|
Coral Islands
Mamanuca Group
Fiji Islands
back to fiji travel guide
|
mamanuca pictures map |
Coral Islands - Mamanuca Group
Just 20-minutes from Denarau Marina, South Sea Island (Vunivadra) is the closest of the Mamanuca islands to Nadi. South Sea Cruises operate this tiny island as their official backpacker resort and their Tiger IV fast catamaran calls in twice a day on its rounds of the resort islands. South Sea Island Resort is part of Awesome Adventures which focuses on providing transfers and accommodation packages along the busy backpacker trail of the Yasawa Group further north their Yasawa Flyer also calls in every day on its way to, and back from, the Yasawas. This is a great place to start your trip and try some of the water activities that evade the less commercial Yasawas - there's even a swimming pool, albeit salt-water. Snorkelling is excellent off the east side of the island and you can take hook-up with the Seaspray adventure sailing cruise which departs from Mana Island to explore the outer Mamanuca Islands an extremely worthwhile day trip.
The Yasawa Flyer also calls in at Bounty Island (Kadavu), 10-minutes further north from South Sea Island (day Trip F$120 per person). This is the largest of the coral islands and was set up in 1999 as an Eco-tourism retreat. Bounty Island Sanctuary is half-owned by the local land-owning clan from Veseisei Village, the Tokatoka Nakelo, and is one of the few in Fiji where the land-owners have a direct ownership in a resort. The emphasis here is aptly on organically grown produce from Bounty's own gardens and fish ponds, and protecting the natural scrubland for banded rails, kingfishers, herons, crested iguanas and hawksbill turtles. There's a huge traditional bure with exposed rafters and imposing retaining poles decorated with intricately woven coconut fibres or magimagi. The bure is used to welcome guests to the island with a traditional yaqona ceremony and doubles as an arts display area where you can see traditional craft being made. Accommodation is varied with two large dorms with 40-beds each, 15 private rooms in a cement building with shared toilets, eight pre-erected tents on the beach front with double beds and a garden patio and eight private beach bures with en-suite hot-water showers. The restaurant serves great fresh food and the Sunday lovo (earth oven) and meke (traditional dance) is not to be missed. Push bikes allow you to explore the islands tracks which meander through tunnelled scrubland or you can walk on the natural sandy beach right around the island. There are no motorized activities it's all peace and quiet here.
Facing Bounty and owned and operated by the same consortium of land-owners and European investors is Treasure Island (Levuka). Treasure Island Resort has 67 units, each with three beds, private bathroom and housed in duplex and quad bungalows. The environment is unspoiled with large tropical trees and coastal scrub screening the beach. The resort aims to be ecologically sound and was the first to set up a turtle sanctuary to help increase the survival rate of nesting sea turtles, a trend that has been adopted by several other resorts in the region. This is a popular spot for families the sandy beach alongside the main part of the resort is sheltered with good swimming and there's a large children's play ground, fresh-water swimming pool, daily kids club and 9-hole crazy golf course as well as the usual water sports. Treasure operates its own private shuttle for in-house guests only, departing Denarau Marina at 8.30am and 3pm.
Strong swimmers could swim from Treasure to adjacent Beachcomber Island (Tai), an unashamedly tacky party-all hours bash with nightclub, floor shows, talent quests and all-day long organized activities. This was the original backpackers resort in Fiji set up in the 1960s and the huge 84-bed mixed dormitory still exists for those who would rather spend money on their beer than their privacy. Cramped private rooms are available for couples not quite ready to give up their youth and the twenty private bures with ceiling fan and en-suite hot-water showers fronting the beach make a good option for families with young children baby-sitting and kids activities arranged. Beachcomber is surrounded by a gorgeous snorkelling reef and Subsurface Divers have a base here with PADI instruction courses. The fast catamaran Drodrolagi, owned by Beachcomber Cruises departs Denarau Marina at 9.00am and 12.15 daily and you can visit the island on a day tour for the same cost as the return transfer (buffet lunch included).
Set aside from the main tourist traffic is Tivua Island. Although just 15-minutes offshore from Lautoka City, the only passage is on board the 30-metre picturesque sailing cruise Ra Marama with its polished wooden deck, brass fittings and three tall masts. Operated by Captain Cook Cruises, Ra Marama departs Denarau Marina daily at 10.00am. The sailing cruise travels north for 1-hour 20-minutes offering splendid views of the rising mountains of Viti Levu and passing close to several tiny coral islands along the way. Although extremely laid back, guests are first introduced to Tivua Island with a formal yaqona ceremony after which they are free to explore at will it's a 10-minute stroll around the sandy beach island. An excellent BBQ lunch is prepared with fresh fish and salad, six free drinks are included in the price as well as free use of kayaks, snorkel gear and a trip to the outer reef for snorkelling and glass bottom boat viewing, but no motorized activities. The island has three little-known beach bungalows, with double bed, en-suite shower, large veranda and each one is set on a separate stretch of beach front for privacy. You can even guarantee the entire island to yourself for the night. This is the perfect place to stay-over and experience solitude once the adrenalin-fuelled day-trippers depart at 3.30pm, the island reverts instantaneously to a calm and soothing deserted island. Such contrast must be experienced to be appreciated.
Located in the central Mamanucas an hour cruise from Denarau Marina is the intimate Navini Island Resort offering just eight beach front bures. This is the only upmarket island resort in the Mamanucas on a coral island and bars day trippers to ensure absolute privacy.
Malamala Island is one of the few remaining undeveloped coral islands in the group and is a popular day trip destination from Nadi. Fiji Fun Cruises operates the 6-acre island as an all-inclusive day trip from Nadi with a tropical BBQ lunch, free beer, house wine and soft drinks, glass bottom boat coral viewing and free snorkel gear. The cruise departs Denarau Marina at 12.00pm, visits three uninhabited islands with kayaking, snorkelling, beach volleyball and a night beach party, and returns the next day at 11.00am. The local Fijian crew make this overnight trip memorable with their singing and party antics. Excellent value for money and highly recommended for those with limited time or wanting to experience a night out on an uninhabited island.
In the southern part of the Mamanucas, just 5-miles offshore from Viti Levu, are two small coral islands, both set up as surfing resorts for their close proximity to the challenging reef breaks around Malolo and Namotu Passages. Tavarua Island Resort is the more upmarket, catering to wealthy Americans who purchase their all-inclusive week-long package holidays for almost US$4000. The 12 bures are well spaced apart giving a good feel of privacy. Encompassing 29 acres, Tavarua Island is considerably larger than its neighbour, Namotu Island, which measures a meagre 3.5 acres. Namotu Island Resort has a similar sales arrangement with its 1-week all-inclusive packages starting from around US$2,500. Both resorts are often booked out at least 6-months in advance. For those wanting to surf the challenging and dangerous reef breaks around Malolo and Namotu passages without having to pay exorbitant prices, access is provided by Big Joe based at Plantation Island Resort on Malololeilei Island (about F$40 per person return boat transfers from Plantation Island including 3-hours waiting time at surf break, pick-up's from other resort-islands by arrangement). Big Joe is one of the local landowners of the reef and is the only person based in the Mamanucas offering official access to the breaks other than Namotu and Tavarua resorts. His boat is neither certified nor has adequate life saving equipment or two-way radio contact but has been servicing the breaks reliably for 8-years. The most famous breaks, Cloudbreak and Wilkes, have been leased to Tavarua Island Resort on an almost exclusive arrangement with public access allowed only on Saturdays. None-the-less, lesser known but equally challenging reef breaks such as Swimming Pools, Desperations and the Namotu Left offer excellent and reliable left and right-handers with consistent thick barrels and solid tips. Alternative access is from Rendezvous Beach Resort (20-minutes by boat) and Seashell Cove Resort (30-minutes), both on the mainland south of Nadi.
Flights to Mamanuca Group
Sea plane and helicopter transfers are available to all Mamanuca Resorts. There is an airstrip on Mana Island and Malololeilei Island with regular daily flights from Nadi Airport.
Local Flights
Fast Catamarans to Mamanuca Group
The mamanuca group is served by numerous fast catamarans and smaller boats, most departing from Denarau Marina off Nadi. South Sea Cruises operate a daily fast catamaran to Waya, Wayasewa, Naviti and Tavewa islands. Takes between 2 - 4 hours from Nadi.
Local Cruises / Ferries
Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Cook Islands Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tonga Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
