The Resort

Lissenung Island Resort, a 20 minute boat ride from Kavieng in New Ireland Province, is the ideal base for a PNG diving adventure. Situated only two degrees south of the equator, this is the South Sea, where the water is always warm, averaging a balmy 28-30° Celsius (82-86°F).

The Resort is located on a small private island with coconut palms and a beautiful white sandy beach. Think of your own Pacific hideaway with all the necessities provided for an enjoyable stay: Simple bungalows with airy verandahs and mosquito screened bedrooms, great meals and, of course, fantastic diving!

Dietmar Amon, the Austrian owner, started this small resort a little over 10 years ago and runs it with the help of his managers Ange, Sue and Paul. Together with a handful of local staff, these experienced Divemasters and Instructors will ensure that even the little things are taken care off. The personalised service and the relaxed and familiar atmosphere are just two of the particulars that Lissenung Island Resort is famous for.

There are 7 rooms, accommodating a maximum of 14 guests on the island. Two double rooms have their own private facilities, with shared showers and toilets for the other 5 double/twin rooms. Although the water is not heated, the warm environment usually ensures a pleasant water temperature. Every room has ceiling fans, fly-screens, mosquito nets, a large desk (for photographers to work on their cameras) and cupboard space. After the diving, you can relax in the comfortable chairs on your own verandah.

The 24-hour electricity supply in each room allows to re-charge the batteries to your camera and other electronical equipment. The two dive boats depart every morning at 9am, whisking 6 and 8 divers respectively out to the fascinating dive sites. Well-maintained and regularly serviced dive equipment, including dive computers, can be hired through the fully equipped dive shop. Experienced dive guides will accompany you on every dive and point out the weird and wonderful that this area has to offer.

The main house offers comfortable chairs on a sandy floor and it is here where cold drinks and delicious meals await you. Fresh seafood, such as fish, crabs and crayfish (lobster) feature high on a menu where set meals are served, rather than actually giving out a menu to choose from. Special dietary requirements are catered for on request. Wine, beer and softdrinks can be purchased. Spirits are extremely hard to buy anywhere in PNG, so guests are welcome to bring their own duty free spirits (there are plenty of mixers).

You can easily circumnavigate the whole island in 10-15 minutes. It is covered with tropical vegetation providing plenty of shaded areas to escape the tropical sun, and also offers a small but very pretty white sand beach where you can relax. Lissenung Island has the nicest beach of all dive resorts in PNG and the best house reef!

If you are dreaming of a beautiful Pacific island, where you can relax and dive and get the illusion that you are alone on the planet, Lissenung is the ideal place for such a dream. The sunset can be watched from your own deck-chair, right on the beach, with a glass of good wine in hand.

The Diving

It is the unique location of the tiny little islands between the open South Pacific Ocean and the Bismarck Sea that has created an underwater wonderland.

The change of tides can produce some strong currents, which flush clear waters from the deep sea over the abundant reefs and through tiny passages. It is during those currents that the pelagic action is happening and you can expect to see sharks, tunas, mackerels, huge schools of jacks and barracudas and with some luck schooling Eagle Rays and Mobula Rays. However, the diving is very varied and also includes wall, wreck and muck diving and ensures that every diver leaves the island a happy diver!

Dietmar has been running the dive operation for over 10 years and is an expert in picking the right dive spots at the right time. PADI dive courses from Open Water through to Divemaster are offered in English, German and Dutch.

Last but not least there is a great bonus feature: Located just off the beach is a fantastic house reef. You get free shore diving on Lissenungs house reef while staying at Lissenung Island Resort! Interesting for day (for free as many as you like before 6pm) as well as night dives (night dives are guided on request and will be charged locally).

Diving here is year-round, with January to March subject to sudden rainsqualls and thunderstorms. Typically tropical, these storms are often replaced by blue skies that return as quickly as they departed. Best months are usually April to June and September through to December.


The Snorkeling

About 2/3 of Lissenung Island is surrounded by a beautiful reef. The best place to start is in front of the dive shop where you turn left immediately and follow the reef. This area is a conservation zone and there are a multitude of fish. For a small charge, you can also join one of the dive boats for the morning, as many of the dive sites also offer fantastic snorkeling.


A typical day at Lissenung
7.00-8.30am Breakfast
9.00am Boat departs for 2 morning dives
1/1.30pm Lunch (this basically happens whenever the boat returns from the diving)
2.30pm-late 3rd boat dive, free shore-diving on the house reef or time to relax
7.00pm Dinner
8.30pm Night Dive

How to get there

Flights with Air Niguini from Australia to Port Moresby depart up to 7 days a week, depending on departure port. There are also twice weekly flights from Singapore and once a week from Manila and Tokyo.
Airlines of PNG has commenced service from Cairns to Port Moresby Monday to Friday, also.

Daily F28 jet services will get you from Port Moresby to Kavieng via either Rabaul or Manus Island. These flights are with Air Niguini only.

Sample Dive Sites

Echuca Patch
This is a large ridge rising from 45m (150ft) to within 12m (40ft) of the surface and is situated in the open ocean just outside Kavieng. A Korean fishing boat, the 'Der Yang', lies on its starboard side close to this ridge. This point is a magnet for Barracudas and Jacks.

The Bottleshop
Around the pylons of a slipway in the Kavieng harbour is probably the best muck-dive in the area. Through the years an amazing selection of bottles, cans and tyres have created a perfect environment for critters. The weird and wonderful such as Ghost Pipefish, Demon Stinger, Allied Cowries, Nudibranchs and Shrimps, Octopus, Pipefish and many more are abundant here. This dive is a must for the serious macro photographer.

Albatross Passage
At an incoming tide this narrow passage is like fish soup. Eagle Rays, Mobula Rays, big Dogtooth Tunas, Barracudas, plenty of Grey Reef Sharks and loads of other fish can be seen here on almost every dive. The wall itself is overgrown with big fan corals, black corals and sponges and this is the home for small creatures like Nudibranchs, Leaf Scorpionfish and Pygmy Seahorse. In our opinion Albatross is the best dive in the Kavieng area and a must for every visiting diver.

Nusa Blowholes
Several swim-troughs and a little cave with lots of Crayfish make this an interesting dive. Sleeping Whitetip Sharks are seen frequently and Nudibranchs are abundant.

'Kate' Bombers
For the aircraft enthusiast we have two more plane wrecks in the Kavieng harbour. These Japanese torpedo bombers are resting in about 12m (40ft) on sand. On and around the planes you may find Nudibranchs, Cleaner Shrimps and Crocodile Fish.

Technical Details

• 1 x 27ft fibreglass boat, 2x 75HP Yamaha outboard motor, max 8 guests, centerconsole, canopy, ladder, Oxygen
• 1 x 24ft fibreglass boat, 1x 75HP Yamaha outboard motor, max 6 guests, centerconsole, canopy, ladder, Oxygen
• 1 Compressor: Coltri Sub MCH32 (2x MCH16, ca. 240l/min each)
• 50 aluminium tanks, INT valve
• 12 set Schubapro rental gear, MkII/R190 & octopus & console,
• UWATEC Aladin Sport & Aladin Pro dive computers
• 1 SeaDoo Scooter
• 240V/50Hz Electricity, 24-hours, Australian Power Points
• Credit Cards accepted: VISA & MasterCard