Dive Review of TAWALI RESORT/SAME in
Papua New Guinea/MILNE BAY

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TAWALI RESORT/SAME, May, 2008, by Gregg Gaylord, WI, USA ( Reviewer 3 reports). Report 4089.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Tawali Resort is located on Milne Bay in PNG. It is literally carved out of the jungle and represents a minor miracle. The rooms are large, luxurious and the beds were two queen beds. No TV or phones in the room (thankfully). The single unit air conditioner was more than adequate to cool the room. There was a nice moderate sized balcony with table and chairs with a jungle view as well as an ocean view. The main lodge was spacious and the dining area very large and well laid out. Dining was buffet style and the food was excellent, varied and certainly in more than adequate quantities. There was a "board" where you hung your room number to indicate which dive boat and series of dives you were going to be diving the next day. Laundry was available at a modest charge ($20 US for 5 shirts and 2 pairs of shorts). The showers and bathrooms were excellent. Hot water, though limited, was ample and VERY hot. Small shampoos, towels and daily room cleanings were performed during our stay. The breakfast, lunch and dinner services were not perfunctory, but there was no significant delay. You had to pay for soda, beer, wine and spirits at the lodge (though soda was free on the boat during the dive day). There was an alarm clock in each room that appeared to work (we didn't use it though). All in all, the accommodations were excellent. The staff of native Papua New Guineans were friendly and always helpful. Included in the stay was a "dance" night. Very interesting native dancing. We were supposed to have been on the live aboard but 3 months prior to arrival were told the boat was (for the third time) in dry dock. We were put up at the resort. We were told other guests would not be allowed at the resort, but this did not occur. No big deal though. AIRLINES/TRAVEL: Air Niugini actually cancelled several flight from and to Port Moresby to Alotau. Passengers were stranded overnight though the airline paid for a "securely guarded" hotel. Security is a serious issue in the towns. Port M is a dangerous city. They did, however, hold the plane from Port M to Cains AU to allow our connection (we were late from Alotau) when we departed. I took 6 flight segments and an overnight in Cairns, AU to arrive. TOO MUCH TRAVEL I think. Plan for the extra time. My bags all arrived. 1 1/2 hours by bus from the airport via dirt roads and rickety bridges to a small jungle spot where a boat picked us up and took us to the resort (20 minute ride). Diving: TONS OF UNIQUE CRITTERS. We dove 1 to 2 hour dives in shallow spots by the shore, and took a few "day trips" to some sea mounts for somewhat more lush/soft coral diving. The highlight were the Ornate Ghost pipefish as well as the innumerable anemone fish of all varieties. Pelagics were rare and not interesting. Muck diving was great. We all dove 32% Nitrox and had 11 full days of diving. The house reef featured coral heads with Mandarin Fish! Cuttlefish were often sighted. Unique innumerable colorful fish, crabs and shrimp as well as outstanding condition of the coral. The bad: Liveaboard not ready but as it turned out, the destinations we WOULD have gone to were rain soaked. We had sunny, dry weather most of our stay at the resort. Luck. One of the two boats had a breakdown our second dive day. Internet service down for one week. Rare occurance apparantly. Multiple requests needed to fix something instead of "mentioning once" and done. I think this was more due to new management than neglect or not caring. If anything, the management was outstanding in their attention to our group. Overall: Excellent diving. Excellent resort. LONG WAY TO TRAVEL with IFFY air service in Papua New Guinea. Resort needs to correct mechanical problems with the boats. Great management staff. Dive staff superb at finding critters. Major cudos to Sebastian.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Solomon Islands, Thailand, Cocos, Truk, Caribbean, Lake Michigan, Bahamas, Florida, Indiana
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-88°F / 27-31°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	10-50 Ft/ 3-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Dive as long as you want.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of TAWALI RESORT/SAME in Papua New Guinea/MILNE BAY

TAWALI RESORT/SAME, May, 2008,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of TAWALI RESORT/SAME in
Papua New Guinea/MILNE BAY