Papua New Guinea
PNG is a nation whose boundaries include the Coral, Solomon, and Bismarck Seas. It’s astounding number of islands and offshore reefs make for some truly amazing diving. Most of the dive areas are scattered far from the coastal towns and many remain unsurveyed. Due to this, most exploring must be done via liveaboards, yachts, or whatever sea vessel allows you to sleep on deck. The small population, low commercial exploitation, and an astonishing biodiversity of pelagics, lush reefs, wrecks, pinnacles, walls, and muck diving provide a forbidding and tantalizing underwater experience for all those adventurous underwater souls. Amazingly, the experience won’t necessarily put you in the poor farm either.
The diving in PNG is year round, however, the best time to dive is November through May- when it is the calmest and warmest. Weather is difficult to predict from year to year but, you can find excellent diving throughout the year in most areas. Water temperature ranges from 25 degrees C in July and August to 29 degrees C in December and January. The water is a couple of degrees warmer in the northern waters.
Most nationalities with valid passports will receive a 60-day tourist visa upon arrival for K100 (about $30). You should obtain a longer visa before arriving if desired. Air Nuigini flies direct to the PNG gateway of Port Moresby from Singapore, Manila, and Australia. English is widely spoken along side some 750 or more local languages.
The Eastern Fields
Located 167 km southwest of Port Moresby, The Eastern Fields account for the northernmost oceanic reefs of the Coral Sea. An overnight cruise and you wil wake up to many dive sites of excellent hard and soft corals, big fishes including sharks, and marine life found only in this area including the Coral Sea angelfish and White barred wrasse. The average visibility is 30-40 m. The highlight at this particular reef is the coral spawning which occurs around the 5th night after the November full moon. Due to the rich coral life on the reef it is a truly momentous occasion not to be missed. Diving here is limited to November/December and April/May.
Milne Bay and Louisiade Archipelago
As the base of PNG’s largest maritime province, Milne Bay contains over 600 islands waiting to be explored. Milne’s rich biodiversity actually led to the creation of ‘muck diving’ and includes some amazing WWII wrecks as well. One such wreck is the B17 Bomber “Blackjack,” arguably the world’s best aircraft wreck dive. Hammerheads and whale sharks are common sightings along the drop offs near East Cape. Mantas are seasonally reliable at the cleaning station located near Samarai Island. Liveaboard voyages along the Louisade Archipelago will take you through a maze of reefs where few have been. The best season is from October through July with waters ranging from 26 C to 29 C. Visibility from 10-40 meters.
Lae, Madang, and Wewak
Based on the north coast of PNG, these sites offer year round diving with large schools of pelagics including hammerheads and tiger sharks, WWII wrecks, towering volcanic peaks, and waters rich with luch corals. Getting here is an easy one hour flight from Port Moresby.
New Britain Walindi
As PNG’s largest island, New Britain is a mecca for any diver. Walindi offers everything that is part of a tropical ecosystem including 900 species of fish and 400 species of coral. Clear water, barrel sponges, barracudas, sperm and orca whales, dolphins, sharks, pygmy seahorses, devil scorpionfish, and blue ribboned eels are typical for most sites. Visibility up to 50m and diving April through December.
Raboul
Offering aircraft wreck diving and muck diving, Raboul is rich in marine biodiversity and untouched reefs. Things changed dramatically for Raboul after the volcanic eruption in 1994, but all diving outside the harbor remains intact. Diving is good year round and vis is from 10-50 m.
Kavieng and Northern Islands Kavieng is the pelagic capital of PNG and also offers abundant muck diving. Of course there are also some beautiful wrecks including the Sanko Maru, located only 20 m down complete with a sunken submarine not 50 m away! Some aircraft wrecks have only been discovered in the last couple of years. Diving is best from April through December.
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