Kulau Lodge Beach Resort - Rabaul & New Britain
The team at Kulau Lodge Beach Resort run a solid operation, and for Papua New Guinea, that’s high praise. We love that it's a NAUI-only centre. You don’t see that often these days, and it speaks to a certain old-school dive ethic we really appreciate. They’re based right on Talili Bay, and after a day’s diving, sitting on your porch with a cold SP Lager, watching the volcano across the bay smoulder, is pretty special. This is a great pick if you’re keen on exploring the incredible WWII wreck diving around Rabaul, but also want a comfortable base that isn't overly fancy or expensive. We found the shore entries convenient for some of the closer sites, though they do run boat trips out to the deeper wrecks. Our favourite part has to be the feeling of genuine hospitality; these folks feel like family by the time you leave. Plus, their restaurant serves up some seriously good fresh fish. Come here for a no-fuss, authentic PNG dive adventure focused on history and marine life, with a comfortable bed and good food at the end of the day.
- Location
- Rabaul & New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -4.190000, 152.170000
- Phone
- 982 7222
- Certification Agencies
- ["NAUI"]
- Address
- PO Box 65, Rabaul 611 East New Britain Province
Dive Sites Near Kulau Lodge Beach Resort
Kulau Lodge Beach Resort provides access to 15 dive sites in Rabaul & New Britain.
- Albatross Passage - 15-30m (drift)
- Baudisson Bay (reef)
- Bermuda Drop - 3-25m
- Byron Strait
- Catalina Wreck - 20m (wreck)
- Echuca Patch - 12-31m (reef)
- Ecucha Patch - 15m+ (reef)
- Japanese bi-plane
- Kaplaman
- Kulau Wrecks (wreck)
- Lissenung Island House reef (reef)
- Lissenung Island Reef - 2-10m (reef)
- Matrix - 15-30m (reef)
- Mitsubishi Zero
- Pete Floatplanes - 18 & 40m
Other Dive Centres in Rabaul & New Britain
Best Time to Dive in Rabaul & New Britain
The warmest water temperatures in Rabaul & New Britain occur in January, averaging 30.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 30.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- February: 30.6°C (air: 26.9°C)
- March: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- April: 30.6°C (air: 26.7°C)
- May: 30.6°C (air: 27.0°C)
- June: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- July: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- August: 30.6°C (air: 26.8°C)
- September: 30.6°C (air: 27.1°C)
- October: 30.6°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 30.6°C (air: 27.2°C)
- December: 30.6°C (air: 26.9°C)
Marine Life in Rabaul & New Britain
Home to 203 recorded species including 176 reef fish, 17 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 clams & mussels, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Marine Life
- Bloodspot pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Ehrenberg's snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) - Reef Fish
- Marbled Cone (Conus marmoreus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cloth-of-gold cone snail (Conus textile) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Humpbacked conch (Gibberulus gibberulus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Big-eye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Messmate Pipefish; (Corythoichthys intestinalis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Rabaul & New Britain
Based on average water temperature of 30.6°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 31°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories