Trobriand Islands
Papua New Guinea · Milne Bay · 10 m
Description
The Trobriand Islands are a flat coral group northeast of Milne Bay whose society became famous through the fieldwork of Bronisław Malinowski, who spent the First World War here and founded modern anthropology on what he found. The kula ring, an exchange of shell valuables that circulates between islands in fixed directions, still operates. Yams are the measure of wealth and are stored in painted houses more elaborate than the ones people live in. The harvest festival in July brings competitive dancing and cricket played by island rules. Flights are irregular and accommodation is very simple.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 6 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: October – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Yam houses and the harvest festival (June - July)
- Kula ring shell exchange
- Trobriand cricket played by island rules
- Carved ebony and the island woodwork
- Kaibola and the northern beaches
- Kiriwina villages and the chief's compound
- Limestone caves and freshwater pools
- Snorkelling on the fringing reef
Getting there
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry