PNG Itinerary [HELP]

[IconJen]

G'day mates! I'm a newbie here and I stumbled across this forum while looking for tips for diving in Papua New Guinea. Before I came here, I spent heaps of time reading about PNG and where best to dive, mostly from Google search results. That's how I got here. I've also read the other threads here relating to the same subject.

Long story short, I have concluded that I would be diving in these two places: Kimbe Bay and Kavieng. Now comes my itinerary.

I asked a fellow UW photography diver about the two and he suggested spending 4 days in Kimbe Bay and maybe 2 days in Kavieng. Here are my options with regards to the domestic itinerary

Flight details:
ETA Port Moresby - April 4, 2020 12:30PM
ETD Port Moresby - April 12, 2020 2PM

Option 1 - go to Kimbe Bay first, then Kavieng
Port Moresby to Hoskins, April 4, 3:05 - 4:10PM
Hoskins to Kavieng via Rabaul, April 9, 1:15 - 5:35PM
Kavieng to Port Moresby via Rabaul, April 12, 5:50 - 8:15AM*

Summary:
4 days diving in Kimbe Bay
2 days diving in Kavieng

Option 2 - go to Kavieng first, then Kimbe Bay
Port Moresby to Kavieng via Rabaul, April 4, 3:05 - 5:35PM
Kavieng to Hoskins via Rabaul, April 9, 5:50AM - 1:25PM
Hoskins to Port Moresby, April 12, 7:00 - 8:05AM*

Summary:
2 days diving in Kavieng
4 days diving in Kimbe Bay

* in case of flight delay/cancellation, next flight arrives at 12:30PM in Port Moresby

Option 3 - go to Kimbe Bay first, then Kavieng, go back to Port Moresby 1 day before flight
This option basically adds a one-day buffer before my flight out of Port Moresby, and reduces dive days in Kimbe Bay to 3 days. Flight from Kavieng to Port Moresby will arrive 8AM, which still gives me the option to do a double dive in Port Moresby. Flight next day is at 2PM, so plenty of surface time.

Summary:
3 days diving in Kimbe Bay
2 days diving in Kavieng
1 day optional diving in Port Moresby

Option 4 - go to Kimbe Bay, forget Kavieng, and dive in Port Moresby for 2 days

Summary:
5 days diving in Kimbe Bay
2 days diving in Port Moresby

I have two main concerns here:

1. If you notice, there's almost always less than 18hrs surface time between my last dive and the next flight.
2. I have read from here about the horrible flight delays / cancellations but mostly FROM Port Moresby. Going TO Port Moresby from the other airports so far isn't a problem.

I'm sort of leaning towards option 3. However, among the options, that would be the MOST expensive but at the same time, that will give me the most diving AND still have buffer before my flight out.

If you were to pick, which option would you choose? Please help me decide and I promise I will give you guys a detailed trip report after.

 

[Fibonacci]

I've dived Walindi for a week in 2014, then on board Febrina for 10 days from Walindi to Rabaul in June 2018.

Love PNG diving, but as you are finding out the local flight arrangements are infrequent and VERY expensive!
Trying to rush anywhere in PNG will only lead to frustration... relax and enjoy what will be spectacular diving in a truly remote region dotted with volcano silhouettes!

To be honest I think if you want to dive Walindi AND Kavieng/Lissenung I would add a week to your schedule.
The flight logistics, surface interval issues and expense of getting to Kavieng (and then further travel to Lissenung Island Resort) for only two days diving just wouldn't be worth it IMO... I considered the same option as part of my PNG trip.
Same really for Port Moresby... security issues aside, I'm not sure the diving would be as good as New Britain or New Ireland.

Either that or drop Kavieng entirely and do it it a separate trip... which is what I ended up doing.

 

[IconJen]

I've dived Walindi for a week in 2014, then on board Febrina for 10 days from Walindi to Rabaul in June 2018.

Love PNG diving, but as you are finding out the local flight arrangements are infrequent and VERY expensive!
Trying to rush anywhere in PNG will only lead to frustration... relax and enjoy what will be spectacular diving in a truly remote region dotted with volcano silhouettes!

To be honest I think if you want to dive Walindi AND Kavieng/Lissenung I would add a week to your schedule.
The flight logistics, surface interval issues and expense of getting to Kavieng (and then further travel to Lissenung Island Resort) for only two days diving just wouldn't be worth it IMO... I considered the same option as part of my PNG trip.
Same really for Port Moresby... security issues aside, I'm not sure the diving would be as good as New Britain or New Ireland.

Either that or drop Kavieng entirely and do it it a separate trip... which is what I ended up doing.

View attachment 551955

Thank you! I guess it's settled then. I'll just make the most of my trip by spending it all in Kimbe Bay. I'm sure it won't disappoint and 7 days diving in there would be totally worth it.

Last question: do you reckon it's safe for me to fly out of Hoskins to PM on Sunday (the same day of my flight out of PM) early morning? Or it's best that I add one day buffer and arrive in PM one day early before I fly out?

Cheers

 

[Fibonacci]

You definitely won't be disappointed diving Kimbe/Walindi!
Walindi FeBrina - Kimbe Bay
Pristine corals, HUGE gorgonian fans, stacks of marine life... and NO plastic!
One highlight is the Zero fighter plane... and the side trip to a crashed WWII B-25 Mitchell bomber and hot springs swim is also well worth it on your 'out-gassing' day before your flight.

Regarding flights from HKN to an international connection at POM I would catch the early direct flight PX 241 at 7am arriving POM 8.05am, later flights all go via Rabaul or Lae.

Each stop increases the chances of an unexpected delay... like what happened to me POM to HKN.
Flight closed, engines spinning up when the pilot refused to fly a passenger who had been reported with active TB (by the doctor sitting next to him) and was coughing up blood into a handkerchief. Quite rightly, the pilot didn't want to endanger the entire plane load of passengers.
A 1:15 min delay to get him and family offloaded, baggage found and removed from cargo bay, flight manifest re-issued

 

[IconJen]

That's a pain! Surely I don't want to experience that. Yeah, I think I'll catch that 7AM HKN to POM flight on the same day I'm flying out of POM.

Thanks for the quick answers mate. I think I now have a solid itinerary.

Cheers

 

[IconJen]

Oh, one more thing. Should I book my POM-HKN/HKN-POM flights now or should I wait for Walindi to get back to me regarding room reservations? I reached out to them two days ago and still no reply. Meanwhile, I'm seeing on the website of AirNiugini that there's only 9 seats left.

 

[Fibonacci]

Hmm... difficult call.
Normally Walindi is very good with answering emails.

I had intended to arrive the day early at Walindi for my Febrina LOB, but they had not one spare room available for days either side as they were fully booked out with a Women Divers Hall of Fame group tour or a couple of bird watchers!

In the end I had to arrive two days early and stay at the Liamo Reef Resort nearby, spent one day up river fishing for PNG Black Bass and the next day doing two dives from Walindi... then boarded Febrina straight after the last dive.
https://www.baiafishingpng.com/liamoreefresort

 

[IconJen]

Hmmm thanks. Yeah I reckon if I go there off-season there's slim chances that they're fully booked. But I'm going April and that's a long holiday to boot. Gaaaahhhh