Destinations
Rubio Plantation Resort
Rubio Plantation Retreat is located 220 Km from Kavieng, down the scenic Buluminski Highway. It takes about 3 hours to drive there. Rubio Plantation starts from the beach and goes up into the mountains. It has many trails to explore and a cool beautiful stream that comes out of the ground at the base of a giant tree and runs for several hundred meters and then disappears again into the ground. It then resurfaces and then runs into the ocean along a white sandy beach.
Rubio is owned and operated by Shane and Annette Clark. Shane is originally from Hawaii. He has been surfing all his life and first surfed New Ireland in the mid eighties as a teenager. Annette is from New Ireland and also enjoys catching some waves. Shane, Annette and the entire staff of Rubio are ready to welcome you to New Ireland and show you the beautiful environment that they call home.
Surf
The surf season is from mid-October to mid-April. Rubio has a good, consistent break right at our beach. There are also many other good breaks in the area.
Surf spots range from mellow long board waves to fast and hollow. We have both rights and lefts and are open to many swell directions.
There are boats and vehicles available to take you out to the many excellent breaks on the offshore islands or along the coast. We never book more than 10 surfers at one time and with our many available breaks you will never be dealing with a crowd.
Package 1: Rubio Plantation Retreat
Kavieng
Accommodation: Nusa island Retreat
Nusa Island Retreat is situated on Nusa Island, just off the coast of Kavieng, New Ireland Province (PNG). The Retreat is low impact and eco-sensitive with accommodation in the form of traditional island style bungalows. Most of the bungalows are set on the water's edge an all have great views.
The retreat is set on an idyllic sandy island point and surrounded by superb swimming beaches with crystal clear, coral encrusted lagoons that are teeming with marine life.
For surfers looking for somewhere uncrowded different and remote, Nusa Island Retreat is surrounded by an unspoilt natural playground which boasts an excellent variety of numerous surf breaks and waves throughout the surf season.
Meals: All SSH Tour packages include 3 meals per day. Most evenings our guest will be treated to a fresh seafood buffet.
Surfing Kavieng
Kavieng and its environs form part of the Bismarck Archipelago, an extensive chain of islands with fringing coral reefs. Kavieng is reasonably well known for having access to a good range of quality left and right breaks in relatively close vicinity. All breaks are reef breaks, and vary in their degree of difficulty, depending on the size and direction of the swell, and the depth of the reef. A surfer's paradise with consistent swells between 3 - 5 foot, getting up to 6-8 foot and sometimes bigger. All breaks can be surfed on most tides and the set ups vary depending on conditions.
The Kavieng area hosts the Kavieng Surf Club (KSC), which is affiliated with the Surfing Association of Papua New Guinea (SAPNG). In an effort to promote sustainable development of this growing sport, the Kavieng Surf Club manage and oversee the Kavieng Area Surf Management Plan, essentially a surf quota system which limits the number of visiting surfers to 20 per day. This limit is for the whole Kavieng area, regardless of where the surfers stay, with prescribed base fees generated and dispersed between the KSC, SAPNG, and the resident communities adjacent the resource.
With 9 breaks in the Management Plan, and only 20 surfers plus a handful of local surfers, waves are guaranteed to be uncrowded.
Liveaboard
Tik Tu is a 10 metre performance cruising catamaran. She is light, allowing for excellent performance in light airs. She is spacious, with 56 sq metres of deck space, including a large forward trampoline to soak up the sun. She has an awning that covers the whole back deck to shade you from the sun and keep you dry during the tropical rains whilst at anchor.
Tiki Tu is ideal for relaxing and peaceful cruising as she sits flat in the water without the constant roll that monohulls offer. Her draft is under 1 metre allowing her to enter shallow anchorages very close to the islands, and the reefs.
Tiki Tu caters for small exclusive groups. Tiki Tu is not a ‘luxury’ catamaran, but she offers comfortable accommodation for the adventurous traveller of all ages who are seeking a voyage through paradise.
Specifications
• Beach Marine Catamaran – Targa 10
• Built 1989
• Length - 33’ (10 metres)
• Beam - 5.6 metres
• Draft – 0.8 metres
• Construction – GRP
• Hydraulic Wheel steering in wheelhouse as well as Tiller Steering and Raymarine Autopilot
• Navman Depth Sounder & Fishfinder
• Navman Wind Instrument
• Navman Speed Log
• Navman Chart Plotter & GPS
• Navman VHF Radio
• CD Stereo System
• 4 x Solar Panels
• 4 x 120 AH 12V Batteries
• 1 x 1kva Generator
• 3 Cabins (2 x Double Beds and 1 x Single Bed)
• 1 x Manual Flush Marine Toilet
• Pressure Water System (cold water only)
• Shower in bathroom as well as a deck pump shower
• 2 Burner Stove and Griller
• Deck BBQ
• 12V Fridge
• Electric Lighting
• Life Rails
• 6 x Life Jackets
• 2 x Life Rings
• Flares
• EPIRB
• Comprehensive First Aid Kit and Medical Kit
• 2 x anchors
• 1 x 18hp outboard
• 2.4 metre inflatable tender with 9.8hp outboard
Liveaboard Surfing Description
The coasts of Lavongai (New Hanover) and its outer islands has proved to be the most reliable area with lots of great waves and still more yet to be found and ridden. The areas we frequent have no other surf tourist operators, no other surf boats, and no surf camps – just uncrowded reefs and points, most with an excellent anchorage nearby or right next to the break.
New Ireland’s east coast also has many great well-known, but still mostly unridden waves, and the island chain offshore has huge potential. Waves have already been found on Tabar, Tatau, Simberi, Feni, Lihir and many other islands.
Our swell season from November through April is pretty consistent, with very few flat spells, however it is true that we don’t get quite the consistency and size as say the Mentawais do, but you don’t have to contend with dozens of other boats turning up to spoil the experience.
Guests aboard Tiki Tu are often surprised to discover that PNG has an indigenous form of surfing, practiced long before the arrival of the white skins and modern surfboards. Surf craft are usually discarded and reshaped pieces of outrigger canoe hulls and ridden either lying down or sometimes standing up.
Crew are blown away by the stoke and the spirit the local kids have for surfing. This is perhaps the most pure form of surfing experience available left on the planet. We suggest you see it while you still can.
We have established excellent relationships with all the island communities which we visit. The South Pacific reputation of hospitality or Aloha spirit is not only still alive, but often overwhelming to newcomers. On arrival at some destinations, flotillas of canoes come out from the shore to welcome the new visitors. And there is always an audience cheering you on when you are out surfing.
Malili The spot that we visit most has loads of breaks over a relatively small area, hosting three rights and a very long, fast and hollow left, locally known as Malili, and is very similar to Tavarua.
Vala Vala is a right point/reef without coral and is a great hotdog wave. The same spot has a left and right A-frame peak named Gas Chambers, as it spits in both directions. Very short but sweet tube.
Lavongai north coast: Has great reef that passes between the offshore islands. Don’t bother trying to find these spots on a map though, as the entire area is literally uncharted.
Winds in the area are generally light and variable, so an offshore wind can usually be found, and most spots are surfable on all tides, but better around high water.
Packing List
• Swimmers
• Toiletries
• Light cotton clothing
• Beach Towel
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Flippers (if you like to use them)
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Camera
• BYO Alcohol and soft drinks (or we can arrange to purchase for you). No glass, cans only.
Surfers
• Reef Booties, absolutely essential
• Rash Vest, for sun protection mainly
• Surfboards (maximum 3 boards per person)
