Hop on in Madang. Once called the "prettiest town in the South Pacific," it sits on a peninsula with parks, waterways, plenty of shady trees, and beautiful tropical islands. The province is super diverse, with 170 languages spoken, and you can catch this diversity in action at the Madang festival, where cultural groups perform colorful "sing sings."

Paspaley Pearl is docked in Madang.

Cape Gloucester, located on the northern peninsula at the western end of New Britain Island, is a rarely visited destination. The place is packed with dense rainforest, and the extinct Mount Talawe volcano sits to the south. On the east side of Talawe, you can find the four volcanic cones of the active Langila Volcano, one of the most active in the Bismarck archipelago. Just offshore, there are a few uninhabited islands that are perfect for swimming and snorkeling in the warm waters of the Bismarck Sea.

The Witu or Vitu Islands are volcanic ocean peaks fringed by coral reefs located in the Bismarck Sea off the north coast of New Britain Island. They were once the chief copra center of Papua New Guinea, today, cocoa is now the main crop harvested. The largest island, Garove, or Big Witu, is a volcanic caldera where the southern rim has collapsed, creating a spectacular entrance. The main village of Garove is nestled inside this scenic natural harbor.

Kimbe Bay is at the heart of the Coral Triangle and is considered one of the world’s most diverse ocean environments, with everything from shallow seagrass beds and mangroves to deep seamounts. It is an important biodiversity hotspot, home to more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific region. Above the water, black volcanic beaches provide a unique and dramatic contrast to the lush greenery of the surrounding forests. The volcanic landscapes create spectacular scenery and a rich flora that adds to the region’s appeal.

Ataliklikun Bay is home to the indigenous Tolai, who are believed to have migrated to the Gazelle Peninsula relatively recently, displacing the Baining people who were subsequently driven westwards. While the Tolai people almost universally identify as Christians, old beliefs and traditions still persist, including the secret Duk-Duk society. The society has religious, political, and social objectives, representing a form of law and order through its presiding spirits. Duk-Duk only appeared with the full moon. Justice was executed, fines extorted, taboos, feasts, taxes, and all tribal matters arranged by the Duk-Duk members, wearing masks or chalk on their faces.

Set at the eastern end of the island of New Britain, the tropical port town of Rabaul has always been famous for its spectacular setting. Nestled beside Simpson Harbour, the township is surrounded by six volcanoes, one of which, Mt. Tavurvur, is still active today. The most recent major volcanic eruption was in September 1994, when Tavurvur and Vulcan covered much of Rabaul and surrounding villages with volcanic ash. This eruption saw the growth of the nearby coastal town of Kokopo, which has now become the administrative and tourism center for Rabaul.

Located in the St. George’s Channel between New Britain and New Ireland, the Duke of York Islands comprise 13 rarely visited islands totaling 58 square kilometers in area. The first European to site the islands and give them their name was the British navigator Philip Carteret in 1767. In the 1870s, a German trading station was opened at Balanawang Harbor, and the area’s first Methodist mission was established in 1880.

Jacquinot Bay lies on the south coast of the island of New Britain and is surrounded by the densely forested central mountain range that dominates the southern part of the island. Prior to World War II, there were several small villages and localities around the bay, including copra plantations at Palmalmal and Cutarp. It was used as a logistics and support base during the New Britain Campaign of World War II after being captured by an Allied amphibious operation undertaken on 4 November 1944.

The Tami Islands (Kalal, Wanam, and Idjan) are a small group of uplifted coral atolls, with two main villages on the two larger islands and many smaller reefs and cays. In the center is a beautiful, crystal clear blue lagoon with abundant marine life and stunning coral formations. The seldom-visited islands are located off the coast, not far from the town of Finschaffen. Tami Islanders are renowned artisans and are most famous for their intricately decorated bowls.

Madang Township was once known as the “prettiest town in the South Pacific." Its peninsula setting is a showplace of parks, waterways, luxuriant shade trees, and sparkling tropical islands. The diverse geographical nature of Madang province is reflected in the 170 different languages that are spoken. This diversity is showcased in the Madang festival with its colorful displays of “sing sings” performed by numerous cultural groups from across the Madang Province.

Disembarkation starts after breakfast.