Frontier Lands of Papua New Guinea - Coral Expeditions

Cruise Itinerary

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
18 Dec 2025	Cairns, Qld, Australia	Embark
19 Dec 2025	At Sea
20 Dec 2025	Samarai Island, Papua New Guinea
21 Dec 2025	Dobu Island, Papua New Guinea
22 Dec 2025	Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
23 Dec 2025	Tufi Harbour, Papua New Guinea
24 Dec 2025	Buna, Papua New Guinea
25 Dec 2025	Morobe Harbour, Papua New Guinea
26 Dec 2025	Lababia, Papua New Guinea
27 Dec 2025	Dregerhafen, Papua New Guinea
28 Dec 2025	Karkar Island, Papua New Guinea
29 Dec 2025	Sepik River, PNG
30 Dec 2025	Madang, Papua New Guinea	Disembark	Fly to Cairns
30 Dec 2025	Cairns, Qld, Australia

12 Night Cruise sailing from Cairns to Madang aboard Coral Adventurer. Post cruise one way charter flight from Madang to Cairns.

Departing from either Cairns or Madang, this voyage is an opportunity to immerse into the wild and rugged scenery of Papua New Guinea that is rarely seen and mostly inaccessible by land. Papua New Guinea is home to the largest area of intact rainforest outside of the Amazon. This voyage uncovers little-visited islands, volcanic mountains and pristine rainforest wilderness areas forged by mighty rivers. Sail past spectacular Kadovar Islands, known for its volcanic activity. Venture up the mighty Sepik River to see riverfront village life little changed in hundreds of years. Buy traditional crafts such as masks and carvings at the village market of Bien. Snorkel, swim or dive on vibrant reefs at the Fly Islands and visit the unique Bubbling Springs Reef at Dobu.

- Enjoy spectacular views while passing Kadovar whose volcano is known to erupt stunning pyroclastic clouds for our guests while we admire from the vista deck with sunset drinks in hand
- Ride on hand-carved outrigger canoes paddled by locals guides adorned in ceremonial costumes to Maclaren Harbour
- Enjoy the tropical warm waters with activities such as kayaking through the rainforest-clad fjords, and snorkelling or diving on vibrant reefs including at the Fly Islands, Tufi and the unique Bubbling Springs Reef at Dobu
- Throughout the voyage, enjoy high-spirited cultural welcomes, dances and sing sings as we are invited into rarely visited villages to share stories with the locals
- Visit WWII battle sites at Buna and Sanananda
- Learn of the mythical and spiritual tales of Dei Dei Hot Springs, and witness the boiling geyser erupt
- Cruise the mighty Sepik River to Bien village, home to some of Papua New Guinea’s most skilled woodcarvers and renowned artefact markets
- Discover how the Trobriand Islands became known as the ‘Islands of Love’

Note: This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions, and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Coral Expeditions suggests that you do not arrive on the day of embarkation or depart on the day of disembarkation due to any changes that may occur in scheduling.

Launched in April 2019, Coral Adventurer is a tropical expedition ship purpose-designed to access remote wilderness shores in Australia and internationally, that are often inaccessible to large cruise vessels.

Coral Adventurer features spacious and vibrant living spaces created by Brisbane interior design firm, Arkhefield, inspired by the company’s Australian ethos and the wide-open spaces the ship visits. The ship’s lightweight dual Xplorer expedition tenders, another trademark feature of all Coral Expeditions vessels, extend the capabilities of the ship by allowing deeper exploration on shore excursions. These ‘safari jeeps’ of the sea are fast, sturdy, and comfortable and developed to allow easy boarding from the ship and walk-off disembarkation onto remote shores.

The perfect balance between being large enough for ocean voyaging in comfort yet creating the intimate and relaxed atmosphere for which Coral Expeditions is renowned, Coral Adventurer embodies our Australian philosophy of adventure, relaxation, generosity, storytelling, and appreciation for the great outdoors. Carrying a maximum of 120 passengers – Coral Adventurer is purpose-built to take you closer to unspoiled vistas in comfort, style, and safety.

Started in 1983, our company’s original vessel, Coral Princess, a converted World War II submarine chaser, pioneered and set the standard for small ship expedition cruising in northern Australia with 5-night cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

Today, the Coral Expeditions’ fleet includes three purpose-built small ships that can be found anywhere from the tropical waters of Australia’s north to the rugged shores of Tasmania, from the coastal villages of Papua New Guinea and the Spice Islands, to sheltered sounds and glacial fiords of New Zealand.

While our range of cruise itineraries has expanded into new regions, we have maintained our home in Cairns and continue to be the only major operator of extended small ship cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

There are many reasons why our guests return to Coral Expeditions for a truly authentic expedition.

A TRUE EXPEDITION ETHOS
At Coral Expeditions, we pride ourselves on getting our guests up close and personal with stunning landscapes, fascinating history and vibrant cultures. We have deep respect and a strong connection with the places we visit. We maintain flexibility in our planning to make impromptu stops if extraordinary opportunities in nature present. Our expeditions focus on truly experiencing the regions we visit.

OUR HOME TURF
When it comes to expedition cruising, there is no replicating experience. For 40 years, we have steadily accumulated a wealth of local knowledge and contacts in the coastal regions surrounding Australia. Our crew know the charts, the tides and the winds like no other to ensure you are in the right place at the right time. Whether you travel with us in the ancient Kimberley, Tasmania’s wilderness, the frontier lands of Papua New Guinea, or New Zealand’s majestic fiordlands, you will be assured a local perspective, with local guides, authentic interactions, and a true taste of local culture and cuisine.

OUR SMALL SHIPS
At the heart of the Coral Expeditions experience are our purpose-built small expedition ships and unique tenders. In an age of glitzy mega-vessels, our ships are truly intimate, carrying no more than 120 guests. This means that we can navigate into shallow bays, step ashore onto remote beaches and jetties, and visit small villages to make connections without overwhelming a community. We have designed the fleet to explore tropical waters with comfort and ease and to allow you to connect with the landscape we explore.

OUR CREW
Our crew live and breathe our destinations and the opportunity to show you a true expedition experience. We are the modern day seafaring pioneers of Australia, and we are proud to share our knowledge on coastal explorations with guests from around the globe. On our ships, we have no ‘back office’ roles. From our chefs to our engineers, our crew are here because they love to interact with people and show you their world. Join our engine room tours, view our chefs in our galley or chat with our officers on the bridge – they will be delighted to share company with you.

OUR RESPECT FOR COMMUNITIES
We have always made a determined effort to support the communities we visit. Our guests join in enthusiastically. We visit remote villages, participate in art and cultural traditions, and interact in local schools. We initiate and contribute to regional projects to support conservation, provide training and employment, and distribute economic benefit and relief supplies, all with guest support and involvement. It is an enriching and rewarding part of our expedition experience that leaves a lasting joy for us all.

THE FUTURE
As Coral Expeditions enters its fifth decade in existence, we remain true to our pioneering foundations. We have a new fleet of technologically advanced ships that provide many of the comforts of a large vessel, but without the crowds. We have embarked on a series of new adventures exploring the small islands of the world and broadening our footprint around our home shores of Australia. Yet, our purpose remains the same – taking small groups of like-minded explorers to beautiful parts of the world in our uniquely Australian style!