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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: A QUEST FOR DIVERSITY

Fantastic critter hunting in Milne Bay and New Britain with Alex Mustard

Mysterious Papua New Guinea lies south of the equator and some 450 miles north of Australia. This far-off land of lofty volcanoes, snow-covered peaks, magnificent cloud forests, dense rainforests, dry savannas, mangrove swamps, coastal lagoons and palm-fringed beaches attracts the adventurous traveller. Majestic mountains and volcanoes are nature’s legacy from an unusual and violent geological history. The diverse range of habitats on these stunning islands supports over 700 species of birds including the wonderfully colourful and iridescent birds of paradise, whose feathers are still worn by the warriors of the stone-age tribes that inhabit the central highlands. Papua New Guinea stands totally apart from the usual holiday destination. Those divers with a spirit of adventure and a yearning for discovery should look no farther than Papua New Guinea. On this trip you will experience some of Papua New Guinea’s finest diving: first there is a visit to famous Milne Bay, PNG’s ‘critter capital’, staying at the recently built Tawali Resort, next comes a brief stop in Loloata Island, where there will be time to snorkel but not to dive, then it is on to New Britain and a stay at the fabulous Walindi Plantation Resort while diving the well-known reefs of Kimbe Bay.

Situated at the far southeastern tip of mainland Papua New Guinea is the small town of Alotau, the start point for this trip in the magnificent Milne Bay area. Captain John Moresby was the first European to enter Milne Bay thinking, incorrectly, that he had discovered a new route between Australia and China. Milne Bay Province is the largest of Papua New Guinea’s coastal areas and the one least disturbed by man. The population is low, with some islands uninhabited, and consequently commercial exploitation, pollution and population problems, which can ruin dive areas, are unknown here.

The excitement really starts on the journey to Tawali. Having landed at Alotau airport you will take a road transfer to the end of the road, quite literally! When the road peters out your gear will be stowed on a boat and you and your gear will make the last part of the journey by sea! A very warm welcome awaits you when you land at Tawali Resort.

Sandwiched between the Coral Sea and the Solomon Sea, Milne Bay has a huge variety of diving: spectacular wrecks (including some of the world’s finest aircraft wrecks), classic walls of coral (some of which are visited by Mantas), patch reefs, deeper oceanic reefs, muck (or ‘critter’ diving), pass dives with surging waters filled with hungry feeding fish and calm bays hiding tiny creatures. Tidal movements of these two great seas flush clear, deep, ocean water into the plankton rich lagoons, resulting in optimal conditions for marine growth. Deep oceanic water comes close to the land so the many mangroves, which act as nurseries for numerous marine creatures, and rivers do not affect the quality of the diving. Expect 25 metres visibility, or more, on most dives.

After seven nights at Tawali Resort it is time to move on to the next destination. For logistical reasons we have to break the trip in Port Moresby, and we have chosen to take the break between flights at Loloata Island Resort, rather than at a city hotel. At Loloata you can stay in pleasant beach-side accommodation and you can swim and snorkel, should you wish. If you wish to sample Loloata’s diving delights we will be happy to arrange for you to start the trip early with a stay here, then join the rest of the group when they arrive at Port Moresby from Singapore.

After an internal flight from Port Moresby to Hoskins you will take a road transfer through the fascinating landscape of New Britain, eventually arriving at the third stopping point on the tour: Walindi Plantation Resort.

The Bismarck Sea and the Solomon Sea surround New Guinea’s largest satellite island, New Britain. Here you will find that there are thrilling new dive sites with many species of fish and occasional sightings of Killer Whales (orcas) and Sperm Whales! The rich life of the rainforests is mirrored by the vibrant coral ‘jungles’ under the sea. Fringing reefs have formed off the islands, with coral growths also developing on the deep underwater pinnacles of once-active volcanoes. These underwater mountains rise from the bed of the ocean floor at depths of 4,000 metres to peak just below the surface of the water and well within range of the sport diver. Fortunately for us, pollution, over-fishing and deforestation have not yet spoiled these wonderful waters, which are still teeming with life. The vibrant soft corals in every shade of pink, red, purple and gold are home to a medley of small tropical fish. Hard corals in weird and wonderful formations support an incredible and rich diversity of invertebrates ranging from jewel-like anemones to the intelligent and ever-changing octopus. Conservation is held to be of great importance in New Britain and so the reefs and wrecks of this area are in pristine condition, free of diver damage and pollution’s dreadful degradation.

The aim of this trip is to seek out and record as many underwater species as possible, concentrating on finding those rare and little-photographed creatures. Underwater photographer and marine biologist Alex Mustard will lead this trip and, although there will be no formal teaching, Alex will be happy to give advice throughout the trip.

Non-diving partners will enjoy the remote nature of this trip and will be welcome to come along. For bird watchers there is much to see. At Milne Bay you will be welcome to visit the local villages and meet the local people. Special shore excursions can be arranged at Walindi Plantation Resort for non-divers or for those who wish to stay longer at the resort and explore the surrounding area.

Outline Itinerary

Wednesday 5th May: Singapore Airlines evening flight from London (Heathrow) bound for Singapore. (If travelling from Manchester, it is necessary to leave the day before and overnight in Singapore.)

Thursday 6th May: Evening arrival in Singapore. Connect with an Air Niugini evening flight to Port Moresby.

Friday 7th May: Morning arrival in Port Moresby. Air Niugini afternoon flight to Alotau. Transfer by road and boat to Tawali Resort for a 7 nights stay.

Saturday 8th – Thursday 13th May: Six days to explore the reefs of Milne Bay and search for strange species.

Friday 14th May: Transfer to Alotau Airport for an afternoon flight to Port Moresby. Transfer by road and boat to Loloata Island Resort for an overnight stay.

Saturday 15th May: Return to Port Moresby Airport for the afternoon flight to Hoskins on New Britain. Transfer by road to Walindi Plantation Resort for a 9 nights stay.

Sunday 16th May – Sunday 24th May: Seven days to explore the rich reefs of Kimbe Bay and a day without diving at the end, prior to the flights home.

Monday 24th May: Morning transfer to Hoskins airport for an Air Niugini flight to Port Moresby and an onward connection to Singapore, arriving in the evening. Here we connect with an evening Singapore Airlines flight bound for London or Manchester.

Tuesday 25th May: Morning arrival in London (Heathrow) or Manchester.

£3857 Port Moresby/Port Moresby (provisional price, to be confirmed)

Includes:

• Internal flights Port Moresby/Alotau/Port Moresby and Port Moresby/Hoskins/Port Moresby by Air Niugini.

• Airport/resort transfers.

• 7 nights full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) accommodation at Tawali Resort.

• 6 days diving (up top 4 boat or shore dives daily) at Tawali Resort.

• 1 night full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) accommodation at Loloata Island Resort.

• 9 nights full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in a Plantation House Room at Walindi Plantation Resort

• 7 days diving (3 boat dives daily) at Walindi Plantation Resort.

• Services of Alex Mustard as group leader.

All prices below are provisional and to be confirmed.

A reef and chamber fee at Tawali of US$48 is not included and is payable locally.

Room Upgrade: £145 for a Beach Bungalow at Walindi Plantation Resort.

Single Occupancy Supplement: £575. Additional supplement for a Beach Bungalow at Walindi Plantation Resort: £184. Please note that, while we will endeavour to find a room-mate for those on the tour who are single travellers and would prefer to share accommodation, in the event of a room-mate not being available the single occupancy supplement will apply. Room-mates will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Deposit: £1200 (for Port Moresby/Port Moresby arrangements)

For more details of the diving and accommodation, please see our Milne Bay, Loloata Island and New Britain (Walindi) holiday descriptions.

Note: Should two people travelling together apply for the last place on the tour, we may, at our discretion, increase the group size by one.

Flights: From about £1185 to Port Moresby. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class availability, at the time of booking, based on your individual requirements (for example, you may want to extend your holiday, or travel from an airport other than London, or use a different airline). Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge.

HOLIDAY COMBINATIONS, STOP-OVERS AND ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS: Flights between London and Singapore are operated daily so it is quite simple to stop-over in Singapore if you wish. The lovely Marina Mandarin hotel offers comfort, luxury, a chance to do a touch of shopping, explore the orchid gardens of Singapore or simply enjoy some fantastic food. It is also possible to extend your stay in Papua New Guinea. Lissenung Island on the tip of New Ireland is a great spot for a true ‘desert island’ experience with some fine diving, or you may like to travel out early for a stay at Loloata Island Resort and join the group on arrival in Port Moresby. Alternatively, we could arrange for you to stay at a very comfortable but remote lodge in the interior of New Guinea where the tribal people still lead lives not that far removed from their Stone Age forbears. Talk to us about the many possibilities.