Mount Ulawun

Ulawun rises to 2,334 metres directly from the north coast of New Britain, a near-perfect cone that is the highest point of the Bismarck Archipelago and among the most frequently active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, with eruptions recorded through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries including a large one in 2019 that sent ash to great height and displaced villages nearby. It is designated a Decade Volcano for study because of the combination of activity and settlement around it. When quiet it can be climbed from the villages on the flanks with guides, a long steep day through gardens and then bare ash and rock, but activity closes it regularly.

What you'll find

• The cone - the symmetrical volcano rising straight from the coast.
• Ash and rock slopes - the bare upper mountain above the gardens.
• Village gardens - the cultivated lower flanks.
• The coast road view - the volcano seen from the road along the shore.

When to go

May to October in the drier season, and only when the volcano is quiet; activity closes access without notice and current status should be checked before planning. Climbs need guides and village permission.

Things to know

The volcano is frequently active and access is closed for long periods. Climbs are long, steep and hot with no water on the upper mountain. Village permission and guides are required. Ashfall affects the area during eruptions.

Nearby

Kimbe Bay lies west; the north coast road runs past the mountain.

Key facts