Diving Rabaul - Dive Rabaul - Scuba Diving Rabaul, Papua New Guinea (PNG)

Rabaul was THE place for wreck diving in PNG and probably the world, before three of the volcanos which surround the caldera erupted simultaneously in September 1994. Within three days, the thriving town of Rabaul was covered in ash and completely destroyed.

Life has returned to Rabaul, although there is still plenty of evidence of the devastation caused by the eruptions and the volcanic ash, which was despatched over the harbour area of town. However, Rabaul is still worth a visit especially for those who are fascinated by volcanic activity around this fascinating area.

Rabaul has its wet season with heavy rainfalls from November to April. Temperatures are between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 C (84-90 F) all year round. Water temperatures range between 27-30 C (85- 90 F). Reef diving is ideal for intermediate to advanced divers. Wreck diving in Rabaul harbour is for experienced divers.

Rabaul was one of the big battle zones in the South Pacific during WWII. Japanese tunnels are amongst the many war relics around Rabaul.

How To Get There

New Britain is PNG's largest island. East New Britain Province is the eastern part of the Island, where Rabaul is located, about 2 hours flight North East of the capital Port Moresby. Since the 1994 eruption, business and airport have been relocated to Kokopo which is 20 km south east of Rabaul.

There are daily flights from Port Moresby, Hoskins and Kavieng to Kokopo. The flights are on Air Niugini's F28 jets.

Diving

There is a live aboard vessel, the "Star Dancer" which offers 7 and 10-day itineraries with a mix of diving with some known reefs and an exploratory part. Some of the cruises start or end in Rabaul. Those cruises go along the northern coastline of New Britain and can include Duke of York Islands, Rabaul and Cape Gloucester. Dive Shops are operated from Rapopo and at Kabaira Dive.

Reef and wreck diving offer countless options. The wrecks in the harbour were covered under tons of ash which is now clearing in places, and diving in the harbour on some wrecks has resumed, weather & conditions permitting. Some of the wrecks are very deep, with some beyond sports diving limits and only suitable for very experienced divers. Some other wrecks are located outside the harbour and are very accessible.

The surrounding reefs and islands have been untouched and offer excellent diving. Many of these dive sites are located in the Bismarck Sea close to the coastline which is less than 15 minutes drive North of Rabaul. Very few of these sites require more than a 20-minute boat trip.

Pete's Bi Plane: Is a Japanese Mitsubishi Bi-Plane, which lies in 30 metres and is frequented by a curious moray eel amongst other marine life.
The Hump: Is a plateau on the summit of a huge underwater volcano forming part of the caldera with gardens of pristine gigantic gorgonian fans and plenty of pelagic life.

This is just a small selection of the dives available, all of which are easily accessible in clear tropical waters. Such is the abundance of pristine and healthy marine life that new spectacular dive sites are constantly being discovered throughout the area.

Other Activities

Things to do in Rabaul: For those who are fascinated by volcanos Rabaul is the place to watch the active volcanos "Tarvuvur" and "Vulcan".

If exploring active volcanos is not your cup of tea, there is more to do in Rabaul.
Guided tours to the craters are on offer or you can just watch the craters glowing at night. Ask us for information and prices on guided tours.

Rabaul's surrounds are as tropical and pretty as ever. The whole area is boasting with scenic views and historical remains of WWII remains. There is so much to see under water and on land, a few days up to a week can be easily spent in Rabaul.