Itinerary
This PONANT all-new 11-day Expedition cruise aboard Le Lapérouse will take you to discover the wonders and ancestral tribes of Papua New Guinea. You will board your ship in Cairns. With its many colonial buildings, its picturesque port and its exceptional panorama over the surrounding natural environment, this city in the north-east of Australia is sure to win you over. Le Lapérouse will then set sail for Papua New Guinea, a fascinating land that is home to no fewer than 700 ethnic groups within a highly diverse yet mainly unexplored, ecosystem. Your call at Tufi, will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your voyage. You will fall under the charm of this picturesque region, dubbed the "Scandinavia of the Tropics", with its deep fiords or locally known 'rias' formed through volcanic activity. In this unique setting the local Papuan tribes will share their customs, beliefs and artwork with you. You will then head north along the coast to Madang, nicknamed "the most beautiful city in the South Pacific. Within this attractive province with great geographical diversity, 170 different languages are spoken. Its festival showcases this richness and offers colourful exhibitions of "songs" interpreted by many of the cultural groups of the province. They include the mysterious Asaro Mudmen, who re-enact a warrior episode from their history wearing masks of mud, their bodies coated in clay. In the heart of the Solomon Sea you will discover the splendid turquoise waters and white sand beaches of the uninhabited islands of the Lusançay archipelago. These paradisiac coral islets offer the promise of sumptuous moments of swimming and snorkelling to discover fabulous seabeds. The encounters with the wildlife described above illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.
