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!
Our next stop was Taveuni, known as the garden island of Fiji. Although it is the third largest island, it felt just as remote and private as Tokoriki. We stayed at the Maravu Plantation Resort near Matei, an area with lots of foreign residents. We’d heard rave reviews about the resort, which turned out to be a truly elegant, top-end property run by a European family.
The accommodations are comprised of individual bungalows scattered on a 22-hectare copra plantation. Copra is dried coconut kernel used to produce coconut oil. During our stay we splurged on massages, enjoyed gourmet meals on the giant, covered porch, swam in the black-bottom swimming pool, and even took a short horseback ride up a small hill on the property for a panoramic sunset view.
It would have been easy to spend the entire time kicking back on our porch, savoring the tasty cuisine, and sampling kava, a local herbal beverage with medicinal properties, every night. But we picked up the pace just a tiny bit, and headed out to the Lavena Coastal Walk one day. The car ride out to the start of the 5K path took us along a bumpy, gravel road past stretches of wild taro and other lush, exotic flora. The walk itself was an easy, enjoyable stroll on a clearly marked path. Along the way, we beachcombed on a short stretch of sand, crossed a suspension bridge, and ended at a deep pool fed by a waterfall. We took a short swim in this secluded spot before heading back to the visitor hut.
We also spent time enjoying the world-renowned marine life off the coast of Taveuni. My husband snorkeled the waters, while I explored the depths of the ocean with my brand new scuba certification.
One of the highlights of our trip was a jaunt to the local pizza joint, a wood shack set on stilts above the beach. We watched crabs scuttle around on the rocks below while we sipped Fiji Bitter and waited for our thin, cripsy pizza to cook. Another memorable culinary experience was sipping the homemade kahlua at Audrey’s Sweet Something’s, a cafe of sorts run out of Audrey’s home.
Leaving this particular slice of paradise was rough, but we eventually hopped another couple of flights to Ovalau, one of the largest of the Lomaiviti Group off the east coast of Viti Levu. This is where we got the biggest dose of both colonial and native history and culture.
The main city, Levuka, (population 3,000) feels like an old Western ghost town. Back in the 1850s, the trading outpost had a reputation for being rough, rowdy, and rambunctious. We stayed at The Royal Hotel, the oldest hotel in all of Fiji. An old gentleman named Henry hosts a walking tour to the town’s historic sites.
The other can’t-miss tour is with Epi, a local from the village of Lovoni. Epi takes groups on a hike up to his village nestled inside an extinct volcano crater. Along the way, he shares his extensive and fascinating knowledge of local plants and their medicinal and nutritious properties. He shimmied up palm trees so we could sample the difference between old and young coconut milk. Once we reached his village, we were treated to a feast of dishes made from taro, kumala (sweet potato), a local variety of spinach, and lolo (coconut cream). He also regaled us with a long but fascinating story of how the villagers ended up settling inside an extinct volcano.
We reluctantly left Ovalua and caught a flight back to Suva and drove along the Coral Coast toward Nadi. An endless line of resorts hugs the road along the southern coast of Viti Levu. These resorts are comfortable, familiar places for families and honeymooners with minimal time to explore Fiji. The pottery villages and markets near Sigatoka make excellent excursions from most resorts.
We returned home to Chicago delighted that we’d discovered the rich cultural history and romantic landscapes of the Fiji Islands. This robust nation has left us with wonderful memories of an exotic honeymoon adventure we’ll remember for years to come.
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