Dive Sites
Madang’s surrounding barrier reef provides the perfect environment for the vast array of marine life and colourful coral reefs that live within it; whilst the surrounding islands offer a collection of channels, underwater peaks and sheltered lagoons where old wrecks, dating back to World War II, are waiting to be explored.
The warm waters offer an underwater encounter that is unlike anything else – with divers coming from around the world to experience them firsthand; and marine biologists making pilgrimages to study the incredible diversity of their natural wonders.
With world-class diving locations found only minutes from Madang Resort, some of the best diving spots are a little more remote and the team from Niugini Dive Adventures are here to assist you in accessing these pristine dive sites.
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Bagabag Island
Dive Site Ranking: #1
Diver Level: Intermediate to Expert; Drift Dive – strong currents
The most exciting island destination, lying 32 nautical miles off the coast, is Bagabag Island. Featuring several excellent harbours that were used by the Japanese Navy during World War II – the only foreigners to have ever inhabited the island in significant numbers - today, you are warmly welcomed by the local villagers.
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Planet Rock
Dive Site Ranking: #2
Diver Level: Great for Intermediate - medium currents
Three kilometres offshore from Madang is the volcanic seamount known as Planet Rock. The seas around the mount plummet to a depth of over 600m however, the strong ocean currents that surge through Astrolabe Bay sweep around and across the apex of the mount at only 4m - bringing with them large schools of predatory, pelagic fish.
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Magic Passage
Dive Site Ranking: #3
Diver Level: All
The most popular of the passages and aptly named, Magic Passage bottoms out at approximately 30metres and is about 40metres wide.
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FS-172 Boston
Dive Site Ranking: #4
Diver Level: Intermediate to Expert
Just north of The Quarry is the FS-172 Boston, a US Army freight and store ship. The Boston’s propeller appears to have become entangled in mine sweeping cables – exposing a hole in its own hull and sinking to the bottom of a coral drop off in 30 metres of water.
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Barracuda Point
Diver Level: All
Approximately 15 minutes from Madang Resort and located on the east corner of Pig Island, Barracuda Point is where the two reefs drop off into deep water
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Henry Leith
Diver Level: Intermediate
A spectacular night dive location due to its sheltered position inside Wongat Island, and several hundred metres from The Bomber.
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The Bomber (B-25 Mitchell Bomber)
Diver Level: All
During the allied campaign to seize the Japanese strongholds north of Lae in 1943, Japanese anti-aircraft guns positioned around the Madang coastline shot down many allied aircraft. In diving circles, the most famous of these is the B25 Mitchell Bomber - which lies in 18 metres of water near Wongat Island
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The Quarry
Diver Level: All
The Quarry is a section of north coast reef which, although only metres from the shore, drops off to just over 600 metres at a near vertical angle.