Tufi Village Homestays, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea

INTRODUCTION: Tufi Village Homestays is a group of 3 homestays in traditional Oro villages a short boat ride from the Tufi airfield. Accommodation is in private local-style bungalows next to family homes.

LOCATION: Tufi airfield is one hour's flying time east of Port Moresby. There are three flights per week from Port Moresby to Tufi, and one flight per week from Tufi to Alotau in Milne Bay Province. On arrival at Tufi airfield, guests will be met by their hosts and walk through tiny Tufi township to the wharf. From the Tufi wharf it is a 10-15 minute ride by small boat to the villages of Jebo and Siu where the homestays are located. Click here for a map showing the Tufi coastline.

DESCRIPTION: The Tufi district is famous for its Nordic-type fjords. The breathtaking topography is dominated by some 25 fjords which penetrate deep into the coastal landscape. Many of the fjords feature sheer basalt cliffs. There are numerous white sandy beaches perfect for swimming, and pristine fringing reefs offering excellent snorkelling. There is no logging in the Tufi area and the coastline is free from pollutants. The water clarity is excellent and scuba diving is a major attraction for visitors. The people of the Tufi area have a rich cultural heritage that is nurtured and treasured. One of the most memorable experiences for visitors is witnessing a custom dance where the bare breasted dancers dress in traditional tapa (bark) cloth and wear great feather headdresses. Teams of dancers parade and dance throughout the night.
There is a small upmarket dive resort located near Tufi township and for many years this was the only accommodation available. More recently a number of village guest houses and homestays have opened up to give local villagers an opportunity to participate in ecotourism. The people of the Tufi district have fought long and hard to keep logging companies out of their forests and are looking to tread-softly ecotourism to provide alternative economic benefits.
ROOMS: There are three homestays, two in Jebo Village and one in next-door Siu Village. Each homestay has a guest bungalow with two or three guest rooms. Large groups of guests can be accommodated by spreading the group between the three homestays. Solo travellers and small groups may choose to stay a few nights in each homestay (recommended) or stay put with one family for the duration of their visit. The guest bungalow bedrooms each have a bamboo bed with mattress, and a table and chair also made of bush materials. Bedding and mosquito nets are provided.

BATHROOMS: There is no piped water. Guests bathe in the nearby stream or paddle 15 minutes up to the waterfall. Water is also available in containers outside the guest bungalow for washing hands. The toilet is a private pit latrine located 30m from the bungalow.

MEALS: Village food cooked and served in the traditional way. Seafood including reef fish is always on the menu and the local specialty is freshly caught crayfish (lobster) cooked in a variety of ways such as boiled in coconut milk, barbequed and curried. Meals always feature local vegetables and seasonal fruits including sweet ripe bananas, juicy pineapples, and local oranges. Meals are prepared over an open fire, often using the traditional Oro claypots. Guests will be fed, fed and fed some more. Extra food items can be purchased from the trade store in Tufi township if required.

OTHER GUEST FACILITIES: nil

VILLAGE-BASED ACTIVITIES
Guests have the freedom of the village and can wander wherever they wish in and around the village, including beachwalking
-Cnlimited swimming and snorkelling on the live reef off the beach near the village. Scuba diving facilities available at nearby Tufi Dive Resort.
-Fishing: go spearfishing with the village boys or let them take you in a paddle canoe to throw a line and bottom-fish for coral trout and red emperor. At night, accompany the boys as they paddle out to catch reef fish and dive for crayfish. Lay down in the canoe and gaze at millions of stars as you listen to the boys sing traditional songs while they paddle. (If possible bring two-dozen D-size batteries with you for the divers' torches).
-Night trips by paddle canoe to turtle beaches to observe adult turtles nesting or young turtles sleeping
-Gardening: accompany village people on trips to the gardens to see how they cultivate their traditional vegetables
-Guided hikes. Guides can accompany you on a choice of half-day, full day or 2-3 day walks. Easy walks through light rainforest to nearby villages, or a serious trek along the coast to Wanigela, across the headland to Tamari Bay (return by boat) or up Mt Trafalgar (1644m).
-Birdwatching: observe coastal and seabird colonies from a canoe or hike into the bush to see colonies of Bird of Paradise. Hornbills abound in the high trees on either side of the fjords and there are many varieties of birds in the low, medium and high foliage.
-Hear village elders recount the legends of Tufi, translated by your hosts (priceless, but free)
TOURS: There is a local tour guide in Jebo Village who organises tours by motor boat to places of interest:
-tours of Tufi coastline and fjords including scenic waterfalls and nearby villages
-day trip to Wanigela and Uiaku villages: see potters at Wanigela moulding clay pots and firing them on the beach (most of the claypots used in villages in the Tufi district are made at Wanigela) and Uiaku people beating, cutting and painting tapa cloth made from the bark of the mulberry tree (most of the province's tapa cloth is made at Uiaku)
-fishing excursions by motor boat, day or night, described by those-who-know as "very rewarding".
OTHER INFORMATION:
The Bebe family's homestay is situated in the middle of Jebo village (about 12 houses). The village is situated on a grassy ridge with fjords on both sides and a picture-postcard white sandy beach at the point. Visitors here get to know the other villagers and join in on whatever is going on, often having a lot of fun. Short walk down to the beach.
The Samara family live a short distance away from the main Jebo village, in a private area on Jebo beach. Guests staying at the Samara family's homestay have a little less interaction with the other villagers. The guest bungalow is right on the beach and even the floor is sand. Great for those who like 24-hour beach and sand, but possibly a little gritty for those who don't.
The Aguba family homestay at nearby Siu village is situated on a grassy point right on the water's edge, about 300 metres from the rest of the village (only 8 houses). There is a living reef right in front of the homestay and guests may snorkel to their heart's content.
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BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS: Pre-bookings only
ENQUIRIES: Read our general booking information E-mail info@eco-melanesia.8k.com

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Joe Bebe with the night's crayfish (lobster) catch	crayfish boiling in a traditional claypot	delicious local seafood and vegetables served at Tufi village homestays


visitors at the Bebe family homestay, Jebo village	fjord view from the Bebe family homestay, Jebo village - Mt Trafalgar in the background


traditional male dress, Siu village	Aguba family homestay, Siu village


traditional female dress, Siu village	dawn over the fjord, from the window of the Aguba family homestay, Siu village