Some of the world's finest diving, in a land just north of Australia whose most consistent feature is its unpredictability. . . . A dream destination for live-aboards with unique critters and fish, big fish, big coral, big distances, and Bob Halstead's famous muck diving. Excellent land-based diving at Walindi Plantation. Water in Kimbe Bay may be in the high 80s, with visibility up to 200'. . . . A naturalist's paradise; beautiful topography - mountains covered with snow in July shade steaming jungles, butterflies as big as birds, walking-stick insects a foot long, splendid Birds of Paradise. Most rain comes in heavy afternoon downpours. Volcanoes routinely disrupt things, destroying Rabaul in 1994 for the umpteenth time (new airport is scheduled to reopen in the beginning 1998) . . . . After traveling this far, you must take a week to stay in fine lodges (Karawari, Tari) while visiting indigenous, wild and woolly, primitive cultures, among the more interesting on this planet. People divided into hundreds of (frequently sparring) tribes and languages. . . . Witchdoctors on the outer islands maintain old value systems, yet go to Christian services on Sundays. Men from the stone age, covered with colored mud, mingle in airports with business people in suits and ties. . . . Women should not travel alone in PNG; Port Moresby is an unsafe city, though big hotels are fine; but use Moresby for changing planes and daytime shopping at superb giant crafts market. . . . Malaria prophylaxis is essential. English and Pidgin English (helicopter: "Mixmaster blong Jesus") spoken. . . .

Walindi Plantation, November 1996, Steve R. Weinman, New Paltz, NY. "Good stuff: Great vis and pretty reefs. Lot of colorful corals and small fish. Great night dive. Good food and nice cottages. . . . Bad stuff: Long boat rides to sites on old boats. Not as many large fish as other South Pacific sites. At $400/day/person this is way overpriced for diving that at best 4 out of 5 stars on the Pacific scale."

Copyright 1998 by DSDL, Inc., publishers of Undercurrent. All rights reserved. No portions of this report may be reproduced in any way, including photocopying and electronic data storage, without prior written permission from the publisher. For more information, contact DSDL, Inc., P.O. Box 1658, Sausalito, CA 94966.