Taken from customer survey form. Submitted on: 04/12/2012
Taken from customer survey form. Submitted on: 04/11/2012
Taken from customer survey form. Submitted on: 04/03/2012
Taken customer survey form submitted on: 03/19/2012
Taken from customer survey form submitted on 03/19/2012
Taken from Customer survey submitted on: 03/06/2012
Taken from customer survey form submitted on 01/24/2012
Taken Form customer survey 01/16/2012
Taken from customer survey form. Submitted on: 01/11/2012
Taken from customer survey form. Submitted on: 01/04/2012
Taken from customer survey form. 12/28/2011
From Customer Survey form. Submitted on: 12/06/2011
From: Mick W. Sent: Wednesday, 16 November 2011 5:15
PM To:Alison Subject: Tupira
Sent: Wednesday, 16 November 2011 5:15
PM To:Alison Subject: Tupira
Hi Alison,
We returned from
our 1 week in Tupira and it was amazing. We had great surf conditions, and only
4 of us. We loved it! Thanks for looking after us.
Ive told a few people
about it and they want to book. Do you have a referral system at all? I've
started sending off the details and links, so I trust your office will receive
some calls in coming
weeks.
Cheers,
Mick
From customer survey form. Submitted on: 11/15/2011
From customer survey form Submitted on: 11/10/2011
From: WS Survey [mailto:noreply@worldsurfaris.com] Sent: Sunday, 27 March 2011 4:09 PM To: Reception Subject: World Surfaris Survey Complete 03/27/2011 04:08:41 PM: CHRIS BODE TUPIRA 04 MAR 11
Sent: Sunday, 27 March 2011 4:09 PM To: Reception Subject: World Surfaris Survey Complete 03/27/2011 04:08:41 PM: CHRIS BODE TUPIRA 04 MAR 11
Someone just filled out the customer survey form. Submitted on: 03/27/2011 04:08:41 PM Completion time: n/a
From: Sean Stitz
Sent: Sunday, 30 January 2011 4:26 PM
To: Alinda
Subject: PNG Trip
Hi Alinda,
Thank you so much for organising my trip to Tupira in PNG. What an amazing experience. The waves were fun, but formed only part of what was an experience that I will never forget. The swell got up to about 4ft, clean mornings and afternoons, however, you can pretty much surf all day, even if it is a bit windy (think NE wind swell in summer, if I could surf onshore Tupira I know which one I would choose). I surfed 3 times a day for about 2hrs a session up until the last day. Tupira has soooooo much potential. A really fun right, with a few shallow sections. I took booties, hated them and took them off after 15 minutes. Artie(local surf guide) showed us a keyhole in the reef to get in and out that was mostly sand. Be advised though, the reef is shallow and very very sharp in parts, so I reckon bring booties and see how you go. I would Love to see this place with a solid overhead swell pouring through it. The numbers in the camp are also capped at 10 so crowds are not an issue. There are a heap of other things to do as well. You can organise fishing (good idea to bring your own gear), a walk in the village (a highlight for me) or just hang out and annoy Jamo (:-)
The camp itself is basic, if you are after the 4 star experience it may not be for you. Having said that, I absolutely loved the place. The camp is clean. The food is good, lots of fresh fruit (go the paw paw in lime) we had a beautiful big tuna one night and the option exists if you want to buy a pig and have it cooked by the locals. I never went hungry once. The local people are what makes this place so special. Friendliest locals I have ever met. Sheer surf stoke and it rubs off. It is a rare place where the local surfers constantly call you into waves and then hoot you all the way down the line (they also crack up when you fall off). The kids are amazing, my favourite part of the day was watching the army of groms come down on bits and pieces of foam and fibreglass. They go nuts, their enthusiasm is such that you can’t help being drawn in. These people have very little compared to us and yet they are so happy and friendly, there are a few lessons to be learned in PNG.
A quick word on the crew. Jamo is an absolute legend. Helpful, friendly and positive he is in it for the long haul and has really connected with the locals. I also had the privilege of meeting up with Andrew Abel. I went to school with Andrew and have not seen him since. It was great to reconnect, the guy is an inspiration in what he has done for surfing in PNG (he also shreds btw). Artie the surf guide gave us good advice and some wonderful stories of what life in PNG is like. we also met Chief Justice Kirawan who is the patron of the surf club and one of the most down to earth and friendly people you are ever likely to meet. Isadore(who I called Esito for the whole week, sorry buddy) looked after us so well and entertained us with 101 stories of what it is like to be a PNG local. Terrance the biggest smiling barman ever, the kitchen ladies, the cleaning ladies, the local groms, the list goes on. Not one person I met was unfriendly, everone was sincerely welcoming and stoked seeing us enjoy ourselves. I have been on trips where I have scored better waves, but this was one of the best surf trips I have ever been on. I came back to Oz pretty humbled by what I experienced. I am looking forward to going back, PNG you got me.
I have attached a few pics, I have a lot more if you want, I can email them to you.
Cheers and thanks,
Sean
From: Howard Mitchell
Sent: Wednesday, 15 December 2010 3:24 PM To: Shaun Levings Subject: RE: Tupira Surf Resort
G’day Shaun,
Just a quick note to say that we had a great time at Tupira 27/11 – 4/12 – caught some great waves every day, food was great, great local people and children. Jamo was fantastic very passionate – and the staff hard working and nice people. We went to the school and met the Principal and teachers gave them footballs, books and pencils. Gave the kids in the surf club clothes, footballs, leg ropes and snorkels & masks – also gave Terence the barman my backup board. We all chipped in and purchased a pig which was cooked in the traditional way and had the staff and security join in for the feast to say thanks. Checked out a couple of other surf breaks ( sakula was beautiful ) had a ball all round – we have some great photos to remember our first tropical surf holiday. Would be a shame to increase the numbers if that’s on the radar – we would be happy to pay extra to keep the numbers down, which was also a major incentive.
Thanks Again
Mitch
Justin Scalan, is one of our consultants and he’s really travelled – Everywhere (well not everywhere but the worlds getting familar to him). When ‘Rip Curl’ started pushing “Live the search” as a marketing slogan Justin’s probably what they had in mind. The world map at the guys house has thumb tacks with the destination’s he’s hit up and at 23 yrs old the man (boy) has no right to have been to as many places as he has. But the truth is there, thousands of photos, worn out shoes and pockets of memory all testify that he has in fact lived the search.
And now there is another thumb tack in the world map hanging lopsidely in the lounge room – Destination: Tupira surf club Madang, PNG.
In his own words……
PNG is a place I’ve wanted to go to for a long time. As a kid at school I had plenty of PNG school mates and they were always such genuine people with calm temperaments and few complaints. Despite the stories I had heard; I always doubted that the locals were capable of doing any true atrocities. Now, a few years on, I’m on my way to the BNE airport for my first ever trip to PNG on the Air Niugini flight to Port Moresby. I have bugs (both excitement & nerves) in my stomach that I only really get when I travel to more unknown & raw destination that few westerners venture to.
I’m heading to the Tupira Surf Club which is roughly two hours drive north of Madang on the north coast of the PNG mainland. The swell forecast doesn’t look great but I have packed my fishing rod and this is not really a surf-focussed holiday anyway as I know PNG offers so much more. The surf camp itself is only in its’ second year of operation so I’m also not expecting luxury but rather a place I can forget about the so called ‘complexities’ of life…leave the phone switched off & no checking of emails. There is a right-hander directly out front of the surf camp and the surfer numbers are capped at 10 for the camp which was a huge appeal for me. On arrival into Madang, which is more like a tin shed than an airport, we are met by Isidore & Roger who are representatives of the surf club. We drive the two hours to the surf camp on dusk and see countless villages along the way filled with stoked waving locals. The area is so lush & consists mainly of coconut palms, cocoa & banana plantations. We arrive to the camp at nightfall and are welcomed by the staff at the surf club.
The swell was pretty small for the first few days but we kept busy by fishing & checking out the local villages. The locals have so little in comparison with the western world yet they appear far more content than the average Australian/Westerner. The age old saying seems to ring true here…the less you have, the happier you are. The waves start to come during the week and we all get our fair share of waves on the right just out front. It’s not big but at its’ best the swell is a solid 3-4ft (bit over head high) and the wind is light at its worst. We surf a once surfed left-hander which resembles a small Teauhopoo and is home to many locals who greet us with cheers & shouts when we paddled into the waves. We all have sessions at the main break with one or two other surfers in the water and only (out of choice) have to share the waves with our new friends, the local kids, who cheer you on as you ride past. Some of these local surfers, such as Simon, are quite competent too which creates for a fantastic atmosphere as you hoot them onto waves. This doesn’t happen frequently in Australia.
By the last afternoon, I feel extremely content. I’m sun burnt and surfed out, the smiles says it all. I would have been stoked leaving Tupira without even getting waves, but have been blessed in more ways than one. We scored great empty waves with a great mix of people; met local crew that will leave a lasting impression; caught big Spanish Mackeral; learnt some Pidgin; and had the time of my life. I will go back to Tupira in the near future and I’m sure I will come back refreshed & see life through a new pair of eyes as I do now….
-Justin-
Taken From Customer Survey Response 03/12/2010
From: Gary Merchant
Sent: Wednesday, 10 February 2010 6:31 PM To: Shaun Levings Subject: Re Tapuria
Hi Shaun,
My name is Gary Merchant. I spent 2 weeks at Tupura Jan 16-30, and scored great waves from 2-8 feet over that time. We had 2-3 surfs per day, plus an Australia Day to remember forever.
My special thanks go to, Terry, Francis, Dominic and to the hardest worker there Isadore. But I cannot leave out Judge Nicklis's son Freddy. the cold beer afterwards. Sometimes I think people expect too much from a country that is not totally westernised.
As for the second week the boys from the Sunny Coast (4) and the Goldie(2) really had a great time and had plenty of laughs with the boys and the great team of girls that prepared all the food really stepped up 100% in the second week.
I would love to be able to help out Isadore and Nikilas by sending them some power tools for their carpenters, but Aust post will cost and arm and a leg....I was wondering if I could work out something with you to send these tools.
Thanks Gary
From: Mark Spurgin Sent: Monday, 8 February 2010 12:07 PM To: Shaun Levings Subject: Tupira
Hi Shaun,
Welcome back.
Just a note to let you know we had a ball at Tupira. Awoke the first morning to 6-7foot faces. We all put in 5 to 6 hours that day ( 3 surfs). Next day dropped to 4 ft , tues & wed down to 2-3ft then it pulsed back up to 4ft for last two days. Amazing place, even when it was blowing onshore it was surfable. The wind blew northly all week so the waves were reforming close to the reef on the inside section. Can understand how good it would be if it blew north - east and the waves pushed out across the bay more.
No matter !!
Had a good crew with my mates , two ratbags from the Gold Coast and Garry, another Sunshine Coaster, who was starting his second week when we arrived. Turned out he knew one of my mates.
Highlights , beside the waves.
-visiting the schools. We had with us footballs, frisbees, skipping ropes, felt pens, colouring in books etc so we went to the three schools near Tupira and gave them to the teachers and principals ( the kids were still on holidays).
-Fishing. Went out in the boat with Izzy one arvo and caught two mackerel and a barracuda. Gave the barra to the locals and got a BBQ happening and cooked up mackerel steaks for the locals that night.
-Visiting the surrounding villages, meeting the people and seeing the potential surf spots they had. Cant remember the names of the villages but ,man, on the right day the waves would be amazing.
-Catching up with Sir Nicholas and Lady Rachael (that’s what we called them). They certainly are amazing people with a vision. We all talked to him for hours.
-The crew at Tupira – Izzy, Hardy, Francis, Dominic, Terry the barman, Maryanne and Susan. Wonderful people.
-The last night. The village put on a dance for us and then a big feed.
-Watching the boys building the extension. One of my mates is in the construction game. He was nearly pulling his hair out watching them so he had to chip in and help. He looked a treat sitting with the boys smoking the local tobacco at smoko time.
As you are aware, the place is raw but has so much potential. I’m sure you will get some complaints from people but you have just got to take the place for what it is. That was our attitude.
