It wasn’t long ago that I visited Rabaul, surely a destination that should be on the bucket list of every traveller.
A smoking volcano, idyllic tropical islands, hundreds of spinner dolphins playing around our boat, and greetings by excited village children were just part of the experience.
Our trek to the top of Mount Tavurvur was a hot and breathtaking adventure that inspired the cover story in our July/August issue ‘In the land of volcanoes’.
From the lip of the smoking crater, there are stunning views over town and sea.
No wonder cruise ships flock here with thousands of people at a time to see the natural wonders.
But there’s more to Rabaul and its friendly sister city Kokopo. The region has a fascinating war history and it’s possible to see World War 2 relics, wrecks and the secret caves that were used by Japanese soldiers.
Also in the July/August issue, there are some fascinating characters, among them veteran diver Rod Pearce.
He is an Australian who has lived in Papua New Guinea all his life and is credited with finding the most significant WW2 plane wrecks under the sea in PNG.
Also meet the Collins brothers – Tony, James and John – who are looking at starting submarine tours in PNG.
On the hotel front, Paradise reviews an old favourite, the Grand Papua in Port Moresby, and reports on the opening of the country’s newest five-star property, The Stanley.
The regular ‘Out There’ column journeys to Ambua Lodge, deep in Huli country in the Hela Province.
Eating options in Port Moresby are on the rise, so we take a look at the exciting Harbourside development where six new restaurants are scheduled to open.
Finally, if you want to go on a treasure hunt, don’t miss the essay by Chips Mackellar. He tells the story of bullion and coins hidden in a cave by pirates, somewhere on an island in the Solomon Sea.
Happy reading and flying.
Robert Upe, Editor
Paradise Magazine, July/August 2016