Passage through the Melanesian Arc

Arrive in Port Moresby, relax, and spend the overnight here preparing for your adventure.

Meet your fellow passengers in the meeting room from 2:30 p.m. for the transfer to Coral Adventurer. Board at 4:00 p.m. and meet the expedition team, who will brief you on the voyage and upcoming activities. Later, attend the Captain’s welcome drinks, meet the crew and fellow guests, and settle into the start of your expedition.

Enjoy onboard presentations about Melanesian culture and the fascinating anthropological history of how Austronesian and Papuan peoples populated these islands through the centuries.

Swim over a nearly intact Japanese Zero fighter plane in Deboyne Lagoon and connect with villagers maintaining traditional subsistence lifestyles. In the afternoon, explore limestone karst caves and snorkel at spectacular Panasia Beach.

Witness the traditional canoe-building mastery in this remote archipelago. Meet the friendly villagers of Bodaluna and learn about their subsistence gardening, fishing and participation in the ancient Kula Ring trading network.

This morning the ship clears into the Solomon Islands before stepping ashore on uninhabited Njari Island, a secluded tropical haven near Gizo. Enjoy a refreshing swim, snorkel directly from the shore and discover vibrant corals and abundant reef fish. Time ashore can also be spent beachcombing, relaxing beneath the palms or simply taking in the island’s untouched beauty. With one of the world’s most exceptional reef-fish counts recorded nearby, Njari offers an authentic and peaceful Solomon Islands visit.

Step ashore on remote Tetepare Island, a remote wilderness sanctuary and important nesting site for the critically endangered Western Pacific leatherback turtle. Join local rangers from the Tetepare Descendants’ Association to observe turtles in the wild and learn about their monitoring, habitat-protection and research programs. Discover how leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles are protected within Tetepare’s 13 km Marine Protected Area, while experiencing one of the Solomon Islands’ most extraordinary conservation sanctuaries.

Turtle sightings and activities are subject to conservation requirements, weather and conditions on the day.

Explore one of the world’s largest double-barrier enclosed lagoons, a natural wonder proposed for World Heritage listing for fantastic snorkeling and diving opportunities.

Experience the mesmerising Etetung water dance performed by women in hand-woven costumes. This soothing sonic and visual performance creates hypnotic rhythms through water while singing traditional songs. Here, the Marau people depend on their natural environment, practicing subsistence farming and fishing.

Discover this small island famous for elaborate bone fishhooks and imaginative fishing floats. Walk through forests filled with colorful orchids and learn about the Austrian anthropologist who studied this community in 1932.

Sail towards Vanuatu while enjoying presentations about the volcanic islands ahead and their unique cultural practices, including cargo cults and traditional dance ceremonies. Enjoy onboard program with lectures and cooking demonstration.

As you enter Vanuatu, for divers, explore Million Dollar Point, where Americans sank vehicles after WWII rather than sell them. Dive amongst wrecks turned into coral reefs, now home to diverse marine life, and swim in one of Malo Island’s mysterious ‘blue holes’.

Witness the famous Rom dance performed in the shadow of active Benbow and Marum volcanoes. This traditional ceremony connects men to the spirit world on Vanuatu’s ‘black magic’ island with its iconic black sand beaches.

Snorkel or dive in the Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area amongst stunning coral gardens, sea grass beds and mangrove forests. An optional, challenging hike to extinct volcano craters Mount Tapuora and Mount Marow is recommended for the very fit.

Take a 4WD trip to peer into active Mount Yasur volcano, whose glow attracted Captain Cook in 1774. Learn about the unique John Frum Cargo Cult and Tannese culture on this remarkably fertile island.

Disembark at 7:00am in Vanuatu’s capital. Reflect on the deep cultural connections you’ve made across Melanesia’s sacred islands, carrying with you a deeper understanding of these remarkable Pacific communities.