Papua New Guinea is located on the Pacific Rim. As a consequence, she is a tectonically volatile country. I recall vividly when I was in Tari in August 1993 an earthquake of some considerable force shaking me, the trees, the hills, the buildings and everyone around - my eyeballs shook in their sockets! Suffice it to say that thousands of years of these things has allowed the people of PNG to adapt their house building techniques so that the minimal of damage gets done.

There are numerous volcanoes dotted throughout PNG, but the largest concenetrations are along the north coast of New Britain, from Rabaul across to Kimbe Bay, eastwards to Ritter and Langila across the Vitial Straits to Crown & Long Islands, and up the north coats - Karkar, Manam and Bam to name but a few. Volcanoes can also be found on Bouganville, near Manus and between Popendetta & Tufi.

The most geologically active area at present is the Gazelle Peninsula, where both Vulcan and Matupit volcanoes erupted in September 1994, burying the town of Rabaul under ash and pumice. The area is still subjected to frequent eruptions and while many have attempted to resettle the town, much of the commercial side of life - including the airport - have moved around the bay to Kokopo.

The other major area of activity is through the string of islands up the north coast, starting with Long Island and ending off Wewak at Vokeo Island.

Most areas not only offer craters with fumeroles, sulphur springs, "hot rivers" such as that at Walindi, mud pools, etc, but we can also show you megapodes, a sort of prehistoric chicken-come-pigeon that lays its eggs in the warm volcanic soil. Saves sitting on them!!!!

We would be more than happy to arrange volcano tours for you in any region of PNG, but we recommend Rabaul as offering the best range of opportunties.