Kimbe Bay sits on the north coast of New Britain Island in the Bismarck Sea, and its reputation among divers rests on the density and variety of marine life packed into a relatively contained area. The bay holds over four hundred species of stony corals and more than eight hundred and sixty species of reef fish, and its sites range from shallow artificial reef at Fathers Reef to walls and pinnacles pushing to fifty metres at sites such as Otto's and Inglis. Intermediate divers will find the range of terrain well suited to their level, with boat-access sites offering consistent visibility of twenty to fifty metres depending on conditions. Scalloped hammerheads, spotted eagle rays, grey reef sharks, and blacktip sharks are regularly encountered alongside macro subjects including seahorses, chromodoris nudibranchs, and cleaner shrimp. Conditions are diveable year-round, with the calmest seas and best visibility generally found between May and June and again from September to November.
Monthly water temperature across Kimbe Bay's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature holds steady and warm throughout the year, varying only slightly across seasons, so thermal protection is a matter of personal preference rather than necessity. Visibility is generally high, reaching its best during the calmer periods between May and June and from September to November, when sea conditions are most settled.
6 operators
Water around Kimbe Bay stays near 30°C all year, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 29–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Kimbe Bay year-round.
Fin maps 5 sites in Kimbe Bay (5 scuba diving sites).
