Susan's Reef
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
Susan's Reef is Kimbe Bay's signature image: a saddle of reef strung with scarlet whip corals that lean into the current like grass in wind, anthias blazing around them. The ridge connects a small pinnacle to the main reef, and the classic dive works the saddle slowly, shooting the whips against blue water while fusiliers pour overhead. Anemones with resident clownfish dot the crest, and longnose hawkfish hide in the fans for those who look closely. Nothing here is deep or difficult — the site's reputation rests entirely on density of life and the discipline of visiting boats in protecting it.
The moment you come for: Red whip-coral thickets; anthias clouds over the ridge; classic wide-angle scenes at moderate depth.
Topography: A coral ridge joining a pinnacle to the main reef, famous for dense red whip-coral growth
Current: A little flow switches the whip corals on; guides pick the window.
Entry: Day-boat run from the Kimbe resorts or liveaboard stop; moored or live-boat entries.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Occasional current over the saddle; otherwise benign.
Conservation: Whip corals snap at a touch and take years to regrow — compose photographs with fins well clear of the ridge.
Who you'll meet
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Hawksbill Turtle
Lionfish
Nudibranchs
Pygmy Seahorse
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting