Mount Trafalgar (outer reef) Dive Site

Site Overview

Mount Trafalgar (outer reef), within the Tufi (Cape Nelson, Oro Province – Fjords & Reefs) of Papua New Guinea, is one of the region's most rewarding dive sites and a highlight of any Coral Triangle diving itinerary. A steep drop-off with large schools of jacks and tuna, and hammerheads seasonally in the blue. Geographically the site features drop-off and wall and seamount formations built from coral and rock substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 12 metres to a maximum depth of about 45 metres, with an average working depth near 25 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 15 to 32 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), Dogtooth Tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor), Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), 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 Mount Trafalgar (outer reef) one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Mount Trafalgar (outer reef) is best enjoyed as part of a boat programme out of Tufi, 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.