FIJI: Cavorting on the Coral Coast

Children the world over are very much alike. They all play hide and seek, sometimes torment smaller kids, they inevitably get dirty, get into mischief and generally do stuff that their parents aren’t aware of. Fijian children in the outlying villages are no different except they have a way of smiling and holding up their fingers in a welcoming gesture to visitors that you don’t often see . . . a sort of ‘V for Victory’ sign but in reverse accompanied by a huge smile – is it any wonder Fiji is known as the friendly isles.

On my previous visit I’d stayed in the well-known enclave known as Denarau and never left the resort area except to go fishing as I was there to attend a wedding. However what lies beyond the Denarau security fences and the side-by-side big name hotels is a sight worth going back to Fiji for . . . the stunning Coral Coast.

The Coral Coast lies about an hour’s drive southwest of Nadi along the Queen’s Road on the main island of Viti Levu where the coastline is a combination of mangrove forests, rocky outcrops, some huge sand dunes, inland bays and sandy beaches fringed by shallow, well protected lagoons making it an ideal location for snorkeling and diving.

On our first day we opted for a local adventure that is fast becoming the best way to experience Fiji’s rich natural beauty and traditional culture. In the nearest town, Sigatoka we made preparations for a jet boat ride into the upper regions of the Sigatoka River. The Sigatoka River Safari is an award winning tour operator with purpose built, New Zealand made jet boats.

Our guide was Captain Hijack (Lepani) whose cheeky chatter and informative knowledge made everyone laugh and listen, especially when tales of cannibals and culture are thrown into the conversation.

The highlight of the four hour round trip is to be invited into Mavua Village, one of 15 villages (that are rotated in and out of the tour schedule on a daily and seasonal basis. This practice ensures that mass tourism doesn’t alter the traditional lifestyle of the village but in fact enhances their prosperity – a percentage of your tour price goes directly to each village). After a guided tour by a village elder we were escorted into a Chiefly House or communal hall to present an offering of Yagona (kava). Then the kava making ritual is followed by a traditional kava making and drinking ceremony, followed by more drinking, singing, a traditional Fijian lunch and then some Fijian dancing! One member of our group Patrick commented, “this is better than a Fijian disco.”

On our second day, after a wonderful beachside breakfast at the Beachcomber on the Lagoon Resort our group made the short drive to the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park headquarters for our two hour guided hike. This easy to follow trail starts and ends below a lush forest canopy with the jewel in the crown being the huge, wind swept sand dunes above a deserted stretch of beach that looked like some long-lost elephant graveyard as it was covered in driftwood logs from the relentlessly pounding surf.

In a country blessed with an abundance of scenic beauty, the Sigatoka Sand Dunes stand out as one of the more unique wonders of Fiji. In 1989, the dunes were designated as Fiji’s first National Park under the management of the National Trust of Fiji Islands. This distinct feature covers an area of 650 hectares and offers a rich combination of geomorphological, ecological, cultural and aesthetical attributes.