Travel

Hundreds of tiny reef fish enliven the healthy hard corals at Widu South off the Witu Islands
 

As we surface from our dive to a mirror-like sea, the rhythmic sound of wooden paddles slicing the water catches our attention. Carved from a single tree and carrying a curious family from a nearby island, a slender dugout canoe approaches. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most culturally diverse places on our planet, with 830 distinct languages spoken here—more than any other country in the world. We exchange the universal language of a smile and gesture a photograph. When visiting PNG, moments of human connection are as much a part of the experience as diving the reefs below.

PNG is bordered by three vast bodies of water—the Bismarck Sea, the South Pacific, and the Solomon Sea—each offering their own distinctive underwater worlds. Our month-long adventure began in the province of West New Britain at one of PNG’s most established dive lodges, Walindi Plantation Resort, in the Bismarck Sea’s Kimbe Bay. From there, we sailed northwest to the remote Witu Islands and offshore to Bining Reefs with MV Oceania and MV Febrina, finally culminating in a slower pace at the idyllic Lissenung Island Resort near Kavieng in the country’s New Ireland Province.
 

Vibrant anemones along with their cast of friendly characters can be found on many of the dive sites in Kimbe Bay and the Witu Islands
 

A huge school of jacks fills the frame at Barney’s Reef
 

If you look closely, tiny subjects like these right-handed hermit crabs can also be found on the reefs

Kimbe Bay: Where Wrecks and Reefs Collide

The first thing you notice about Kimbe Bay isn’t underwater at all. As our dive boat skims the sea’s glassed-out surface, the horizon showcases a jagged silhouette of volcanic peaks and lush forests. Beneath, the area’s vast expanse of turquoise lagoons plunge down to reveal giant sponges, sunken reminders of war, and seamounts patrolled by large schools of barracuda, jacks and batfish.

From our base at Walindi Plantation Resort, we set out daily to explore Kimbe Bay’s underwater treasures, the most evocative being the wreck of the “Zero.” This World War II Mitsubishi A6M5 fighter plane rests alone in less than 65 feet (20 metres) of water. More than 70 years since it fell to the silty seabed, it still remains upright, fully intact, and in remarkable condition.

But there’s more here than just a captivating plane wreck. Kimbe Bay is also home to some of the richest reefs in the Pacific. Rising from the deep to within 65 feet (20 metres) of the surface, Bradford Shoals delivers us a classic seamount dive. Isolated in open ocean, it serves as both sanctuary and hunting ground. The corals here shelter a kaleidoscope of small reef dwellers, such as butterflyfish and damselfish, but it’s not the reef fish that make Bradford Shoals famous. This is big-fish territory.
 

The wreck of the Zero, one of the many haunting reminders of war that are part of the underwater seascape in PNG
 

A signature of PNG seamount dives are the huge schools of barracuda that frequent the country’s waters
 

Like a beacon, the shoal draws in pelagics. Huge schools of barracuda sweep past in tight formation, their chrome bodies glistening as they rotate in unison. Giant trevally and dogtooth tuna muscle their way through the current, while gray reef sharks patrol the drop-off. Diving here carries a sense of unpredictability, and it’s this promise that saw us return more than once!

At dive sites like Ema South and Restorf Island, it’s the giant sponges that steal the show. These sites host some of the most beautiful sponges we’ve seen and provide a great canvas to use a model in our shots. The scale of the sponges made for some ethereal and moody images. Here, we found giant gorgonian fans, black coral bushes, magnificent red sea whips, and giant barrel and elephant ear sponges. Another standout are the anemones that carpet many of the reef slopes. You will find every color imaginable in hues of purple, orange, and blue—each home to their own cast of characters.

If you are accustomed to crowded dive sites elsewhere, the solitude here is startling different. There are no other boats, no bubbles rising from other groups—just us and the reef.

Back at Walindi, the rain trees shape the resort’s fairy-tail like atmosphere. “Mum planted these trees when her and Dad first started the resort in the 1980s,” explains owner Cheyne Benjamin. Dripping with epiphytes and vines, these trees are part of what makes this place pure magic. They also provide huge ecological value for the extraordinary birdlife that calls the resort home.
 

A diver is dwarfed by a giant barrel sponge at Restorf Island
 

Vibrant anemones can be found on many of the dive sites in Kimbe Bay and the Witu Islands
 

Clusters of different corals and sponges make the reefs special here
 

Walindi Plantation Resort

Founded by pioneers Max and Cecilie Benjamin, and tucked along the shores of Kimbe Bay in Papua New Guinea’s West New Britain Province, Walindi Plantation Resort has long been a base for divers exploring the bay’s world-class reefs.

The resort offers 12 bungalows and eight plantation-style rooms set in magical tropical gardens. After a day underwater, guests can unwind by the pool, enjoy the open-air dining and bar, or browse the boutique and library. With a daily laundry service, free Wi-Fi in social areas, and even land-based adventures from birdwatching to volcano hikes, Walindi provides the perfect mix of adventure and warm Melanesian hospitality.

Left: The bungalows at Walindi Plantation Resort are situated in a lush tropical setting
Right: After a long day of diving, the salt-water pool at Walindi provides a great way to relax on warm tropical afternoons and evenings

Beyond Kimbe Bay

Walindi Plantation Resort is also the launch pad for serious underwater exploration. From the resort’s pier, we step aboard the only two liveaboards operating in all of the country: MV Febrina and MV Oceania. During our month-long stay, we were privileged to undertake trips on both vessels, venturing hundreds of miles to dramatic seascapes in the remote Witu Islands and an area known as the Binings in the eastern part of New Britain.

In the Witus, we found towering pinnacles rising from the depths, their walls draped in soft corals and buzzing with schools of fish. The Witus offers a mix of seamounts, pretty fringing reefs, and black volcanic muck dive sites. We were rewarded with a diverse spectrum of marine life, from dense schools of barracuda and jacks, to reef sharks and critters in an area known as The Crater, a volcanic caldera—the remnants of an ancient underwater eruption. Because of The Crater’s volcanic origin, the seabed here is a patchwork of black sand and rugged rock, and the nutrient-rich waters drawn in by ocean currents make it a hotspot for fun black-sand critter dives at a number of different dive sites.
 

One of the many pretty reefscapes at Barney’s Reef
 

A tiny blenny plays hide and seek at The Crater
 

Giant gorgonian sea fans and soft corals adorn the swim-throughs at Goru Arch
 

Some of our favorite dive sites in the Witus included Barney’s Reef, for its friendly sweetlips and pretty underwater scenes; Halfway Reef, for its huge schools of barracuda; Widu South and Madisons Reef, for their healthy hard corals; Charlotte Reef, for its curious cuttlefish; and Lama Shoals, for its dreamscape of living color. Here, great thickets of black coral bushes (though anything but black) dominated the deeper areas and bloomed in shades of green, white, orange, and crimson, while tiny jewel-like fish flittered between their branches.

By contrast, the reefs around The Binings were somewhat more raw and untamed. A playground for pelagic action, the ocean seemed supercharged with energy. We were surprised by the healthy populations of large reef sharks here. Tuna and giant trevally sweeping through the currents was also a common occurrence.

Accessible only by liveaboard aboard MV Febrina or MV Oceania, these isolated locations delivered unforgettable diving and memorable encounters with local people. Each day, locals would visit our vessel to trade. Fresh fruit, vegetables, coconuts, betel nut, and freshly caught fish were traded in return for items that are scarce in these remote communities. Note to self: Bring a few extra T-shirts next time, as these seemed to be highly prized items for a trade!
 

A curious cuttlefish puts on a display at Charlotte Reef
 

At Lama Shoals, black coral bushes in all their glory dominate the deep, surrounded by cheerful tiny fishes
 

Vast expanses of healthy cabbage corals blanket Bining Reef
 

MV Febrina and MV Oceania

One of the original PNG liveaboards, MV Febrina, captained by skipper/owner Alan Raabe, has been working in these waters since 1991 when she arrived at her home port, Walindi Plantation Resort. This 73-foot (22-meter) steel-hull liveaboard caters to a maximum of 12 guests in seven air-conditioned cabins, each with an en-suite bathroom. Launching from Walindi Plantation Resort, Febrina offers itineraries to the reefs around New Britain and New Hanover. Guests can enjoy up to five dives per day—three in the morning, one in the afternoon, and a night dive. The vessel’s intimate size and attentive crew make it ideal for small groups seeking personalized service. Nitrox is available on-board.

MV Oceania is the newest addition to liveaboard diving in the waters of PNG. This sleek and spacious 88-foot (27-meter) catamaran captained by skipper/owner Dan Johnson comfortably hosts up to 16 guests in eight spacious air-conditioned cabins with en-suite bathrooms. Operating from Walindi Plantation Resort, Oceania takes divers on signature itineraries in the Kimbe Bay, Fathers Reefs, Witu Islands, Rabaul and Milne Bay areas. Each trip is tailored to suit changing weather patterns and is designed to dive the best on offer in each season. Nitrox is also available on-board.

Left: The MV Febrina moors overnight in pretty Wire Bay
Right: The MV Oceania in the sheltered waters of Kimbe Bay

Castaway Island

Located just two degrees south of the equator, with the Pacific Ocean to the north and the Bismarck Sea to the south, Lissenung Island is a special place for many reasons. As you arrive, you instantly feel like you are castaway in paradise, but it’s the spirit of its owners, Dietmar and Ange Amon, that bring Lissenung to life. Not only have they built a dive resort, but they have also made the island their home, working with and supporting local communities.

For years, the couple have worked to protect local turtle populations, teaching communities about the importance of conservation—and their efforts have paid off. Villagers now alert them when turtles lay eggs on surrounding islands, and before the clutches are taken by locals for food, they are carefully relocated to Lissenung’s safe nesting sites.

Engaging with the local community is at the heart of island life at Lissenung, and even the local village children take part in the turtle conservation program. For us, one of the most rewarding moments came when we shared our photographs and stories of the ocean to two dozen children from the local village. Their curiosity and wide-eyed questions served as a reminder that the ocean connects us all, no matter our age or background.
 

A local family paddles from their village to greet us and trade produce
 

Blacktip reef sharks patrol the sand, waiting for a morsel from the day’s catch to be gifted to them by Lissenung staff. We found it fun to lay in the shallows with our cameras, capturing the sharks as they brushed past us
 

And then, of course, there’s the diving. Our favorite dive site was Albatross Passage. It’s hard to explain diving here. It’s kind of like strapping yourself into nature’s fast lane. When diving the site in optimal conditions, powerful ocean currents funnel through the narrow channel, igniting the reef with life and energy.

Schools of barracuda and trevally cruise past, while eagle rays and very healthy populations of gray reef sharks patrol the blue. The ledges and overhangs also provide for interesting photography, with schools of fish and beautiful multicolored soft corals and black coral bushes. It is a dive site that truly showcases the raw, untamed energy of PNG’s underwater world.

The area around Lissenung is also littered with World War II history, and a number wrecks are shallow. There’s a remarkably intact B5N Kate Bomber resting in just 40 feet (12 meters) of water, and the remains of a Catalina seaplane, where just the two propeller engines and fragments of the wing and fuselage rest on bright white sand in gin-like water.
 

A gray reef shark on patrol at Albatross Passage
 

The remains of the Catalina, downed in World War II
 

Beyond Diving

On land, PNG offers a showcase of incredible tribal cultures in its highlands and outstanding biodiversity, including elusive mammals, dazzling birds, and a kaleidoscope of insects that would intrigue even the most casual naturalist. The birdlife here is particularly extraordinary, so much so that PNG has become a pilgrimage for serious twitchers.

Millions of years ago, PNG was connected to Australia by land, a legacy still seen in the marsupials that roam its verdant forests. Today, it is home to species found nowhere else, from the wide-eyed cuscus to the tree-dwelling kangaroo and the extraordinary long-beaked echidna—a mammal so ancient it looks like it belongs to another age.

The timing of our trip was fortuitous, as we were lucky to be in PNG for the country’s celebration of 50 years of independence from Australian occupation. It was September 16th, 1975 when the Australian flag was lowered and Papua New Guinea’s distinctive flag was finally raised. We witnessed the country’s immense national pride in being an independent, self-governing, sovereign nation.

There is no doubt that PNG is a wild country, both above and below the surface. Villages perch on dramatic volcanic slopes, while beneath the waves, submarine ridges and lava flows now colonized by corals rise abruptly from the inky depths. But diving here is not just about reefs and wrecks; it’s about stepping into a land lost to time. Here, culture, nature, and history are intertwined. After one month exploring, we know that we hardly even scratched the surface of what this fascinating country has to offer.
 

Schools of friendly batfish often patrol the blue at the Witu Islands’ seamount dive sites
 

About the Authors: Based in Melbourne, Australia, Anita Verde and Peter Marshall have a passion for the planet’s wild places, and through their images and narratives hope to inspire better appreciation and protection of the natural world. When not underwater, you’ll find them on a mountain somewhere. To see more of their work, please visit their website, www.summitstoseasphotography.com.