Camp Doros
Tawali is located in a secluded area of Milne Bay among local fishing villages and accessible only by boat. Built on a limestone bluff eighty feet above the water, Tawali offers guests a private retreat in which to enjoy the wonders of PNG.
Much of the diving at Tawali is made on the coastal reefs which are only a short boat ride away. At one of these sites, Wahoo, mantas, barracudas, hammerhead sharks, stone fish and crocodile fish are commonly seen. The variety of marine life in Milne Bay is almost unbelievable. Not only are rare scorpion fish like the Merlot Scorpionfish spotted regularly here, but you also will find creatures that have not yet been recorded from other places of the world.
There are many other dive options for every taste. You may visit Observation Point on Normandy Island which is a great "muck" diving experience and home to seahorses, frogfish and rare species of garden eel, blue ribbon eels and many different species of clownfish. The day boat Prowler, can zoom into Milne Bay in a very short time for some amazing drift diving.
The main house reef can be accessed from the jetty, no need to take the boat. This is great for snorkeling and many of the night dives are done here. There is a resident mandarin fish, loads of anemone fish, nudibranchs and flat worms. A Maori wrasse also appears to be spending a fair bit of time here.
Tawali Resort is ideal not only for the hard-core diver, but also for snorkelers or a combination of a diver/non diver couple. Explore the incredible beauty of Milne Bay by kayak and encounter PNG’s exotic local culture on guided bush walks to remote villages, schools, skull caves, waterfalls, historic sites and participate in local activities. There's something here for everyone.
Tawali Resort boasts 21 rooms and 1 villa style accommodations. All rooms offer wooden décor and local artworks. Each room has air conditioning, tea & coffee facilities and balcony overlooking pristine water of Milne Bay.
Painstakingly constructed by local craftsmen, you will find beautifully carved totems and woodwork in the spacious main lodge and throughout the resort. Covered walkways connect 10 luxurious guest bungalows with the main building where the dining room, bar, lounge and reception are located and continues down to the Dive Shed and small beach area. The air-conditioned bungalows are spacious with two queen beds and rosewood interiors featuring exquisite local art. Each bungalow has a private balcony overlooking Hoia Bay. There’s a desk, ample closet space, personal safe, coffee making facility and a small refrigerator as well. Bathrooms are modern, completely tiled and have solar heated water. Thankfully, there’s no TV, radio or phone in any of the rooms to disturb the utter tranquility here.
Diving Activities
At the southeastern tip of the main island of New Guinea lies the province of Milne Bay and what many consider to be some of the best all-around scuba diving in Papua New. The diversity, abundance and quality of the dive sites in the area is really quite amazing and encompasses everything from the famous muck diving sites at Lawadi and Observation Point, to renowned Manta Cleaning Station “Giant at Home” near Samarai Island.
Sprinkle in to this mix some of the many WWII wrecks in the area, such as the Black Jack B17F Flying Fortress bomber just off the beach at Cape Vogel, and some of the superb reefs, and it’s easy to understand Milne Bay is on the “must do” list for most divers.
Tawali is in a great location both physically and geographically, with pristine surroundings and its position on the north coast, which provides shelter from the prevailing SE winds most of the time. This means there is always access to the dive sites all year round, with exception of February when the predominant winds create fairly big seas that make it very difficult to manage the boats.
The visibility at most of the dive sites becomes optimal during the wet season, from June through to August, and remains good to excellent all the way through to late October. water temperatures vary from around 30 degrees Celsius in the summer down to about 25 degrees Celsius in the winter.
Visit Tawali and experience the best dive destinations in PNG. Go scuba diving, muck diving, and wreck diving as you explore the greatest range of marine biodiversity in the protected waters of New Guinea, New Ireland, and New Britain.
Skull Cave and Waterfall
Maybe not everybody’s idea of fun, but it’s not every day you can stand in the darkness surrounded by piles of skulls is it? The skull caves are one of the “tourist attractions of Milne Bay and a visit to them, together with a side trip to the nearby village & waterfall is a good way to spend a non-diving afternoon.
The skull cave is underground and reached using a wooden stairway constructed by the local villages who use presence of visitors to show & sell their handicrafts and will be waiting for you when you re-emerge.
After the skull cave, guest will proceed then to the waterfalls located Guides will take you on a forty minute hike up through the lush forest to beautiful waterfalls where guests can take a break for a snack and dip in the pool before heading down.
Duration: 2 hours (10 mins. by boat going to the village & 15 rainforest walk)
Bird Watching
As dawn awakes for this 30 mins. hike up hill, standing under the dense forest and waiting for the beautiful birds of Paradise to come out and dance to attract thier female partners. You may also see different species along the way.
Duration: 3 hours (15 mins. by boat going to the village & 30 rainforest hike. 4 am departure from resort)
Rainforest Hike
Take guide bush walks into the rainforest or walk along the coast through local villages. There is even an extended day hike across the mountain ridge rising behind the resort, where you can view the entire coastline and the defense rainforest canopy. Take a pair of binoculars to view the cockatoos, hornbills and parrots along the way.
Duration: 2 hours
Dei Dei Hotspring
The Dei Dei hotspring in Fergusson Island is a sight to marvel with a certail mystical twist. Visitors to the place are awed by nature’s force and for those who do not believe in “black magic” a little convinced that there could be something out there.
Duration: 12 hours (Whole day trip- 5 hours travel by boat and 20 mins. walk) forest experience
Picnic & Snorkeling at Boi Boi Waga Island
Boi boi waga is a small island surrounded by a white sand beach. Located near the East Cape, the tip of mainland PNG, you will lose yourself in the pristine and clear water of the island.
Duration: half-day or whole day trip (30-40 minutes boat ride)
Cultural Experiences
PNG as one of most culturally diverse countries in the world, Tawali is best location to experience what PNG can offer. Tawali offers village experience, visit local village, traditional cooking, basket weaving, face painting, traditional dance entertainment and sailing on traditional canoe guided by a local.
Tawali Resort is accessible via a boat from Alotau. 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.
