Rabaul

If your idea of a leisurely outing involves wandering among rusting tanks, forgotten aircraft, and artillery shells with enough holes to rival a Swiss cheese, then a War Museum and Relics Tour in Kokopo might just tickle your peculiar fancy. Nestled in the lush volcanic countryside of East New Britain, Rabaul's turbulent past as a strategic WWII stronghold has left a buffet of battered war memorabilia scattered about like ancient party favors. For peak poignancy and clarity (and, let's face it, the least oppressive tropical humidity), aim for an early morning visit-preferably after securing your spot at least a day ahead. Prepare to part willingly with about 50 kina (roughly US$14), a modest price for a stroll through history's macabre backyard. Pack sunscreen, water, sturdy shoes, and a healthy appreciation for the absurdity of human conflict. Even if military history isn't your usual jam, it's worth standing in front of a bullet-riddled bomber in the middle of paradise, just so later you can casually mention at dinner parties, "Did I ever tell you about the day I stumbled upon a Zero fighter half-buried in bougainvillea?"

Mount Tavurvur isn't your average Sunday stroll-it's more like a slightly unhinged hike up nature's temperamental chimney stack. This active volcano famously shook awake in 1994, blanketing nearby Rabaul in ash and sending locals scrambling with an urgency usually reserved for Black Friday sales. Yet nowadays, Tavurvur simmers like an eccentric uncle-mostly harmless, with just enough whimsical unpredictability to keep you edgy and entertained. To tackle the hike without sizzling your soles, start absurdly early, around sunrise, when the lava fields glow orange-pink and the cool morning breeze keeps heatstroke at bay. Book a local guide a day or two ahead (because wandering cluelessly onto an active volcano never made anyone's travel memoir better), and bring sturdy boots, extra water, and a camera for mandatory Instagram bragging. Budget around 50 kina ($15 USD) for entrance and guide fees, plus a few extra coins to snag fresh coconuts from roadside vendors on your triumphant return-trust me, nothing beats volcano-induced thirst quite like it. Sure, the sulfur fumes may linger stubbornly on your clothes, and your quads might whimper like a teenager denied Wi-Fi, but hiking Mt Tavurvur is the sort of adventure worth doing, if only to casually mention at your next dinner party that you climbed into the toxic mouth of the world's angriest geological teapot-and lived.

In a remote corner of Papua New Guinea's lush yet unsettlingly wild Baining Highlands, prepare to feel thoroughly inadequate watching the Baining Fire Dance-a ritual so impressive it's guaranteed to make your hometown parade look like a sleepy PTA meeting. Under the cover of darkness (timing tip: aim for after 9pm when the jungle's properly ominous and dancers really crank up the heat), masked tribesmen leap barefoot through roaring flames in a trance-like dance to ward off evil spirits, celebrate harvests, and presumably make tourists question their life choices. Plan weeks ahead-this isn't exactly Times Square-and pack lightweight rain gear, your bravest insect repellent, and enough kina notes (around $50-100 USD should suffice) to show respectful appreciation for this genuinely otherworldly spectacle. Sure, you'll sweat profusely and likely spend half the evening ducking airborne embers, but you'll earn instant bragging rights back home as the person who casually survived the night watching locals willingly catapult themselves into bonfires.

Tucked away between the jungle whispers and volcanic shadows of Papua New Guinea's Duke of York Islands lies the chance to pretend, just for a day, you're far more adept at survival skills than reality dictates. Venturing out with local islanders-whose ancestors have navigated these waters and carved seaworthy canoes with palm-sized axes long before "eco-tourism" became a chic buzzword-you'll witness artistry and patience fused effortlessly into practical genius. Plan your visit for early morning, when the water gleams like polished jade and fish practically leap into your canoe, mocking your clumsy attempts at traditional fishing techniques. Arrange your excursion a good week ahead and budget about $50-$100 to generously support your host community-remember, you're paying not just for the experience but also for their patience in tolerating your earnest incompetence. Pack sunscreen, water shoes, a waterproof camera, and humility to spare. Even if you end up hopelessly tangled in fishing nets or find your canoe-making attempts closer to abstract sculpture than buoyant vessel, it's absolutely worth it-for the laughter, for the genuine cultural exchange, and above all, for the bragging rights of casually dropping "When I was canoe fishing off the Duke of York Islands..." at your next dinner party.