Melanesia

Melanesia

 

Cruises Through Melanesia Provide the Perfect Opportunity to Enjoy the Warm Hospitality of the Local People & to be Entertained by Spectacular Cultural Performances

The South Pacific islands known as Melanesia lie to the north and east of Australia. Together the three independent nations and two dependant colonies form one of the most culturally complex regions in the world, with some 1,293 languages spoken across the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and New Guinea. It is also a region of great antiquity with New Guinea having been settled for about 45,000 years, the Solomon Islands 35,000 and Vanuatu and New Caledonia for about 4,000 years.

Throughout Melanesia, people still live as they always have, in small scale societies often without strong leadership systems. Instead, communities are bound by family ties and that of complex trade and exchange networks. Trade routes link distant communities, and trading canoe voyages can cover extensive distances. The daily round of crop growing, hunting, and in coastal areas, of fishing, is enriched by many rituals. These often involve the production of intricate carvings and body decorations. Melanesians do not worship gods in a general sense, but acknowledge their ancestors, spirits and other beings that share their landscape.

Our small ship cruises throughout Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people and to be entertained by spectacular cultural performances. As you travel through the warm waters of the South Pacific there will be ample time for snorkelling, swimming, exploring, birdwatching, village visits and zodiac cruising.

Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands awaits those ready to discover a volcano-studded archipelago filled with raw tropical beauty and (a lot of) friendly smiles. Trek through jungle-clad terrain scattered with WWII relics by day; snorkel along tropical reefs and after all that epic exploration – kick back in a hammock at a traditional bamboo bungalow. Share the local love for music and move to the high energy mix of Melanesian songs performed by an island church choir. Then, top it all off with an adventure to a remote beach, shrouded in dark mystique and discover how an old collection of human heads came to be stacked on the grounds at Skull Island!

Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea’s complex culture and biodiversity mean an endless supply of amazing discoveries for even the widest-travelled adventurer. While hiking the Kokoda Track is an act of pilgrimage for some, the insight into remote indigenous cultures and encounters with exotic wildlife are reason enough for many.

If you’re after a small ship cruise or an expedition ship cruise to Melanesia Wild Earth Travel can help you find a trip of a lifetime. We are ready to guide you through our range of different options with impartial advice so you can experience the very best of this unique destination. Our team are all passionate expedition & small cruise ship travellers and our knowledge and stories come from our own personal experiences.

 

Our Associates Include

Adventure Canada
Heritage Expeditions New Zealand
UnCruise Adventures
Hurtugruten
Ponant
Pandaw