Papua New Guinea by yacht

The secrets of East New Britain

Seldom visited and – with over 850 languages spoken – among the most culturally diverse places on the planet, the jungled and beach-clad islands of Papua New Guinea are best explored by yacht.

With limited land infrastructure, you’ll be able to venture further off the beaten track to visit pristine archipelagos and remote communities, untouched by the outside world.

And, no more is this true than in the calm, remote waters of New Britain. Here, we’ve pioneered superyacht trips that hop between the sheltered bays of flooded calderas and tribal villages. There’s something for everyone, from smoking volcano hikes and tribal meetings to heli trips out to remote waterfalls and dives among pods of dolphins.

Imagery taken on Cookson Adventures trips with M/Y Dream

On the far side of the world, the jagged peaks of Papua New Guinea are emerging from the clouds. Local tribesmen are guiding a group through areas that have seen only a handful of western guests. But these are not anthropologists, documentary makers or professional explorers. They are clients of Cookson Adventures, one of the new breed of travel companies that immerses clients in truly unique experiences.

August 2018

Special setups

After a trek through the jungle, looking out for parrots with your naturalist guide, arrive at a clearing for a silver-service lunch next to an American WWII bomber. Here, a specialist historian will bring the region’s past to life. Back at sea, pause at uninhabited islands for dinner on golden sands.

Private cultural invitations

Alongside sing sing welcomes from tribal communities and market visits where you can pick up produce for your private chef to prepare, we have access to truly special invitations. Think taking helis out to visit villages in the jungle, normally a multi-day trek away, and tiny islands that haven’t welcomed tourists for over 200 years. Throughout, it’s a chance to learn about a way of life separate from our own, perhaps joining villagers on fishing trips or to make traditional jewellery.

Conservation & philanthropy

Depending on your interests, we can see you engage with a range of programmes. Perhaps you’d like to learn about female empowerment projects that train local women to dive and protect marine areas. Or, go behind the scenes of an AI project that’s tracking reef changes and a PHD research group that’s looking out how local marine life is responding to climate change.

Heli touring

Papua New Guinea’s wild topography of white-sand-cloaked islands and jungle-covered volcanoes is perhaps best appreciated from the air. We’ve taken guests into the Nakanai Mountains to discover hidden waterfalls and jungle communities among its dramatic peaks. And, alongside remote volcanoes, these are sights that are often otherwise inaccessible, seen by only a handful of people.

Watersports & wildlife

Make the most of your yacht’s toys and tenders, whether you want to zip around on e-foils and jet skis or take SUPs and kayaks out to secret coves, all the while looking out for whales and dolphins.

Volcano hikes

After walking through the jungle, looking out for impossibly colourful birdlife with your naturalist guide, climb a smouldering volcano. You’ll learn about the region’s fascinating geography both from an accompanying volcanologist and with the stunning views, both up-close of the steam and beyond to the surrounding bays.

World-class diving

Papua New Guinea is home to some truly otherworldly underwater spectacles. Dive down to sunken WWII Japanese fighter planes, look out for dolphins and hammerhead sharks, or accompany researchers as they monitor coral bleaching.

So much of the joy of exploring Papua New Guinea by yacht is simply sailing. Track jungle-clad coastlines and dip between secluded islands, looking out on the coastal life that plays out in local communities – a life often unchanged for centuries.

Then, spot hidden rivers and beaches to explore with jet skis and tenders before returning to a drink in your yacht’s sun-deck Jacuzzi. With no great accommodation and little in the way of roads, a superyacht is the sole way to reach some of its great sights in comfort.

Past trips to East New Britain

Of course, the region is also famed for its fishing, so you might want to take a sportsboat out to catch the likes of marlin, sailfish and dogtooth tuna.

There’s plenty more of the unique. Spot birds burying their eggs in hot volcanic sands to incubate them and visit remote communities, where tiny islets have been given over to stilted villages.

Throughout, we’ll see you explore as you want. You might want to soar by heli to take in giant volcanoes and hike up jungled calderas or spend quality time with family, perhaps with an immersive treasure hunt that spans multiple desert islands – complete with pirate actors.