in the passing scenery from the deck, enjoy a leisurely meal or spend time with fellow travellers as our New Guinea expedition nears its end.
DAY 11
SORONG
- INDONESIA
Disembark Paspaley Pearl in Sorong with memories of limestone islands rising sheer from the water, reefs holding more coral and fish species than anywhere else on earth, and villages reached only by sea. The port sits at the western tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula, the crossing point between Papua and the trade routes of Maluku for centuries before it was a town at all. From here, a short transfer takes you to your convenient charter flight back to Darwin.
DAY 12
Departure dates
Ocean Double/Single Stateroom
$25,495
Ocean Twin Stateroom
$28,495
Ocean Stateroom
$30,995
Horizon Suite
$35,495
Pearl Suite
$38,995
Prices are in AUD$ per person based on twin share. Single supplement pricing is available on application. *Sole occupancy of stateroom #107 attracts no single surcharge.
