Fiji has lived up to the dream of a South Pacific paradise. We were worried about coming in February as this is the rainy season. Yes, it has rained at sometime most days, usually when a convenction thunderstorm builds up in the afternoon, but the weather is otherwise perfect.
Castaway Island
Mana Island
The sea is almost blood temperature and full of tropical fish. We are staying in a very touristy place on Denarau island where there are several big resorts and prices are a bit exagerated. However the people are so friendly and the local economy depends on tourism so you don’t mind too much being ripped off at these resorts.
Manamuca Islands
Yesterday we took a trip to the Mamanuca Islands. These are your classic desert islands with coral reefs, turquoise clear seas and white sand fringed beaches. The water is teaming with large tropical fish and even baby sharks, all feeding around wide flowering coral with violet blue starfish dotted about.
Mana lagoon
We spent 3 hours on a small uninhabited island called South Sea Island which although run by the tour company is an idylic spot. Bounty island was used by
Beachcomber Island
ITV for its Celebrity castaway series, however I think Mana Island was the most beautiful and more accessible as there is not just one exclusive resort with a monopoly. Backpackers can also stay there, and it has some very beautiful coral reefs.
We went snorkeling off South Sea Island and soon got immersed in the reef life wandering 100 meters or so from the island. Then I began to notice strange prickles on my skin. I thought maybe I was stung by a jelly fish but then thought I was simply imagining it. About an hour later we went off snorkeling again and felt this strange tingling/stinging feeling again – as did Anna. I think now they were Sea Lice who basically swim in invisible swarms and take little nips out of you. No big problem at all but when you are keeping an eye out for the occasional mini shark it doesn’t give your confidence too much good to imagine you have been stung by a box jellyfish. The water is teaming with life and makes a great escape from everyday life.
Natadola Beach
Update 12 Feb: We rented a car yesterday and drove round the main island to the Coral Coast in the south. The roads are fine passing small villages and just a few towns through lush tropical vegetation round the coast. There is a fabulous beach on the west coast called Natadola Beach which has paved road access because there is a new Intercontinental resort and golf course just opened. However the beach is deserted apart from some horses and just a handful of visitors. There is a small village near the beach and two groups of fishermen were out in the lagoon. The work in groups of 3 or 4 with a net in the lagoon up to their necks. When they see a shoal of large fish they then beat the water with their hands trying to scare the fish within reach of the net. This way they catch a few while the rest escape – in EU terminology this would be “sustainable fishing”.
Fishing Port Denarau
Anyway they get enough fish to sell some on the road outside for prices a tiny fraction of what we end up paying in touristy restaurants.
Market Sigatoka
Continuing on from Natadola we stopped at the only large town in the south called Sigatoka and bought some papaya in the market. Then on to the Coral coast which is basically a barrier reef around the southern side of the island with a shallow lagoon out 200 meters to the reef where the surf breaks. There is little 
development apart from some holiday homes which have suffered like all real estate in recent times.
Today we took the small ferry to the island opposite the Westin resort in Denarau Island. There are hundreds of small deserted islands scattered around Fiji. Many are within the protection of distant coral reefs which protect them from the surf. We were the first there in the morning and I took a walk round the island to find cormarants (I think) resting among the rocks.
Empty Island
These birds are a wonder to watch fishing. They have incredible eyesight as they circle again and again some 100 meters above the sea. When they spot a fish they close their wings and dive head first like a stone into the sea to try to catch them. Probably their success rate is just one in three, but their skill is amazing. Unlike our hotel birds that try to take our breakfast, these cormarants remain aloof and distant, shunning humans. Long may they prosper.
My general impression is that the main island in Fiji has a beautiful countryside which has not been spoiled much at all by tourism. The island is not over-populated which means that the forests and countryside are still in an excellent state. There is encroachment by human development but far less than say in Hawaii.
