Papua New Guinea or Maybe Something Else?

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Thomas Fair

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Location
Clemson, SC
# of dives
200 - 499
Hello everyone good to be back here, its been about 6 months or so since I asked about diving in Indonesia, and nothing has really changed unfortunately. I mentioned in my past post that if by January travel restrictions remained our group would need to find a different place to dive internationally in June. Well here we are, Indonesia can no longer be our preferred destination. My question to this forum is to inform me on Papua New Guinea as a diving location. Also, if you prefer, give me some other ideas or alternate solutions to our problem. The solution can't be "Well wait until next year or the year after that" mainly because this particular time in our lives allows us to make this trip possible and any time after this summer will be a lot more difficult to organize.

Breakdown of the trip
4 people, all experienced, advanced divers from the US
2 week trip somewhere international and tropical, preferably outside of the Caribbean
During the month of June
 
I don't think PNG is any more open than Indonesia? Perhaps Maldives? Fiji?

I would not count on no travel restrictions anywhere.
 
PNG was a pretty...intense ... place before the Pandemic onset. I loved my brief time there, but not sure I would call it "international and tropical."

Fiji is one easy flight from the US and (I think) back online so to speak. IT certainly has a more "international and topical" vibe compared to Port Moseby.
 
My question to this forum is to inform me on Papua New Guinea as a diving location.
I have not been. Like you, I'm interesting in heading to that region (Raja Ampat, not PNG, but as you can see on a map they are very close). Thanks to other posters on ScubaBoard, there's a lot of content to be had by searching, and I've been doing some of that. Let me share some of what I've compiled from the accounts from others. These notes are amongst a mix of what I've gathered from varied locations in the region, and haven't been consolidated, so don't expect polish. Hopefully I didn't manage to screw things up.


Papua New Guinea – The eastern half of New Guinea (the western half is called West Papua (or Western New Guinea) – composed of the Indonesian provinces of Papua & West Papua), and not part of Indonesia. Later I’ll note Scuba Board member comments with links, but in summary, big region, largely unspoiled, excellent coral reef diving, WW II wreck diving, some large animals, remote with less dive tourism (or non-resident human life) than R.A. or Komodo, civilized amenities may be limited in places and overall trip costs are expensive. Parts (e.g.: the capital, Port Moresby) have crime issues; from reading I infer it shouldn’t scare you off…but read up on it (Is It Safe To Go To PNG?). Tuberculosis has been problematic, and it’s a malaria risk region so anti-malarial med. prophylaxis may be advised.

If PNG diving is so great, and offers WW II wrecks and a topside so exotically intriguing…why do Raja Ampat and Komodo get so much more buzz? I’ll draw from and cite info. later, but aside from expense, crime fears and difficulty getting there, GypsyJim (Post #12) noted the land-based resort trip in Tufi (which had air-conditioning, continuous electricity, plenty of hot water and a bathroom and mini-fridge in rooms) was not a trip for the Ramada Inn or Cozumel all-inclusive resort crowd, but great for adventurous souls who can roll with unexpected delays or sudden plan changes and like travel adventures a bit less prepackaged or one-size-fits-all canned plan diving. Wingy (Posts # 8 & 11) noted R.A.’s economy is tourism-dependent (and they cater to international dive tourism) but PNGs is oil-dependent; PNG lacks touristy areas, whereas in Raja you’re more likely to get ‘pampering and deal-breakers’ (e.g.: air-conditioning) and a large choice of live-aboards and land-based op.s.

My list --- **Top-10 Dive Locations in the world** --- your thoughts? Post #15 FindingMenno – Tufi area, PNG the best diving he’s experienced, but he opined Raja Ampat and Komodo probably offer one of the best balances of diving available and ease and cost of access.

Trip Report Tufi PNG Feb-Mar 2019. Post #11 by Wingy, who said Raja Ampat and PNG are a PITA to get to.

PNG Trip Report: MV FeBrina June 2018.

Googling turned up The Complete Guide to Diving Papua New Guinea at Indopacific Images Underwater Images, so I might have to check that out. Also found an old Winter 2012 Alert Diver article - Sketches of Papua New Guinea by Michele Westmoreland. And here's the 2019 Winter Q1 article The Far Reaches: Papua New Guinea by Alison Sallmon.

Cont.'d...
 
Papua New Guinea.

The eastern half of New Guinea (western half is Indonesian provinces of Papua & West Papua), area 178,700 square miles, a sovereign state with over 8 million people, very culturally diverse and rural, with hundreds of indigenous ethnic groups, 851 known languages and a number of ‘uncontacted’ peoples. A large portion are illiterate. Most people live in strong traditional social groups based on farming. It has several active volcanos and is subject to earthquakes, hosts a range of ecoregions (including dense rainforest), and varied altitudes – high parts can get snow. Per Wikipedia, English is the language of government and the education system but isn’t widely spoken (Clownfishsydney (Post #7) said it’ll be spoken by people one’s likely to meet in an airport, hotel or restaurant). Christianity predominates; there’s a constitutional right to free speech, thought and belief. Regarding the island’s split between Papau New Guinea vs. Papua & West Papau, Wingy (Post #11) wrote “Yes, it's one big landmass split roughly in half but sociopolitically it may as well be Mars and Venus apart. I spent a few hours going to Parliament in PNG which I've never even done in my own country but it was the most amazing experience seeing all the tribes’ representatives sporting everything from three-piece suits to pigs’ tusks pierced noses and painted faces depending on the area - in Jakarta parliament hosts global summits. I suspect there are no areas to rest your spears, clubs and feather cloaks at the entrance and the building is not shaped like a beehive. I'd recommend anyone going to parliament in PNG....”

PNG is famous for great diving but I don’t see many extensive trip reports on Scuba Board. I’m pulling comments by members out of various threads to concentrate content in one place (here), with links so you can explore the original threads.

ClownfishSydney (Post #28) indicated it’s good for both reef and (in various places) wreck lovers. FindingMenno (Post #15) who’s worked in Komodo before (and dove Komodo and Bali, but not Raja Ampat as of 4-4-18), wrote Komodo and Raja Ampat probably offer one of the best balances of quality diving with ease and cost of access, but that Papua, New Guinea diving was the best he’d experienced, and some of the remote Louisiades were “…just amazing, blew me away” – plus PNG has a big collection of WW II wrecks, stunning reefs and marine life (Note: Post #12 in another thread, he mentioned he was on an expedition-type vessel and dove some of the more remote parts). In Papua New Guinea vs. Indonesia, Wingy (Post #2) opined PNG tops Raja Ampat, Komodo, Alor and Anilao, with a wild undeveloped factor so you rarely see other divers and it’s culturally fascinating. FindingMenno (Post #12) said topside culture was great and one of the last frontiers. SpeckledGrouper (Post #5) deemed Milne Bay better than Raja Ampat. Fibonacci (Post #7) preferred PNG to Komodo. WetPup (Post #14) preferred PNG and noted it less crowded than anywhere in Indonesia and far more laid back, but (Post #35) not a budget dive destination – the country in general is quite expensive, and (Post #38) isn’t part of the Indonesian throughflow current that brings big animals (though you may see sharks and mantas) – so it’s not like R.A. or Komodo. Silent Running (Post #43) said it’s got it all – high diversity and big animals (contray to WetPup, S.R. said while Komodo, Alor and Ambon Indonesia are a close second, ‘not as much of the big stuff’), WW II wrecks and…outrageous airfare considering domestic flights; on a trip he saw no dive boats, electric lights or overhead planes for 4 weeks. WetPup (Post #57) said PNG is mostly about reefs and wrecks; it has big stuff but that’s not why you dive there (Wingy (Post #17) rated PNG higher than R.A. for biodiversity, macro and even big things).

PNG is large enough, and resorts spread out enough, you should research which part to focus on based on what you want to see. WetPup (Post #2) noted Milne Bay (Tawali Resort) was best for macro, and Walindi or Tufi good for larger things.

A member complimented Diversion Dive Travel and linked their Papua New Guinea page, which has a link to info. on the country. Being a ‘frontier’ isn’t all positive; Wingy (Post #11) posted a link to Port Moresby for Beginners, which includes a Port Moresby Survival Guide. Port Moresby is the capital, and has extreme wealth disparity.

The Complete Guide to Diving Papua New Guinea at Indopacific Images Underwater Images

2019 Winter Q1 Alert Diver article The Far Reaches: Papua New Guinea by Alison Sallmon.

An old Winter 2012 Alert Diver article - Sketches of Papua New Guinea by Michele Westmoreland.

Trip Report Tufi PNG Feb-Mar 2019. By dbnewton.

Papua New Guinea – Diving the Witu Islands. Dec. 2019 nearly 2-week trip by donsilcock. He linked his nice write-upwith beautiful photos and discussion of the region.

Diving the Conflict Islands – Papua New Guinea – A Report from August, 2019 by PDT (Pelagic Dive Travel – Terry), who linked to his extended report at Medium.com.

PNG Trip Report: MV Febrina June 2018 – by Fibonacci. Detailed travel details from Australia. He discussed TB, malaria and crime issues. Very nice report!
 
PNG is a different country from Indonesia.
Have been there many yrs ago and fascinated by it.
It was a very poor country but the cost of living was the highest in the whole SE Asia. Food was lousy, public transport(local or regional) was poor, infra-structure eg. there was no road out of Port Moresby(Capital) to other parts of the main island(have to fly 4 times domestically). Barbed wire in every household's high wall. I did not go out in the evening(advice from the hostel's staff), crime was supposed to be high. Malaria was rampage.
Mt Hagan was definitely having the most intermediating atmosphere, the issue was "rascal". Tribal problem in the whole country.
Did two days of boat diving in Madang and they were very good.
LoB is supposed to be excellent.
Glad I had visited the country briefly but the cost is the stumbling block for the return. The direct flight has been cancelled.
I do not think there is much change politically or anything in the country.

Two wks in SE Asia in June?
Only Maldives is opened with more or less no restriction at the moment.
Phuket(Thailand) requires to spend the first 7 days(daily dive is fine) on the island at the moment but June is too late for the LoB to Similan.
Indonesia might relax on the 10 days quarantine required by then. But who knows.
 
PNG is a different country from Indonesia.
Have been there many yrs ago and fascinated by it.
It was a very poor country but the cost of living was the highest in the whole SE Asia. Food was lousy, public transport(local or regional) was poor, infra-structure eg. there was no road out of Port Moresby(Capital) to other parts of the main island(have to fly 4 times domestically). Barbed wire in every household's high wall. I did not go out in the evening(advice from the hostel's staff), crime was supposed to be high. Malaria was rampage.
Mt Hagan was definitely having the most intermediating atmosphere, the issue was "rascal". Tribal problem in the whole country.
Did two days of boat diving in Madang and they were very good.
LoB is supposed to be excellent.
Glad I had visited the country briefly but the cost is the stumbling block for the return. The direct flight has been cancelled.
I do not think there is much change politically or anything in the country.

Two wks in SE Asia in June?
Only Maldives is opened with more or less no restriction at the moment.
Phuket(Thailand) requires to spend the first 7 days(daily dive is fine) on the island at the moment but June is too late for the LoB to Similan.
Indonesia might relax on the 10 days quarantine required by then. But who knows.
Indonesia requires 7 nights quarantine at the moment. But the risks to be tested (false or correct) positive during your quarantine should not be ignored..
 
Breakdown of the trip
4 people, all experienced, advanced divers from the US
2 week trip somewhere international and tropical, preferably outside of the Caribbean
During the month of June
Palau is 500 miles East of Philippines and 500 miles North of Raja Ampat with limestone (mushroom-like) islands like Raja Ampat. It’s open for diving. I just spent 2 weeks there last month on Palau Aggressor & Rock Islands Aggressor. I highly recommend them.

Another good destination is Maldives. I spent 2 weeks there last March on Carpe Vita & Emperor Leo. I highly recommend them also.

Red Sea is also not bad.

Since you are from US, consider also Socorro, Cocos and Malpelo too.

I hope Indonesia will be open soon. I rescheduled my February 2022 trip to Raja Ampat to February 2024 and August 2021 trip to Sangalaki to August 2022. I also have a trip to Ring of Fire in November 2022 and a trip to Forgotten islands in April 2023 booked.

You can read some of my trip reports on those places (Palau, Maldives, Red Sea, Socorro, Cocos, Raja Ampat, Ring of Fire, and Malpelo) for more details. Just search for my trip reports in Scubaboard.
 
Check the weather pattern in Palau for June.
Friend joined a LoB in late June several yrs ago but the boat could not go out because of typhoon. It is NOT common but possible.

Historic wrecks in Scapa Flow.
There is a recent LoB trip report on Red Sea. Check it out.
 
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Check the weather pattern in Palau for June.
Friend joined a LoB in late June several yrs ago but the boat could not go out because of typhoon. It is NOT common but possible.

Historic wrecks in Scapa Flow.
There is a recent LoB trip report on Red Sea. Check it out.
Yeah....tropical Scapa Flow..
 
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