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Oro · Papua New Guinea
Narrow sea inlets between forested hills at Cape Nelson, little-visited reefs, World War II shipwrecks and villages where tapa is made.
In the photo: Coves of Cape Nelson, Tufi
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Tufi is at the southeastern tip of Cape Nelson, on the Oro coast facing the Solomon Sea. The cape is cut by narrow, deep sea inlets—river valleys drowned by the sea between forested hills—that locals call fiords. The cape’s ancient volcanoes, such as Mount Trafalgar and Mount Victory, rise above the landscape.
The reefs around the cape are poorly charted and receive few divers. There is diving on coral, walls and wrecks of boats and aircraft from World War II; Tufi was a base for U.S. torpedo boats between 1942 and 1943, and some vessels sank at the very wharf.
In the fiord villages, life follows the rhythm of fishing, gardens and canoes. The women of Tufi make tapa, beaten barkcloth painted with traditional designs, and visits to the villages are arranged with the communities.
Tufi has no road connection to the rest of the province: it is reached by small plane or by boat. It is a low-visitor destination with simple accommodation and tours organized from there.
This destination brings together 1 city: Tufi.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Papua New Guinea National Statistics Office / OCHA ROAP / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Pista de Tufi (TFI) · 1 km to Tufi
Tufi’s airstrip receives small planes from Port Moresby, with frequency that changes by season, and there is also coastal boat connection. Accommodation usually arranges transfers from the airstrip and the tours.
The local experience
Narrow, deep sea inlets of Cape Nelson, between forested hills, traveled by canoe to villages where tapa is made.
A B-17F bomber from World War II sunk in 1943 near the Boga Boga reef at Cape Vogel, at almost 50 meters depth, for experienced divers.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
It rains year-round, heavier from December to April. From May to October, southeast winds often make the sea rougher along parts of the coast. Diving takes place all year; confirm conditions with operators.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three or four days allow for diving or snorkeling on the reefs, paddling a canoe up a fiord and visiting a village. With more days and good weather, you can include the wreck of the B-17 Black Jack at Cape Vogel.
Accommodation is concentrated in Tufi, on the top of the cape, overlooking the fiord. Some villages have simple guest houses for those who want to stay in the communities, with prior booking.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
The sea inlets of Cape Nelson are river valleys drowned by the sea between forested hills. Because of their narrow, deep shape, locals call them fiords, although they were not formed by glaciers.
Via Tufi’s airstrip, which receives small planes from Port Moresby depending on the season, or by boat along the coast. There is no road to Tufi.
Yes. Cape Nelson’s reefs are little visited and feature coral, walls and World War II wrecks. The wreck of the B-17 Black Jack, farther away, is a deep dive for experienced divers.
Three to four days for diving or snorkeling, a canoe trip up a fiord and a visit to a village. Flights are infrequent, so plan your trip around them.
