Kavieng lies at the northern end of New Ireland, the second largest of the outlying islands. Kavieng was attacked by the Japanese on exactly the same day as Rabaul, 23 January 1942, and became one of their primary bridgeheads into Papua New Guinea. Kavieng, like Rabaul, was subject to almost constant air attack by American planes. The Kavieng Archipelago is a mass of low lying coral islands and a maze of intricate reefs. Mangroves or stunning white beaches surround these islands, and corals grow right off shore. Kavieng is now a sleepy and idyllic town in an exceptional position. It has had little tourist traffic and is totally unspoilt. But it does have a golf course in the centre of town! The area is dominated by a limestone foundation, and there are a number of cave systems in the forest that can be visited. One, about 10 miles from Kavieng, looks like the mouth of a large monster, with stalagmites and stalactites forming its teeth. The town has a commanding position overlooking the islands, and a limestone bluff in the centre of town was turned into bunkers and gun emplacements by the Japanese. It can still be explored today. Down the coast at Panapae are the remains of 5 Japanese tanks, slowly being dissolved by the sea. Some have their Toyota engines still in place, but they need some work! Guns, planes and other military machinery, as well as trenches and shelters, are constantly being discovered in the forest. Kavieng has a colorful cultural backdrop, perhaps the most famous local inhabitants being the Konto, renowned for their custom of shark-calling - they knock wooden rattles against the sides of their boats to attract the sharks and then lasso their tails and drown them by towing them backwards! When you consider that the sharks are often as big as the canoes, it's a wonder no one gets eaten! The local people to the Kavieng area are the Malagan, celebrated for their ritual head masks, coveted by museums around the world. A wealth of World War II paraphenalia can be seen in the surrounding forests and on the shoreline. Caves, rainforest and rivers await visitor’s exploration and discovery! Day or extended tours to these sites can be arranged on request.