Fiji

By Ray Chatelin
Photos By Toshi

The physical pleasures of Fiji always hold a mortgage on the heart of anyone who has been there.

For these 300 islands seem carved from a storybook setting of a south seas paradise - a place of lush fragrances, blue-green ocean, and rugged mountains covered by dense, tropical forests that sweep down to bleached shores that are a mix of sand, crushed coral and microscopic shells.

In fact, everything you can imagine about a tropical paradise is there for the taking - inland waterfalls, sun warmed breadfruit, the sound of the beach crunching under your hot feet, the warm, reef-protected water that acts like a sedative when you soak in it.

Fiji straddles the International Date Line and is a clean, hospitable home to more than 700,000 people scattered across 200,000 square miles of ocean. It has a strong British tradition with English the official language, a high standard of living, and resorts that rival those anywhere in the South Pacific.

And just a few minutes offshore the country’s main island of Viti Levu, are the jewels of a South Pacific experience, the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, easily accessible for island hoppers yet luxuriously isolated.

The Fiji experience is much different than you will find in either Hawaii or in the Caribbean. To begin with, you won’t find high rises in Fiji since no building can be constructed higher than the tallest coconut tree. The pace of life is slower and islanders pride themselves on their village life, their music, crafts, and dance – all of which Fijians love sharing with visitors, along with a bowl of Kava, a muddy-looking drink made from pepper-root.

The largest island, Viti Levu (pronounced Vee-tee Lay-vu), with its largest city, Suva, is the country’s “mainland”. At 91 miles long and 66 miles wide, it is exceeded in size among South Pacific islands only by New Caledonia and the Big Island of Hawaii. But, just offshore from the International Airport on the west coast of Viti Levu, are the picture perfect Mamanuca Islands (pronounced Mamanutha), an easy and inexpensive short trip away by boat, small float-plane or helicopter. These 13 islands all share in common pristine white sandy beaches, waving palms, crystal blue waters and, at night, the cooling influence of the trade winds. Set among deep blue waters with fringing coral reefs of turquoise and pastel green, they offer some of Fiji's most stunning island beauty. Each island is small enough to circumnavigate on foot in a couple of hours or less. With names like Beachcomber, Castaway, Malolo Levu, Mana, Matamanoa, Musket Cove, Naviti, Plantation, Tavarua, Treasure, and Tokoriki, they offer safe, small romantic retreats. On Tokoriki Island Resort, Matamanoa Island Resort, Malolo Island, you stay in “bures (boo-rays)”, individual homes with thatches roofs and South Seas design. The ocean view bures all have air conditioning, fridge, tea/coffee facilities, and separate bathrooms, lounge areas, overhead fans and spacious verandahs. Wadigi Island, on the other hand, is a very private, special place with just one house having three beautifully appointed guest rooms and a very large living room all commanding breathtaking ocean views. The Mamanuca waters and coral reefs are perfect for diving explorations – or fishing - by novices and experts alike. Visibility frequently exceeds 120 ft. In addition to vibrant corals and colorful small fish, dolphins, manta rays, turtles and large pelagic fish are frequently seen.

Just north of the Mamanucas, the Yasawa Islands chain have a far different ambiance, with small villages set on 16 volcanic islands stretching 50 miles in a north-north east direction off the west cost of Viti Levu and easily reached by small ships.

It’s not by accident that both versions of the film, Blue Lagoon (1948 with Jean Simmons, 1980 with Brooke Shields) were shot there. Their beaches, cliffs, bays and reefs, are unspoiled by tourist development and since they sit in the lee of Viti Levu, the Yasawas are dry and sunny with crystal clear waters.

All that is required for Americans to visit Fiji is a valid passport and a return or onwards ticket. Entry visas are granted for up to four months on arrival. Fiji is free of Malaria, Yellow Fever and many other tropical diseases and has safe drinking water.