Independent dive travel guide
Scuba Diving in Papua New Guinea
Independent guides to the Coral Triangle's wildest reefs, wrecks and critter-rich bays, and how to plan a dive trip that works.
Explore the dive regionsWhy go
Why dive Papua New Guinea
Scuba diving in Papua New Guinea means diving at the eastern edge of the Coral Triangle, the stretch of ocean between the Philippines, Indonesia, PNG and the Solomon Islands with the richest mix of corals and reef fish on the planet. PNG gives you all of it with very few other divers around: walls and seamounts covered in sea fans, black-sand bays full of strange small animals, and the wrecks of ships and aircraft lost in the Second World War.
It is not an easy-access destination. Flights are long, the domestic network is thin, and most diving happens from a small resort or a liveaboard far from any town. That remoteness is exactly why the reefs are still in such good shape, and why PNG has a loyal following among experienced divers and underwater photographers.
- 5regions in this guide
- 3styles of diving: reef, muck, wreck
- 2ways to dive: resort or liveaboard
- Coral Triangle reefsSome of the most varied hard and soft coral growth in the world, from shallow gardens to deep walls.
- Kimbe Bay seamountsIsolated pinnacles rising from deep water, dressed in sea fans and circled by barracuda and jacks.
- Milne Bay muck divingBlack-sand slopes where frogfish, ghost pipefish and nudibranchs hide in plain sight.
- WWII wrecksJapanese and Allied ships and aircraft around Rabaul and Madang, now living reefs.
- Tufi fjordsRainforest ridges dropping into deep blue inlets, with reefs at their mouths.
Where to dive
Top dive regions in Papua New Guinea
Each region dives differently. Pick by what you most want to see, then check how you will get there.
How to dive it
Liveaboard or land-based?
Both work well in PNG. The right one depends on how much you want to dive, how far you want to go and how you like to spend your evenings.
Liveaboards
- Reach reefs no day boat can
- Three to five dives a day
- Dive, eat and sleep on board
Best for: divers who want the most dives and the most remote sites. Papua New Guinea liveaboards
When to go
When to dive PNG
- WaterAbout 26–30 °C
- VisibilityOften 15–40 m
PNG is diveable all year. The bigger question is wind: the southeast trade winds blow from about May to October and the northwest monsoon brings rain from about December to March. Each region feels these seasons differently, so a calm month in one bay can be a windy one in another.
These are typical ranges, not guarantees. Check with your operator for the month you plan to travel.
Best time to dive Papua New GuineaPlan well
Getting there and planning well
Almost every trip follows the same route, and a few early decisions make the rest easy.
Port MoresbyRegional airportResort or boat
Entry papers
Most visitors need a visa and a passport valid well beyond the trip. Check PNG's immigration rules for your nationality early.
Domestic flights
Connect from Port Moresby to the airport nearest your resort or boat. Leave a spare day: schedules change.
Insurance and health
Carry dive insurance that covers evacuation, and ask a travel doctor about malaria and vaccinations.
Packing
Bring spare O-rings and mask straps, a reef-safe rash guard and Type I plug adapters. Shops are few and far apart.
Is it for you?
Who PNG diving suits
Experienced recreational divers
Reef, wall, wreck and pinnacle dives in one trip, often with nobody else on the site. Many dives start from a small boat in open water, so good buoyancy and comfort with some current matter.
Underwater photographers
Wide-angle reefscapes in the morning and frogfish, pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs in the afternoon. Milne Bay muck diving is the place to start.
Wreck and history fans
The Pacific War left aircraft and ships all along PNG's north coast. Rabaul wreck diving and Madang diving cover the best-known ones.
A note on experience: some sites have strong currents and most are far from medical help. Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) and recent dives are a sensible minimum for a PNG trip; newer divers can still enjoy sheltered sites with a good guide.
Questions
Papua New Guinea diving FAQ
Is Papua New Guinea good for scuba diving?
Yes. PNG sits in the Coral Triangle and has some of the most varied reef life anywhere, very few divers, and a mix of reef, muck and WWII wreck diving. The trade-off is effort: getting there takes time and money.
Do I need to be an advanced diver?
Not for every site, but it helps. Many dives involve open-water descents, depth or current. Advanced Open Water and a good number of logged dives will let you enjoy more of what PNG offers.
Which region should I choose for a first trip?
Kimbe Bay is a strong all-rounder with reefs, seamounts and a well-established resort scene. Choose Milne Bay for macro, Rabaul or Madang for wrecks, and Tufi for scenery and variety.
How long should a PNG dive trip be?
Plan at least ten days door to door. International and domestic connections can easily take two days each way, and you need a day without diving before you fly home.