Karkar Island

Karkar is a volcanic island of around three hundred and sixty square kilometres off the Madang coast, essentially a single stratovolcano rising to around 1,800 metres with a caldera at the top containing an active cone, and the volcanic soil makes it one of the most fertile and densely populated islands in the country, planted with coconut, cocoa and food gardens and carrying tens of thousands of people. Plantations established in the colonial period still operate. The volcano is monitored and has erupted repeatedly, most severely in 1979. Climbing to the crater takes a full day with guides from the villages. Access is by boat or light aircraft from Madang.

History

The first recorded European sighting was by the Spanish navigator Iñigo Órtiz de Retes on 10 August 1545, aboard the San Juan on a voyage from Tidore towards New Spain. Willem Schouten and Jacob le Maire later called it "High island", Abel Tasman passed in 1643, William Dampier probably visited in 1699, and the volcano erupted in 1895 (Wikipedia, Karkar Island).

What you'll find

• The volcano - the caldera and the active cone at the summit.
• Plantation country - the coconut and cocoa covering the lower slopes.
• Village settlement - the dense population around the island.
• The crossing - the boat run out from Madang.

When to go

May to October for the calmest crossings and the driest walking; the wet season makes both difficult. The summit climb is a full day and needs guides arranged in the villages.

What to expect

Crossings are by open boat and depend on sea conditions. There is no tourist accommodation; staying means village arrangements. The volcano is active and access can be restricted. The climb is long and hot with no facilities.

Nearby

Madang lies south across the water; the Bismarck Sea surrounds the island.

Key facts