FIJI: Exploring the Islands

After a four-week volunteering project in Naiserelagi (see previous blog post for more info), I was fortunate enough to have an extra two weeks to explore Fiji with one of my closest friends, Riley. The project finished and we travelled to Robinson Crusoe Island, situated right on the doorstep of Fiji’s famous Coral Coast, just a 45 minute drive from Nadi. A tiny island, taking just short of half an hour to walk around it, it was absolutely stunning, like something out of a film. The Island was extremely quiet, with only about 15 other people staying there. We spent days sunbathing and swimming in the sea, it was really relaxing. The resort took us on a sunset booze cruise which was amazing. The sunset was beautiful, and the water was so peaceful. The private island paradise is the perfect place to discover authentic Fijian hospitality, culture and tradition, with mud-crab catching, kava ceremonies and spectacular fire shows. A variety of free activities are also available at the island, including snorkelling, kayaking, jungle treks, coconut jewellery making and beach volleyball.

From Robinson Crusoe, we then travelled to explore some of the Mamanuca Islands. The Mamanucas are the closest group of islands to Nadi International Airport, and are possibly the most picture-perfect. Accommodation in the Mamanucas ranges from cheap backpacker lodges (which we stayed in – typical backpackers looking for cheap and cheerful accommodation), to five-star sanctuary retreats. But wherever you go in the Mamanucas, you are almost guaranteed to find clear blue water, sandy beaches, and a swinging hammock to soak up the magical views.

First stop was Mana Island. I really liked Mana, as it was situated next to a village, so you could get the feel of village life, whilst relaxing and sunbathing on the beach. We stayed at Mana Lagoon Backpackers Resort for four nights and had a fabulous time. This cheap hostel is perfect for travellers on a budget. The staff were really friendly, and again, not many travellers were staying there, so it was quite intimate and you got to know and spend time with other travellers. The hostel organise a variety of different day trips, including trips to Castaway Island, Cloud 9 and the Sandbank, all of which we did. The trip to Castaway Island was amazing. Embarrassing to admit it, but I had never actually heard of the film Castaway, but had been told that the island was beautiful, so was up for the trip regardless. What I had heard was true, the island was stunning. We trekked up the hills, through trees, carefully jumping over rocks and clinging on for dear life to weak tree branches. But when we finally got to the top, wow, the view was spectacular. Definitely worth the fear-filled trek.

My birthday was approaching, and as a special birthday treat, we went to Cloud 9 for the day. For those that have not heard of Cloud 9, I strongly urge you to look it up. It is seriously breath-taking – truly unbelievable. Often described as “Fiji’s floating paradise”, a pretty accurate description if you ask me. Located in a turquoise lagoon, with 360-degree views. You can spend the day on the two-level floating bar in the middle of the ocean, swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, eating, and drinking. Seriously, what more could you want? With up-beat music and 30-degree heat, it was perfection. Although slightly pricey, with a piña colada and a pizza in hand, it was definitely worth it. Absolute heaven.

Mana Island also offer a snorkelling tour to the famous Mana sandbank. The sandbank is surrounded by clear-blue waters and colourful coral reefs. The snorkelling was definitely the best snorkelling I have ever done. The turquoise water is crystal clear, revealing an array of beautiful wildlife and coral. It was the first time I had ever seen a turtle when snorkelling, so it was safe to say I was really happy after! Personally, I was too scared to scuba dive, but my friend did it and saw sharks! She said it was amazing, so if you’re in Fiji and like exploring, I would definitely urge you to scuba dive or snorkel.

Following the jam-packed trip at Mana Island, we headed to Beachcomber Island, which was equally as beautiful, but noticeably more quiet. It was very chilled, and we spent days lying on the beach relaxing, attempting to tan (but I ended up just getting burnt – shock).

Happy hour seemed to occur more often than not, but we were not complaining, as they had an extensive cocktail list. The food was delicious, but dangerous...I struggle to contain myself with buffets and considering breakfast, lunch and dinner was all buffet-style, I ate A LOT.

As our time at Beachcomber drew to a close, it was time to head back to Nadi. We stayed in a dorm room in Bamboo Backpackers, which was ridiculously cheap (worked out about £7 a night) and travelled into the centre to look around the shops and markets, buying souvenirs and gifts to take home for our families. We visited the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple and the Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Bath, both easily accessible via public transport from Nadi town centre. The temple was absolutely stunning, with beautiful colours and truly wonderful artwork. The mud baths were an interesting experience to say the least. To take full advantage of the therapeutic value of the mud pools you first coat yourself in mud and then bake in the sun until it dries. Once dried, there are three pools that you go into, one warm, one hot, and one slightly oily, leaving you with super-soft skin.

I had the most fabulous time exploring Fiji, but with only two weeks, I only scratched the surface! With white sandy beaches, warm clear sea and endless palm trees, whether you’re looking for a relaxing break or some fun-filled exploring, Fiji is an absolute must. Although Fiji is a small place, there is a lot to do. At some point I would absolutely love to go back and explore the Yasawa Islands, that are further North and possess limestone caves, manta ray diving and shark snorkelling.