Whilst we usually associate fjords with Norway and the Arctic, we also find them in the desert peninsula of Musandam in Oman; and in the Tufi area of southeastern Papua New Guinea. Like the fingers of many hands, deep inlets provide tropical rainforest and traditional community settlements on dozens of raised peninsulas; with protected coral inlets in between.
Offshore, we find spectacularly diverse and colourful coral reefs, providing exceptional diving and snorkeling. Papua New Guinea is in Asia's Coral Triangle where you find the World's greatest variety of hard corals and reef fish. Despite a vast area of coral reef, Papua New Guinea receives few visitors, so scuba diving and snorkeling here is a treat that relatively few people have enjoyed.
Dive & Snorkel
Snorkelers can enjoy world-class reefs on boat-based snorkel trips, plus make use of the house reef at any time. These include more sheltered fjord areas; and offshore where you find the bluest waters and most colourful reefs.
If you have never scuba dived before, we can arrange a Discover Scuba experience. This will take you through the safety essentials and have you scuba diving for the first time under very controlled closely monitored conditions.
Beginner divers can feel at home on the house reef, within fjords and offshore sites. More experienced divers can enjoy the same, plus some World War II aircraft wrecks and a string of coral bommie stacks 5 - 10 miles offshore. These stacks emerge from waters as deep as 600m. Visibility can reach 30 metres, with opportunities to see schooling sharks, including the rare albino hammerhead shark.
Throughout, the reefs here are wonderful for an abundance of fish and for small things like colourful nudibranchs and flatworms. To round off the underwater photography potential, there are great muck diving opportunities on the house reef.
Birds of Paradise
Papua New Guinea is the place to see these flamboyant birds, so we always include a guided walk in search. In this area, it is the national bird species, the Raggiana which can be seen. Over 120 species of bird exist in the surrounding area, including the eastern red-cheeked parrot, brown-headed paradise kingfisher and New Guinea harpy eagle.
Culture
Papua New Guinea has retained many rich tribal cultures and we will take you to see something of these during this trip.
For a deeper immersion, we can also arrange a stay at a local home for a night (you will keep your hotel room, so no need to repack). Please Contact Us to discuss this option.
When to Go
You can enjoy Tufi at any time of the year, but October and November would be considered prime months. The water is usually calmest and clearest then, with slightly cooler water temperatures.
May to September is the predominantly drier season in Papua New Guinea, providing good visibility. Winds, however, can make the sea a little choppy, limiting access to offshore reefs.
December to March is usually calmer at sea. Rains can reduce visibility at this time.
