Tufi

Tufi is a small town on the northeast coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the area known as the Fjordland of PNG, The area has spectacular scenery and is also famous for its production of tapa, a decorated cloth produced from the bark of the paper mulberry tree, which is also found in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji. In the Second World War it provided a temporary base for US PT Boats in the battle against the Japanese. Two boats sunk in March 1943 now provide a popular dive site.

A fjord at Tufi

Get in

• Airlines PNGoffers scheduled flights twice a week to Tufi from the capital of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby.
• There is also a weekly, but not too reliable, ferry service from Popondetta and Lae, both of which can be reached from Port Moresby by Air Niugini.
• Package deals from Port Moresby are arranged by Ecotourism Melanesia

Get around

See

• Tapa making.
• The scenery, particularly the fjords. These are over 90 metres deep, with sides rising out of the water to over 150 metres. The sides of the fjords are covered with moss and orchids.
• The nearby rainforest. Look for the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, the largest butterfly in the world, now sadly very rare.

Do

• Dive, particularly Cyclone Reef with abundant marine life, which is 15km southeast of Tufi and the World War 2 dive sites. Seas are best between October and mid-June.
• Kayaking can be done on the fjords.

Buy

• Tapa. To own a piece of tapa cloth is unusual. To own a piece from Tufi is even more unusual. Production of the mulberry bark cloth is far less than in the main South Pacific producing areas such as Tonga.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• The Tufi Resort (aka Tufi Dive resort) has 10 deluxe bungalows, 9 standard air-conditioned bungalows and 8 single fanned rooms. It has a very informative web site .
• Villages. The Tufi Resort can arrange stays in village guest houses, most of which are just a few kilometres from Tufi.

Go next