v2.webp){kind=logo}
- Tavurvur crater viewpoint — The most iconic sight: an active cone that sits right above Simpson Harbour. A short drive and a walk bring you to dramatic, close-up views of steam, ash-streaked slopes and instant postcard material. Best visited at sunrise or late afternoon for changing light on the caldera.
- Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO) — The local monitoring station that explains the science and human story behind Rabaul’s frequent eruptions. Staff and the small display (when open) give context to what you’re seeing on the ground and why the town looks the way it does today.
- Simpson Harbour waterfront — Walk the shoreline for a real feel of Rabaul: boats coming and going, rusting WWII hulks in the shallows, and local fishermen. It’s the social and historic heart of town and a good launch
- Tavurvur crater viewpoint — The most iconic sight: an active cone that sits right above Simpson Harbour. A short drive and a walk bring you to dramatic, close-up views of steam, ash-streaked slopes and instant postcard material. Best visited at sunrise or late afternoon for changing light on the caldera.
- Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO) — The local monitoring station that explains the science and human story behind Rabaul’s frequent eruptions. Staff and the small display (when open) give context to what you’re seeing on the ground and why the town looks the way it does today.
- Simpson Harbour waterfront — Walk the shoreline for a real feel of Rabaul: boats coming and going, rusting WWII hulks in the shallows, and local fishermen. It’s the social and historic heart of town and a good launch point for short boat trips to wrecks or islands.
- WWII ship and plane wreck sites (shore views and diving trips) — Rabaul’s harbour is literally littered with WWII relics. You can see many wrecks from shore, take a short boat out for closer views, or—if you dive—explore some of the most accessible and atmospheric wreck dives in the Pacific.
- Rabaul War Museum — A compact, gritty museum focused on the local WWII story: Japanese occupation, the battles, and wartime artifacts left behind. It’s small but packed with tangible pieces of history and local interpretation you won’t get from books alone.
- Japanese tunnels and bunkers — Scattered around town are remnants of the Japanese wartime infrastructure: dugouts, concrete bunkers and short tunnel sections you can visit with a local guide. They’re atmospheric and tell a direct, human side of Rabaul’s wartime past.
- Rabaul Central Market — Bustling, colorful and a genuine slice of daily life: fresh seafood, tropical fruit, pandanus mats, carvings and Tolai shell-money traded by vendors. Good for chatting with locals, buying handcrafted souvenirs and grabbing a cheap, tasty bite.
- Old-town eruption ruins and memorials — Walk the ash-scoured parts of the old town and see the frozen remains of buildings, plaques and interpretation panels that explain the 1937 and 1994 eruptions. It’s a sobering, very photogenic reminder of how quickly the landscape (and lives) can change here.
- Rabaul Golf Club / coastal green — A quirky, relaxing stop even if you don’t play: the course sits with volcano views and offers one of the town’s most peaceful outlooks. Locals are friendly about letting visitors soak up the scenery from the clubhouse.
- Harbour lookouts and short coastal walks — Scattered viewpoints around town give different angles on the caldera, the harbour wrecks, and Tolai villages across the water. These short walks are low-effort, high-reward for sunrise/sunset photos and quiet local encounters.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.
Best Backpacking
.jpg)
Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.