Tufi

Tufi sits at the head of a drowned volcanic crater on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea's Oro Province — a fjord-like inlet flanked by vertical cliffs draped in rainforest that plunge directly into water of such extraordinary clarity that the coral formations 20 metres below are visible from the surface. The comparison to a Norwegian fjord is irresistible but misleading: where Norway's fjords were carved by ice, Tufi's were created by the submergence of ancient river valleys in a volcanic landscape, and the warm tropical water that fills them supports a marine ecosystem of staggering diversity rather than the cold-water fauna of the North Atlantic.

The fjords of Tufi — there are several, radiating from the main inlet like fingers — are among Papua New Guinea's most spectacular dive and snorkel destinations. The vertical walls, beginning at the waterline and dropping to depths of 30 metres or more, are encrusted with soft corals, sea fans, and sponges that create an underwater tapestry of colour visible even from a kayak on the surface. The fjords also harbour significant populations of barracuda, trevally, and the reef sharks that patrol the deeper channels, while the shallower areas near the heads of the inlets support coral gardens of remarkable health and diversity. Several World War II aircraft and vessels lie on the fjord floors, their wreckage gradually being absorbed by the reef in a process that marine archaeologists find both poignant and scientifically valuable.

The Korafe people, who inhabit the villages around Tufi, maintain one of Papua New Guinea's most visually striking cultural traditions: the elaborate tapa cloth designs and facial tattoos that mark clan identity, social status, and personal achievement. The tapa cloth — made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree, beaten to a fine texture and painted with geometric designs — serves as ceremonial dress, currency, and art, and the skill of Tufi's tapa painters is renowned throughout Papua New Guinea. Village visits, arranged through the community, offer opportunities to witness tapa-making, traditional dance performances, and the daily routines of a community that balances subsistence living with growing engagement with the outside world.

The cuisine of coastal Oro Province relies on the garden and the sea. Sago, processed from the pith of the sago palm in a labour-intensive procedure that yields a starchy staple, is the dietary foundation — cooked into a dense, gelatinous block that is sliced and eaten with soups and stews. Fresh fish, grilled over coconut-husk charcoal, is the primary protein, supplemented by the shellfish and crabs harvested from the mangrove zones at the fjords' mouths. Cooking in mumu — the Melanesian earth oven, equivalent to the Polynesian umu — produces meals of remarkable flavour: sweet potato, taro, and pork wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked over hot stones until the vegetables caramelise and the meat falls apart.

Tufi is accessed by Zodiac from expedition cruise ships anchoring in the main fjord, or by light aircraft from Port Moresby. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May through October, when rainfall is reduced and the underwater visibility in the fjords reaches its maximum. The wet season from November through April brings heavier rainfall that can reduce visibility but also produces spectacular waterfalls cascading down the fjord walls. Tufi's combination of world-class marine environments, living indigenous culture, and a landscape of volcanic drama that seems almost too beautiful to be real makes it one of Papua New Guinea's most compelling destinations.