An Experience of a Lifetime in Papua New Guinea

A short flight at dawn from the main city of Port Moresby over rugged mountain landscapes brought us to Hoskins. Here, we were taken to Walindi Plantation Resort to experience the diving of Kimbe Bay. Each morning brought a spectacular sunrise, which was much appreciated from my balcony.

The resort is enveloped by rainforest, and sits right on the beachfront. The dive sites are vast, yet each one has something different to offer. The seamounts teem with big fish, from Barracuda in their hundreds, dogtooth tuna and bigeye trevally to the occasional reef shark. Bradford Shoals drops to almost 1,500 metres around its walls which are an easily diveable 20 metres. The coral reefs are devoid of bleaching, coming right up to the surface; on one particular reef we found an anemone fish that is endemic to that specific site.

However, I am a wreck diver at heart, so the chance to dive a downed Zero fighter was something I just couldn’t pass up. As it is so close to the shore, the visibility wasn’t brilliant, but it created a great sense of mystery as the plane came into view. The cockpit was dotted with soft corals and home to a school of glassfish, while its wings rested gently on the silt, perfectly intact.

Our time on land was spent exploring. We experienced hot springs, went birding, visited the local school and village, and even walked around the wrecks of two planes in the jungle. In my opinion, however, the most spectacular excursion was at night. The jeep stopped in the middle of the nearby plantation and all our lights were turned off. The tree closest to us lit up with thousands of fireflies flashing in unison.

Touching down in Kavieng marked the second part of the trip. We were taken by boat to the Lissenung Island Resort, which was completely different to our previous accommodations, sat on a white sandy beach and encompassed by coconut trees and palms.

Our first dive was at night. Wading on to the house reef with our torches facing down meant that we could see the bioluminescence along the shore line as it mirrored the night sky. The reef itself was quiet, as fish hid inside the rocks and corals, but there was plenty of life. The following morning presented different opportunities. Albatross Passage is the signature dive site here, and it blew me away. Descending down and onto a point at the end of the reef gives a stunning view of the drop-off. Tuna, barracuda, jacks, and reef sharks lurked just out of sight. On the wall itself different schools of fish swam in every direction; I couldn’t spin myself round quickly enough to quite appreciate how many fish surrounded me.

The diving was just as spectacular at Lissenung and one of the guides took us to the local islands of Enuk. We were able to visit the local school and chat with the children who were being taught how to conserve their marine environment. The guide explained that it is of key importance that they protect the area for future generations. A short crossing over to another island meant we could look around their village where they were preparing for a feast; I just wish we could have been there later for the main event!

The timing of flights to Port Moresby meant an early start to get back home and a speed boat crossing over to Kavieng. The stars were bright in the sky and lit the way. We boarded our flight as the sun rose, red and bold, silhouetting the plane. Seeing the islands shrink into the distance only made me want to return and explore more of this surprising country.

Visiting a place such as Papua New Guinea left lasting memories that would be hard to beat. If you’re looking for an experience of a lifetime, it is certainly the place to go. 

For more information about diving in Papua New Guinea take a look at our trip ideas or contact the dive team on 01962 302 087