The Tufi coastline of Oro Province is famous for its Nordic-type fjords and crystal clear waters. Tufi is an emerging trekking, diving and birdwatching destination which, combined with family-owned village guest houses makes for a true eco-travel experience.
GETTING
THERE: Tufi airfield is one hour's flying time east
of Port Moresby. Currently there are scheduled flights on
Mondays and Fridays, and occasional charter flights on Wednesdays.
There is a weekly ferry connection to Alotau, Popondetta
and Lae but this does not always depart on the same day
of the week, it depends
on the weather, amount of passengers and cargo booked, etc.
From Tufi airfield, the boutique Tufi
Dive Resort is only 10
minutes walk, and the various village guest houses
are located at varying distances ranging from one kilometre to
10 kilometres away. Travel to the village guest houses is by
paddle canoe or motorised dinghy (the closest guest house at
Kofure is one hour paddling or 15 minutes by dinghy, and the
furthest guest house at Siu is 3 hours paddling or 45 minutes
by dinghy). Click here for a map
showing the Tufi coastline. There
is no regular public transport to the villages and all bookings
and transfers must be pre-arranged.
GENERAL
INFORMATION: 
The
Tufi district is famous for its Nordic-type fjords. The breathtaking
topography is dominated by 
some
25 fjords which penetrate deep into the coastal landscape. Many
of the fjords feature sheer basalt cliffs. There are numerous
white sandy beaches perfect for swimming, and pristine fringing
reefs offering excellent snorkelling. There is no logging in the
Tufi area and the coastline is free from pollutants. The water
clarity is excellent and scuba diving is a major attraction for
visitors. The people of the Tufi area have a rich cultural heritage
that is nurtured and treasured. One of the most memorable experiences
for visitors is witnessing a custom dance where the bare breasted
dancers dress in traditional tapa (bark) cloth and wear great
feather headdresses. Teams of dancers parade and dance throughout
the night.
There is a small dive resort located near Tufi township and for
many years this was the only accommodation available. More recently
a number of village guest houses and homestays have opened up
to give local villagers an opportunity to participate in ecotourism.
The people of the Tufi district have fought long and hard to keep
logging companies out of their forests and are looking to tread-softly
ecotourism to provide alternative economic benefits.
ACCOMMODATION:
In
recent times a number of village guest houses and homestays have
opened up in the Tufi area, in addition to the modern accommodation
available at Tufi Dive Resort. In the villages, guests are accommodated
in village-style bungalows built with local materials. There
is
no electricity or telephone in the villages, only at Tufi Dive
Resort.
Typically,
a village guest house is a large bush-material bunaglow with
four
or more guest rooms. While staying at a village guest house you
may share your village experience with other travellers who
are
booked in at the same time. On the other hand, village stays
or homestays usually consist of one small guest bungalow with
one
or two rooms, and only accommodate one guest party at a time,
making for a more intimate cultural exchange with the host
family
that runs the homestay.
Village
guest houses and village homestays provide very basic but adequate
accommodation. You will sleep on a clean bed either on a raised
bed frame or laid out on a beautifully woven mat on the floor,
protected by an insect net. The room will have a table and chair
and somewhere to hang your towel and clothes. While
some villages have piped water, others rely on water carried
from
a nearby stream. Guests can bathe in the stream or scoop water
over themselves in a private outdoor bathroom. Alternatively,
paddle to the nearest fjord waterfall and stand under Nature's
shower. Guest toilets at village stays are private pit latrines discreetly
located a short distance from the bungalow. Water is also
available in containers outside the guest bungalow for washing
hands and brushing teeth. Toilet paper, soap etc is provided,
or BYO favourite brand.
MEALS:
Meals
at village stays around Tufi are cooked in the traditional way. Seafood
including reef fish is always on the menu and the local specialty is
freshly caught crayfish (lobster) cooked in a variety of ways such
as
boiled in coconut milk, barbequed and curried.
Meals always feature local vegetables and seasonal fruits including
sweet potatoes, yams (similar to a stringy potato), ripe bananas, juicy
pineapples, and local oranges. Meals are prepared over an open fire,
often using the traditional Oro claypots. Guests will be fed, fed and
fed some more. Your favourite food items can be brought with you from
Port Moresby if required, your hosts will not be offended... especially
if you share!
ACTIVITIES:
1. Guests are free to wander around the village guest house area and
nearby village, including beachwalking.
2. Unlimited swimming and snorkelling on the live reef off the beach
near the village is included in your village guest house accommodation
payment. Motorised fishing or sightseeing excursions will be at extra
cost. Scuba diving facilities are available at nearby Tufi Dive Resort.
3. 
Fishing:
go spearfishing with the village boys or let them take you in a paddle
canoe to throw a line and bottom-fish for coral trout and red emperor.
At night, accompany the boys as they paddle out to catch reef fish
and dive for crayfish. Lay down in the canoe and gaze at millions
of stars as you listen to the boys sing traditional songs while they
paddle. (If possible bring two-dozen D-size batteries with you for
the divers' torches). Fishing excursions by motor boat, day or night,
are described by those-who-know as "very rewarding".
4. Night trips by paddle canoe to turtle beaches to observe adult
turtles nesting or young turtles sleeping
5. Gardening: accompany village people on trips to the gardens to
see how they cultivate their traditional vegetables
6. Guided hikes. Guides can accompany you on a choice of half-day,
full day or 2-3 day walks. See our Tufi
Fjords Hike and Paddle itinerary.
7.
Birdwatching: observe coastal and seabird colonies from a canoe
or hike into the bush to see colonies of Bird of Paradise. Hornbills
abound in the high trees on either side of the fjords and there are
many varieties of birds in the low, medium and high foliage. Birds
of Paradise can 
be viewed near Orotoaba.
8. Hear village elders recount the legends of Tufi, translated by
your hosts (priceless, but free).
9. Take
a day trip around the fjords by motor boat - great views of waterfalls.
10. Take a day trip to Wanigela and Uiaku villages: see potters
at Wanigela moulding clay pots and firing them on the beach (most
of
the claypots used in villages in the Tufi district are made at
Wanigela) and Uiaku people beating, cutting and painting tapa cloth
made from
the bark of the mulberry tree (most of the province's tapa cloth
is made by the Maisin people at Uiaku)
MORE
INFORMATION
EM15
Tufi Fjords Hike and Paddle 7 nights package
EM16
Discover Tufi 4 nights package
EM17
Tufi Weekender 3 nights package
Read our general booking information
Find general information about Oro Province
See a map of the Tufi area
See a map of the Oro Province
