SOUTH VITI LEVU ISLAND

Pure Fuji

My 1st stop on arriving on the island was Pure Fiji, a local manufacturer of natural earth-friendly and organic body care products. Being the company’s headquarter, the price here is the lowest anywhere in the Fiji Islands. Locals and even tourists throng the place, buying their products in bulk. I had the chance to use their products during an earlier stay at Koro Sun Resort after which I became a fan of their hand-made soap and body lotion.

Pearl Resort

My first accommodation at the Pacific Harbour was the sleek and zen-styled Pearl Resort. The architecture and design of this resort will win over any guests.

What a windy picture-perfect day! Can you spot a wedding in progress at the chapel in the bottom centre of the picture? The resort is effortlessly beautiful. Makes a great venue not just for couples, and honeymooners but also for families. There is something for everyone at this resort.

Terratrek 4WD adventure

One of the great activities offered by the resort is quad biking on a mountain trail which includes a trek to a private-leased double waterfall within the forest located a short distance from the resort.

Exciting time Ziping through the Fijian Forest

 SIGATOKA

Our fabulous guide and boat captain is Josephine. She got us jetting down the Sigatoka River around 50-60km/h though it felt faster than that. The ride lasted for a total of 40 minutes each way. Friendly villagers along the river were always waving to us as we jetted down the river.

There were a couple of villagers taking their horses out for a walk. Cows and mountain goats can also be spotted resting by the river bank.

Glimpse of the Sigatoka town, a gateway to the Fiji Islands interior and the Coral Coast. Some patriotic citizen fly the country flag on their vehicle all the time, not just on special occasions.

Kava Ceremony at Koroua Village

A visit to Koroua Village was part of the Sigatoka River Safari itinerary. Participating in a Kava presentation is a cultural must-do when visiting Fiji. It is a ritual and an important social event. In our visit to the village, the kava presentation serves as a “get to know you” session as well as respect for the village head. As part of the Fijian culture about hierarchy, ladies and children sit behind the men in a kava presentation with the ladies required to wear a sulu (sarong) too.

A kava presentation ceremony starts with the village head presenting a kava gift to the village chief, on our behalf of us. The presentation is also to seek permission for our visit to the village. This ritual is a form of respect to the village chief and attendees are requested to remain silent during the Kava presentation.

A Kava drink preparation is in progress. The kava powder is mixed with water and stirred constantly as the Kava powder within the water settles quickly. The mixture is sieved through fine muslin cloth before being offered for us to drink.

The 1st kava drink goes to the eldest in our group. Kava has a mild narcotic effect and is known to make people feel relaxed. Fijian people are known to be some of the happiest on Earth.  I believe that might be connected to the Kava. It’s safe to drink a few cups, just that your tongue gets a bit “numb”.

When it’s your turn to drink a bowl, you can opt for “high tide” or “tsunami” which stands for a full bowl or “low tide,” half a bowl. Before you drink, you’re supposed to clap once and yell “Bula!” drink it and shout Vinaka! It was an eye-opener on Fijian culture!

Post Kava drinking ceremony, powdered talc is applied to visitors’ faces as a form of welcome ritual.

A village feast was prepared, and we sat on the floor beside and opposite each other in a convivial atmosphere.

You’ll notice it’s not that oily and most of the ingredients used are natural with products like banana and cassava (tapioca) being served. My favourite dish was pancake with vegetables! But some of my friends who have attended such a feast will advise you to “eat at your own risk”.

Shortly after the hearty lunch, the villagers started playing music with their guitars and everyone had a spontaneous party. There’s no need for an audio system, just great music from humans.

Fijian kids were really curious and followed us around the village. When it’s time to say goodbye, the village head and some kids head out to bid us farewell. They’re not camera shy and I just love their spontaneity. I enjoyed capturing a slice of the local life, proving this world is without borders.

I love what photography does. It melts borders and invites others into your world. It’s not about how sharp your pictures are or how good your gears are, it’s about capturing the moment. It’s about communication. It’s about life. Photography is a platform, not just a tech tool.

Fiji Hideaway Resort

Our next accommodation was the Fiji Hideaway Resort, our last resort of the trip. We were warmly greeted and welcomed by their singing and clapping of hands. It was a sensory overload beyond my expectations, everyone was just so friendly.

The staff happily put on frangipani garland on us all. You’ll be left in awe meeting buffed-up Fijian warriors, who turned out as friendly as the rest of the staff here.

After checking in, the resort resident chef Yunus showed us how the national dish -Kokoda, is being made as part of the cultural introduction in Sekoula Village, within the resort compound. It’s a simple healthy dish that will appeal to the health-conscious.

Foodies might like to check out the recipe. Typically, Fiji’s traditional cuisine relies heavily on foods cultivated locally. As a result, their tasty dishes have ingredients made with seafood, coconuts and root vegetables. Many dishes use coconut milk, which adds a delicious and rich tropical flavour, such as Kokoda (pronounced ko-kon-da). If sushi or sashimi is your favourite dish, you must try kokoda in Fiji!

One of the cultural events was splicing coconut. Looks easy but needs much practice.

As part of the activity, we were shown they did cannibalism in the past. He will demonstrate this process to you if you are gamed for it. You’ll hear his story about how different tools were used for different parts of the body.

Another Kava presentation at the cultural village. This time around, I was appointed as the “chief” because I was the eldest in our group. Here’s what the kava looks like since you have not seen it earlier. I would describe the taste as not sweet, not salty and sort of “earthy” taste. Slightly bitter with a hint of mint and a little peppery. And after drinking, your tongue will feel slightly numb. An acquired taste indeed!

This was my room for tonight – The Beachfront Villa at Fiji Hideaway Resort. Wonderful sleep quality and the bathroom experience was surreal, with indoor and outdoor showers under the stars, clouds, and coconut trees. The Fijians call them bure, I like to call them paradise huts!

Just look at these spectacular views. Would anyone still need more reasons to stay at the Hideaway Fiji?

DENARAU TO KUATA ISLAND

Denarau Island, on the main Island of Viti Levu, is the largest integrated resort in the South Pacific. Is at the ferry terminal here that we boarded the Yasawa Flyer for our day trip to Kuata Island where you can do Shark Snorkeling.

We were booked for the Captain’s Cabin, which has WiFi, a free flow of drinks, chips, fruits, and aircon that certainly makes our cruise just that more luxurious.

The picture above shows one of the picturesque islands the the magnet that draws visitors from all over the world. This atoll is named Beachcomber Island and seems like a nice island to be marooned on.

When we arrived at Kuata Island, the azure crystal clear water was just so inviting that we wished we just jumped right in.

The resort surroundings were simply beautiful. You’ll hear the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, while you walk through the stone path on the garden. Just imagine yourself facing the sea that has different shades of blue in this serenity.

You can see how laid-back life is here. I spotted local villagers selling souvenirs from the likes of handcrafted bracelets, looking very comfortable as if she’s also enjoying “Fiji time”.

The beauty of the Fiji Islands is also underwater. My travel mate did an underwater shot of me shooting the sea plant garden at low tide.

The gorgeous reef at the Kuata Island is an amazing ecosystem, with many sea birds and marine life. I even spotted a big golden moray eel scampering away when we were in its hiding place.

Snorkeling with sharks at Moorea Reef, Kuata Island was a pretty exciting session. Our divemaster, Simon Chen from Hong Kong from my snorkeling trip did a free diving to the reef bottom to attract and photograph the sharks. Can you spot one of the sharks at the bottom left?

You will be amazed at how close you’d be with a few white-tip reef sharks at Moorea Reef. As there is plenty of food available at the reef, human beings are not on their diet plan.

Conclusion

No one leaves the Fiji Islands without being captivated by the warmth or entranced by the beauty of the picture-perfect islands. Bula! (Welcome !) and Vinaka (Thank you!) are two Fijian words that will forever be etched on your mind when you think of the beautiful country with its friendly people. For our visit to another part of the Fiji Islands, do check out here. Thank you for coming along with this pixels adventure.

This amazing photographic trip to the Fiji Islands was organised by Jetabout Holidays, in partnership with Fiji Airways and Fiji Tourism Board. All pictures used in this travelogue are copyrighted to Jensen Chua Photography and Holiday Tours and Travel (Singapore) and all rights reserved.

The post Escape to Paradise in Fiji Islands appeared first on Jensen Chua Photography.

My itineraries included island exploration – Savusavu, South Viti Levu Island, Sigotaka and Kuata Island. In this article, I’ve put together some brilliant places you could explore for your trip to Savusavu, considered to be Fiji Islands’ best-kept secret.

SAVUSAVU

Fiji Airways commenced twice-weekly direct flights from Changi Airport in April 2016. You can look forward to a great sunset during the flight as it cruises eastward from Singapore to the enchanting islands.   The beauty of visiting the Fiji Islands starts even before we reach our destination, with a gorgeous dusk over the Solomon Sea, during a ten-hour direct flight to Nadi Airport, the main international airport of the Republic of Fiji.

To get to Savusavu, you’ll need to take a domestic flight from Nadi to Labasa via Fiji Links, then 1.5 hours scenic land or a 20-minute private plane transfer to complete the journey. The flight service feels like a brisk air-conditioned bus journey. It was on this flight that an aged Fijian struck up a conversation that lasted 1 hour. Fijians are friendly people as I will learn along the way.

Koro Sun Resort

My paradise for the next 2 nights was Koro Sun Resort. Life felt great as I started to get into the Fijian vibe. Savusavu is also known as the “Hidden Paradise”. The views here are breathtaking and the sound of the sea calms you even in the room. The resort intentionally makes WiFi available only at their bistro so that guests get to fully reconnect with themselves, not on their smartphone screen and enjoy nature.

Did you spot a white object near the hammock? Since the bures in the resort do not have telephone and wifi, you will have to use this coconut to request any staff service. All you need is to place the coconut at the front door of the bure. Within short notice, you can expect the staff to pop by your bure.

Experiencing Fijian Culture

One thing that keeps cropping up in Fiji is Kava. The root of the Kava plant is used to produce a drink with sedative and relaxant properties. Kava is consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia, including Hawaii, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia for its sedating effects. We were brought to a kava shop by Ramano, the resort guide/driver to see how kava is made. The machine was an electric-operated pounding machine with a metal stump that pounded the dried kava roots into powder.  A typical packet of kava powder is about FD$10, for a simple kava presentation ceremony.

You have to try the Kava drink, as it ‘brings’ people together in Fiji. It’s one of the core Fijian culture, where this drink is served during traditional ceremonies. I managed to witness this casual Kava ceremony and presentation at Koro Sun Resort after dinner, by the resort guest relations manager.

One of the main things that interest me is the local cuisine and my first meal at Koro Sun Resort was a delicious healthy garden salad. The meals are prepared fresh with locally grown pesticide-free ingredients. Fijians are very particular in cultivating their produce organically.

The meal’s main course was Ham Quiche on Tomato Cuss. Delicious, light and healthy meal indeed.

Next came a spa treatment at the resort Rainforest’s Spa, with a signature treat – the Banana Leaf Wrap Spa. I was about to be wrapped like an Otah. Scrubbed with brown sugar, coconut oils and natural botanical herbs,  I was then left alone to be “marinated” with the mixture.

The Banana Leaf Wrap Spa is formulated to rejuvenate the body after jet lag or stress, leaving us feeling balanced and renewed. I truly sunk into a deep slumber during the 1-hour spa session, lured by the natural stream soothing water lullaby, just beside the spa.

Edgewater Bure at Koro Sun Resort

Fiji seascapes are simply fabulous as you will not see ocean liners on the sea horizon. This picture was shot from my seafront villa – called Edgewater Bure (pronounced as Boo Ray). Bure is the Fijian word for a wood-and-straw hut, sometimes similar to a cabin. In its original sense, a bure is a structure built of anything that comes to hand. The components of a bure are either stacked together, tied together by rope, or a combination of both methods. Though, the bure here is the luxury type, of course.

My luxurious Edgewater Bure suite at the resort. The superb view and well-furnished room enhanced the paradise feeling.

Fijians have a great sense of humour, as this sign at the resort shows, alluding to their old days of cannibalism. The last known recorded incident of cannibalism in Fiji was in the 1860s, with the death of missionary Reverend Thomas Baker. Are you aware Fiji islands were previously called the Cannibal Isles ?

Looking up to sky at the resort and you be greeted by tall coconut trees. You see them everywhere along the coast as well, enhancing that paradise ambience.

The sunset at Fiji are simply to die for. Serene and simply spectacular. You wish time stand still. The natural beauty of Fiji Islands is round the clock. The weather has a warm tropical climate. Normally, the best months for holidaying is late March through to early December, pertaining to weather.

These dried pandanus leaves can be commonly spotted at most villages. Pandanus leaves are hung dry first before being woven into various arts form of handicrafts. The farmers only cut off matured leaves letting the plant regrow again.

This is how pandanus leaf fan looks like. It’s comforting to know most of Fijian arts and crafts are Earth-friendly product.

Look at this beautiful lookout point at Savusavu. On a good day, you could actually see fluffy white clouds forming and moving briskly in the windy deep blue skies.

The topography of Fiji islands being relatively low, does not favour waterfalls formation. But those few that exists, are always a lovely sight. Like this at Vuadomo Village.

Mother and her kids at Vuadomo Village. They may not live on much, but I can sense their happiness. Perhaps that is the answer to a happy life ?

Fiji Coconut Festival

Enroute to the pearl farm, we were brought to Fiji World Coconut Day 2016 fair by our resort guide. Coconuts play an important role in Fiji because they are a key export earner. Not only coconut is a major export for currency, the versatile plant is very useful for daily life. It’s a symbol of Food, Shelter and Life in Fiji.

Participants at the event were friendly people indeed. They never shy from camera. One group of coconut farmers even requested a picture, where I was more than happy to oblige.

Cultured Pearl Farm at Justin Hunter Fiji Pearls

At the pearl farm, visitors are introduced to pearl farming industry at the Justin Hunter Fiji Pearls.  From how pearls are cultivated and how to differentiate the grades of pearl.

We were lucky to see a couple of visiting Japanese pearl culture experts at the farm doing seeding procedure. They are sort of a “oyster doctor”, deciding the eventual type and colour of pearl after the 18 months period. The pearl technicians are from Mikimoto in Japan and are only at the farm in the months of April/May and October/November to conduct seeding work.

At the oyster larvaes holding tank, you will not be able to see the oysters larvae as their sizes are so small you need a microscope to see them clearly. The tank holds nylon nest for the larvaes to latch on and grow from there.

The snorkeling trip provided as part of the pearl farm visit was aborted due to choppy water that afternoon. So instead, we were brought snorkeling at Namena Island, which features a Giant Clams (Tridacna) farm.

It’s a rare treat to spot these clams because Tridacna gigas is considered one of the most endangered clam species in the world. This species of clam have an average lifespan in the wild of over 100 years.

Lovo – Traditional Fijian Food Preparation

I rushed back to the resort just in time for the Lovo unearthing. Lovo is a traditional form of cooking. This is the Fijian name for a feast cooked in the earth. The taste was like a BBQ, only a little more smoky and it’s an efficient way to cook large quantities of food at the same time. It was an eye-opener seeing this unearthing for the 1st time and the smell wafting from the unearthing prepares you for the dinner ahead. No appetizer needed.

You have all food items wrapped in coconut leaves, except the taro (yam). On menu at this occasion was pumpkin, taro, fish, chicken. All locally grown, produced or sourced.

The Meke – Fijian Traditional Dance

A typical night at a Fijian resort usually includes Meke dance before dinner. At Koro Sun resort, the villagers living around the resort turned out for this great session. You don’t need great sound system, just honest warm heart and great lung power.

Their great lung power worked brilliantly for this traditional style of dance. It was a surreal experience listening to the amazing vocals from the villagers. There is nothing like seeing grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters all united in a Meke dance.

Conclusion

I arrived at Fiji Islands expecting sun, sand and sea. But the real gems I found was the warmth and friendliness of the Fijian people. Everyone waves to wave everyone on the road. Fijians in the village area walk everywhere they go. And I was told, when one buys a car in the village, the car belongs to everyone in the village. And when one encountered problem in the village, everyone helps out. Such is the amazing experience that sets Fiji Islands apart from many places I visited. Do check out my part 2 article on the other islands on the trip.

Footnote : All pictures used in this travelogue are copyrighted to Jensen Chua Photography and Jetabout Holidays and all rights reserved.

The post Savusavu – Fiji Islands’ Best-Kept Secret appeared first on Jensen Chua Photography.