Kavieng
©
Kavieng

Kavieng

New Ireland port town with a superb harbour and access to wreck diving and reef walls

Kavieng is the capital of New Ireland Province, a small port town set on a sublime harbour at the northern tip of the island. It is one of Papua New Guinea's most popular spots for diving — the waters around Kavieng offer World War II wrecks, pristine coral walls, and big pelagic fish, with very few other divers in sight. Surfing and game fishing are also excellent.

The town itself is relaxed and modest, with a market, a few basic guesthouses, and a waterfront that catches good sunsets. Infrastructure is limited, but that is true of most of PNG. Getting here requires a flight from Port Moresby or Rabaul. From town, the Boluminski Highway runs south along the coast — one of the most rewarding drives in the country.

Guide

Things to Do

Kavieng's draw is almost entirely in the water. The reefs and channels around the northern tip of New Ireland are some of the most consistently good diving in the Pacific, with very little dive traffic and a strong current that brings in pelagic fish — barracuda, eagle rays, sharks, and the occasional manta. Several wrecks from the Pacific war lie within easy boat range, most still loaded with cargo and largely undived.

On land there is less to do, but the town's waterfront, the Sunday market, and a couple of low-key war memorials are worth a wander. The drive south along the Boluminski Highway — a single road that runs almost the length of the island — passes through coconut plantations and traditional villages and is one of the more interesting overland trips in the country.