Tawali Dive Resort - Bluewater Dive Travel
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Tawali Dive Resort

4.25
(2 REVIEWS)

Destination: Papua New Guinea

PO Box 674, Milne Bay, 211 Hewiia, Papua New Guinea | Full-board + 2 dives from $344/ppn

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Tawali Resort Quick Pitch

Accessible only by boat, Tawali offers travelers a unique location to relax and enjoy some of Milne Bay's best diving.

 

Quick Information 

  • No of Rooms: 18
  • Dive Center: On-site
  • Amenities: AC, balconies with ocean views, kayaks, cultural tours and more
  • WiFi: Free in public areas
  • Nearest International Airport: Jacksons International Airport
  • Airport shuttle: Yes, surcharge ($50 one-way, $90 return)
 

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Accommodations - Resort Facilities - Packages & Rates

Dive Information - Dive Center Facilities

Other Information - Booking & Inquiry - Underwater Gallery

 

How to Get There

The resort is situated in Milne Bay on the eastern side of New Guinea. Guests must fly from Port Moresby to Alotau Airport, then transfer on a 90-minute bus ride along the Milne Bay coast followed by a 20-minute boat ride to the resort. The trip between Alotau Airport and Tawali Resort takes approximately 2 hours. Transfers are available to and from Alotau Airport.  

 

Dive Overview

Healthy reefs with colorful fish & critters.

 
 
 

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Accommodations

Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos

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Tawali Resort Room Overview

Tawali Resort offers bungalows and ocean-front villas. The air-conditioned bungalows are spacious with two queen beds and rosewood interiors that include desks, closets and lounge areas. Each room has a personal safe and coffee making facilities. Bathrooms are modern, completely tiled and have solar heated water.

 

Tawali Resort Tawali Resort

 

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Resort Facilities

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Tawali Resort Tawali Resort

The restaurant & the pool

 

Tawali Resort Features 

  • Restaurant
  • Pool
  • Poolside bar
  • Wifi
  • Lounge with library
  • Airport Transportation
  • Room Service
  • Laundry Service

 

Tawali Resort Food & Drinks

The chefs have been able to bring their own unique list of ingredients and recipes to the table at Tawali. Local farmers raise the fruits and vegetables served at Tawali and we take great pride in the freshness and variety of the foods we serve. Breads are fresh made as well as desserts and snacks and beverages are easily available. Three buffet-style meals are served daily. Snacks, juices, coffee and tea throughout the day are included. Canned sodas and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at the Tawali bar.

 

Tawali Resort Activities 

  • Diving
  • Skull cave & waterfall tour
  • Deidei Hot Spring tour
  • Canoe making demonstration tour
  • Bird watching tour
  • Mumu (traditional stone cooking) demonstration
  • Hiking

 

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Packages & Rates

Tawali Resort Rates

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accommodation rates (with meals)

All rates are quoted in US Dollars, and are effective for all new bookings travelling from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. All rates do not include GST. All tourism services are exempt from GST if prepaid outside Papua New Guinea. If Services are paid within PNG, 10% GST will be charged.

Room

Single Occupancy

Double Occupancy

Deluxe Bungalow

$275

$220

Double Standard Room

$240

$180

Standard Room

$200

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Diving rates

All rates are quoted in US Dollars, and are effective for all new bookings travelling from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Dive

Rate Per person

2 tanks per day

$190

3 tanks per day

$250

Environmental Safety Fee (per Diver per day)

$10



Can't find the information you need?

Drop us an email at bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at +1-310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!  

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Dive Information

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Milne Bay Dive Sites 

  • Tania's Reef - A large coral mount coming from 140 ft to just 8 ft from the surface. Divers are able to dive around the full circumference of the reef with a single tank. The South side of the reef is littered with soft corals of all descriptions. Large schools of fish feed off this face. The reef also plays host to giant clams and turtles.
  • Cobb's Cliff - Steep drop off on one side down to 150+' rising to just 20' below the surface and dropping back in the center to a sandy lagoon to 60'. This site is frequently visited by large pelagics such as Manta Rays and Hammerhead Sharks. The reef also hosts a variety of macro subjects such as leaf scorpion fish, Rhinopious, Blue Ribbon Eels, Elegant Fire Gobys, and so much more.
  • Wahoo Point - A small point located on the North side of the mainland with a shelf from 15' to 50' in depth and dropping with a sheer wall down to 200+'. This site is frequently visited by Hammerheads, Manta Rays, occasionally Whale Sharks, Minki Whales and on two occasions, Orcas. The site also hosts a variety of anenomies, a school of Barracuda and very large Elephant ear sponges. A great place for wide angle photography.
  • Lauadi - This dive site you could spend a number of days doing, this location actually has two separate dives, straight off the boat, no deeper than 25' of water you have an incredible collection of cleaning stations, divers are able to get their teeth cleaned if they wish. The site has a variety of octopuses and on occasions, the Mimic has appeared.
  • Pelagic point - This dive site has relatively strong current and because of this there are large quantities of fish patrolling a steep wall dropping off to 130 feet. Sharks are often sighted on this site. The top of the reef which is approximately 215 feet, has a large number of bommies hosting a magnificent variety of sea life, ie: crabs, rays, rays not to mention all the fish.
  • Jason's Reef - A small coral mound located in 150 feet of water. This mound has large schools of Banner fish and Fusiliers as well as many pelagics. Also on this mound is the sought after Rhinopious or Weedy Scorpion fish.
  • Little China - A coral mound coming out of 150 feet of water. Typical of over 30 dive sites in close proximity. Large schools of fish over the front face, soft coral gardens where both macro and wide angle photographers can be more than satisfied.
  • Michelle's Reef - Located on the North Coast, this dive site provides both macro and wide angle. A shallow wall dropping off to 25 feet. Beautiful swim-through with gorgonians growing off the wall and sea bed. Able to shoot up into the jungle canopy from 20 feet of water. Also ideal for macro, a large variety of nudibranchs, Pegasus fish and on occasions Mimic octopus
  • Crinois City - Coral mound coming up from 120 feet of water. As it's name suggests, it plays host to a variety of crinoids. The front slope of this reef is covered with a variety of black coral trees. Off the slope, huge schools of fusiliers, anthias and jacks circle. Excellent for wide angle.
  • Sponge Heaven - A sheer wall starting at 2' below the surface dropping to 200+' Honey combed with small caves. Huge variety of sponges and home to a variety of Nudibranchs, including the large Spanish Dancer. Beautiful night dive.
  • Cherie's Reef - This is a beautiful drift dive along a slope that's covered with large Gorgonians and littered with large schools of fish. Particular Gorgonians host the infamous Pigmy Sea Horse.

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Dive Center Information

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Tawali Resort Tawali Resort

 

Tawali Dive Center Features 

  • Private dock
  • Equipment rentals
  • Nitrox
  • Kayaks and canoes for guest use
 

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Other Information

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Practical Information 

  • Electricity: 220 Volts
  • Time zone: UTC+10
  • Languages: Filipino, Korean & English
  • Accept Credit Cards?: Yes, Visa & Master Card

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Got Questions? Ready to Book?

Call us today at 310-915-6677 or email us bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com

And let us book your dream vacation!

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Underwater Gallery

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Tawali Resort Tawali ResortTawali Resort Tawali ResortTawali Resort Tawali ResortTawali Resort Tawali Resort

 

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Reviews (2)

  • Top Reviewer
LauraTaylor
26 Reviews
Mark as helpful 
5
4
5
4

Tawali Resort clings to the rainforest, sloping to the sea, like a sprawling treehouse on the outer peninsula of Milne Bay. We previously dived this area by liveaboard as it was hard to access otherwise. Arriving is via a 45-minute flight from Port Moresby to Alatau, then a 90-min ride in a new mini-bus and finally a 20-minute boat trip to the resort.

The main jetty, wrapped around the house reef and mandarin fish dive, leads to some stairs past rinse tanks and then a sloping walkway and then some more stairs to reach the accommodations level. The main complex is fan-cooled and houses reception, WIFI access, lounge, bar, indoor dining area and large outdoor decks with views through the rainforest to the sea below, where devil rays (Mobula rays) could be seen on the house reef.

The 19 timber bungalows perched on the hillside are connected by a timber walkway through the tree canopy. Some are in a duplex arrangement which can be connected internally. Further along the walkway, the resort also has a 2-bedroom Ocean villa, a large conference room with 3 attached single rooms, and eventually meanders down to beach level with a nice pool.

The air-conditioned rooms are large with 2 queen beds, a mini fridge, tea and coffee station (in future a smart TV and WIFI are planned) and a long bench good for cameras but lacking convenient electric outlets. There was a great view from the balcony seating area and an outdoor drying rack.

The included meals were a mix of buffet and cook to order depending on the number of guests or the plan of the day. Most days, eggs were cooked to order, lunches were western-style plate of the day and dinners were usually a buffet of a good selection of dishes including plenty of seafood and crab. Fresh tropical fruit was offered at each meal. The most unexpected was the best lunch on a 3-dive day boat that we have had. They put a food warmer on board and were able to serve up hot dishes of rice, curry, vegetables and crumbed shrimp as well as cold salad and fruit from the cooler.

The meal and bar server was excellent, attentive and thoughtful, and made pretty good cocktails. In fact, the whole resort and dive operation was well run by the long serving team, with no apparent supervision.

Tawali has a small but well-coordinated and experienced dive team lead by Alfred, who have been diving this area for over 10 years. There were 2 guides for our group of 4 or 6 experience divers, all were good with their air and bottom times averaged 70 minutes, with no rush to surface if there was something interesting to see which the guides were enthusiastic to find. Several divers using Nitrox found the readings inconsistent day to day.

They have a large new dive boat which is comfortable but with a ramp at the front like a landing barge that lowers for divers to walk into the water with a giant stride. In rough weather, they use the side exit, which means stepping up onto a narrow ledge before stepping off. The ladder is attached here for getting back on board and is going to be better adapted for divers as it can be a bit slippery in bare feet.

We were happy to find the boat was strictly non-smoking. Amenities on board included, towels, water, tea, coffee, fruit and cookies and the best banana cake, until the kitchen ran out of ripe bananas. Cameras were well handled and a rinse bucket was provided on board.

The resort is well located to some great walls close to the resort and is an hour to the mouth of Milne Bay where the reefs are colourful and host amazing numbers of fish. Albert came to the dining room each evening to confirm the next days’ dive plan and we alternated days between closer and farther dive sites. Tawali and Milne Bay are well known for muck diving, however our group had an appetite for the walls and reefs with some current, which had plenty of seasonal pelagic and fish action and as one diver exclaimed after a great dive at Tania’s Reef, “With a dive like that who would want to do muck diving?”

Visited on 12/2023 - Submitted on 12/28/2023
Tonga
2 Reviews
Mark as helpful 
4
4
5
3

I went here for 5 days after the 10 day Solomon to PNG liveaboard trip on the Master. The dive resort is lovely, spanning two coves, one with a pool and dive shop, and the other where the boat picks you up and where you shore dive from. Also, tons of line fishermen and children by the dock, where a massive school of sardines lives.

The diving was gorgeous! Saw a mobula on the first house reef dive! Tons of nudibranch and soft corals, as well as schooling fish. The conditions were more challenging out into Milne Bay, but the action was well worth it. The divemaster was excellent at finding macro. The dive boat had enough space, though the resort was not very full at the time.

The rooms were large and comfy. I was not too fond of the food. I found the staff a bit lazy and felt I was putting them out. Not sure if it is typical for PNG.

I went to the scull cave, awesome!!!!

The village walk was really interesting, and we followed a trail along the coast back to the resort; followed by some of the children. It was beautiful! We passed many huts spaced out along the way, which the villagers live in, and the village is the school, health clinic, and church. The people were friendly and followed us around our tour. Cute kids!

Overall, a nice place and awesome scuba diving!

Visited on 04/2016 - Submitted on 05/18/2020

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