Cities and regions／Papua New Guinea
City or town ·

Rabaul

Rabaul is a city shaped by an active caldera and the 1994 eruption, which displaced some of its residents. Its old centre, harbour and surviving buildings reveal how local life changed.

Tavurvur volcano beside Simpson Harbour near Rabaul.
Photo by Stefan Krasowski from New York, NY, USA Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
The place

What makes it special

  • Take in the caldera from a high point above Simpson Harbour.
  • Explore the old centre with a guide, including its surviving buildings and port activity.
  • Learn about wartime remains and memory through a respectful guided visit.
Rabaul townscape shaped by volcanic activity.
Photo by Clément Piment Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0
Tavurvur
Photo by Taro Taylor Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Rabaul

Guides to this place

1 article

Rabaul

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Tavurvur volcano beside Simpson Harbour near Rabaul.

Rabaul and Kokopo: Understanding a Caldera That Reshaped Life

A visit to Rabaul and Kokopo calls for the 1994 eruption, wartime memory, and current security and volcanic conditions to be considered together.

Read guide →
Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 09/10/2026