Fiji Service and Adventure II

DAYS 1 – 3: LOS ANGELES

As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins! We lose a day crossing the international date line.

DAYS 3 – 4: NADI

We begin by sailing between the islands of the Mamanuca island chains where “Castaway” and “Survivor” were filmed. Stop on a private island to jump in the water for snorkeling, emerge for lunch and fight jetlag in the afternoon with beach volleyball and sunbathing. Return to our hotel on the mainland for your first Fijian feast before we leave for the Yasawa island chain.

DAYS 4 – 12: YASAWA ISLANDS

Waking the next morning we will hop on a catamaran bound for Nacula Island, one of the furthest north in the Yasawa island chain. We will spend three full days here immersing ourselves into the laid back rhythm of Fiji time! Brilliant sunrises and sunsets beg for the attention of your eyes and camera. Preparing a traditional lovo (Fijian feast) will give you new appreciation for the local fare. Paddle across the sea in a glass bottomed kayak to the neighboring blue lagoon and dive beneath the waves to explore the pristine reefs and underwater ecosystems. 

Returning to our island home, we are greeted with tea and cakes, vestiges of the days of British rule. In the late afternoon we'll enjoy some volleyball, rugby, ultimate Frisbee or laid back hammock time. Our trip will also involve day trips to the neighboring islands for village visits where you have the opportunity to talk to villagers who may never have traveled further than 20 miles from the island in their entire lives. We finish our time on the islands with a swim into the Sawa-I-Lau Islands to visit their famous limestone caves. 

Then we travel by catamaran to our second stop, Nanuya Balavu to enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving in its world-class house reef. The morning after we arrive, hopefully, we will be greeted by the furious drumming signaling that manta rays have been spotted feeding in the channel just off the shore. We will throw on our wetsuits and snorkel gear, board a boat, and jump into the current for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime: a swim above and next to these gentle, majestic animals whose wing spans can reach up to twenty feet!

The last Yasawa Island, Waya Lailai, has the tallest peak of any of the islands we will visit. The night we arrive we will have a bonfire on the beach before getting a few hours rest. The next morning we take an early morning hike up the 2nd tallest peak. Sunrise with a thirty mile view makes the early wake up absolutely worthwhile. After breakfast we will venture off shore to a coral reef where we will have the ultimate in adrenaline experiences: swimming with reef sharks (with our expert guide, of course!). These beautiful animals will be curious, but keep their distance from you. Landing back on shore for lunch, you will be completely in love with the islands and never want to go home; but the trip isn't over yet...!

DAYS 12 – 13: VITI LEVU

During the final two days of the trip, we tour the largest of the islands in the Fijian Archipelago, Viti Levu, with the help of local guides, who will give us real insight into the Fijian way of life. Stops at archeological sites uncovered in the sand dunes, traditional Fijian pottery demonstrations and hot mud baths will acquaint you with the joys and hidden beauty of the mainland.