PAPUA NEW GUINEA, VANUATU & SOLOMON ISLANDS CRUISES

Close to home we offer these amazing Ponant Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu & Solomon Islands Cruises.

Their names evoke enchanting island holidays elsewhere, shimmering colors and astonishing cultures. The secret Solomon Islands , the incredible Vanuatu and the mythical Papua New Guinea transport the traveler from rhythmic ritual ceremonies to fabulous tropical landscapes, from dream beaches to mangroves teeming with life. An unforgettable dive into an unknown world. 

Volcanic eruptions of Mt Yasur - Tanna Island, Vanuatu

Mount Yasur is one of the emblematic places of Vanuatu. Its gray silhouette can be spotted from afar, thanks to the plumes of smoke that escape from its crater. With a diameter of 400 meters, it erupts continuously . It is moreover these volutes and the glowing lava that it expels that would have guided the British explorer James Cook towards the island of Tanna, in 1774. If the rumblings coming from its entrails accompany the visitors tempted by its ascent, the Mount Yasur remains a safely accessible volcano.

Espiritu Santo Island - Vanuatu

It is the largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago, but also one of the most beautiful. Espiritu Santo enchants visitors with its extraordinary landscapes . The white sand beaches merge into turquoise water, the lagoons invite you to swim and dive, the lush vegetation sometimes opens onto small lakes called "blue holes", sapphire in color, leaving you speechless. The ni-Vanuatu perpetuate traditions there which they share in the form of dances, music and songs.

Swim with the Whale Sharks - Cenderawasih Bay, Papua New Guinea

Located between Indonesian West Papua and Papua New Guinea, Cenderawasih Bay , with its many uninhabited islands, is renowned for its fish-rich waters. It is in particular here that a large population of whale sharks , the largest fish in the world, is concentrated . When the conditions are right, swimming among them is an unforgettable experience. In the heart of the Coral Triangle and part of the Bird's Head Seascape, a center of marine biodiversity, this preserved environment offers a privileged setting for scuba diving enthusiasts . More than 600 species of coral and 1,700 species of fish have been recorded there.

Pristine paradise of the Lusançay Islands - PNG

At the eastern end of the island of New Guinea, Milne Bay is home to an archipelago where few travelers have the chance to stop. Far from human activities and the turpitudes of the world, the Lusançay islands have kept an original charm and a setting conducive to tranquility. Surrounded by coral reefs, they offer turquoise and calm waters that lick beaches of fine white sand... The perfect setting for a swim away from view, in a little corner of paradise.

Escape to Tufi - Papua New Guinea

An aerodrome, a single street along which two or three shops sell basic necessities, no telephone network, a few inhabitants who live from subsistence fishing... On the north coast of the island of New Guinea, Tufi embodies these preserved ends of the world. The outrigger canoe remains the main mode of travel and, in the remote villages of the lush hills, lifestyles and customs continue to the rhythm of sunrise and sunset, in harmony with nature. The latter is also very present, grandiose: the Tufi peninsula is made up of a network of five fjords of volcanic origin which rise to 150 meters in height.

Vanikoro Island - Solomon Islands

In 1788, La Boussole and L'Astrolabe , the two ships of the expedition led by French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse were wrecked at Vanikoro . For several years, many sailors tried to locate the two wrecks, in vain. It was not until 2005 that they were formally identified. Today, a monument pays homage to some 200 crew members who left Brest, Brittany, in 1785. And if we now know that it was uncharted reefs that caused their loss, the island nevertheless remains a small earthly paradise.

Immerse youreself in local culture

Of all the countries, Papua New Guinea is the one with the most ethnic groups : there are several hundred. Each maintains particular rites and traditions, which explains the diversity of dances, masks and traditional costumes worn in the different villages. In Kopar, Asai, Madang or in the Trobriand Islands, travelers are also welcomed by dances from ancestral customs, such as welcome dances.