Kavieng WWII Aircraft Wrecks... World War II came to the Australian territory of New Guinea in January 1942 when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Rabaul in New Britain. Followed shortly after by the taking of Kavieng in nearby New Ireland. The invasion turned New Guinea into a major theatre of war in the battle for the Pacific. And there were many brutal encounters between the invading Japanese and the defending Australian forces. Conditions were often appalling; the fighting was incredibly fierce, and many young lives were lost on both sides. To this day the poignant relics of those battles are woven into the fabric of the now …
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea dive locations and information
Diving Beautiful Tufi
Diving Beautiful Tufi... The sun was just breaking as we walked across the tarmac towards the small plane that would take us over the mountains. Anxious to leave on time and with a busy day ahead of them. The two-person TropicAir crew ushered us into our seats as they continued their pre-departure checks. Within minutes we were taxiing towards the runway for our take-off from Port Moresby’s Jackson Field. Once airborne the pilot turned the plane south-east. Heading down the coast as we gained enough altitude to turn north and cross those 4000m high peaks. Early morning is the best time to make that journey over the Owen Stanley …
The Wonderful Witu Islands
The Witu Islands... As they say in the real estate business – location, location, location… And it is Papua New Guinea’s location astride the Equator and at the end of what was historically referred to as the Malay Archipelago, that puts it right in the middle of the greatest marine biodiversity on earth - the Coral Triangle. The country occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the second largest in the world after Greenland). Plus the many islands of the Bismarck and Louisiade Archipelagos. And… because it straddles the Equator. PNG is exposed to both the Northern and Southern Equatorial Currents. Plus the …
Diving Kavieng in PNG
Diving Kavieng in PNG... A window seat on the early morning flight out of Kavieng is the go. It's my favourite way to end a trip to this special part of Papua New Guinea. For, as the sun rises out of the vast Pacific Ocean to the east. It paints a beautiful soft light over the dozens of small islands and mangroves that fill the gap between the tip of New Ireland and nearby New Hanover. The rich tropical vegetation starts to glow in the special golden hour light. And the channels between the islands turn to silver. Then, as the plane gathers altitude and banks south-west to start the journey to Port Moresby, the complete tapestry is …
Witu Islands Diving – Dec 2022 Trip Report
Witu Islands Diving... Some two years and nine months (almost to the day…) after I had to scramble to get out of Papua New Guinea before the borders closed. In early December 2022 I arrived back at Hoskins airport in Kimbe Bay to pick up where I left off. PNG only opened its borders fully to tourists in August. But it seems there are many others like me who were itching to get back as the boat was full. A really great sign after virtually zero inbound tourism for 2.5 years… I was heading for Walindi Plantation Resort where I was booked on board the MV Oceania. For one of its “signature” trips to the Witu Islands in the Bismarck …
Diving Kimbe Bay in PNG
Diving Kimbe Bay in PNG... There is a line of thought among the scientific community that this large, sheltered bay. Located roughly one third along the north coast of the island of New Britain is possibly where the first corals originated. The bay is called Kimbe. And is no doubt about its tremendous biodiversity because the numbers, as they say, cannot lie… Surveys of Kimbe Bay led by distinguished marine biologists Charlie Veron and Jerry Allen. Together with The Nature Conservancy, have identified some 860 species of reef fish, 400 species of coral and at least 12 species of whales and dolphins. Or, put another way... Kimbe …
Diving Milne Bay in PNG
Diving Milne Bay in PNG... This large bay on the eastern tip of the Papua New Guinea’s “mainland” is what first brought the country to the attention of travelling divers and underwater photographers around the world. The first articles and images started to appear in the mid-1980’s. Still the very early days of liveaboards in exotic locations that few people had actually heard of… And yet here was this British ex-schoolteacher on board a locally built, custom dive vessel exploring a place called Milne Bay in a country named PNG. His name was Bob Halstead. And together with his then wife Dinah, they established the first …
Diving New Ireland Province in PNG
Diving New Ireland Province... Located along the edge of the Bismarck Archipelago, the province of New Ireland forms the eastern flank of Papua New Guinea. It is quite remote from the main island of New Guinea. And the province has its own remarkably interesting and quite distinct traditional cultures, together with some fantastic diving. It is also world renowned for its fabulous malagan carvings and tatanua masks. Together with its kulap sculptures and overall, the province offers an experience that really is quite different to the rest of PNG. The province consists of the large, musket-shaped island of New Ireland, which is …
Diving New Britain Island in PNG
Diving New Britain Island... Papua New Guinea’s “second island” sits right on the interface of some incredibly powerful forces of nature! Physically located along the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire. New Britain is a large crescent shaped island that is defined by the incredibly high mountain ranges that run down its spine. Together with its many volcanoes… So high are those mountains, they create separate and independent weather systems on the north and south coasts of the island. Making New Britain a remote, different and very interesting place that has some really great diving! Diving New Britain Island – The Benjamins… While Bob …