Lissenung Island Resort offers sponsorship to researchers and students in the field of marine biology. We can accommodate 2 researchers/students at a time in twin room accommodation.
Lissenung Island Resort is a 20-minute boat ride from Kavieng, the capital of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. Situated only 2 degrees south of the Equator, it’s part of the Coral Triangle and home to some of the highest coral, fish and invertebrate diversity in the world.
The resort is located on a small island (400 x 100m), and apart from a handful of staff members, most of whom commute to work every day, you won’t see another soul.
Accommodation
Accommodation is provided in a twin room with semi-ensuite bathroom (the bathroom is located between two rooms and is accessible from the verandah. Included are meals, all linen, towels and mosquito nets as well as tea/coffee/water. The room has a large desk with ample power points (Australian Standard) and a spacious veranda. Electric power is 240V, 50 HZ, provided 24-hours by diesel generator. A quality surge suppressor or UPS should be brought for laptop computers and other electronic devices.
Single accommodation with either semi-ensuite bathroom or ensuite bathroom as well as twin-share accommodation with ensuite bathroom is also available. Please contact us for a quote.
Facilities
Lissenung Island Resort has a fantastic house reef with nearly 300 confirmed species of fish and invertebrates, healthy coral and plenty of sea grass. The depth of this fringing reef ranges from 50cm to 11m, providing shallow access to the research field and the opportunity for extended bottom and research time. Should research further afield be required, the resort has three dive boats that can be hired, depending on availability. All boats carry emergency equipment (oxygen & First Aid), communications equipment and have sunshades.
On request, we can also organise a cheaper option by hiring a simple banana boat without roof and with a smaller engine. All boat hire rates come with a local boat driver, who will assist with finding suitable research sites, gearing-up and down etc. and providing a look-out during the dives. A local dive guide can be hired to assist.
Lissenung Island Resort has a large, air-conditioned office with unlimited broadband access. This is PNG, so slower than in the Western world, but it does the trick. Access is free of charge. The dive shop has a workshop and a small area can be set aside for the researchers. Some research may also be done in the office.
Cost
The cost for accommodation in the twin share room with share bathroom is PGK 310.00 per person per night. This includes three meals per day (breakfast, lunch & dinner).
Access to our house reef including tanks & weights is free. Should the researchers wish to join the dive boat, either for research or for fun diving, the cost is PGK 275.00 per person for 2 dives, incl. tanks & weights. This is subject to availability and the full-paying guests have priority in choosing the dive site for the day.
Return Kavieng airport or town transfer is PGK 85.00 per person. Where researcher/student trips to Kavieng can be combined with shopping trips for the resort, this fee is waived.
Boat Hire Cost
- “Andiamo”, an 8m Ozycat with twin Suzuki 140HP 4-stroke engines, GPS, fish finder. Can carry a max. of 10 divers and 3 crew – POA
- “Raven”, a 7m flat-bottom boat with a Suzuki 140HP 4-stroke engine – PGK 450.00 per day, incl. 25l petrol
- Banana boat – PGK 250.00 per day, incl. 25l petrol
Used fuel will be charged at cost price.
Other diving related info
Lissenung Island Resort is a member of the PNG Divers Association (PNGDA). Under the conditions of our membership, divers have to pay an Environment & Safety of PGK 20.00 per person per dive day. This amount helps funding the recompression facility in Port Moresby as well as environmental programs throughout PNG as organized by the PNGDA. This is not an insurance and does neither cover evacuation nor chamber treatment. Divers Alert Network (DAN) or equivalent dive injury and evacuation insurance is required.
Reef fees to the traditional resource/reef owners are paid on a per-diver-per-dive basis by Lissenung Island Resort. This fee will NOT be collected from our guests/researcher. A Memorandum of Understanding between the dive operators and the traditional reef owners has been signed, which addresses issues such as fees to be paid, looking after the reef and its inhabitants and much more.
Shopping & Banking
Supermarkets, fresh fruit and vegetable markets, chemists, hardware and electronic stores are all accessible, although supply can be limited and cost of imported goods can be high. There are two banks in Kavieng, the Westpac Bank and the Bank of South Pacific, with the BSP having a 24/7-available ATM. Both banks offer foreign currency exchange, as does Lissenung Island Resort. We use the middle course and charge no fees, making this the best option.
Flights
From Australia, Air Niuigni operators flights from Sydney (twice a week), Brisbane (5 times a week) and Cairns (daily) to Port Moresby. There are also twice weekly flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila & Tokyo. Airlines PNG offers daily services between Cairns and Port Moresby and four times a week between Brisbane and Port Moresby (operated by Virgin Pacific). Qantas Link flies daily between Cairns to Port Moresby, Monday to Friday. Please be aware of their 1-piece check-in luggage allowance, though!
Daily and sometimes twice daily services will get you from Port Moresby to Kavieng. These flights are currently with Air Niugini only, but they allow same-day connections from/to all international destinations.
Research Visas
All persons intending to conduct research in Papua New Guinea must obtain a research permit and visa. Information about this process is available from the National Research Institute.
Request from Lissenung
Researchers/Students are encouraged to conduct awareness within the local community and its schools as well as our staff and guests. Once research is published, papers or links to papers should be made available to Lissenung Island Resort.
Applying
Interested parties should contact us and provide the following information:
* Name(s)
* Contact details
* Institutional affiliation
* Proposed dates
* A short proposal describing the nature of your research, including any invasive/manipulative research that may be required.
Proposals will be evaluated and the successful applicants will be informed. Further documentation may be requested at a later date, such as valid dive injury and evacuation insurance, diver certification documents etc.