Trobriand Islands PNG Kiriwina, Kaileuna, Kitava, Vakuta
Papua New Guinea
24
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Princess Cruises (10 Cruises)
Coral Princess
10 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
Nowhere: expedition ships anchor well clear of the reefs and passengers come ashore by tender. The welcome happens on the sand, where the children always arrive first.
Depending on the itinerary, Kiriwina, the main island, or Kitava, Kaileuna and Vakuta, smaller and far less often visited. The welcome ritual varies little from one shore to the next.
Welcome songs and dances, a walk between the shore and the hamlets, crafts laid out on mats, and often a demonstration of Trobriand cricket. Everything is done on foot: there is no tourist infrastructure at all.
Because wealth here is measured in tubers. These stilted structures, with painted and carved gables, express the prestige of families and the rank of chiefs; they are often finer than the houses themselves.
A centuries-old ceremonial exchange: red shell necklaces travel one way between communities, white armbands the other. These objects are never bought; their value comes from their circulation and the alliances it creates.
Cricket as introduced by missionaries and reinvented locally: full-sized teams, traditional dress, dances and chants between innings. Half sport, half theatre, and often part of the shore programme.
Yes. The lagoon is clear, coral starts a few strokes from shore and the sand runs on without a single building. The water is bath-warm.
Kina in small notes, for crafts. The islands' carvers are respected across the country and sell directly; there are no ATMs and no card terminals.
Ask each person before raising your camera. Courtesy is the first language here, and it opens far more doors than a lens.
Travellers who are not put off by simplicity. There is no shop, no cafe and no developed site: this is an encounter, not a tour. Anyone looking for comfort or monuments will be disappointed.
