LIVEABOARD ROUTE

Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands & Fathers Reefs

Explore Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs aboard MV Oceania on this 9-night voyage departing from Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay.
Vessel MV Oceania
Country Papua New Guinea
Duration 9 nights
Embarkation Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay
View Departures & Cabins Explore the Itinerary

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Route at a glance

Explore Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs aboard MV Oceania on this 9-night voyage departing from Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay.

Trip style
Diving cruise
Starts in
Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay
Ends in
Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay

Route areas

  • Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs
View itinerary & dive guide

The route

Route Overview

Explore Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs aboard MV Oceania on this 9-night voyage departing from Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay.

The journey brings coral-rich bays and offshore reef formations in Papua New Guinea into one expedition. Each area adds a different underwater setting, from the shape of the reef to the animals that live around it.

Explore the journey

Route & itinerary

Open each section to explore the programme and its diving areas. Day-by-day plans are indicative; the captain may adjust stops and timing for conditions, safety and park access. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

MV Oceania explores the areas below on this 9-night expedition departing from Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe Bay. These sections describe the route’s settings and character; they do not assign unconfirmed stops to particular days.

Programme outline

Indicative programme for the standard Signature itinerary. The captain sets the order of the diving areas and sites to suit sea conditions; confirm the detailed programme and boarding arrangements for your chosen departure.

Days 2–8: Diving in Kimbe Bay, the Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs / the north coast of New Britain, with the sequence determined on board.

Day 9: Final morning diving, finishing before lunch; return to port after lunch and spend the final night on board.

Signature itineraries are normally offered in April–June and from mid-September through November. Confirm the itinerary operating on your travel dates.

Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs

This Bismarck Sea journey combines the reef environment of Kimbe Bay with the more offshore settings of Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs. The passage between areas is part of the route, with sheltered and exposed sites offering different experiences. Sea conditions influence the balance of time between the three sectors rather than a fixed allocation being guaranteed every trip.

Life between the dives

Site briefings, equipment preparation and surface intervals give each diving day its rhythm. On a crossing, some of that time is spent travelling between island groups; a sailing day is not automatically a full diving day. The final dive schedule is coordinated with the return passage and the onward travel arrangements for the selected departure.

Diving profile

Diving Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands & Fathers Reefs

Underwater highlights & dive areas

The profiles below explain the underwater environments and the representative sites associated with this route. Site access and the daily selection follow the cruise programme.

Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs

Coral reefs, reef slopes and seamount-like formations give the diving its structure. Fish life gathers around the more exposed reef features, while the bay provides a contrasting setting. It is a route for divers interested in the reef landscape as a whole, with both broad scenes and smaller details to explore.

Conditions and experience

Offshore reefs can have different current and surface conditions from the bay. The captain selects the sequence for the weather window.

Underwater photography

A wide-angle lens suits coral structures and schooling fish. Keep a macro option for the smaller reef inhabitants.

Representative dive areas

  • Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs

Listed sites are representative and cannot be guaranteed for a specific departure.

Marine highlights

  • Coral gardens and sea fans
  • Schools of reef fish
  • Seamounts and offshore reefs
  • Macro subjects

Wildlife encounters are natural and are never guaranteed.

Plan the region

Related diving destination guides

Kimbe Bay Diving Read the destination guide →

THE VESSEL

MV Oceania

A 27 m catamaran for 16 guests in eight ocean-view ensuite cabins, with up to four dives a day in Papua New Guinea.

MV Oceania is a 27 m catamaran operating from Walindi Plantation Resort in Papua New Guinea. It began operating in Kimbe Bay in April 2019.

Up to 16 guests stay in eight main-deck cabins: three queen and five twin. All have ocean views, ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning. Daily fresh towels and laundry service are included.

Guests share a bridge-deck saloon and dining area, a sun deck and a main-deck dive area with individual storage, camera workspace, a bathroom and shower. Diving uses both the stern platform and a specially equipped tender, with up to four dives a day.

Operated by MV Oceania

Vessel type Catamaran liveaboard
Length 27 m
Guest capacity 16
Cabins 8

Shared spaces

Air-conditioned indoor common areas, saloon, dining area and outdoor sun deck.

Dive deck

The main-deck dive area has individual storage, camera workspace, a bathroom and shower. Diving takes place from the water-level stern platform and a dive tender.

Dive tenders

A specially equipped dive tender complements diving from the stern platform.

Camera facilities

Camera work area on the main-deck dive deck.

ON BOARD

Vessel gallery

Open any image for a larger view.

Photography: Grant Thomas — vessel hero, card and vessel gallery images 1–4 and 8; Queen cabin images 2–3; Twin cabin image 2; bathroom reference. Peter Lange — vessel gallery images 6–7 and 9–10; Queen cabin image 1; Twin cabin image 1. Don Silcock — vessel gallery image 5 (dining) and Twin cabin image 3. Logo and cabin deck plan supplied by MV Oceania.

ACCOMMODATION

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MV Oceania

Dates, cabins and prices

Departures & Cabin Options

Choose a departure and the exact cabin or berth mix you need. You can request several cabins, individual berths and different guest allocations in one enquiry; availability and final allocation are confirmed by the independent liveaboard operator.

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All upcoming departures

All upcoming sailings are shown automatically. Use month and year only when you want to narrow the list.

Queen bed and sea-view windows in a cabin aboard MV Oceania. Photo: Peter Lange.

1 / 3 photos

Cabin details

MV Oceania — Queen Cabin

Total cabins of this type
3
Bed configuration
One queen bed
Maximum capacity
2 guests
Deck location
Main deck
About this cabin
Ocean-view main-deck queen cabin for two guests, with ensuite and air conditioning. Photography: Peter Lange (image 1); Grant Thomas (images 2–3).

Availability and the final cabin allocation must be confirmed by the liveaboard operator. An enquiry does not reserve a cabin.

Selections are added to your enquiry.
Two separate beds and sea-view windows in an MV Oceania twin cabin. Photo: Peter Lange.

1 / 3 photos

Cabin details

MV Oceania — Twin Cabin

Total cabins of this type
5
Bed configuration
Two single beds
Maximum capacity
2 guests
Deck location
Main deck
About this cabin
Ocean-view main-deck twin cabin with ensuite and air conditioning. Photography: Peter Lange (image 1); Grant Thomas (image 2); Don Silcock (image 3).

Availability and the final cabin allocation must be confirmed by the liveaboard operator. An enquiry does not reserve a cabin.

Selections are added to your enquiry.