Popondetta/Tufi
Popondetta is the provincial capital and basically the only town in Oro Province. It is located at the foot of Mount Lamington, a volcano that destroyed the original town in 1951. The town is serviced by Giria airport 18kms to the north and was built and used by the Americans during the second world war.
PNG Holidays uses Giria airport as as starting point for our Kokoda Trekks,
Few people would expect to find fjords in Papua New Guinea. The Tufi area on the south east coast of Oro Province is one of PNG's best kept secrets. Situated on Cape Nelson, Tufi is a spectacular place to visit and has its own airstrip serviced from Port Moresby.
Cape Nelson, jutting out into the Solomon Sea, was formed by the eruption of three volcanoes, whose fast flowing lava created the rias, or fjords. Unlike the fjords of Scandinavia, the water is always warm and the sheltered bays are home to stunning coral formations and tropical marine life.
The fjords are over 90 metres deep and rise vertically out of the water to over 150 metres. Wide entrances are protected by reefs and they funnel into the mountainside where mangroves form a canopy over narrow waterways. The vertical faces of the gorge are covered with moss and orchids and waterfalls cascade directly into the sea. Cape Nelson has exceptionally clear waters, abundant fish and beautiful corals in the fiord-like rias formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. There are easily accessible wrecks and reefs with drop-offs, hammerhead sharks and moray eels. Wanigela, on Collingwood Bay, has great places for snorkelling and can be reached by boat from Tufi.
Wander among the villages or go to the open market and see the handcrafted pottery, jewellery and tapa cloth that are typical of the region. Tapa cloth is made from the beaten bark of the paper mulberry tree and decorated with exotic designs in natural earth colours. In October every year there is a Tapa Cloth Festival. Other festivals held locally are Martyrs Day and the Korata Church Day.
The province is also the home of the largest butterfly in the world, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, which has a wingspan of up to 30cm. With the diminishing rainforest, this species is unfortunately fast becoming extinct. There are a number of village guest houses which offer comfortable accommodation and will arrange fishing, diving and coral viewing excursions. The Tufi Dive Resort, perched on the side of a fjord has mountain views up and out to sea. It is constructed of bush materials and decorated with carvings and artefacts from around the country.
Oro Province has a history of drama, from the early gold rush days to the devastating Pacific campaign of World War 2. The northern end of the Kokoda Trail terminates at the village of Kokoda and from here to the coast, and around the beaches of Buna and Gona, some of the most violent and bitter fighting of World War 2 took place. It is estimated that over 15,000 Japanese soldiers died on the Kokoda Track. The area is still littered with war relics and at Jiropa Plantation on the Buna Road, there is a Japanese plaque commemorating their dead.
Things to do:
- Diving, snorkelling, kayaking, birdwatching at Tufi
- War relics
- Butterfly viewing
- Arts and crafts
- Sight seeing
- Fishing
Enquire here
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Ideally located for visits to Buna and Gona
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ORO GUESTHOUSE
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In a word .....Spectacular..... |
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