Dive Review of
Walindi Plantation Resort in
Papua New Guinea/Hoskins

Lissenung Island Resort (PNG), Loloata Island (PNG),  Fiji, Sulawesi,
Wakatobi, Irian Jaya, Bonaire, Jamaica, Cozumel

Dive Conditions

[Unspecified]  

There was a kitchen area in the bungalow with adequate counter space and
outlets for setting up cameras.  Joseph, a senior dive master, volunteered
to carry extra cameras down and was very helpful spotting for macro photos.
 There is also a photoshop at the island for those wishing to rent camera
and instruction available.  

Overall Rating

Lori Brown, Chris Green, and Justin Brown Green
Walindi Plantation Resort

We arrived at Hoskins Airport on an Air Niugini flight – the flight was
delayed by several hours– evidently a common occurrence since on our month
long trip in PNG, every Air Niugini flight we had was delayed or cancelled.
 None-the-less, the driver from Walindi Plantation Resort was waiting for
us when we arrived.  So was lunch when we arrived at the plantation,
thoughtful of them since we arrived after 2 pm.  After lunch, a tour of the
hot springs on the plantation, about a 45 minute drive, was offered.  But
the hospitality didn’t end there.  A dive briefing was held for us at 7 pm,
with Joseph.  He had a  map of the dive sites and individual maps and dive
briefings for each site.  Joseph also arranged for a dive guide, Gerard, to
dive with the latest certified diver in our family, our 12 year old son.  
Gerard was an excellent and conscientious guide for him.
	The accommodations were great and included a bed in the living room area
for our son, a little dinette area, abundant closet space, and a little
kitchen with counters that were perfect for setting up cameras. I have to
tell you the best part: the shower.  Not only was the water HOT but the
water pressure was high.  This shower might even be the best in the world –
it sure beats the water-saver shower that we have at home. Outside, there
was a pungent sulfur odor.  At first I thought it was the low-tide but it
turned out to be the aroma of a nearby volcano.
	Our first dive was at South Ema.  There is a swim through at about 100
feet with a sea fan with a pygmy sea horse and leafy reef scorpion fish. 
The second dive was at Charmaine’s Reef.  There were 3 cuttle fish, two
fairly close to each other, beautiful sea fans, and incredible soft coral
(Dendronepthya) of all colors.  After the second dive, we came across a
large pod of bottle nose dolphins.  The boat has special nets mounted on
the sides so that snorkelers can hang onto the nets as the boat moves
through the dolphins.  At one point, there were 8-10 dolphins directly
underneath us in the net.  They looked like they were flying.  All that
before lunch on our first day of diving. 
	Another spectacular dive was Inglis Shoals.  This site features a
beautiful seamount.  On our first dive there, several of the divers saw a
hammerhead at about 130 feet.  There were also several grey reef sharks and
white tip reef sharks.  They circled around the seamount so that we
encountered them repeatedly throughout the dive.   There was also a massive
school of barracuda and on one of the dives at this site, they allowed me
to get within 5 feet and swim parallel to the school for awhile before they
circled up again.  There was also a large school of batfish.  At
Christine’s Reef we saw spectacular sea whips, enormous sea fans covered
with colorful crinoids, large barrel sponges, a healthy stand of Acropora
coral, all sorts of nudibranchs, and even an evil crown-of-thorns starfish.
 Another memorable reef was the Agu Reef which is like a narrow ridge that
seems to be terraced in all directions.  On either end of the ridge, there
was step after step of Acropora coral stands.  On either side of the ridge,
there were terraces down both sides and as you looked down, they seem to go
on endlessly.  There were nudibranchs galore along the wall. At Kirsty
Jaynes Reef we saw multiple pygmy sea horses, a harlequin ghost pipefish, a
swarm of razor fish hiding in the sea whips,  and a squat lobster hiding in
a crinoid.
	Back at the plantation, dinner was served buffet style and there were
plenty of entrees, vegetables, and salads.  Long tables encouraged guests
to mix it up for sociable dinners.  Lunch was always an appealing picnic
between dives, usually chicken and plenty of salads, at one of the small
islands.  Breakfast was eggs, bacon, toast – the usual.  Snacks and drinks
were available for purchase and they kept a tab.
	This was great diving and a pleasant resort.   

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