Tufi Resort

Dive resort · Papua New Guinea · Cape Nelson, Oro Province · Official Website

Oro Province coastline and reefs from above

Booking by Tour Leader Club

3 room types · More than 20 dive sites · house reef

Tufi Resort stands on a clifftop above a fjord at Cape Nelson, in Oro Province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The terrace looks out over 180 degrees of sea, fjords and mountains. The place is remote — there is no town and there are no roads, only the resort, the local community and villages that still live without electricity or running water.

The resort has been operating for more than thirty years, on the site that was the District Manager’s residence in colonial times. Before the war this was an Australian administration station; from December 1942 it was a forward base for United States Navy PT boats; after the war the manager’s residence became a government guesthouse, and the first hotel went up in the 1970s.

There are three completely different kinds of diving here. Right at the dive shop wharf, in less than ten metres of water, lies a century of dumped rubble — machinery and bottles from the war — and in that junk lives everything the macro photographers come for: gobies, nudibranchs, mandarin fish, ghost pipe fish and banded pipe fish. The term “muck diving” was coined in Papua New Guinea. The fjords themselves hold sponges and shelf corals you will not find on the outer reefs. And 5 to 10 nautical miles offshore runs a string of bommies rising from six hundred metres to a safety stop at 5-7 metres: visibility over thirty metres, water 26-29°C all year round.

Beyond the water there is culture and nature. Villagers meet guests on outrigger canoes, show how sago is made, how fire is lit, how mats are woven and traditional tattoos are applied, and dance a sing sing. More than 120 bird species have been recorded within a few hours’ walk; the world’s largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing with a wingspan of up to 28 cm, lives here; and the orchids are abundant enough that people travel here for them alone.

No markup

You pay exactly the rate the resort publishes. On top of that, only the actual bank costs of currency conversion and the international transfer — no commission of ours.

We run the deal

Correspondence with the resort, holding the room, the contract, booking confirmation and all paperwork are on our side. There is nothing for you to arrange yourself.

Card payment

We accept payment by card through Stripe and issue an invoice. The transfer to the resort is our job — you do not have to find a way to pay abroad.

Support all the way

We help you choose the room and dates, work out the dive package, answer questions about flights and gear, and stay in touch until you are home.

The exact amount is confirmed when we hold your booking: it includes the resort's rate at the day's exchange rate plus the actual transfer costs. No hidden fees.

About the resort

Country: Papua New Guinea
Location: Cape Nelson, Oro Province
Nearest airport: Tufi (TFI), Tropicair flights from Port Moresby every Monday and Friday, one hour
Transfer: Airport transfers in Tufi are included in the room rate
House reef: Yes — the reef under the resort wharf, muck diving in less than 10 m of water
Dive sites: More than 20
Dive centre: On site, at the wharf below the hill, PADI professionals
Rooms: 24 rooms — bungalows and hotel-style rooms
Internet: Yes — in the conference centre; listed as an inclusion in the Dive | Stay packages
Languages: English

At the resort

Restaurant with a terrace above the fjord — three meals a day

Bar with a selection of wines and beverages

Swimming pool overlooking the fjord

Hauswin — an open pavilion on the cliff edge

Terraced BBQ area

Table tennis and pool table

Lounge with a library and TV

Gift shop with local crafts

Conference centre for up to 40 people, projector and wifi

Laundry service (charges apply)

24-hour electricity

Air conditioning in every room

Internal security staff on the grounds

Room account settled at check out, all major cards accepted

Diving

Muck diving under the wharf in less than 10 m of water

Fjords with sponges and shelf corals

Outer bommies 5-10 nautical miles offshore

Walls and bommies rising from 600 m

Visibility over 30 m all year round

Water 26-29°C all year round

Schooling barracuda, reef sharks, the rare white hammerhead

Wreckage of PT boats PT67 and PT119 off the wharf

B17 bomber "Black Jack" at 45 m

The "Pistoff" aircraft off Wanigela

Night dives on the wharf

Prowler, a 45-foot cat for up to 20 divers with an air-conditioned cabin

Crystal, a 30-foot boat, plus four smaller vessels

Oxygen and first aid kits on every boat

PADI courses — Discover Scuba, Open Water, Advanced, Rescue

The dive centre sits at the bottom of the hill, at the Tufi wharf: five minutes' walk down, and the resort vehicle brings you back up. Dives are sold as packs of 6, 10 or 16 tanks. July, August and September are the windy months: when it really blows, all diving moves up into the fjords, which stay sheltered. The "Black Jack" is only diveable from November to April and costs extra. The divers' association levy is K20 per diver per dive day, settled at the resort.

Food

All three meals are included in the room rate

Continental breakfast, lunch and a three-course dinner

Daily set menus prepared by local chefs

Strong emphasis on reef fish and seafood

Western cuisine alongside local specialty dishes

A buffet once a week

Sunday BBQ lunch on Komoa Beach

Special diets catered for with prior notice

The daily menu is set; à la carte is not available. Breakfast runs 7-9, lunch 12-2, tea and snacks 3-5 and dinner 7-9, with the schedule adjusted around guests' activities. A small hot breakfast menu is available at an additional charge. The bar is fully serviced, so personal alcohol may not be consumed in public areas.

Beyond diving

Snorkelling off the jetty and in the fjords

Guided snorkelling trip to the outer reefs

Canoes and kayaks on the house reef — free of charge

Tufi Cultural Experience with a sing sing

Guided walk to the lookout above the fjords

Village tour

Komoa Beach and the Sunday BBQ luncheon

Fjord cruise aboard Masalai or Crystal

Bird watching — over 120 species recorded

Overnight stay at Orotoaba village for the Birds of Paradise

Butterfly and orchid walks

Game, bottom and estuary fishing

Overnight stays in village guest houses

Rooms

Standalone bungalow, units 15-24

View: Balcony over the Coral Sea or the Tufi fjord

Beds: One queen bed plus one single

The largest option — a standalone bungalow with polished timber floors, insect screens and a balcony looking over the sea or the fjord. Additional beds can be added for children.

Balcony with sea or fjord views Polished timber floors Insect screens on the windows Air conditioning and ceiling fan Ensuite with hot water Bar fridge (stocked on request) Kettle, tea and coffee making facilities Hairdryer 24-hour electricity Additional beds can be added for children

Hotel-style room, units 9-14

View: Balcony over the Coral Sea

Beds: One queen bed

A hotel-sized room with a balcony facing the Coral Sea. The fit-out matches the bungalows, but additional beds cannot be added.

Balcony over the Coral Sea Polished timber floors Insect screens on the windows Air conditioning and ceiling fan Ensuite with hot water Bar fridge (stocked on request) Kettle, tea and coffee making facilities Hairdryer 24-hour electricity Additional beds cannot be added

Hotel-style room, units 1-8

View: Units 1-3 have a garden-facing balcony; units 4-8 have no balcony or view

Beds: One queen bed

The simplest option, with the same fit-out as the rest. Three of the standard rooms have a balcony with a garden view; the others have neither balcony nor view.

Three rooms with a garden-facing balcony Polished timber floors Insect screens on the windows Air conditioning and ceiling fan Ensuite with hot water Bar fridge (stocked on request) Kettle, tea and coffee making facilities Hairdryer 24-hour electricity

Rates

Accommodation, 2026

Room	Single	Double	Child
Deluxe Bungalow	$360	$275	$155
Deluxe Room	$315	$230	—
Standard Room	$255	$175	—
Village guesthouse stay	$140	$140	—

Rates in US dollars, per person per night. Meals and Tufi airport transfers are included, as are snorkelling and the use of canoes and kayaks on the house reef. The child rate applies to children aged 6-11; children 5 and under stay free of charge.

Dive | Stay packages, 2026

Room	4 nights, 6 tanks	7 nights, 10 tanks	10 nights, 16 tanks
Standard, single	$2,098	$3,345	$4,570
Standard, double	$1,778	$2,785	$3,770
Deluxe, single	$2,338	$3,765	$5,170
Deluxe, double	$1,998	$3,170	$4,320
Deluxe Bungalow, single	$2,398	$3,870	$5,320
Deluxe Bungalow, double	$2,178	$3,485	$4,770

Price per person. Packages include return airfares Port Moresby - Tufi - Port Moresby, accommodation, the dive pack, meals, a daily wharf dive prior to 5pm, snorkelling, canoes and kayaks on the house reef, wifi and airport transfers in Tufi. The seven- and ten-night packages add the Tufi Cultural Tour and the Komoa Beach BBQ.

Diving, 2026

Item	Price
2 tank reef dive	$205
3 tank reef dive	$270
6 tank reef dive pack	$528
10 tank reef dive pack	$860
16 tank reef dive pack	$1,320
1 tank fjord dive	$155
2 tank fjord dive	$195
6 tank fjord dive pack	$395
1 tank wharf dive	free of charge
2 tank wharf dive	$85
3 tank wharf dive	$110
Night wharf dive, dusk to dark	$125
Black Jack B17 bomber, November to April only	on request
Pistoff B25 bomber	on request
Discover Scuba introduction dive	$175
Snorkelling on the outer reef	$115

Prices per person in US dollars. Diving rates are with or without a guide. The divers' association levy of K20 per diver per day is excluded and payable at the resort.

Equipment rental

Item	Price
Full set, one day	$60
Full set, five days	$210
Regulator or computer	$25
BCD	$15
Wetsuit	$10
Mask or fins	$10
Mask, fins and snorkel	$15
Torch	$15

Prices per day, in US dollars.

Tours and fishing, 2026

Item	Price
Half day tour	$75
Full day tour	$150
Cultural experience and beach day	$150
Bird of Paradise tour	$30
Lookout and butterfly walk	$70
Fjord cruise	$30
Fishing charter, April Sun, 4 hours, 1-6 pax	$660
Fishing charter, Talio, 4 hours, 1-4 pax	$440

Tour rates are per person per day; children aged 6-12 pay half price and children 5 and under go free. Fishing charters are a flat rate per trip with all equipment and staff provided. All activities are weather dependent.

Boat transfers

Trip	Price
Long, one way	$110
Short, one way	$45

Price is per boat trip, not per person.

Rates and availability can change. Message us — we will confirm current dates and prices.

When to go

Best time: Ideal dive conditions from November to June
Water temperature: 26-29°C all year round
Visibility: Over 30 m all year round

Visibility and water temperature barely change here through the year. Ideal diving conditions run from November to June. Between June and September conditions are variable and the wind gets up; when it blows hard the outer reef trips are cancelled and the diving moves into the fjords, which stay sheltered and offer excellent muck diving. The "Black Jack" is only diveable from November to April.

Getting there

Fly internationally to Port Moresby (POM), then take the charter airline Tropicair to Tufi (TFI) — every Monday and Friday, one hour in the air. Resort guests check in privately at the Tropicair terminal and skip the domestic airport queues. Monday: depart Port Moresby 6:30, return from Tufi 7:45. Friday: depart 15:30, return 16:45. Baggage allowance is 23 kg plus 5 kg carry on. The resort’s reservations team books the domestic airfares and can also arrange the transfer between the international terminal and the Tropicair terminal.

Transfers from Tufi airport to the resort are already included in the room rate.

Most nationalities need a visa in advance — the Visitor Visa is applied for online through the immigration authority; a restricted list of countries can get a visa on arrival.

Payment in full is due 30 days before arrival, by telegraphic transfer or card; Visa and Mastercard carry an additional 3.5% fee. Cancel 45 days or more before arrival for a full refund, 45 to 30 days for 50%, later than that no refund — though funds can be held in credit for 12 months. Tourism services prepaid from outside Papua New Guinea are exempt from GST. Evacuation insurance is compulsory. Groups get one complimentary space per seven people, covering accommodation, meals and diving.