Dreaming of a relatively small spot where you could enjoy an abundant variety of coral species? Then Kimbe on the Island of West New Britain is your spot to go. Set in a lush tropical setting with superb coral reefs and active volcanic cones encircling, Kimbe Bay boasts 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. And should you be out for more than an unforgettable diving experience, Kimbe will give you exactly that. Blue-eyed cockatoos and the world’s largest moths fill the air, while bandicoots and wallabies share the landscape with one of the world’s greatest num-ber of orchids. Plus the bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and the fastest growing city in the South Pacific.
Diving Kimbe will leave you with a choice of top rate alternatives such as The Cathedral or Hanging Gardens. The Cathedral consists, as the name already implies, of a large cathedral-like cave at one end of a horse-shoe shaped reef. Diving this spot at daytime, and you will see that the gentle slope will soon turn drop into a vertical wall that goes as far down as 200 m (650 ft). It is here that huge spiral sea whips reaching as far out as 10 m (30 ft) or more can be seen. The real treat however, is to dive the cathedral at night. Passing the outside of the cave which is heavily covered in staghorn and gorgonians, get inside the cave with its white sandy bottom. If you now turn of your torch, you will clearly see the luminescence in the water. Part of the same reef are the Hanging Gardens, a coral wall that drops down to about 33 m (100 ft). Black coral trees, white lace sponges or pink sty-laster covering the maze of swim-throughs and caves this spot is inhabited by inver-tebrates such as flatworms or nudibranchs.
Christine’s Reef is every marine photographers and snorkellers dream site. Not only is some of the best diving in relatively shallow waters but the ambient light levels are so high, that excellent colour results can be achieved, even without using a strobe. This dive is perfect to marvel at both a diverse fauna and flora. Huge sea fans, barrel sponges covered with colourful crinoids or red sea whips form the perfect spot to observe long-nosed hawkfish, crocodilefish, sea anemones and plenty of other coral fish.
The next stop en route is the North Emma Reef, a series of bommies, one of which’s top is at 35 m (115 ft). Descending from the shallow main reef, with its differ-ent species of marine life such as anemonefish, and a deep saddle to said bommies you it is not uncommon to see scalloped hammerheads. As this reef consists of several smaller individual reefs you will find that these are connected by a series of coral bridges. Crossing one of these and you will come to a small cave that is com-pletely covered with pink and red coral trees.
Where there is a North Emma Reef, one might guess that there is a South Emma Reef too. Similar in apparition to the North Emma Reef, it southern companion, there is a difference in the flora and fauna however. Red Sea whips, gorgonians, and huge barrel sponges dominate the scene. Some of the sponges stand almost 2 m (6 ½ ft tall). Regarding the marine life you will be able to observe some of the friendliest batfish, fusiliers, dartfish, hawkfish, gobies, trevallies and sometimes barracudas.