Kavieng Wrecks Dive Site

Site Overview

Kavieng Wrecks, 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. The USS YP-259 (US Navy patrol boat, 18 m), a scattered Zero fighter (8-12 m), and a Japanese patrol boat (15-20 m), all coral-encrusted with macro life. Geographically the site features wreck and hull and plane formations built from metal and coral and sand substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 8 metres to a maximum depth of about 20 metres, with an average working depth near 12 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 8 to 20 metres, while water temperatures hold between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. The marine life is the headline attraction. Divers routinely encounter Lionfish (Pterois volitans), Batfish (Platax sp.), Nudibranch (Nudibranchia), Moray Eel (Gymnothorax sp.), Clownfish (Amphiprion sp.), Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), 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 Kavieng Wrecks one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Kavieng Wrecks 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.