Dazzling Reefs, Critters & Sharks - Papua New Guinea

As we circled above Port Moresby, our flight captain came on the intercom to inform passengers he would make a final attempt to land. At the end of a long journey from the UK, we had found magical ribbons of low-lying mist between the hills and mountains, obscuring our final approach. After waiting for the early morning sun to burn away the worst of the mist, our skilled pilot made another approach and, thankfully, got us safely to the ground. Just getting to Papua New Guinea can be an adventure.

I was staying at Tufi Dive Resort and, as soon as I was able, I explored the house reef – a muck dive with nudibranch and other critters hidden amongst debris and WWII relics (Tufi was a base for the Australians in WWII).

The real draws are the outer reefs and bommies that dot this region. Oh, my! What reefs they are! Jaw-dropping visibility meant we barely needed to dive; the entire reef top was clearly visible from our boat. The reefs here drop down to around 600 metres, ensuring vibrant coral and marine life, and also the promise of pelagics.

Our visit in May happened to coincide with the best time of year for possible hammerhead sightings, including rare white hammerheads that can occasionally be seen in this area. There are also opportunities to see grey reef, silvertip and reef sharks, plus tuna, trevally and the like. Reef life includes batfish, barracuda, clownfish, turtles, endless fusiliers and so much more. We managed two full days’ diving on the outer reefs, days that will be treasured for a long time to come.

It is so difficult to compare one dive region to another, but I genuinely think these might be the finest reefs I have ever dived. It was such a privilege. And did we see the elusive white hammerhead? We certainly did!

Explore our full range of dive holidays to Papua New Guinea or for more information, contact a member of our friendly team.