Kavieng

Kavieng sits at the northern tip of New Ireland facing a lagoon and a scatter of small islands, a town of a few thousand with a slow pace, a waterfront market, wide streets under raintrees and a harbour. Diving is the main draw: the passages between the islands run strong current that brings in sharks, barracuda and pelagics, and the reefs, walls and a set of wartime wrecks and aircraft are worked by operators in the town. Surfing is the other, with reef breaks working on the northwest swell from November to April and a village-based surf management arrangement limiting numbers at each break. Boats run to the lagoon islands.

What you actually see

• The passages - the current-swept channels with sharks and pelagics.
• Wrecks - the wartime vessels and aircraft on the reef.
• Reef surf breaks - the waves working on the northwest swell.
• The lagoon islands - the small islands off the town.

When to go

May to October for the calmest diving conditions; November to April for the surf season, when the swell arrives. The two seasons do not overlap, so the trip depends on which you want.

Honest expectations

Flights connect through Port Moresby and are subject to disruption. Dive and surf operators are few and book out. The surf management scheme limits numbers and requires booking through the operators. The town has limited facilities.

Nearby

The Boluminski Highway runs south; the Kontu villages are on the west coast.