Albatross Passage Dive Site

Site Overview

Albatross Passage, within the Kavieng & New Ireland – Pelagic & Walls of Papua New Guinea, is one of the region's most rewarding dive sites and a highlight of any Coral Triangle diving itinerary. A strong-current channel drift with huge schools of barracuda, jacks, trevally, reef sharks, and eagle rays along beautiful soft-coral walls. Geographically the site features passage and wall and drop-off formations built from coral and rock substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 10 metres to a maximum depth of about 35 metres, with an average working depth near 20 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 15 to 35 metres, while water temperatures hold between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. The marine life is the headline attraction. Divers routinely encounter Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus), Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis), Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari), Anthias (Pseudanthias sp.), alongside dense reef fish, invertebrates, and the soft and hard corals that blanket the reef. The mix of nutrient-rich currents and Papua New Guinea's remote, well-protected reefs makes Albatross Passage one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Albatross Passage is best enjoyed as part of a boat programme out of Kavieng, and it rewards wide-angle photographers, naturalists, and experienced drift divers alike. Papua New Guinea's strong community-based conservation ethos and remoteness help keep the reef pristine, so divers are asked to maintain exemplary buoyancy and respect the fragile marine environment at all times.