Travel Guide Kavieng

With its 11,000 inhabitants, Kavieng, the capital of the province of New Ireland, is a big village like the island: Quiet, warm and bordered by beautiful beaches. Located on the northern tip of the island, it houses all government services, a few shops, hotels and the airport. In front of the channel there are two islands: the large and small Nusa, which houses some villages and one of the most beautiful hotels in Papua New Guinea. This capital was founded in 1900 by the Germans, probably because of its bay offering excellent protection at its port. On January 21, 1942, the Japanese occupied this bay, ideal for establishing a naval base, not without previously bombarding the region. Australians had to abandon New Ireland precipitously. All the Europeans who remained on the spot were gradually massacred by the occupiers. Thus, Japanese officers decapitated at least 23 people in March 1944, threatened by a counter-attack of allied forces. Those responsible for these atrocities were convicted of war crimes in 1945. The fans of the Second World War will discover in New Ireland relics of this conflict everywhere, starting with the port of Kavieng, where the wreck of a Japanese patrol vessel lies. You only have to take a mask and a tuba to explore it at the bottom of the channel.