Hammerheads were one of the main things we hoped to see at Tufi and hammerheads we did see. But we quickly discovered that Tufi has much more than hammerheads to offer the visiting diver.

Our week at Tufi Resort was just superb and started the second we arrived at the resort to be greeted by the staff and three very friendly hornbills. The wildlife experiences around the resort were just brilliant and included – parrots, cuscus, butterflies, geckos, insects, frogs, lizards, goannas and numerous bird species. But the real reason we had come to Tufi was to dive its wonderful reefs (and see a hammerhead or two) and we were not disappointed.

We enjoyed spectacular dives at Minor Reef, Bev’s Reef, Overhang, Tony’s Bommie and many other dive sites that were coloured by healthy coral gardens and over flowing with abundant fish. Most of our safety stops dragged on to twenty minutes or longer as we just didn’t want to get out of the water and leave all the fish. Besides the wonderful fish life we also encountered cuttlefish, nudibranchs, turtles and a great range of invertebrate species.

As mentioned the three scalloped hammerhead sharks we saw at Veale Reef were a highlight, but these weren’t the only sharks we saw as grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks and black-tip reef sharks were also common. Another special little shark we saw was theMilneBayepaulette shark, which is endemic to the region and one of the prettiest sharks we have encountered.

Tufi offers more than colourful reefs as we discovered each afternoon on the house reef at Tufi Jetty. This muck diving site is a great spot for critters, including pipefish, cardinalfish (including the rare pyjama cardinalfish), moray eels, octopus, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, flatworms, gobies and shrimp gobies, mantis shrimps, clownfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, crocodilefish, upside down jellyfish, sea stars, sea cucumbers, frogfish and even spectacular Mandarinfish. And that’s not all as we discovered on a deep dive off the jetty to see the remains of two PT boats sunk during World War II.

Our wonderful week at Tufi ended all too quickly and getting on the plane to come home was very hard to do. Special thanks to Vicki, Wayne and all the staff, especially the dive crew Glen, Archie, Alex, Wesley and Moses for making our stay so memorable. We know we will be back to experience more of that Tufi magic.

Nigel Marsh and Helen Rose April 2012

My most recent trip was spent diving, and there are many fabulous dive sites offshore with lots of schooling fish – or a critter dive right at their jetty.  Wow! Mandarin fish in 5 feet of water.  What a spectacle it was during their dusk mating show.  These are the things that make Tufi so special.   As I said, the cultural experiences are wonderful and a great learning opportunity.  The villages and their inhabitants are gracious – and stunning.  When you see these quaint locations with beautiful little huts, grounds that are always beautifully kept, and wonderful gardens, it will take away any apprehensions about doing an overnight village stay.  I think it’s a great idea and sharing some intimate time with the people is important.  Food prepared in the village is traditional, healthy and yummy.  I love my kaikai!

There are also many options to enjoy the natural surroundings. By kayaking the coastline you can take in the scenery and visit multiple villages in a short time. I have especially enjoyed canoeing the waterways using traditional outrigger canoes.  The guides are wonderful and as you paddle quietly upstream, you can enjoy the variety of birds that inhabit the forests including parrots, hornbills and cockatoos.

Tufi Resort is also a wonderful place just to relax.  Great food – great service.  I found many of the guests enjoying the view from the deck or comfortably reading a book on the veranda of the resort. Sometimes doing nothing at all is the best way to soak in the feeling of a place.