Alotau to Lorengau aboard M/Y Pi · 1 – 21 November 2026. Twenty-one days along the wild edge of Melanesia — Conflict Islands turtle lagoon, sailau canoes at Panapompom, the Baining Fire Dance, Witu's flooded caldera, and the world-class coral walls of New Hanover and Manus.
Papua New Guinea is the most culturally diverse country on earth — more than 850 languages spoken by 5,000 clans across volcanic mainland, coral atolls, and outlying island groups. For travellers who want a place that has not been smoothed for visitors, PNG remains as raw and as welcoming as anywhere in the Pacific.
Best reached by private yacht, where each anchorage is your own and each village welcome unhurried. The Coral Triangle wraps the country in some of the richest marine biodiversity on the planet, and the volcanic geology — flooded calderas, black-sand beaches, and Pacific Rim peaks — runs the length of the route.
This second expedition of the Melanesia Traverse begins in Alotau on the eastern tip of the mainland and threads north through Milne Bay, the East New Britain Baining country, the diving waters of New Hanover and Kavieng, and finishes in Manus Province at Lorengau. Rob McCallum, who grew up here, leads.
The voyage begins in Alotau on the eastern tip of PNG. South into the Conflict Islands — a vast sheltered lagoon ringed by coral cays and an active turtle nursery. Onward to Panapompom for the sailau canoes, the last working traditional ocean-going sail tradition in this part of the Pacific, then quiet days at Bonvouloir, Hastings, and the remote Engineer Islands before a port call back at Alotau to pick up additional guests.
North along the Papuan mainland. Bogoboga — an EYOS secret — for the sing sing, where local communities gather in full regalia to perform dances rarely seen by visitors. Then Tufi's drowned-river fjord country and the outer bommies, and the coral atolls of the Tami Islands off the Huon Peninsula.
Two days inside Witu's flooded caldera — village hike to the rim, black-sand beachcombing, diving in the inner anchorages. Then east to Lassul Bay and Talele for the Baining Fire Dance — masked dancers leaping through burning embers, the quintessential PNG ritual.
World-class diving and snorkelling at Kavieng and across New Hanover — coral walls, channel passes, and Clem's place for an authentic island stay. Then north to Emirau and the St Matthias Group, west across the Bismarck Sea into Manus Province for Tingwan, Patuam, the WWF conservation reef at M'Buke, and disembarkation at Lorengau.
~1,370 nautical miles north and west through Milne Bay, the Papuan coast, the volcanic islands off New Britain, and across the Bismarck Sea to Manus. Click any stop on the map to dive in.
"Visitors leave Papua New Guinea humbled by the warmth and sincerity of the welcome, and profoundly affected by witnessing cultural ceremonies and ways of life that are disappearing in the modern age."
Papua New Guinea · 5,000 Clans · 850 LanguagesCapital of Milne Bay Province on the eastern tip of PNG. Principals arrive via Gurney Airport (GUR) and depart the same day, threading south into the eastern island groups.
A very large sheltered lagoon ringed by coral cays. Turtle nursery and ongoing conservation work — guests can join the team. Snorkelling and tender exploration around the atoll rim.
Day sailing with the local sailau canoes — the last surviving traditional ocean-going sail tradition in this part of the Pacific. Good diving and snorkelling on the surrounding reefs.
A second day to settle into the rhythm of Panapompom. More sailau, more reef time, more conversation with the local watermen who carry the tradition.
Opportunity to hang at Panapompom, or explore Hastings or the Bonvouloir Islands further north — quiet anchorages, swim and snorkel time, no infrastructure.
Remote, tiny, authentic. A true expedition destination — rarely visited, no facilities, a chance to be the only yacht in the bay.
A sail back to Alotau to pick up additional guests from Gurney Airport (GUR), then north along the Papuan coast toward Cape Nelson.
An EYOS secret. Excellent sing sing — local communities gather in full regalia to perform traditional dances rarely seen by visitors. Authentic, intimate, and unlikely to appear on any other operator's itinerary.
Cape Nelson fjord country — a string of drowned river valleys cut into the volcanic coast. Focus on the outer bommies for diving — pristine soft coral and big-fish encounters. Water sports in the sheltered fjords.
Coral atolls off the Huon Peninsula. Good diving and snorkelling on the reef edge; big game fishing available in the surrounding deep water. Local outrigger canoes still in daily use.
A sheltered volcanic caldera off the north coast of New Britain. Hike up to the village on the rim, look down into the flooded crater, beachcomb the volcanic black sand.
A second day inside the caldera — diving, snorkelling, and tender exploration of the inner anchorages and the village landings.
The Baining Fire Dance — the quintessential PNG experience. Masked dancers leap through burning embers as part of a coming-of-age ritual passed through generations of the Baining people of East New Britain. Held at night, by firelight, and unlike anything else in the Pacific.
Sheltered waters at the top of New Ireland. World-class diving and snorkelling on coral walls and channel passes — some of the best in PNG. Beach time and local village visits.
Clem's place — a long-standing EYOS contact who hosts guests for an authentic island visit. Excellent water sports: diving, snorkelling, kayaking, and tender runs through the channels.
A third day in the New Hanover group — settle deeper into the reefs and the rhythm of the islands.
St Matthias Group. Great snorkelling on the surrounding reefs, hike to the interior freshwater lake, friendly village welcomes.
Two anchorages within easy reach of each other — easy to spend the morning at Au and the afternoon at Tingwan. Reef time and shore visits.
Good diving, snorkelling, hiking, and water sports. A quieter day after the busy Tingwan-Au shuttle.
Fantastic coral, first-class snorkelling, and a local community working with WWF on marine conservation. One of the strongest reef days of the voyage.
Manus Province. Disembarkation at the new Momote airport — excellent aviation facilities for commercial and private departure. End of Expedition Two.
Pi arrives in Port Vila from French Polynesia on 1 September ahead of guest embarkation, after which the vessel begins her northbound traverse through Vanuatu and on into the Solomons.
Vessel specifications and interior photography to follow on confirmation.
Born 1965, New Zealand. Grew up in Papua New Guinea. Fifty years of experience across Melanesia. Co-founded EYOS Expeditions in 2008. Led the Five Deeps Expedition — the first manned descent to the deepest point of all five oceans. Deepest-diving New Zealander at 10,925 m (Challenger Deep). Seven Titanic expeditions. Managed the design of RV Alucia. Licensed pilot, PADI Divemaster. Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Lincoln International Medal 2024; Aberystwyth Honorary Doctorate 2025; Explorers Club Citation of Merit 2020. Trustee, Nekton and Ocean Census.
Born of two cultures: Australian and Papua New Guinean. A unique perspective on both Melanesian and European cultures that she openly shares with the visitors she guides. Fluent in neo-Melanesian languages with deep insight into broader Melanesian cultures. Born and raised in PNG, completed her higher education in Australia (Nursing; Sydney University). A qualified master chef; eight years on live-aboard dive boats and a further thirteen years on super yachts. Currently based in Queensland, Australia. Liaises with local chiefs and elders, negotiates reef and landing fees, sources supplies, and advises on security.
Expedition Two opens in Alotau on 1 November 2026 and closes in Lorengau on 21 November. The second half of the Melanesia Traverse, following Expedition One earlier the same year.