Scuba Diving in Kimbe Bay (New Britain – Coral Hotspot)

About Kimbe Bay (New Britain – Coral Hotspot)

Kimbe Bay, on the north coast of New Britain, is one of the most pristine coral ecosystems on the planet, a vast sheltered bay holding more than half of the coral species found in the entire Indo-Pacific. The bay is dotted with submerged pinnacles and seamounts such as Inglis Shoal and Bradford Shoal, where massive schools of bigeye trevally, barracuda, dogtooth tuna, and silvertip sharks gather in the blue. Closer in, the coral-encrusted walls of Kimbe Island and the bommies of Joelle's Reef, Vanessa's, Susan's, and Kathryn's are a riot of anthias, butterflyfish, and clownfish, while Otto's Reef is a macro paradise of frogfish and ghost pipefish. Restorf Island and The Cathedral add volcanic and cavern variety. Based around the renowned Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay is a complete destination for both pelagic thrill-seekers and coral lovers.

Highlights

• ✓Inglis Shoal: a submerged pinnacle with massive schools of bigeye trevally, barracuda, and dogtooth tuna.
• ✓Bradford Shoal: another seamount with similar pelagic action and huge gorgonian fans.
• ✓Joelle's Reef (Joelle's Bommie): a coral-covered bommie dense with anthias, butterflyfish, and clownfish cities.
• ✓Otto's Reef: a macro paradise of frogfish, ghost pipefish, and whip coral shrimp.
• ✓The Cathedral: an underwater cavern swim-through with glassfish, batfish, and moray eels.

Getting There

Kimbe Bay is reached by domestic flight from Port Moresby to Hoskins Airport, followed by a short road transfer to the Walindi Plantation Resort and other bases. Dive boats depart daily for the pinnacles, shoals, and bommies, with runs of 20 minutes to over an hour depending on the site. The outer reefs and Fathers Reefs are best explored on the MV FeBrina liveaboard, which also links Kimbe with Witu and New Ireland.