I stayed here for three days solo snorkeling, and then joined a small bird tour group for three more days. Bungalows were great; beautiful gardens with gorgeous bird wing butterflies and a beautiful view. Bungalows were very well sealed, so didn't need mosquito net when sleeping. Not air-conditioned, but robust ceiling fans kept me cool for sleeping. Food was good. Snorkeling was good and they accommodated me as a solo snorkeler. But I can't say the staff was enthusiastic about my snorkeling. The captain of one boat asked me why I didn't dive – distinctly implying that he wished that I were a diver instead. They were not interested in what I wanted to see or planning an itinerary, but just gave a few options of where to go each day. They said there was a house reef, but I had to pester them to even put out a ladder for it. I was impressed with the house reef though – saw a lot of stuff I didn't see further offshore. But the big liveaboards docked in the same area, so it wasn't really possible to snorkel on the house reef once they arrived. Boat staff seemed friendly, but not reliable. On one combination bird/snorkeling outing, they forgot to bring defogger or a fresh water tank to soak cameras, etc. On another outing, I said I wanted to eat lunch at an island, but then once I got out there I was told they hadn't brung lunch and were returning at 1 PM. They also just let novices jump in the water without giving them any instructions about not stepping on the reef, etc. But I did otherwise feel safe in the water with the staff. The reefs all look good, and water visibility was excellent except near shore or islands. though there are signs of bleaching. I didn't see a lot of big stuff and no sharks. There was one huge Napoleon Wrasse and a pod of false killer whales (misidentified by the captain as melonhead whales) which I saw from the boat. But the highlights for me were smaller stuff – several species of shrimp gobies, a *****ed coral blenny (which is only found in this area and the Solomon Islands), a cool Phyllidia nudibranch I found, reef squid, loads of gorgeous reef fish, etc. Definitely worth a visit, but getting there can be an adventure. The national airline was not at all reliable when I was there; unexpected flight cancellations are routine. Security in Papua New Guinea is always a concern – though I felt safe enough at the resort.
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