Walindi Plantation Resort
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Booking by Tour Leader Club
2 room types · more than 40 sites across Kimbe Bay dive sites · house reef
Walindi sits on the shore of Kimbe Bay, on the north coast of New Britain Island. Behind it lies an oil palm plantation, then rainforest and volcanic cones; in front of it begins the Bismarck Sea. The bay’s reefs hold more than half of all coral species on Earth and are home to over 900 species of reef fish.
The resort is a family business. Max and Cecilie Benjamin had been diving the bay since 1976 and built the first two bungalows in 1983; the third generation of the family runs the place today. The bungalows, built from local timber, stand along the beachfront, and the Plantation House rooms sit in the gardens — nineteen rooms in all, plus the main house with its restaurant, a pool above the water and a reference library on marine life you would not find in an ordinary hotel.
There are more than forty dive sites in the bay: seamounts rising out of the deep, sheer walls, coral gardens with huge gorgonian fans. The reefs hold resident schools of barracuda, tuna and jacks, and grey reef and hammerhead sharks turn up regularly on the offshore reefs. Dolphins often escort the boats between sites — the resort had special nets made so guests can be lowered right into the pod riding the bow wave. The house reef, Hanging Gardens, is a wall hung with rope sponges and full of night life, two minutes from the jetty.
There is plenty to do out of the water too: a hike up the active Garbuna volcano, a soak in a thermal river at around 43 °C, Second World War aircraft wrapped in vines, trees that pulse with fireflies, the endemic birds of New Britain and scenic helicopter flights over the bay.
The resort founded the conservation NGO Mahonia Na Dari — Guardians of the Sea. Since 1997 its marine education programme has reached more than 250,000 schoolchildren, teachers and community members, and marine biologists from James Cook University work next door year-round, sometimes presenting their research to guests at the resort.
No markup
You pay exactly the rate the resort publishes. On top of that, only the actual bank costs of currency conversion and the international transfer — no commission of ours.
We run the deal
Correspondence with the resort, holding the room, the contract, booking confirmation and all paperwork are on our side. There is nothing for you to arrange yourself.
Card payment
We accept payment by card through Stripe and issue an invoice. The transfer to the resort is our job — you do not have to find a way to pay abroad.
Support all the way
We help you choose the room and dates, work out the dive package, answer questions about flights and gear, and stay in touch until you are home.
The exact amount is confirmed when we hold your booking: it includes the resort's rate at the day's exchange rate plus the actual transfer costs. No hidden fees.
About the resort
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
- Location
- Kimbe Bay, New Britain
- Nearest airport
- Hoskins (HKN), about an hour by road
- Transfer
- Resort shuttle, US$110 per person return
- House reef
- Yes — Hanging Gardens, two minutes by boat from the jetty
- Dive sites
- more than 40 sites across Kimbe Bay
- Dive centre
- In-house dive centre, three day boats, full range of PADI courses
- Nitrox
- Available, US$10 per fill
- Rooms
- 19 rooms — bungalows and Plantation House rooms
- Internet
- Free Wi-Fi in the main building; it does not reach the rooms
- Languages
- English
At the resort
Diving
The 6, 10 and 12-dive packages can be used flexibly across your stay — two or three dives a day. Night dives are not part of the packages and are charged separately. Two fees are added on top: the PNG Divers Association environmental and safety fee of US$9 per diver per diving day, and a marine conservation fee of US$2 per diver or snorkeller per day on the water.
Dining
Meals are already in the tariff, with nothing extra to pay. They are served at set times in the Casuarina Restaurant, and the boats take a packed lunch on full-day trips. The island is remote, so not every dietary requirement can be met — tell the resort when you book.
Beyond diving
Rooms
Free-standing beachfront bungalow
from US$210 per person per night, two sharing
View: Kimbe Bay, private verandah
Beds: One queen bed and one single
Free-standing 'bure' style bungalows built from local timber, set along the beachfront among tropical gardens. Each has its own path winding through the garden and a private verandah looking over the water. There is no air conditioning: ceiling fans do the work and every window is fully screened. Can be booked as a single, twin, double or triple.
Room in a block of four
from US$175 per person per night, two sharing
View: Resort gardens, shared verandah
Beds: One queen bed or two singles
Slightly smaller than the bungalows but with the same fit-out: ensuite bathroom, ceiling fans, fridge, kettle and desk. They are built in blocks of four rooms sharing a common verandah, with windows onto the gardens. Can be booked as a single, twin or double.
Rates
Accommodation, 2026
| Occupancy | Peak season | Low season |
|---|---|---|
| Bungalow, single | US$330 | US$275 |
| Bungalow, double or twin (per person) | US$255 | US$210 |
| Bungalow, triple (per person) | US$220 | US$180 |
| Plantation House, single | US$250 | US$230 |
| Plantation House, double or twin (per person) | US$190 | US$175 |
US dollars per person per night; all three meals and daily laundry are included. Peak season is 1–4 January 2026 and 1 April 2026 – 4 January 2027, low season 5 January – 31 March 2026.
Airport transfers
| Direction | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Hoskins to the resort and back | US$110 |
| One way | US$70 |
Hoskins airport is about an hour's drive from the resort. The price is the same in both seasons.
Diving, 2026
| Item | Peak season | Low season |
|---|---|---|
| 2 dives (one day) | US$210 | US$180 |
| 3 dives (one day) | US$270 | US$230 |
| 6-dive package | US$528 | US$450 |
| 10-dive package | US$850 | US$730 |
| 12-dive package | US$972 | US$828 |
| Environmental & safety fee, per diver per day | US$9 | US$9 |
| Marine conservation fee, per day on the water | US$2 | US$2 |
Per person, including tanks and weights; all other equipment is extra. Packages can be used flexibly across the stay, two or three dives a day; night dives are not included.
Single dives and snorkelling
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| One dive from the day boat | US$120 |
| Night dive, guided, torch provided | US$125 |
| Shore dive up to 5pm, unguided | US$20 |
| Nitrox fill per dive | US$10 |
| Snorkel trip to the outer reefs | US$110 |
| Hanging Gardens house reef, per hour | US$25 |
| Marine conservation fee, per snorkelling day | US$2 |
Per person, tanks and weights only. Subject to boat and guide availability.
PADI courses
| Course | Price |
|---|---|
| Discover Scuba, one dive | US$260 |
| Discover Scuba, two dives | US$375 |
| Open Water Diver | US$680 |
| Referral, confined and open water, 3 days | US$600 |
| Referral, open water only, 2 days | US$550 |
| Advanced Open Water | US$650 |
| Rescue Diver | US$670 |
| Emergency First Response | US$250 |
| Divemaster (gear not included) | US$1,680 |
| Scuba review, surcharge on the first dive | US$75 |
| Nitrox speciality course | US$220 |
Materials and gear are included, except on the divemaster course. Courses are subject to minimum numbers: a 10% surcharge applies if they are not met. PADI eLearning courses require a deposit in advance.
Equipment hire
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Full gear, one day | US$60 |
| Full gear, five days | US$210 |
| BCD | US$15 |
| Regulator | US$15 |
| Dive computer | US$20 |
| Mask, snorkel and fins | US$15 |
| Mask and snorkel | US$10 |
| Fins only | US$10 |
| Wetsuit | US$10 |
| Torch | US$10 |
Per day. Full gear means BCD, regulator, mask, fins and computer; dropping items does not reduce the price. Let the resort know your hire needs in advance.
Island trips, 2026
| Trip | 1 guest | 2–4 | 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garu hot river, half day | US$95 | US$70 | US$65 |
| Hot river and town, half day | US$110 | US$85 | US$75 |
| Talasea plane wrecks, half day | US$70 | US$60 | US$55 |
| Kimbe town trip, half day | US$50 | US$40 | US$35 |
| Firefly viewing, 30 minutes at night | US$30 | US$25 | US$20 |
| Casual birdwatching walk, 2–3 hours | US$55 | US$50 | US$45 |
| Nature walk, 2–3 hours | US$55 | US$50 | US$45 |
| Village walk, 2–3 hours | US$55 | US$50 | US$45 |
| Volcano hike, 5–8 hours | US$55 | US$50 | US$45 |
Per person, and the price depends on group size: one guest, two to four, five or more. Transport, guide and all entrance fees are included.
Birdwatching, 2026
| Route | 1 guest | 2–4 | 5–7 | 8+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowland forest, half day | US$180 | US$140 | US$120 | US$110 |
| Lowland forest, full day | US$350 | US$280 | US$230 | US$210 |
| Upland forest, full day | US$100 | US$80 | US$70 | US$65 |
| Lowland riverine, half day | US$180 | US$140 | US$120 | US$110 |
| Lowland riverine, full day | US$350 | US$280 | US$230 | US$210 |
| Rainforest foothills and scrub, 1–3 hours | US$85 | US$65 | US$60 | US$55 |
| Golden Masked Owl evening run, 1–3 hours | US$85 | US$65 | US$60 | US$55 |
| Megapode grounds, half day | US$180 | US$140 | US$120 | US$110 |
| Megapode grounds, full day | US$350 | US$280 | US$230 | US$210 |
Per person, including vehicle, guide and entrance fees. The oceanic islands trip is charged by the boat rather than per person: US$1,100 for up to six guests and US$1,200 for seven or more; the extended run looking for Heinroth's Shearwater is US$1,350 and US$1,800.
Rates and availability can change. Message us — we will confirm current dates and prices.
When to go
- Best time
- Year-round; dry June to August, rain January to March
- Air temperature
- 24–34 °C year-round
The climate is tropical and warm all year, and severe storms are rare this close to the equator. The rainy season traditionally runs January to the end of March and the dry season June to August; those same months are cooler in the evenings, so a light sweater is worth packing. Diving goes on all year. Rates split into two seasons: 1–4 January 2026 and 1 April 2026 – 4 January 2027 are peak, 5 January – 31 March 2026 is low and runs roughly 15–20% cheaper.
Getting there
Fly internationally to Port Moresby (POM), then take a domestic flight to Hoskins (HKN), also known as Kimbe airport. Air Niugini and PNG Air both fly daily. Hoskins is about an hour by road from the resort: a driver meets you with a sign, and the transfer is US$110 per person return.
If you connect in Port Moresby the same day, you can re-lodge your bags for the domestic flight at the international terminal and walk across to the domestic one along the covered walkway. Flying Air Niugini on both the international and the domestic leg on the same day adds 15 kg of free baggage allowance for dive equipment.
Most nationalities need a visa before arrival — the e-visa costs US$50 and is applied for online; allow a couple of months, as processing can be slow. A green fee of PGK 50 is payable on departure from Port Moresby.
Check-in is from 2pm, check-out by 10am. Payment is by bank transfer 30 days before arrival; cards are not accepted for prepayment, but at the resort they take cards and cash in kina, US dollars, euros and Australian dollars with no surcharge. Cancelling 30–15 days out refunds half the invoice; later than that, nothing. Children of 10 and under stay, eat and travel free when sharing existing bedding with their parents. Groups get the eighth place free on a minimum three-night stay.
Included in the price
Not included
Mandatory extras
Optional extras
Extras are per person and paid on site.
from 175 USD per person per night, two sharing, all meals included
Walindi Plantation Resort
Availability for your dates will be confirmed before any payment. Estimated wait time — 24 hours
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Free-standing beachfront bungalow
Free-standing 'bure' style bungalows built from local timber, set along the beachfront among tropical gardens. Each has its own path winding through the garden and a private verandah looking over the water. There is no air conditioning: ceiling fans do the work and every window is fully screened. Can be booked as a single, twin, double or triple.
- View
- Kimbe Bay, private verandah
- Beds
- One queen bed and one single
- Maximum guests
- 3
- Rate
- from US$210 per person per night, two sharing
Room in a block of four
Slightly smaller than the bungalows but with the same fit-out: ensuite bathroom, ceiling fans, fridge, kettle and desk. They are built in blocks of four rooms sharing a common verandah, with windows onto the gardens. Can be booked as a single, twin or double.
- View
- Resort gardens, shared verandah
- Beds
- One queen bed or two singles
- Maximum guests
- 2
- Rate
- from US$175 per person per night, two sharing
Walindi Plantation Resort
from 175 USD
