FEBRINA ALWAYS “ROCKS IT”
FeBrina Liveaboard … Papua New Guinea
September 4-13, 2023
We view this trip as the best reef diving you will ever do. The abundance, variety & health of the corals, the brilliant colors, the quantity of fish & number of invertebrates … with the added attraction of some spectacular creepy, crawly critters … just boggle the mind ! And, FeBrina is a liveaboard star.
SO, WHERE EXACTLY ARE WE GOING ?
Papua New Guinea, one of the most captivating places on the planet, is geographically north of Australia, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, at the far eastern edge of what we know as Indonesia. The western half of the island is home to two of Indonesia’s provinces, Papua & West Papua.
One of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, PNG occupies one of the least explored landscapes on the planet where new species – land & sea – are being discovered each year.
WHAT ABOUT THE DIVING ?
This diving odyssey ventures to Kimbe Bay reefs, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs … what FeBrina calls her Signature Itinerary.
Kimbe Bay is home to stunning reefs with brilliant coral formations. Beautiful and dramatic sea mounts, coral-laden walls and lush coral gardens are all a feature of Kimbe Bay diving, along with the myriad fish and invertebrate life the reefs sustain. Some sites have the biggest gorgonian fans you will ever see. Amongst the 40-odd reef dive sites here, there is also a beautifully preserved WW2 Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane.
Witu Islands are a group of islands, volcanic in origin, situated to the north west of Kimbe Bay. The diving is a mixture of sea mounts rising from deep waters to within meters of the surface (such as Lama shoals), beautiful coral arches and great night dives in the black sand bays of the islands. Krackafat Reef has the biggest school of jacks I have seen anywhere in the world. Barracuda abound, grey and white tip reef sharks roam. And there is lots of interaction with the locals trading fresh fruit and veg out of their canoes and we’ll have a trip ashore to visit a village too.
Fathers Reefs are a series of offshore reefs, also volcanic in origin. The underwater topography is startlingly different with dramatic reef scapes, arches and swim throughs. Being offshore, these reefs also attract pelagic activity such as sharks, rays, turtles, schools of barracuda, jacks etc. Whip corals and barrel sponges abound, and a couple of very friendly turtles hang our here, to everyone’s delight. We will do a baited dive for silvertip sharks here.
The dive guides have been with the FeBrina for many years and they know the dive sites extremely well. They have amazing eyes and can point out many creatures that might not normally be seen. You can give them a wish-list of critters and they will do a remarkable job in finding a lot of them for you.
CONTACT US WITH QUESTIONS OR TO BOOK
ACCOMMODATION … FABULOUS FEBRINA
FeBrina, one of our top favorite dive liveaboards, takes just 10 divers (12 are possible on private charter) in comfortable & friendly surroundings, on a diving adventure unlike any other … guided by a highly experienced crew. She’s not the largest liveaboard but she’s well laid out and what she lacks in amplitude she makes up in excitement.
The upper deck is devoted to crew quarters and the bridge. On the main deck, you’ll find deck space in sun and shade … sun at the bow, shade at the stern, where you can hang out between dives, get your camera ready and get suited up for your next dive. Inside on this deck, you’ll find the charming salon and dining area … plus bar & galley. All cabins are located below deck. FeBrina is a great choice for single travelers as she has dedicated single cabins that only have a small surcharge for single occupancy.
FeBrina is well-known for catering to photographers. In waters which have yielded some of the finest underwater photos ever produced, this is a critical element. The crew will always happily lend a hand with camera gear.
FeBrina generally departs from Walindi Plantation Resort in New Britain, one of our absolute favorites in the dive resort category. A combination trip on the boat and at the resort is highly recommended … and also the land tour offered by the crew, which gets you closer to the action and explains the historical significance of this area, particularly during the World War II era. It’s a nice compliment to your diving experience.
EXTENSIONS … GOROKA SHOW … SEPIC RIVER … WALINDI PLANTATION … LOLOATA
The Highlands and Cultural Shows … cultural adventure .. Papua New Guinea is well known to travelers for its colorful & enchanting cultural shows … the largest of which occur in August and September. Should you be planning a diving trip in those months we strongly recommend extending your trip to include one of these thrilling programs.
PNG is comprised of a startling number of tribes, all with different beliefs, traditions and rituals. A wide variety of ceremonies – which include dance & « sing-sings » are designed to celebrate marriages, births, deaths and passage to adulthood
Action, color & creativity are the driving forces and visitors who attend the shows are in for the treat of their lives. The tribe members wear body paint, face tattoos, fantastic costumes & headdresses. The dancers move in frenzied rhythms to the ever-present beat of the drums.
The most renowned of the festivals are the Mount Hagen (August) and Goroka (September). Tribes compete with one another and participants & observers alike come from all over Papua New Guinea and all over the world …. so reservations need to be made well in advance.
See dates & rates below.
RATES, WHAT’S INCLUDED, WHAT’S EXTRA, MISCELLANEOUS DETAILS
{slider All the basics you need to know. For additional details, please feel free to contact us with your questions …. |dest|closed}
Dates:
September 4 – 13, 2023
Rates:
$4590
Getting There:
Getting to Walindi Resort and MV FeBrina requires a one-hour flight from Port Moresby to Hoskins airport, West New Britain.
Looking out the window on your flight you will realize that this is going to be no ordinary holiday. Mountain ranges that top 14,000 feet divide the main island of New Britain. The deeper valleys remained isolated until early last century; the land you fly over is occupied by people who have 800 different languages and cultures that are just as diverse.
We can book your domestic flights for you for approximately $360 round-trip. Request when you book your trip.
Included in the rate:
- en-suite accommodation
- all meals and snacks, unlimited tea and coffee
- final night dinner at Walindi Plantation Resort
- 4 or 5 dives per day
- filled tanks, weight belt and weights
- return airport transfers to and from Hoskins airport/Walindi
- light laundry service daily
Extras :
- airfare
- insurance
- bar expenses/soft drinks
- nitrox
- rental gear
- any meals taken at Walindi prior to boarding MV FeBrina
- Environmental and Safety Fees … $81 per person, subject to change (will be on your invoice to be paid in advance)
Nitrox: available as a package for all dives during the trip = $270 per person (+ GST) or $10 per single fill.
Rental gear: – limited dive equipment and sizes are kept on board for hire. Please check on availability prior to arrival. If needed, gear hire can be arranged from Walindi Resort with advance notice.
Alcohol / bar: Local beers are available on board. Soft drinks are available. Wine is available by the bottle or glass (costs depend on wine type). We recommend that you bring your favorite spirit duty free for consumption on board, some spirits are available however they are quite expensive in Papua New Guinea. Payment can be made on board with credit card (Mastercard/Visa/Amex), or with cash in AUD, USD, PGK or Euro. Bar prices are subject to change and payable at current rate at time of voyage..
Highlands shows:
Your group leader & photo-pro, Christopher, will lead his annual HIghlands Tribes Tour, looking for birds of paradise, visiting villages, attending private Sing-Sings and culminating at the amazing Goroka Highlands Cultural Festival. There is also a four-night Goroka festival option.
Straight after the festival, Christopher will lead a five-night Sepik River trip to take you deep into the jungle in the north, visiting Spirit Houses and discovering ancient customs.
Prior to that, you might want to arrange some time at the FeBrina’s home resort, Walindi Plantation Resort, for more diving, a cool volcano trek, some land tours to see WW2 planes or a “Hot River”.
CONTACT US {/sliders}
YOUR GROUP LEADER – CHRISTOPHER BARTLETT
{slider Your escort is our friend and colleague, Christopher Bartlett. He learned to dive in South Africa and has a wealth of experience diving with sharks here, in the Bahamas, the Galapagos and Papua New Guinea. … read more … |dest|closed}
Christopher will escort the trip from start to finish, providing local knowledge and photography coaching along the way. He’s bi-lingual French/English so a great choice for our French-speaking friends!
Christopher leads trips several times per year, looking for desert elephants in Namibia, or walking and sleeping under the Zululand stars in a Big Five national park, exploring the rugged tracks and wilds of Botswana, having a bit of lodge luxury in Zambia, or mixing the remote but wildlife abundant landscapes of southern Tanzania with the culture and beaches of Zanzibar, or in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. {/sliders}
MORE PNG LIVEABOARD DIVING TRIPS
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