Enchanting Walindi Plantation Resort is situated along the western shores of Kimbe Bay on the northern coast of West New Britain – a lush island in Papua New Guinea’s western province. The chain of dormant volcanoes that form the scenic boundaries of Kimbe Bay encompass hundreds of submerged reefs and more than a dozen islands.

The plantation that surrounds Walindi was originally established in 1935. The old plantation was purchased by the current owners, Max and Cecily Benjamin, in 1969. In 1983 Walindi Plantation Resort was born out of the interest of visiting local and international scuba divers who recognised the incredible quality of diving that this area offers. Since this time Walindi has become world famous for its diving and hospitality.

The resort’s guest book reads like a guide to who’s who in the world of sport diving and underwater photography and the walls in the restaurant are covered with Walindi photos that have appeared on the covers of dive magazines around the world.

Walindi is one of the few resorts that have access to the class of diving typically available only on board live-aboards. The resort’s fast, aluminium dive boats can easily access dozens of stunning coral gardens and action-packed seamounts, where batfish, barracudas, and manta rays come to play. Even more intriguing is the ever present possibility of encounters with sperm, pilot, minke and humpback whales, along with other mammals known to frequent tropical waters.

Unquestionably, the most dramatic rendezvous are with the orcas who have been appearing in Kimbe Bay several times a year for more than a decade. Resident pods of spinner and bottlenose dolphins are a more dependable source of enjoyment. Specially designed ‘boom nets’ allow snorkellers to ride alongside the dolphins in comfort as the boat slices through the water.

The Diving

Underwater, Kimbe Bay sports an incredibly diverse marine habitat. World famous dives with names like “Emma”, “South Bay”, “Inglis Shoals”, “North Emma”, “Christine’s”, “Susanne’s”, and “Restorf Island” are only a few of the more than 200 reefs and dive sites sprinkled throughout Kimbe Bay. All are pristine and undamaged and protected by a rigid policy of “look but don’t touch”.

70% of all coral species in the Indo/Pacific region are found in Walindi waters. Scientists studying the region have identified more than 900 species of fish and 400 species of corals. No other dive area in the world can boast such diversity.

Walindi management are committed to supporting this unique ecology, both below and above water. To this end, the resort is supporting the establishment of a “Nature & Marine Research Centre” within the resort grounds by the European Union, which will continue to monitor and research all aspects of the ecology of Kimbe Bay and West New Britain.

As Walindi is not a large dive resort, divers receive undivided attention on all dive trips. Dive sites range from volcanic caves enveloped by staghorn coral, to dramatic reef drop-offs, gorgonian fans, pelagics and turtles.

“Walindi Diving” have three dive boats operating from the resort daily. The newest vessel is “Cheyne”. At 33 feet in length, she is an aluminium, purpose built dive boat fitted with GPS and fresh water tanks. “Emma” and “Charmaine” are a little smaller, of a similar design. The boats take 8-12 divers each to the many beautiful Walindi Reefs in Kimbe Bay.  Most of the reefs are a photographers paradise. All have an incredible array of marine life, from the smallest to the largest creatures and corals. “Inglis Shoal” and “Kimbe Island Bommie” are sea mounts, and attract the larger fish and sharks, as does “North Emma Reef”.

The Dive Locations

Walindi Diving has approximately 25 dive sites which are visited regularly from the shore-based dive boats. The nearest dive site is a short 5 minute boat ride and the farthest is only 75 minutes from the jetty.

Generally divers will head out for two dives, leaving at 9am and returning 4pm, with lunch provided on one of the deserted islands nearby. On request, three dives per day may be organised, subject to boat availability, and night dives can also be arranged.

Three of the best:

South Emma Reef

If any dive site in Kimbe Bay can be said to have it all, it would have to be South Emma. The top of the bommie is around 12m and has a profuse cover of hard corals, soft corals and sponges. The reef top is alive with small fish, including many species of butterflyfish. Some of the other interesting species are Fire Dartfish, Elegant Firefish, Two-tone Dartfish, Twinspot Goby, Scribbled Leatherjacket, Tiger Blenny, Longnose Hawkfish and Clown Anemonefish.

Schools of Barracuda are seen over the top of South Emma bommie on most dives, as are Batfish and various trevallies. Gray Whalers commonly patrol the southern side of the reef.

There is a swim through at about 33m and hanging from the cave walls are many soft corals, including gorgonian fans and colourful sponges. Small schools of bigeye trevally often mill around the cave entrance. Ascending back toward the top of the bommie, you will pass stands of soft corals, thickets of sea whips and a cluster of barrel sponges.

Bradford Shoals

This steep sided, deep water pinnacle rises to within 18m of the surface. Due to the topography and location of the shoal many interesting deep water fish can be found here, some of which are not normally seen by scuba divers. These include Burgess Butterflyfish, Blackspot Angelfish and Pinjalo. There are also numerous species of the beautiful Anthias or Fairy Basslets. On the sheer walls you may be lucky enough to spot the lovely yellow and blue Harlequin Grouper.

Above the reef, schools of Bigeye Trevally, Barracuda and Rainbow Runner are common, and large Batfish regularly visit divers during a stop on the mooring line.

The reef structure is predominantly flat plates of hard corals, an adaptation allowing maximum utilisation of the reduced sunlight at the depth. There are also many colonies of Leather Coral.

Ottos Reef

This large reef, being isolated from any other reef or land mass, is entirely different to any other Walindi dive site.

The main attraction is the fish. On days when the current is creating eddies on the point, schools of barracuda, trevally, sea perch, fusilier, unicorn fish and surgeon fish mix with a variety of shark species, including on occasion, scalloped hammerhead and tuna, resulting in plenty of exciting action.

Along the wall south of the point are numerous ledges, overhangs and small caves. The area has a rich growth of many kinds of sponges, as well as black coral, reef clams and ascidians. Within this encrusting community you can find spider crabs, gobies and sponge-eating dorid nudibranches.

The top of the reef supports a beautiful garden of hard corals that makes a wonderful after dive snorkel.