The September 1994 eruptions should have destroyed little Matupit Island but the prevailing winds brought Tavurvur’s load over Rabaul and left this island almost unscathed thanks, villagers say, to the local dukduks . The thousand-strong village community still chooses to reside right underneath the belching monster. You can hire a canoeist to get you around to see Tavurvur’s southern slopes (which have giant lava flows) from the water. It’s like a peek at a newborn planet. The megapode-egg hunters are here, burrowing almost 2m into the black sand to retrieve the eggs. In the same area, there’s quite a smattering of Japanese aircraft wreckage scattered among the palm trees and now semi-buried in earth, including a Japanese Betty Bomber and a helicopter. They are close to the Old Rakunai Airport . The airport was completely destroyed during the 1994 eruption. Kastom fee is K5. From there, you can easily reach the hot springs – an impressive sight amid an eerie landscape that’s reminiscent of the film Mad Max .
