Kavieng is the ideal base for a PNG diving adventure. Situated
only one degree south of the equator, this is the South Sea!
It is the unique location of the tiny little islands between
the open South Pacific Ocean and the Bismarck Sea that has
created an underwater wonderland.
The change of tides produces some strong currents which
flush clear waters from the deep sea over the abundant reefs
and through tiny passages. It is during those currents that
the pelagic action is happening. Divers should be more experienced
in general and like to dive in currents in order to do and
enjoy those exciting dives.
You should give yourself 5 to 10 days to discover everything
Kavieng has to offer. Whenever we go to Kavieng, we spend
at least 5 days at Lissenung Island resort, which we highly
recommend.
Diving here is year-round, with January to March subject
to sudden rainsqualls and thunderstorms. Typically tropical,
these storms are often replaced by blue skies that arrive
back as quickly as they departed. Best months are usually
May to December. The water is always warm here, averaging
a balmy 28-30° Celsius (82-86°F).
Location
Kavieng, the capital of New Ireland Province, is situated
on a beautiful harbour at the northern tip of the island
of New Ireland. 
This is a sleepy litle town with a surprisingly modern
airport, two supermarkets, a couple of government offices,
two hotels and a regular fresh food market.
Off the northwestern coast of New Ireland is New Hanover.
Between the two islands is a maze of reefs, coral islands,
mangroves and passes - a marine nursery of amazing fertility.
Kavieng
has daily F28 jet services from Port Moresby via Rabaul
or Manus Island. All Live aboard dive cruises time their
schedules around arrival and departure times of the flights.
Diving
A very enjoyable way to experience the underwater world
of Kavieng is on one of the liveaboard vessels that operate
in this area. Most liveaboard dive excursions in this area
are 7 to 11 days in duration. For those who don't like to
spend their entire vacation at sea, a land-based diving
resort is very good alternative, readily available in the
Kavieng region.
Kavieng has a huge variety of marine life. There are fantastic
pristine coral gardens, sponges, many different species
of nudibranchs and tropical fish. There are five different
species of dolphins in the Kavieng region. So contrary to
what many people belive this is a great place for "macro"
diving, to discover the little things that make tropical
reefs so pretty.
Kavieng
Harbour: Has some nice plane and ship wrecks in easy
sport diving depth. You will find lots of pelagic fish while
diving in the currents.
Northern and Northeastern Coasts: Have a gradually
sloping seabed and extensive system of offshore reefs. Diving
in this area is shallow (10 - 40 metres) and not subject
to strong currents.
Southwest Coast: The reefs drop precipitously (down
to 1000 metres plus), forming dramatic drop-offs at the
entrance to passes between the Bismarck Sea and the Pacific
Ocean. Currents can be very strong and good timing is necessary
to catch the start or end of the incoming tide, when all
the fish will be feeding and soft corals are on display.
Those wishing to experience the "big fish action dives"
should be prepared to cope with sometimes difficult conditions.
Some previous experience with currents is a great help.
But if you haven't had the experience, the local dive guides
are probably the best teachers for that kind of diving you
could find.
Particular reefs and dive localities include:
- Albatross Passage: At an incoming tide this narrow
passage is like fish soup. Eagle Rays, Mobula Rays, big
Dogtooth Tunas, Barracudas, plenty of Grey Reef Sharks
and loads of other fish can be seen here on almost every
dive. The wall itself is overgrown with big fan corals,
black corals and sponges and this is the home for small
creatures like Nudibranchs, Leaf Scorpionfish and Pygmy
Seahorse. The top of the reef is at 8 - 10 metres and
the wall drops down to 30 metres. In our opinion, Albatross
is the best dive in the Kavieng area and a must for every
visiting diver.
Echuca
Patch & the Der Yang: Just 2 kilometres from the entrance
to Kavieng Harbour, Echuca Patch is a magnificent and
convenient dive site. The sausage-shaped reef rises from
the white sand bottom at 50 metres to a peak 15 metres
below the surface. The reef slopes off at the sides and
gradually descends along its length to 30 metres at its
northern end where the scuttled wreck of Der Yang lies
perfectly on its side. The water is usually very clear
with at least 40-metre visibility on most occasions. Two
or three Queensland Groupers live in or near the wreck,
and a school of barracuda swirl above it, while trevally,
eagle rays and dogtooth tuna parade around the reef. At
least two dives are necessary to cover this large area
comfortably.
- Kavieng Harbour Wrecks: The harbour of Kavieng
has three plane wrecks from WWII. Whilst there are not
as many wrecks as in the Rabaul area, there are still
some fascinating wrecks to discover in the areas surrounding
Kavieng. The abovementioned Der Yang, Sanko Maru, Kate
Aircraft Wreck, and the B-25 near Albatross Pass are all
great wreck dives not to be missed.
Other Activities
Kavieng and New Ireland have a very slow pace of
life. This is an ideal place to relax and leave the trappings
of the western world behind. Although diving will most likely
be the main focus of your visit here, there are other things
to do:
- Surfing:The change of tides not only produces
fantastic underwater action, it is also responsible for
some truly big waves. Only known to a couple of enthusiast,
December through March produce some incredible surf. Nusa
Island resort caters specifically for surfers at that
time of the year.
- Malagan Culture: New Ireland is home of some
unique carvings which stem from the generation-old Malagan
culture. A visit to some of the traditional villages can
be a very interesting experience.
- Biking: New Ireland does have a very scenic sealed
road that stretches over 280 km from North to South. A
trip along this highway on a bicycle gets you very close
to the people and the nature. Tours can be organised for
small groups.
- Relaxing: The hotels and island resorts are very
good places to read a book or share a story or two with
fellow travellers. Don't expect any sort of night life
or similar.
Resorts
Liveaboard Dive Operators
Independent
