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.

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Life at the Mekong River

A trip to the Mekong Delta invariably involves a cruise on the Mekong River in one of the traditional riverboats made from native bamboo, wood and rattan. Boats like these are an essential mode of transport in swampy areas and rural roads to access the isolated river communities spread out along the expansive delta. To enhance this picture of the boats and the background, I used a polariser filter to accentuate the clouds in the skies and remove reflection from the water surface.

Boats are one of the interesting features on the Mekong Delta. The picture above shows a group of dry goods transporter, with anchor and eyes painted on the bow to “watch out” for river traffic. As the Mekong Delta is a wide expanse of water and boats being far away, a telephoto zoom lens would be ideal to capture the details. I used my Canon EF70-200mm L IS in this instance. As the boat ride can be choppy, a high shutter speed is advised to avoid blurred pictures from camera shake.

Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho

One of the Mekong Delta highlights is the floating market such as Cai Rang that can be found in Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta. Nothing quite prepare travellers for this visual treat filled with frenzied activities. This river is best photographed at the break of dawn. You will get to experience what it is like being transported right into a National Geographical travel documentary. To achieve  a “layered” feel to the scene I have described above, I used my Canon EF300mm F4L IS lens at maximum aperture for shallower depth of field.

To get different angles of the floating market, having a better vantage point is very important. A photography session on the roof deck of a pineapple vendors’ boat is ideal. This can be arranged by tour guide and usually includes a taste of the vendor’s freshly cut pineapple. To capture a bird-eye’s view of the floating market in relation to the surrounding banks of the Can Tho river, I used my Canon EFS 10-18mm STM lens (It would be good to wait for passing boat to fill the frame for a more balance picture).

Cai Rang Wholesale Market

Different types of photography such as street, journalistic and people can be explored at the Cai Rang market in Can Tho. This market is just a short ride from the floating market known to be the largest wholesale market on the Mekong Delta. Photographers will have bountiful photography opportunities at every turn. My favourite subject is the female vendors wearing Non La, a Vietnamese palm leaf conical hat. Canon EF300mm F4L IS, at full aperture for the bokeh quality is perfect for better emphasis on one single subject. One challenge of shooting from far using long telephoto lens is that you will encounter people intruding in the frame unknowingly. To increase chances of getting good shots in such sticky situation, station yourself at a spot without traffic obstruction around you. Stay focus and be quick to capture your shot at the right moment.

In Vietnam, the local stall vendors are known to be hardy people and their accumulative activities contribute a big part to the local economies. They are generally very focused as they go about conducting their business. As such, I minimized distracting them by using my long lens – Canon EF300mm F4 L IS to capture their expression from a comfortable distance. Set your camera frames per second to its highest to capture that moment.

You get to see things in Vietnamese market that may not be available at your home country. Apart from that, discovering new sights are especially stimulating to a photographer. Like the tray of fruits which I initially thought to be “mini tomatoes” are in fact Vietnamese cherries. A long lens (Canon EF300mm F4L IS) maximum aperture and tight framing helps to focus on the subject. I also used high shutter speed to avoid having blurred pictures caused by movements from subject, camera shake or unsteady hands. As the subject in my case was still, I chose to use Single AF-Point on my EOS80D for better control.

Cottage industries @ the Mekong Delta

Cottage industries along the river-land towns in the Mekong Delta present great photo opportunities. You can observe “human-paced” manufacturing and hand-made products (like Banh Cuon, wet rice paper, pic above) in this trip. To convey the laid-back rustic feel with ambiance light, the use of high ISO in the range of 1600-3200, which negate the need for flashlight, is recommended in this situation.

Tra Vinh, Vietnam’s Khmer culture town

The local cultural heartland in Vietnam is situated in Tra Vinh, where you can find over 141 Khmer temples, Buddhism is the way of life here. It is not surprising that boys between ages of 15-20 set aside a few months to live as monks (although they may decide on the length of religious rites on their own). Two interesting facts I learn is they can eat meat but cannot kill animals. Secondly they subsist on only two meals daily. It made me realize that we did not see any overweight monks throughout the trip. It’s certainly a great place to shoot some of “Steve McCurry” inspired pictures. Do keep a look out for background details and colours for a more interesting composition.

Nature also presents itself in some colourful ways in the temples at Tra Vinh. I spotted a group of Monarch butterflies, its saffron coloured wings were just like the monks’ robes. A macro lens or telephoto lens with close focusing distance would render nature in its true glory. I used a Canon EF70-200mm F4L IS in this instance.

Agriculture at the Mekong Delta

The farming scene in the Mekong Delta, while increasing being modernised, is still very much human labour intensive. Being Vietnam’s main source of income, this is an agricultural miracle that pumps out more than a third of the country’s annual food crop from just ten percent of its total arable land mass. The farmers toiling in the fields are generally friendly and this make capturing their images a more pleasant experience. A long telephoto lens would be ideal to capture farmers as you may have to shoot from a distance while a wide angled zoom is perfect for rendering lines and repeated pattern of the cultivated fields.

It was a pleasure to pick up tips from Alvin Foo, The Principal of Canon Imaging Academy Singapore, during the trip. With like-minded passionate people on the trip, the scorching 37-38’C afternoon sun was never a hindrance in our quest for that special angle.

Urbanscape at Ho Chih Min City

The busy traffic in Vietnam as is known to be a scene filled with hordes of motorbikes. This makes it excellent for panning shots opportunities and other ways of conveying the “mayhem”. There is certainly method in her madness and so let your creativity runs wild. Just be safe and position yourself at right spot for that special shot. Either telephoto or wide angled zooms can be used depending where you position yourself and the pictures you want to capture.

I like to conclude this article with a long exposure shot  of the famous Ben Thanh roundabout. This million-dollar view literally cost us a “million dollar”  (in Vietnam Dong) as it was the amount required to gain access to this vantage point. I like to think it was money well- spent though. What’s your opinion?

This photography exploration trip was organised by Jetabout Holidays in collaboration with Canon Imaging Academy. Alvin Food , The Principal of Canon Imaging Academy Singapore , will be leading this 3D2N photography trip in November 2016. Details available here.

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