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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Pacific

Pacific

Papua New Guinea

Quiet reefs with mantas, sharks, wrecks and resident dolphins, alongside strong local culture.

Forested island and clear water in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea
Restorf Island, Kimbe Bay, New Britain, Papua New Guinea · Photo: Kimbe at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 26 Sep 2026. Sources: Building a marine conservation network in Kimbe Bay, CAKE case study (TNC); Safeguarding leatherback turtles in Papua New Guinea, Inside PNG; Fauna (Protection and Control) Act 1966, PacLII.

ScubaSnorkellingWhalesMantasTurtles

Why Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea offers quiet diving, often with local culture close by. Milne Bay mixes manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and rich macro life, and Kimbe Bay has coral reefs, schooling fish and resident dolphins seen from the boat. At Tufi, a fjord coast, outer reefs and wrecks bring hammerheads and mantas. Kavieng and New Ireland suit experienced divers, with current-swept reefs, reef sharks and big schools of fish. The best months vary by place.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

FijiPapua New GuineaIndonesiaTimor-LesteVanuatuCambodiaThailandMyanmarVietnamNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.AustraliaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiKavieng and New Ireland, Papua New GuineaKimbe Bay, Papua New GuineaMilne Bay, Papua New GuineaTufi (Oro Province), Papua New Guinea

When to go

Apr-Nov. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

In Kimbe Bay, communities and the provincial government run a network of locally managed marine areas, and the quiet reefs can be enjoyed without feeding or touching. Reefs still face overfishing and bleaching, and some coastal clans take turtles in traditional ways, which we respect. We work with community-supported sites, watch dolphins only from the boat, and never buy turtle or dugong products.

Checked 26 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Papua New Guinea

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Kavieng and New Ireland

Exploring

Current-swept reefs for experienced divers, with reef sharks, turtles, barracuda and big schools of fish.

🤿 In the water: Reef sharks, Turtles, Barracuda, Trevally and snapper, Coral reefs

When: Year-round. Warm water all year. Timing depends on currents and weather.

Rules and fees: The local tourism office asks visitors not to touch coral, as even a small cut can turn into a serious infection, and to drink bottled water.

Kimbe Bay

Exploring

A quiet bay of coral reefs with turtles, reef sharks and schooling fish, and resident dolphins.

🤿 In the water: Coral reefs, Turtles, Reef sharks, Hammerheads and silvertips (offshore), Barracuda and jacks

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Dolphins (occasional, from the boat)

When: Apr-Nov. April to November is the best diving window. June to August is usually driest.

Milne Bay

Exploring

A quiet mix of scuba and culture, with manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and rich macro life.

🤿 In the water: Manta rays, Reef sharks, Turtles, Pygmy seahorses, Rich coral

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Whale sharks (occasional)

When: May-Oct. May to October brings calmer seas and good visibility.

Tufi (Oro Province)

Exploring

A quiet fjord coast with outer reefs, wrecks, reef sharks, hammerheads, mantas and local culture.

🤿 In the water: Reef sharks, Hammerheads, Manta rays, Turtles, Wrecks

When: Nov-Jun. Outer reefs are best from November to June. From July to September, sheltered fjord diving is used.

Animals

Animals recorded in Papua New Guinea

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Bump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue-spotted ribbontail ray resting on sand, seen from aboveBlue-spotted ribbontail rayTaeniura lymmaSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBanded sea krait with yellow lip rising over dark sandBanded sea krait (yellow-lipped sea krait)Laticauda colubrinaSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPale reef stonefish resting between anemones in KwajaleinReef stonefishSynanceia verrucosaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTitan triggerfish swimming over a reef slope in blue waterTitan triggerfishBalistoides viridescensSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClown triggerfish with big white spots over reef in the Coral SeaClown triggerfishBalistoides conspicillumSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHuge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSilvertip shark swimming in open blue waterSilvertip sharkCarcharhinus albimarginatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasVulnerableOrcas surfacing close together in calm Arctic Norwegian watersOrca (killer whale)Orcinus orcaSeen in 55 countries in the AtlasData DeficientOrange painted frogfish photographed head on against dark water in the PhilippinesFrogfishAntennariidaeSeen in 1 country in the AtlasVaries by speciesTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSchool of bumphead parrotfish swimming over coralBumphead parrotfishBolbometopon muricatumSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhitetip reef sharks resting stacked in a reef creviceWhitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLarge school of chevron barracuda in deep blue waterChevron barracudaSphyraena qenieSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBroadclub cuttlefish hovering with arms raised over reefBroadclub cuttlefishAscarosepion latimanusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasData DeficientHumphead wrasse swimming over a coral reef in Raja AmpatHumphead wrasse (Napoleon wrasse)Cheilinus undulatusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpotted garden eels rising from sand, black spots clearly visibleSpotted garden eelHeteroconger hassiSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEstuary seahorse with textured orange skin on dark sandCommon (estuary) seahorseHippocampus kudaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableTawny nurse sharks swimming in sunlit Maldives waterTawny nurse sharkNebrius ferrugineusSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasVulnerableZebra shark resting on sandy reef floor, spotted body and ridgesZebra sharkStegostoma tigrinumSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasEndangeredFlatback turtle resting on a nesting beachFlatback turtleNatator depressusSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasData DeficientBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSicklefin lemon shark swimming over coral among butterflyfish in French PolynesiaSicklefin lemon sharkNegaprion acutidensSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBull shark swimming in clear blue water off Quintana Roo, MexicoBull sharkCarcharhinus leucasSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue-lipped sea krait with blue and black bands on sandBlue-lipped sea kraitLaticauda laticaudataSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPicasso triggerfish with painted pattern over sand in the MaldivesPicasso triggerfish (lagoon triggerfish)Rhinecanthus aculeatusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDay octopus beside a coral head on a sandy Red Sea reefDay octopusOctopus cyaneaSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFreshwater sawfish (largetooth sawfish) in the Townsville region, Queensland, AustraliaSawfish (largetooth and smalltooth)Pristis pristis and Pristis pectinataSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredWedge-tailed shearwaters resting togetherWedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificaSeen in 46 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMasked booby on Ascension IslandMasked boobySula dactylatraSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlack noddy perched in a shrub on Tern Island, French Frigate ShoalsBlack noddyAnous minutusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant clam on the reef at Michaelmas Cay, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, AustraliaGiant clamTridacna gigasSeen in 12 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a red-footed booby head with blue, pink and red bill and throat skin among green leavesRed-footed boobySula sulaSeen in 91 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant trevally swimming close to a coral head, with small reef fish in blue water behind itGiant trevallyCaranx ignobilisSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMilk sharkRhizoprionodon acutusSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSaltwater crocodile resting on a muddy bank beside mangrove rootsSaltwater crocodileCrocodylus porosusSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat frigatebird in flight, with long angled wings and a forked tailGreat frigatebirdFregata minorSeen in 44 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLesser frigatebird soaring against a blue sky with its wings spread and tail forkedLesser frigatebirdFregata arielSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernShort-tailed shearwater resting on the open seaShort-tailed shearwaterArdenna tenuirostrisSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBulwer's petrel flying low over blue water, its long pointed tail visibleBulwer's petrelBulweria bulweriiSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTahiti petrel in flight over the sea, dark above with a white bellyTahiti petrelPseudobulweria rostrataSeen in 15 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedSpinner shark swimming just under the surface of calm water, seen from aboveSpinner sharkCarcharhinus brevipinnaSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLittle pied cormorant head and neck by the water, with a white face and yellow billLittle pied cormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucosSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLittle black cormorant perched on a rock at the water's edge, speckled grey-green plumage and slender billLittle black cormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostrisSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBrownbanded bamboo shark swimming low over a rubbly reef flatBrownbanded bamboo sharkChiloscyllium punctatumSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasNear Threatened
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