PORUMA ISLAND RESORT
Torres Strait Islands
PORUMA ISLAND RESORT |
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| Poruma Island Resort - Isolated, Unspoilt and Luxurious |
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Poruma Island offers outstanding accommodation, pristine, deserted beaches and dazzling colours. Luxury is a hallmark of the accommodation, and interaction with the locals adds immeasurably to the total experience. The island taxi that collects you from the airstrip heads along the island’s main street, a sandy avenue where pink frangipani trees and filaments of bougainvillea screen neat houses with broad verandahs, past the collapsing stone church that was built by the London Missionary Society and its modern counterpart, St Andrew’s, and finally to Poruma Island Resort. Activities The snorkelling is sensational. Warm seas, low population and the absence of pollutants and run-off add up to a pristine underwater world of fish and corals. Strap on a mask and a snorkel, launch yourself off just about any one of the local beaches and you’re in a world of crimson coral fans, platter-shaped emperor angelfish, schools of polished-aluminium trevally, sharks, barracuda, giant clams, sea turtles, rays, sharks and dugongs. Wet just doesn’t get any better than this. If you feel like playing Robinson Crusoe for the day, there are uninhabited islands scattered across the horizon, and abandoning yourself for the day on any one of them with a picnic basket, a fishing rod and snorkelling gear is one of life’s happiest experiences. Fishing is the island’s main source of income, and guests can take advantage of the resort’s own vessel to make fast, comfortable trips to local hot spots. The village men, many of whom spend several hours at sea each day, are experts at spearfishing and netting, and the boys from the village often amuse themselves by playing rodeo games with the sharks that swim in the shallows - not recommended for the faint-hearted. Naturally, fish is also the basis of the menu at Poruma Island Resort, and dishes such as parsa, a local delicacy, and the local crayfish are marvellous. The People & Culture For many guests, one of the chief delights of staying at Poruma is the islanders themselves. Many describe their stay at Poruma as a process of being absorbed into a large and infectiously happy family. The islanders are a hugely engaging people, the women often dressed in the loose, floral print dresses that were introduced by the missionaries, the men all solid and bronzed, with a girth and a manner that suggests slowness, yet lightning fast and agile as cats when they’re out fishing in a small boat. Local traditions are still important. The whole village comes together frequently - for film evenings, to celebrate births and marriages or the construction of a new house. The islanders are Melanesians, ethnically closer to the people of Papua New Guinea than to Aboriginal Australians. Their language, known as Kalaw Lagaw Ya or Yumiplatok, adopts many of the words and phrases from the pidgin that is the universal language of Papua New Guinea. The local policeman, a softly-spoken man named Pal, doesn’t have an awful lot to do in a community where everyone leaves their doors unlocked and where you can leave your wallet on the beach when you go for a swim, so he can sometimes be seen tidying up the coconut fronds brought down by the wind. Throughout your stay, there are chance events that create moments to treasure - listening to the silky voices of the island choir when they rehearse in the cool of the evening, walking through the village at dusk, when the children are out playing and the streets are bathed in golden light, or falling asleep to the sound of waves on the beach and wind in the coconut palms. Sensational Snorkelling ... Warm seas, Low population and the absence of run-of add up to a pristine underwater world of fish and corals. The people of Torres Strait revel in the natural bounty of their island home. Notes: Dress light and cool. High-grade sun protection is a must. Alcohol is not sold on the island, but the lodge can arrange to serve you beer, wines or spirits of your choice if you notify in advance. What’s included: All meals.
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