Salt of PNG - Rabaul & New Britain
The team at Salt of PNG are our kind of people. They understand what makes New Britain so special, and they know how to share it. We love that they focus on the immediate Rabaul area, meaning you spend less time travelling and more time underwater. If you're coming to PNG specifically for the wrecks, or if you’re fascinated by volcanic landscapes, this is definitely your spot. We'd suggest a morning dive on one of the deeper Japanese wrecks, like the M.V. Italy Maru. The water can be a bit silty down there, but the sheer scale of the wreck, draped in soft corals, is incredible. You might feel a cold thermocline hit you at 20 metres, a chill that really brings home the depth of history here. Then, warm up with an afternoon reef dive, perhaps at South Daughter, where the visibility often opens right up. We’ve seen schooling barracuda there so thick they look like a solid wall, and the light filtering through the reef's crevices is just beautiful. Ask them about the day trips out to Duke of York Islands too, the hard coral gardens out there are something else. Salt of PNG offers a PADI Resort experience, making it a great choice for those looking to get certified in a truly unique location.
- Location
- Rabaul & New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -4.336828, 152.311900
- Phone
- +675 7332 0521
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.niuginidiveandtours.com/
- Certification Agencies
- ["PADI"]
- Courses
- PADI Resort [padi:28407]
- Address
- Rapopo Plantation Resort, East New Britain No State, Papua New Guinea
Diving Capabilities - Salt of PNG
- Snorkelling
Dive Sites Near Salt of PNG
Salt of PNG 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