~Blue Lagoon , Fiji~
I mentioned last week my long list of places that still require a first visit and the 300 plus islands in the South Pacific archipelago of Fiji are part of that inventory.
Ever since I watched Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins in “The Blue Lagoon”, I have been harboring shipwreck fantasies that involve virgin, white sand beaches and sapphire, transparent waters. Fiji possesses all these and more: alluring sunsets, unspoiled coral reefs, a critical collection of marine biodiversity, volcanic mountains (Vanua Levu and Viti Levu being the major ones), emerald-green rain forests, and last, but not least, hospitable and genuinely sincere residents.
Life on these islands appears calm and relaxed, its rhythms being paced by the tides and the tropical sun. I cannot think of a location that is closer to the idea of an earthly paradise than this nation situated halfway between Australia and Tahiti, at the dividing line between Melanesia and Polynesia, and at the forefront of the New Year celebration due to its unique position in relation to the International Date Line.
Stay: Yasawa Island Resort
Eat: Nadina Authentic Fijian Restaurant for “kokoda” (spicy fish marinated in lime juice and served with fresh vegetables), “kovu walu” (Spanish mackerel steamed with coconut milk in banana leaves), “rourou” (taro leaves cooked in coconut cream with various spices) and “duruka” (asparagus-like delicacy cooked in coconut cream)
See: Blue Lagoon caves, at least one local village (visit with a chief), colorful fish, coral reefs.
~ Village, Fiji ~
~ Rain forest, Fiji ~
~ Yasawa Beach, Fiji ~
~ Swimming freely, Fiji ~
~ Red coral, Fiji ~
~Anemone fish, Fiji ~
Until next time,
Bodhi.
