Papua New Guinea Diving

Dive Kavieng and New Ireland

Niugini Diving Adventures offers full dive services through contractors based at the Malagan Beach resort. The dive shop operate daily excursions within the harbour and to nearby islands aboard our own dive boats, or if required can undertake diving throughout the New Ireland Province with advance notice. A list of dive sites is published and as more sites are discovered they will be added to the list on this website.

Kavieng Dive Sites

Albatross Passage

Minutes from Kavieng on the West Coast is a narrow passage between two islands. A ridge runs across the mouth of the passage at 30 feet. Diving from the top of the ridge down to a sandy plateau at 80-130 feet where numerous pelagic congregate in the channel, with a large number of grey reef sharks cruising along the mouth. On top of this is a magnificent wall of soft coral. Average visibility 100 feet.

Echuca Patch

Five minutes from the Malagan Lodge, this is a large coral ridge rising to within 50 feet from the surface and sloping down to 130 feet with a sandy bottom covered with Gorgonia Fans. A large fishing vessel, the "Dey Yang" rests on her starboard side on top of the ridge. The wreck is home to a large number of fish, including Barracuda. Trevally, Dogtooth Tuna, Mackerel and resident gropers.

Around the wreck are a number of delicate soft corals. Our most famous visitor to this site was a 25 foot whale shark. Average visibility 100 feet.

T’s Reef

Only 5 minutes from Echuca Patch is a reef that forms a perfect "T" shape. The shallowest part is 70 feet and drops away to 120 feet, have made this an ideal place for masses of large Gorgonia Fans. A resident school of Batfish always follows divers during their dive. Excellent visibility.

Silvertip Reef (Valerie’s Reef)

Named after the world famous Valarie Taylor this reef is world famous for its close encounters with the magnificent silvertip sharks. About an hour away from Malagan Lodge by boat on a coral mound starting at 30 feet this reef is probably the closest a diver will come to seeing so many silvertip sharks in one lifetime. Average visibility 100 feet.

Nemo's Reef

A series of coral ridges linked by sandy gutters through which a gentle current runs. Each gutter is filled with soft corals and reef fish with beautiful displays of stylasta coral.

Pinnacle Reefs

Byron Strait

Two pinnacles form the passage which is home to some very large pelagic species. The deeper pinnacle is covered in soft corals such as sea whips, gorgonias and magnificent black coral trees. A large number of eagle rays are often seen playing on the reef walls of the passage. With the movement of the tides makes for some magnificent wildlife displays. Average visibility 80-150 feet.

Eagle Passage (Planet Channel)

Two pinnacles form the passage, which is home to some very large pelagic species. The shallower pinnacle is covered in soft corals with schools of reef fish in their thousands. A large number of eagle rays are often seen playing on the reef walls of the passage.

Kaplaman

Approximately 20 minutes from Malagan Lodge is a series of reef pinnacles rising from deep water. These pinnacles are home to several Eagle Rays large schools of Mackerel Trevally, Barracuda, Rainbow Runners and Oceanic Trigger Fish. Several large Silvertip sharks are often seen here.

A small ridge runs out from the main reef with beautiful displays of sea whips and soft corals. Average visibility I00 feet.

Nautilus Reef

This coral ridge combines magnificent reef diving with exciting pelagic action. Starting at 30 feet with a maximum 50 feet. Within seconds of entering the water massive schools of Trevally and Barracuda, Sugeonfish and Fusiliers will surround the diver. Schools of Rainbow Runners, a 350 kg Queensland Groper likes to edge along the drop-off surrounded by attendant Unicornfish, the Giant Groper are the largest of the Indo-Pacific reef fish and are considered rare on a global scale. A large number of Silvertip and Blacktip Sharks cruise the wall of this coral ridge.

Delicate soft corals in pristine condition litter the ridge. Also home to beautiful displays of pink stylasta coral. Average visibility I00 feet.

Aeroplane Dives

PBY A24-11 American Catalina

After refueling this aircraft exploded on take off and is now scattered over 600 square feet on a sandy bottom in 60 feet of water. There were no survivors. Still being found on it are handguns, ammunition and the main guns of the plane. Average visibility 100 feet

Japanese 'Jake' Sea Plane

Lying in 35 feet of water is a very well preserved aircraft that crashed during World War 2. It rests right side up in excellent condition against a coral reef an easy and shallow dive also ideal for snorkeling. Average visibility 40 feet.

Japanese Mitsubishi Bi-Plane

This excellent example of a bi-plane seaplane lies in 60 feet of water in perfect condition upside down. Home to various species of shrimps and other small marine creatures. Average visibility 80 feet.

Silvertip Reef (New Hanover)

The dive is made on a small bank lying off the Tsoi islands off New Hanover, also called East Islands, exactly a mile north-east of the smallest island of Tsoi Boto. The bank lies 12 metres below the surface and rises from a sandy bottom at 45 metres. The top is covered with hard coral but the special feature of this dive is a group of silver-tipped sharks; these patrol the area and come very close to divers. Although not far from the coast, Silver Tip is in the open sea and dives can only be made when the sea is calm.