Dreaming of Fiji
by Jennifer Kim Goldfarb
Nothing says “honeymoon” like endless stretches of white sand beaches and tall palm trees swaying in the wind. Fiji provides so much more than the perfect backdrop for a week or two of romance. More than 300 islands offer countless opportunities to explore Fijian nature, culture, and history. My husband and I took a rather leisurely trip to several of the Islands, which introduced us to many aspects of this beautiful and fascinating South Pacific nation.
We started off with a week of old-fashioned rest and relaxation on Tokoriki, a tiny island off the coast of Viti Levu. Guests arrive either by ferry or seaplane. We boarded a ferry for the trip across the calm, sparkling water to a little haven of sandy beach and craggy hills. We were tempted to get off at every island resort we passed along the way—each seemed more intimate and luxurious than the last! But it was worth the wait to disembark at the Tokoriki Island Resort.
The resort fills the entire island. The staff members come to work by boat from a village on a neighboring island. Our bure, a traditional Fijian thatch-roofed hut, opened onto what felt like our own private strip of white sand. A large, oceanfront terrace served as our dining area. Musicians serenaded us while we ate under the stars every night.
Fijian culture is a blend of Polynesian, Melanesian, Indian, Chinese, and various European cultures. By the late nineteenth century, Fiji had become a British colony. Despite all of the foreign invasion and influence, indigenous Fijian culture thrived. This blending of cultures meant that we did some adventurous eating on our trip—not at all what we expected at a posh honeymoon destination!
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