Dive Sites : Oceania and Pacific : Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Scuba Diving

170 Dive Sites in 6 Destinations

Papua New Guinea Top Scuba Diving Locations

Kavieng and New Ireland (33)
Madang (21)
Milne Bay Province (50)

New Britain Island (48)
Port Moresby (16)
Wewak (2)

In this 'land of the unexpected', 'remote' takes on a whole new meaning. Certain tribes have succeeded in remaining totally isolated for several thousand years - until just before the turn of the millennium.

Archetypal and mythical representations in Oceana show thread of allegiance to a god who 'tattooed' all the beautiful marine and land animals. Many of the tribe members are tattooed from head to foot representing everything from hunting to coming of age. The pigment is derived from the candlenut tree, which is known to possess healing properties having been used medicinally to treat everything from arthritis to heart palpitations.

Papua New Guinea's four million inhabitants belong to the cultural division of Melanesians who use 800 indigenous languages to communicate. English is still widely spoken, but the main language is known as 'pidgin' which was developed 200 years ago to facilitate trade in and around the Pacific.

Situated roughly north of Australia, the main Island is surrounded by its smaller divisions of New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville. IIrian Jaya in the west belongs to Indonesia. Papua New Guinea is divided in half by a 12,500 ft high mountain range flanked by farmlands, mangrove swamps and rainforests rich with animal life with Port Moresby as its capital.

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Diving Papua New Guinea

This mystical Island is one of the more popular dive spots on the planet. Its famed marine biodiversity is supported by the surrounding Bismarck, Coral and Solomon Seas, a rare phenomenon that brings about an influx of species far outweighing the likes of the Red Sea and the Caribbean. The result is everything from walls, barrier reefs, incredible drop-offs, atolls and wrecks from WWII.

Water temperatures vacillate between 26°C and to 30°C. Breathtaking collections of coral and large exotic pelagics such as Orca, Marlin and Tuna reflect the pristine tropical air that is Papua New Guinea.

At New Ireland and New Hanover (Kavieng) and Milne Bay divers can experience the Island's characteristic 1000ft drop-offs which can be really close to shore. Kimbe Bay in West New Britain's coral can grow to sizes that 'cooler' barrier reef conditions can never support. SW of Port Moresby is the Eastern Fields site.

Papua New Guinea's wreck dives are numerous and have been well accepted by the undersea locals. Everything from submarines to barges, many of which are great for penetration can be found at Rabaul, for example the Wreck of the Atun as well as locations Madang, Kavieng and Loloata (Port Moresby)

On New Britain Island in the East is Rabaul, besieged by the Japanese during the Second World War. Its active volcano Mt. Tavurvur still makes its presence known with smoke now and then adding to the thrilling feeling of having the earth's core rumble beneath your feet. The powerful north-flowing Sepik-River, and Fly-River heading south, have even been compared to the Amazon.

Coral gardens sport bommies and gorgonian fans that can grow to 20' wide. Anemones play landlord to their clownfish and Unicornfish, Barracuda, Jacks, bump-head wrass and even batfish are numerous.

Other sites worth visiting include Rhinopias Reef (named for its green and yellow residents) with its rock mover wrasse, lionfish, turtle, long nose hawk fish, dwarf hawk fish, anthias, lots of hard coral, huge gorgonian sea fans, whip coral, some small areas of soft coral.

Anchor Reef is great for muck diving among coconut husks, shells and coral, while White Island's walls and Valley of the Fans are hard to beat regarding coral concentrations.

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