Children

Children under 10, staying in the same room as parents will stay and eat free. Children 10-16 are from $110 deluxe and $100 standard per night. Over 16 adult rates apply. Airfares must still be paid for children, as well as activities. We can take qualified divers over the age of 10 diving. For younger children, we can arrange local babysitters who will happily stay with your children during the day while you enjoy the activities Tufi has on offer. Tufi also has a pool which is suitable for children, but we ask that they be accompanied at all times. We can arrange snorkelling trips, trekking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, nature walks and village tours suitable for children.

Clothing and Footwear

PNG and can be hot and humid on the coast and pleasantly cool to quite cold in the highlands. You are best advised to wear light clothing, preferably long sleeved shirts. You will need to pack extra shorts, t shirts, socks and a second pair of strong walking shoes apart from your other necessities. For females, tight or revealing clothing is not advisable as it may be frowned upon by locals and guides. It’s always advisable to bring along malaria medication, insect repellent, a sun hat, sun screen, rain jacket, a torch, camera, plenty of film and a positive attitude.

Climate

There are two seasons in PNG. It’s either wet or dry all throughout the country at different times of the year. Coastal areas experience temperatures that range between 24-35 degrees C (75-95 F) with high humidity. In the cooler Highlands, you can expect anything between 12-28 degrees (54-82F) and with less humidity. PNG does not experience devastating cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes. The wet season is normally from November to March although different areas will see a variation.

Cultural Dos and Don'ts

It’s important to understand that when you are travelling around the region you are walking through “someone’s backyard” and everything is either communally owned or owned by a family or tribe. Always remember, there are certain cultural taboos that must be observed. Always ask your local guide if you are not sure if a certain request will or will not offend the local people and their custom. Please do not hand out gifts as this may encourage a dependent mentality among the local people. If you are being asked to pay to take a photograph, it is best not to take the photo as paying will encourage a dependent mentality and other demands. For a truly rewarding cultural experience, ask you local guides as many questions as you can. They are nearly always shy and it’s up to you to ask simple questions about the local culture, history, flora, fauna and local issues.

Currency and Valuables

The unit of currency is the Kina, pronounced "kee-nah", and sub-units of 100 are called Toea, pronounced "toy-ya". Note denominations are available in K2, K5, K10, K20, K50 and K100. To pay for other goods and services before and after the trek, travelers cheques and international credit cards are accepted at most major hotels and retailers including Diners Club, Mastercard and Visa credit cards. Before leaving your country, we ask that you buy Kina cash at the travelers’ exchanges of the international departure ports of Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Singapore, Manila and Narita (Tokyo). If you are connecting on a domestic flight on the same day, you may not have the time to do your bank transactions in PNG. Banks operate between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Monday to Friday. You are best advised not to carry valuables including large amounts of cash - leave your valuable items with the resort for safekeeping. Only small change is required for buying local fruits, vegetables, artifacts and other local souvenir items.

Health and Safety Issues

Consult your doctor for any medical condition that you have before departing for PNG. Also, prior pre-departure training is highly recommended. Malaria medications are strongly recommended. Also, it is advisable to keep your tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis, and polio inoculations current. Diarrhea and dysentery are not severe in PNG as is the case in Asian countries.

Housekeeping and Laundry

Our housekeeping staff will be in to clean your room during the morning. They will provide a turn-down service at night at which time they will close windows, turn on air conditioning and arrange mosquito netting. Daily guest laundry service is available with a laundry bag and a charge list, which is provided in your rooms. Please let us know if you need any assistance with your washing.

Insurance and Medical Issues

You are strongly advised to purchase travelers Insurance in your home country to cover for unexpected trip cancellation and delays, loss and damage to baggage, and for illness, accident and medical evacuation.

Language and Communication

Meals

Tufi Resort provides gourmet-style meals with a strong emphasis on the local reef fish and seafood. We provide also a range of western cuisine including meat and chicken dishes as well as an array of local cuisine specialty dishes. Special dietary requirements can be catered for with advance notice to the Resort prior to guests’ arrival.

Meal schedules will be adjusted daily to meet the activities of our guests. Typically, this is our schedule:

• Early Bird: Coffee and tea from 6:30am
• Breakfast: 7:00am - 9:00am
• Lunch: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
• Tea & Snacks: 3:30pm - 4:30pm
• Happy Hour: 4:00pm - 5:30pm
• Dinner: 7:00pm - 8:00pm

We have a very good wine list and beverage selection for a remote resort. Any item can be purchased for your room refrigerator. We will be glad to supply you with ice for your room as well.

Passports, Visas and Immigration

All visitors to PNG including tourists are required to have a visa to enter PNG. Currently a 30-day tourist visa is available upon arrival for nationals of many countries including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, UK, USA and most western European countries at Port Moresby’s Jackson’s International Airport. This visa is non-extendable and the fee is currently K100. To acquire a visa upon arrival, you will need a valid passport, proof of sufficient funds for your stay, an onward airline ticket with confirmed bookings and Kina cash. Alternatively, you may acquire your visa prior to leaving your home country with either the nearest PNG Embassy or in some cases at the Australian Embassy in your country. Always check with these embassies for current visa requirements prior to leaving home.

Personal Security

PNG has its share of security problems just like everywhere else in the world. Most negative stories that are published in the media are mainly occurrences in the capital, Port Moresby. Even then, not all parts of Port Moresby are troublesome. There are numerous places that you can visit which are totally free of incidents. What’s important to know is the fact that the rest of Papua New Guinea is safe for travel by tourists and residents alike. Unfortunately, most people overseas and visitors alike never get the chance to know the good, positive and interesting features about PNG people, culture and places because everyone hears and dwell only on the negative new that PNG receives from bad press overseas. A positive advice to everyone everywhere is to apply commonsense in everything that you do and do not render yourself into a vulnerable situation that could cause your distress. Take precautions at all times and always ask your guide for advice.

Tufi Resort is a secure environment where we maintain security personnel at all times. In the evenings you will notice our security staff walking through the grounds of the resort. This is purely to have additional staff 24 hours a day in light that you may need to speak to someone after hours. The surrounding villages are also safe and we offer bush walks, beach outings and other activities outside the resort perimeter. We ask that if you are off for a walk that you let us send one of our local staff guides with you.

Telephone, Fax and Email

Tufi Resort has satellite-based phone and internet communications. To use the fax, phone or emails please contact the management.

Time

PNG is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and is on the same time as winter time in Sydney, Australia, or Eastern Standard Time in Australia.

Tipping

Tipping is not encouraged in PNG. But if you would like to show your appreciation to a particular guide for a job well done, do so at your own discretion. Also, remember to mention the good service provided to a member of the tour operations management to be used as an example to encourage better staff performance and excellence.

TV and Radio