Diving at PNG - Any recommendations?

[sillago]

Hi All
I'm thinking of organising a dive trip to PNG later this year and was wondering if anyone has any comments (good/bad) about any of the resorts/liveaboards that you might have been to.
Also if you have recommendations as to who/where might provide me with a good dive experience, I'd really appreciate it as well
Thanks

 

[Scuba Jim]

Hi Silago

I have been to PNG 7 times.

Look at my web site for info on the dive sites, live-aboards and resorts there and see what you like the look of. I can then answer any questions you might have!

regards
Jim

Link: www.scuba-safaris.com

 

[Jonathan]

No wonder you know all the answers Jim! Great web site and I'll be in touch for my Christmas/New Year trip.......

Jonathan

 

[sillago]

Thanks Jim
I'll take a look at the site. Did you stay on a liveaboard or an island stay.
I am actually considering the island stay which includes about 14 boat dives and UNLIMITED shore dives...the question of course is are the shore dives any good?
I think the place that was offering this was called Jais Aben in Madang

 

[Scuba Jim]

Hi Silago

I have been on various live-aboards and to various hotels!

I have been to Jais Aben. It is a nice setting but the resort needs a little work on it. And the diving around Madang is good by world standards but not by PNG standards. Also, it's all very well them offering you unlimited shore diving from the resort, but there isn't any diving off the beach that is worth considering so that's a waste of time!

I would consider Loloata - the diving there is fabulous, and saves you the hassle of flyiing off somewhere else in PNG. It's a 20 minute bus ride from the airport to their dock and 15 minutes by boat.

There are some world class dive sites around Loloata - and I use that much used phrase with abandon! Suzie's Bommie, The Pinnacles and End Bommie are awesome. End Bommie is THE place to see rhinopias, and Suzie's Bommie is stuffed with lionfish, stonefish, giant Maori wrasse, schools of snapper, sweetlips, jacks sweetlips and the like. I have seen a sea snake there, pygmy seahorses, all sorts of stuff. The Pinnacles is one of the most exquisite reef formations I have ever seen.

The resort is in a greats etting and while the food is not much to write home about (there's plenty of it!) the rest of it is great.

Hope this assists.

regards
Jim

PS Thanks for the kind words, Jonathan!

 

[sillago]

Thanks Jim
It certainly is helping me towards the right direction...I don't suppose you or anyone you knwo has ever been to Lissenung Island.
That was the other option that I was considering...they also have unlimited shore dives but I don't know if those are any better.
I hear descriptions from travel guides but I'd rather hear from someone who has actually dived there, what they think of the shore dives at Lissenung.

Sillago

 

[Scuba Jim]

Hi Sillago

Yes I've been to Lissenung.

It is a beautiful setting but the accommodation is rustic - the bathrooms are in a separate block, so if you need to go for a pee in the middle of the night you have to traipse across the island to get there (it's not that far, really!) Or piss over the balcony!

If you arw travelling alone it has almost no single supplement, so makes it good value. The shore diving is much better round Lissenung - small fringing reef dropping to perhaps 50ft and a sandy bottom. Pretty corals, fish, critters etc.

Much better than Jais Aben.

Regards
Jim

 

[sillago]

Thanks for all the info Jim...I really appreciate it...now I just have to figure out which I want..a dive trip or a new digital camera setup....decisions decisions!!