NEED TO KNOW
LOCATION Tufi is on Papua New Guinea’s southeastern coastline
SCUBA DIVING Tufi has incredible offshore reefs and superlative “muck diving”
DAYTIME TEMPERATURES Jan: 80°F (27°C); Apr: 88°F (31°C); Jul: 82°F (28°C); Oct: 84°F (29°C)
Papua New Guinea is one of tourism’s last frontiers. Many areas of the country, it is said, have never been visited by Westerners. The village of Tufi sits on a rugged, fjord-like coastline, its dive center nestled in the crook of an inlet that was used for decades as a rubbish dump.
It doesn’t sound alluring, but this mucky environment attracts unusual creatures that use the discarded objects as camouflage. Blennies retreat inside old cola bottles, harlequin shrimps hide beneath rusting 40-gallon drums, and hairy robust ghost pipefish mimic red algae as it grows on ageing driftwood.
At a depth of 148 ft (45 m) you’ll also see an intact torpedo and a shell gun – reminders that this was an American forces station during World War II.
Practical Information
Getting There Fly to Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and then hop on a small aircraft for the 40-minute transfer to Tufi. You’ll land on the village football field. The resort is a short walk from here.
When to Go Visit at any time – the weather is great all year round.