In a nutshell

Delve into the recent history of Rabaul, Kokopo and Papua New Guinea, the stage of fierce battles during the Pacific War between the Japanese and the Allied forces with visits to the underground tunnels dug against air raids, the Kokopo museum with its vast collection of weapons from the Second World War, the Bita Paka war cemetery and the remains of the palace of “Queen Emma of New Guinea”. A true journey throughout the historical events that marked the modern age.

Main stops

Japanese underground tunnels against air raids
Kokopo War Museum
Bita Paka war cemetery
Ruins of the palace of “Queen Emma of New Guinea” and steps

The programme

We start our tour of Rabaul on a coach headed to the first of a series of stops to learn more about the history of this city, which was the stage of various battles during the Second World War: the Japanese underground tunnels that extend for many kilometres were dug by the army during the Second World War against the Allied air raids and to hide boats and submarines from the enemies. The tunnels feature access passages and entrances on the side of the hills. Chinese war prisoners and their leaders were also buried in this area.
We continue moving on to Kokopo where we visit the fascinating War Museum displaying a wealthy collection of weapons, tanks, Japanese artillery equipment and parts of aircrafts shot down during the Second World War, Japanese occupation and colonial period.
We then reach another important stop - the Bita Parka war cemetery, which is very well-preserved and hosts the remains of over 1,000 soldiers and natives who died during the Pacific War when the strategic base of Rabaul was heavily targeted by air raids in 1942.
After visiting the cemetery, we head to the last stop on our tour: the remains of a palace built in Gunantabu (now known as Ralum) for Emma Coe or Emma Forsayth, an exceptional businesswoman of American and Samoan origin affectionately called “Queen Emma of New Guinea”. In particular, what we see and what has remained after the bombings occurred during the Second World War are the steps that used to climb down to the beach and pool.
After visiting the ruins, we board our coach again to return to the port and the ship.

Good to know

Do not forget to bring local currency (Papuan kina), Australian or American Dollars with you.
Part of the excursion takes place on uneven ground.