The South Pacific has long beckoned romance-seeking travelers with its pristine beaches, unspoiled waters, and laid-back living.
By: Joe Yogerst
Fiji: Adventure Bound
The largest island group in the South Pacific in terms of both population and land area, Fiji is an eclectic destination with resorts and activities that appeal to just about every vacation taste. But Fiji excels at outdoor adventure pursuits.
Photo courtesy of Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
It’s the site of one of the globe’s legendary surfing breaks, in particular the Mamanuca islands in the northwest where spots like Cloudbreak and Restaurants attract some of the world’s best boardsmen. The surf is great year-round, but the big waves (20 feet) are more prevalent from April to October. That’s not the only way to get your adrenalin flowing in Fiji — there’s rafting the whitewater rivers through rainforest that’s been there for a million years, dune buggy rides along a jungle track to an isolated waterfall and diving with sharks. You can also learn how to wakeboard, explore limestone caverns and swoosh through the jungle on the longest zipline in the South Pacific. Then swim the Blue Lagoon of movie fame and while away the hours at a deserted island beach. And if you’re really brave, try joining a rugby match with some of the locals.
Fiji’s accommodation options run the gamut from surf camps and scuba resorts to private island resorts and sprawling golf resorts. Viti Levu, the main island, boasts more than 80 hotels. For the true Fijian experience it’s best to stay on one of the smaller outer islands. Yasawa Island Resort & Spa shares its seahorse-shaped island with a couple of local villages but no other hotels. The family-run resort features 18 thatched bures (villas) set around an infinity pool or scattered along a palm-fringed beach. The spacious honeymoon bure, with its own plunge pool, sundeck and two-person hammock, is perfectly perched at the very end of the beach. From fresh lobster to mango panna cotta, the food is superb, especially when you consider the remoteness of the location (room rates start at $800 a night and are all inclusive; yasawa.com).
Photo courtesy of Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
