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Dive Review of Loloata Island in
Papua New Guinea

Loloata Island, Jul, 2005,

by Jill Rain, WA, USA (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 1843.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This place is quite under-rated as a dive destination. Everything I'd read described it as a stopover or alternative to staying in Port Moresby, which it can be. I chose to go there after booking a liveaboard knowing it would be crazy to go all the way to PNG just for a week, looking for another place in the country where there might be some diving. But Loloata is good enough to be a dive destination in itself.
The muck diving is excellent, as has been reported elsewhere, and conveniently close to the resort: pipefish, nudibranchs, flatworms, shrimp/gobies, crabs, cuttlefish, blennies, etc. The wonderful surprise was the diving farther out, 15-40 minute boat ride; sites ranging from good to excellent; bommies, walls and wrecks. Great diversity and abundance of reef species (butterfly fish, anemones/fish, angelf,parrotf, surgeonf, triggerf, filef, snapper, eels, jacks, sweetlips etc, even some sharks) and several sightings during the week there of pygmy seahorse, lacy scorpionfish (both varieties), frogfish, leafy scorpionfish. The wrecks, mostly fishing trawlers, are shallow enough (less than 100') to have plentiful coral growth (hard, soft, seafans) and associated populations such as lionfish, sweepers, anthias, crabs, seahorses, scorpionfish, shrimp, plus large groupers, triggerfish and barracuda around.
The dive operation is top-notch in every way: handling equipment, divemasters and crew above and below surface (briefings, finding and pointing out things) helpful and competent at all times. They will run a boat out for even one diver. Rates are good. Three dives a day if you want and a night dive if requested.
The resort has a relaxing and homey atmosphere, and has everything you need: 24-hour power, good plumbing, A/C, good food, a genuinely friendly and always helpful staff. Each duplex bungalow has a large deck overlooking the water and the mainland beyond, which you can enjoy (no bugs). Interesting assortment of wildlife on the grounds. Altogether, a great land-based dive destination, convenient to Port Moresby and modestly priced in comparison to other places in this part of the world.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving [Unspecified]
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather Seas
Water Temp 81-84°F / 27-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 15-80 Ft/ 5-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified]
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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