Fergusson Island

Fergusson is the largest of the D'Entrecasteaux group north of Milne Bay, a mountainous volcanic island rising to over two thousand metres with forest, hot springs and villages around the coast. The Dei Dei springs near Deidei on the western side are the feature: a field of boiling pools, mud, steam vents and geysers that spout intermittently, with the ground crusted and coloured by minerals and hot enough to cook food, which villagers do. Guides from the village walk visitors through the field. The island is also part of the kula ring, the ceremonial exchange of shell valuables that circulates between the islands of the Massim region. Access is by boat or small aircraft from Alotau.

What you actually see

• The Dei Dei springs - the boiling pools, mud and intermittent geysers.
• Cooking in the springs - the village use of the hot ground.
• The volcanic island - the forested mountains and coast.
• Kula connections - the island's place in the shell exchange network.

When to go

May to October for the calmest crossings and driest walking; the wet season makes both difficult. Visits to the springs are guided from the village and arranged locally.

Honest expectations

Access is by open boat over several hours or by small aircraft, both weather-dependent. Accommodation is village guesthouses with no facilities. The spring field is genuinely dangerous underfoot and a guide is essential. Geysers are intermittent and may not perform.

Nearby

Alotau lies south; Normanby and Goodenough are the other islands of the group.