Otto's Reef Dive Site

Site Overview

Otto's Reef, within the Kimbe Bay (New Britain – Coral Hotspot) of Papua New Guinea, is one of the region's most rewarding dive sites and a highlight of any Coral Triangle diving itinerary. A macro paradise of frogfish, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, and whip coral shrimp, a highlight for critter hunters. Geographically the site features reef and slope and bommie formations built from coral and rubble and sand substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 5 metres to a maximum depth of about 28 metres, with an average working depth near 15 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 10 to 25 metres, while water temperatures hold between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. The marine life is the headline attraction. Divers routinely encounter Frogfish (Antennarius sp.), Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus sp.), Nudibranch (Nudibranchia), Whip Coral Shrimp (Pontonides sp.), Clownfish (Amphiprion sp.), Moray Eel (Gymnothorax 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 Otto's Reef one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Otto's Reef is best enjoyed as part of a boat programme out of Kimbe, 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.